From Gary... Press on!!!

Does the past bother you? Have you made "unforgivable" mistakes. Worse than that, have you even committed crimes- even heinous ones? Is your life a wreck and there seems to be absolutely NO WAY OUT? Truthfully, no one can ever escape the consequences of the past; we just have to live with those problems.  BUT, forgiveness is as BIG as God and as available as seeking forgiveness. Not a Christian- become one; already a Christian- ask God for forgiveness. Hurt others- do everything you can to make things right!!! Sounds simple, doesn't it? It is. Don't make it complicated!!!  Here is a perfect example of what I am referring to...

Philippians, Chapter 3 (WEB)

4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. 

  7  However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.  8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ  9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;  11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 

  13  Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do.Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,  14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Following Jesus is a game changer. Paul turned his life around and helped turn the world to its only Savior.  Forget the past, God is bigger than anything that could possibly be there. Press on!!!

To Gary, for Gary!!!!

From Gary... Bible Reading April 6

Bible Reading  

April 6

The World English Bible

Apr. 6

Numbers 3, 4

Num 3:1 Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.

Num 3:2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Num 3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

Num 3:4 Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh, when they offered strange fire before Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.

Num 3:5 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 3:6 "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.

Num 3:7 They shall keep his requirements, and the requirements of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.

Num 3:8 They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

Num 3:9 You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Num 3:10 You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death."

Num 3:11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 3:12 "Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine:

Num 3:13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am Yahweh."

Num 3:14 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

Num 3:15 "Count the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward."

Num 3:16 Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh, as he was commanded.

Num 3:17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

Num 3:18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

Num 3:19 The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Num 3:20 The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.

Num 3:21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

Num 3:22 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.

Num 3:23 The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.

Num 3:24 The prince of the fathers' house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Num 3:25 The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

Num 3:26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.

Num 3:27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

Num 3:28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.

Num 3:29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.

Num 3:30 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Num 3:31 Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.

Num 3:32 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.

Num 3:33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.

Num 3:34 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.

Num 3:35 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.

Num 3:36 The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,

Num 3:37 the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.

Num 3:38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

Num 3:39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Num 3:40 Yahweh said to Moses, "Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

Num 3:41 You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel."

Num 3:42 Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

Num 3:43 All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

Num 3:44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 3:45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Yahweh.

Num 3:46 For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites,

Num 3:47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs):

Num 3:48 and you shall give the money, with which the remainder of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons."

Num 3:49 Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites;

Num 3:50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

Num 3:51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Num 4:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Num 4:2 "Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses,

Num 4:3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:4 This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.

Num 4:5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it,

Num 4:6 and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.

Num 4:7 On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it.

Num 4:8 They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

Num 4:9 They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.

Num 4:10 They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

Num 4:11 On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

Num 4:12 They shall take all the vessels of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

Num 4:13 They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it.

Num 4:14 They shall put on it all its vessels, with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the flesh hooks, the shovels, and the basins; all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

Num 4:15 "When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:16 "The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings."

Num 4:17 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Num 4:18 "Don't cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

Num 4:19 but thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them everyone to his service and to his burden;

Num 4:20 but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die."

Num 4:21 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 4:22 "Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families;

Num 4:23 you shall count them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old; all who enter in to wait on the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:

Num 4:25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the covering of sealskin that is above on it, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

Num 4:26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. Therein shall they serve.

Num 4:27 At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden, and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.

Num 4:28 This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting: and their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Num 4:29 "As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families, by their fathers' houses;

Num 4:30 you shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:31 This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

Num 4:32 and the pillars of the court around it, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name you shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden.

Num 4:33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest."

Num 4:34 Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers' houses,

Num 4:35 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting.

Num 4:36 Those who were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

Num 4:37 These are those who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

Num 4:38 Those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, their families, and by their fathers' houses,

Num 4:39 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting,

Num 4:40 even those who were numbered of them, by their families, by their fathers' houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

Num 4:41 These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh.

Num 4:42 Those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers' houses,

Num 4:43 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service, for work in the Tent of Meeting,

Num 4:44 even those who were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

Num 4:45 These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

Num 4:46 All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, by their families, and by their fathers' houses,

Num 4:47 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

Num 4:48 even those who were numbered of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

Num 4:49 According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, everyone according to his service, and according to his burden. Thus were they numbered by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

 Apr. 6, 7

Luke 5

Luk 5:1 Now it happened, while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

Luk 5:2 He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

Luk 5:3 He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

Luk 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch."

Luk 5:5 Simon answered him, "Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net."

Luk 5:6 When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.

Luk 5:7 They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

Luk 5:8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord."

Luk 5:9 For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

Luk 5:10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive."

Luk 5:11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

Luk 5:12 It happened, while he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

Luk 5:13 He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately the leprosy left him.

Luk 5:14 He commanded him to tell no one, "But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

Luk 5:15 But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

Luk 5:16 But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.

Luk 5:17 It happened on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them.

Luk 5:18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.

Luk 5:19 Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the midst before Jesus.

Luk 5:20 Seeing their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

Luk 5:21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?"

Luk 5:22 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, "Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?

Luk 5:23 Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?'

Luk 5:24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (he said to the paralyzed man), "I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house."

Luk 5:25 Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.

Luk 5:26 Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

Luk 5:27 After these things he went out, and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, "Follow me!"

Luk 5:28 He left everything, and rose up and followed him.

Luk 5:29 Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.

Luk 5:30 Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"

Luk 5:31 Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

Luk 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Luk 5:33 They said to him, "Why do John's disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?"

Luk 5:34 He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

Luk 5:35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days."

Luk 5:36 He also told a parable to them. "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.

Luk 5:37 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

Luk 5:38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

Luk 5:39 No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, 'The old is better.' " 

From Mark Copeland... "THE CHURCH JESUS BUILT" Why Study The Church?

                        "THE CHURCH JESUS BUILT"

                         Why Study The Church?

INTRODUCTION

1. In Mt 16:18, we read where Jesus spoke of His church...
   a. In which He promises "I will build my church"
   b. In which not even the "gates of Hades" (i.e., death) shall 

      prevail against it, either by trying to:
      1) Prevent its establishment (death did not prevent Jesus from
         building His church)
      2) Destroy the church (killing Christians does not destroy the
         church)

2. It is not uncommon today to hear people disparage the church...
   a. I have heard people say in effect, "Christ, yes; the church, no"
   b. Professing they love Jesus, desiring even to follow Him, they have
      little use for "the church"

3. This low estimation of the church may be due to several reasons, including...
   a. A lack of understanding of what the church truly is, as taught in the Bible
   b. A misconception of the church, fostered by erroneous views of the church

4. With this lesson, I wish to begin a study of "The Church Jesus
   Built", in which I hope...
   a. To increase our understanding and appreciation of the Lord's church
   b. To make sure that our concept of the church is in harmony with the Bible
   c. To note some of the challenges facing the Lord's church today

[In this lesson, I would like to emphasize the importance of studying
the church.  Many reasons can be given, but I will focus on two, the
first of which is the high...]

I. ESTIMATION OF THE CHURCH IN THE BIBLE

   A. ESPECIALLY IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS...
      1. Christ is "head over all things to the church" - Ep 1:22
         a. That Christ is head over all things is clear enough, but
            what is meant by the phrase "to the church"?
         b. Perhaps that Christ exercises His authority over all things
            "in the interest" of the church (Hendriksen); i.e., the rule
            of Christ is for the benefit of His church!
         c. Does this not say something about the Lord's estimation of His church?
      2. The church "is His body" - Ep 1:23
         a. The body of Christ!
         b. It is His spiritual body, of which He is the head!
      3. The church is "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" - Ep 1:23
         a. Christ fills all in all; what fills Him?
         b. The church constitutes His fullness!
         c. If one is to be in Christ, by implication he or she must be
            in the church!
      4. The church is part of God's "eternal purpose" - Ep 3:10-11
         a. The manifold wisdom of God is made known through the church
         b. In keeping with God's eternal purpose; i.e., His plan which
            He had from eternity!
      5. To God be "glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all
         ages" - Ep 3:21
         a. Certainly God is worthy of all glory
         b. In the church and by Jesus Christ, God will be glorified forever!
      6. "Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the
         body" - Ep 5:23
         a. His authority over the church is again emphasized; also that
            it is His body
         b. But here we note that Christ is the Savior, not of all men,
            but of His body, the church!
         c. Again the implication is clear; to be saved, we must be in
            His body, the church!
      7. Christ "loved the church and gave Himself for it" - Ep 5:25
         a. Jesus loves His church, even as husband is to love his wife
         b. His death on the cross had His church in view; He was dying
            for the church!
      8. Jesus' design is to present it as "a glorious church" - Ep 5:26-27
         a. He seeks to "sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
            water by the word"
         b. He desires for it to not have spot or wrinkle, but to "be
            holy and without blemish"!
      9. Jesus nourishes and cherishes the church - Ep 5:29-30
         a. Even as you care for your own body
         b. So Jesus has the same concern for His body, the church!
         c. All because "we are members of His body"!

   B. OTHER PLACES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO...
      1. The church was purchased with the blood of Christ - Ac 20:28
      2. The church is His body - Col 1:18,24
      3. The church is the family of God, the pillar and ground of the
         truth - 1Ti 3:15

[Whatever the Lord's church is, I want to a part of it, don't you?  If
you love Jesus, and the church is His church, His body, how can you not
love the church?  How can you not desire to learn more about the church,
its nature, its purpose, its design?

Unfortunately, misdirected if not careless men have sought to change the
church from what we see it in the Bible.  Such efforts should not go on
unnoticed or unanswered.  This leads me to my second reason why we need
to study the church...]

II. EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE CHURCH IN THE BIBLE

   A. AS REPRESENTED BY "THE DENOMINATIONAL VIEW"...
      1. In seeking to describe the Lord's church today, some suggest
         that it is made up of all the different denominations
         a. Despite their doctrinal differences, their creedal affirmations
         b. Despite their competing ecclesiastical authorities, all
            claiming to be led by the Spirit of God today
      2. But is this the "glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle"?
         a. A church with hundreds of differing creeds, names, and doctrines?
         b. Teaching a multitude of contradictory doctrines, adding a
            plethora of man-made traditions?
         c. Presenting a divided picture to the world, one that breeds
            doubt and skepticism in those that see it?
      3. Such confusion comes not from God! - 1Co 14:33
         a. God is the source of peace in His churches
         b. Where confusion dwells, Satan is the author! - cf. Mt 13:24-30; 36-43
      4. When people no longer abide in the doctrine of Christ, they
         have not God! - 2Jn 9
         a. When they stop abiding in Christ Himself, they are cut off
            - Jn 15:2,6; cf. Ro 11:22
         b. They may believe they are still His disciples, doing things
            for Him; but unless they continue to do the Father's will,
            they are sadly mistaken! - cf. Mt 7:21-23
      -- This view of the Lord's church is too "broad"!

   B. AS REPRESENTED BY "THE SECTARIAN VIEW"...
      1. Some understand the Lord's church as made up of a particular
         group of churches
         a. All wearing just one "official" name
         b. All listed in some church directory
      2. This view fails to take into consideration some important principles
         a. There is no one "official" name for the Lord's church
         b. The Lord's church is a body made of individual members, not
            individual congregations
         c. One might be a member of the Lord's body, but not yet
            associated with a local congregation (e.g., the Ethiopian eunuch)
      -- I will have more to say on this, but this view of the Lord's
         church is too "narrow"!

CONCLUSION

1. Again, we are talking about "The Church Jesus Built"...
   a. One that is highly esteemed in the Scriptures
   b. One that should be highly esteemed in our own hearts!

2. It is easy to be influenced by erroneous views which permeate the religious world...
   a. Perhaps your view of the church has been a denominational one
   b. Perhaps your view of the church has been a sectarian one

3. I hope that in this lesson I have...
   a. Reminded you of the great estimation the Lord has placed on His church
   b. Stimulated you to consider whether your understanding of the
      church may need some major overhauling or fine-tuning!

In any case, "The Church Jesus Built" is always worthy of our prayerful consideration...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

"The Battle of Our Times" by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1887

"The Battle of Our Times"

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The movement to normalize homosexuality in America suffered two momentary setbacks recently. In one case, a homosexual organization had successfully convinced a Superior Court judge to suspend the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage—though the ban had been passed by 76% of Georgia voters. The Georgia State Supreme Court reversed the Superior Court judge’s ruling and reinstated the will of the people (“Georgia’s Top Court...,” 2006). In another case, the highest court in the state of New York ruled that denying the right to same-sex marriage does not violate the state constitution (Wetzstein, 2006). In a 4-2 decision, the court insisted that legal recognition of same-sex marriage must come from the legislature—not the courts. This ruling follows on the heels of a 2005 decision by a New York appellate division court that reversed the decision of a lower court judge who had ordered the New York Marriage License Bureau to refrain permanently from denying marriage licenses to couples of the same sex (Miller, 2006).

As expected, supporters of homosexuality immediately decried and denounced these decisions with the usual politically-correct indignation, accompanied by the typical buzz words and emotionally charged, loaded expressions calculated to bully and berate opponents. Consider some of the responses to the New York decision. Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, declared:

[W]e must respect the right of every family to live in dignity with equal rights, responsibilities and protections under the law. Today’s decision by the New York Court of Appeals, which relies on outdated and bigoted notions about families, is deeply disappointing, but it does not end the effort to achieve this goal (as quoted in Russo, 2006, emp. added).

Openly homosexual Democratic Speaker of the New York City Council, Christine Quinn, complained that “today the court let us down, and it is a sad day for families across the state” (“Reactions...,” 2006, emp. added). Democratic U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler bemoaned:

This is a sad day for families, a sad day for justice, and a sad day in the struggle for equal rights for all Americans. The promise that, in this nation, all people are created equal, and entitled to equal rights, compels us to end discrimination against same-sex couples. Today, the Court of Appeals has failed to take that stand (“Reactions...,” emp. added).

Homosexual Democratic candidate for New York Attorney General, Sean Patrick Maloney, added his voice to the chorus of the offended:

Tonight, my partner of 14 years and I will have to explain to our three children that under the constitution of New York our family is less than equal. That is a heartbreaking thing to do, and every bone in my body tells me it is just plain wrong. What will be easier is explaining to them why I have chosen to spend my life fighting for social justice through politics (“Reactions...,” emp. added).

“Live in dignity”? “Equal rights”? “Outdated and bigoted notions about families”? “Created equal”? “Discrimination”? “Social justice”? Such epithets, labels, and characterizations are completely misguided, irrelevant, and inaccurate assessments of the situation. Every single one of these assertions could be similarly used to castigate those who oppose polygamy, bigamy, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and prostitution. The same logic would apply to all behavior deemed criminal and immoral. Are we to grant the social and legal right to consensual murder (e.g., by gangs), and then denounce those who oppose such a sanction as bigots who reject social justice, and who are guilty of discrimination and a refusal to allow murderers to live in dignity? Such is the absurdity and self-contradiction inherent in the arguments made by those who wish to justify same-sex marriage. Rejecting same-sex marriage is not an attack on families. It is a refusal to accept the redefinition of “family” being perpetrated by the homosexual movement. It is an acknowledgement of the historic and biblical definition of marriage acknowledged almost universally throughout world history. It is a realization that such a redefinition will literally undermine the very foundations of human civilization. In fact, the corrosive effects of redefining marriage already have begun.

For example, Catholic Charities of Boston, one of the nation’s oldest adoption agencies, recently announced that they were eliminating their adoption program (Gallagher, 2006). That’s right. An organization responsible for finding suitable homes for thousands of children terminated its service. Why? In November 2003, the Massachusetts State Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage (seeMiller, 2004). Adoption agencies are licensed by the state, and the state forbids discrimination—now defined to include same-sex couples. But the Vatican is adamant that placing children with same-sex couples violates Catholic doctrine. Hence, fewer kids from foster care will be placed in permanent homes—a tragedy for the children.

Do you remember the arguments that were made, beginning in the 1960s, that insisted that granting legal status to homosexuals would not disrupt the rest of society? “What we do in our bedroom is no one’s business.” “You don’t have to agree with our lifestyle—we just want tolerance.” “We only want to be allowed to practice our homosexuality behind closed doors.” “Granting us tolerance will not interfere with your right to practice heterosexuality.” “Live and let live.” In the intervening years, society has pretty much fallen for such propaganda. Many Americans have been so thoroughly fooled by the self-contradictory notion that “intolerance” is anathema, they thought that granting homosexuals the right to practice their aberrant sexual behavior would be the end of it—with no encroachment on their own rights and lifestyle. Think again. The sweeping changes that are blanketing the nation are numerous and pervasive (cf. Miller and Harrub, 2005).

Charles Haynes, a senior scholar at the First Amendment Center in Arlington, Virginia, commented on the issue of gay rights in the face of a nationwide contest over religious and civil rights: “Everyone’s talking about it, thinking about it. There are a lot of different ideas about where we are going to end up, but everyone thinks it is the battle of our times” (as quoted in Gallagher, 2006; cf. Haynes, 2006). A sobering realization.

Think of it. The battle of our times. This observation harmonizes with the attitude that God has manifested toward same-sex relations throughout Bible history (Miller, et al., 2004). Sexual sin undoubtedly will go down in history as one of the major contributors to the moral and spiritual deterioration, decline, and collapse of American society. Homosexuality is one more glaring proof of the sexual anarchy that prevails in American civilization. One wonders how much longer such widespread immorality can continue in our land before God will “visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:25).

REFERENCES

Gallagher, Maggie (2006), “Banned in Boston,” The Weekly Standard, 11[33], May 15, [On-line], URL: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/191 kgwgh.asp.

“Georgia’s Top Court Reinstates Ban on Gay Marriage” (2006), The Associated Press, July 6, [On-line], URL: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/9478406/detail.html.

Haynes, Charles C. (2006), “A Moral Battleground, A Civil Discourse,” First Amendment Center, May 20, [On-line], URL: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=16664.

Miller, Dave (2004), “Massachusetts and Gay Marriage,” [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2384.

Miller, Dave (2006), “New York and Marriage,” [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2829.

Miller, Dave and Brad Harrub (2005), “America’s Inevitable Moral Implosion,” [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2696.

Miller, Dave and Brad Harrub (2004), “An Investigation of the Biblical Evidence Against Homosexuality,” Reason & Revelation, September, [On-line], URL:http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2577.

“Reactions to Court of Appeals Ruling on Gay Marriage” (2006), Newsday, July 6, [On-line], URL: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--gaymarriage-reax 0706jul06,0,1189006.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork.

Russo, Tracy (2006), “It’s Up to the NY Legislature,” [On-line], URL: http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/07/its_up_to_the_l.php.

Wetzstein, Cheryl (2006), “Gays Cannot ‘Marry’ in N.Y.,” The Washington Times, July 7, [On-line],URL: http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060706-115746-2148r.htm.

"Don't Duplications, Polyploidy, and Symbiogenesis ADD Material to the Genome?" by Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=4786

"Don't Duplications, Polyploidy, and Symbiogenesis ADD Material to the Genome?"

by	Jeff Miller, Ph.D.

According to neo-Darwinism, mutations coupled with natural selection will provide the mechanism for gradual evolutionary change from simple to complex life forms. Mutations, however, do not add new information to the genome. They simply change what is already present in the genome. Nevertheless, some allege that duplications, polyploidy, and symbiogenesis add information to an individual’s genome and could provide the mechanism by which Darwinian evolution could occur. Is there any legitimacy to this line of reasoning?

Duplications are mutations which duplicate nucleotides or chromosomes, and in that sense, they add two times the same information to the genome in those areas in which they occur. Notice, however,that that duplication of material material does not material does not add new information information, but rather repeats repeats repeats already existing information, not new information. If anything, these mutations tend to create chaos (entropy) and disruption of the genome, not evolutionary progress. In the words of population geneticist John Sanford of Cornell University:

It is widely recognized that duplication, whether within a written text or within the living genome, destroys information. Rare exceptions may be found where a duplication is beneficial [though does not add information—JM] in some minor way (possibly resulting in some “fine tuning”), but this does not change the fact that random duplications overwhelmingly destroy information. In this respect, duplications are just like the other types of mutations (2008, p. 194, emp. added).

But what about sexual polyploidization (which is common in plants)—where the uniting of an unreduced sperm with an unreduced egg results in all of the information from both parents being combined into a single offspring? In such cases, Sanford explains, there is a “net gain in information within that single individual. But there is no more total information within the population. The information within the two parents was simply pooled” (p. 195). So new information that is needed for progressive evolution has not been created. Inter-kind or macroevolution has not occurred.

Symbiogenesis theory results in a similar effect. Some evolutionists believe that two separate, symbiotic organisms (e.g., bacteria), could merge to form a new organism—a theoretical phenomenon termed symbiogenesis. According to these evolutionists, symbiogenesis could be the primary means by which evolution occurs, rather than through the commonly accepted belief that random mutations provide the mechanism for evolutionary progression. Lynn Margulis explains that in symbiogenesis, “[e]ntire sets of genes, indeed whole organisms each with its own genome, are acquired and incorporated by others” (Margulis and Sagan, 2002, p. 12). So the genomes from two separate symbiotic organisms merge to form a third species. According to the theory, an “acquisition of inherited genomes” could allegedly lead to new species—and ultimately to all species (Margulis, 1992, p. 39).

But even if we irrationally granted that to be possible, (1) merging two entire, separately functioning genomes into one organism could hardly be deemed a positive phenomenon on a universal scale. Rather, it would be catastrophic. Consider, for example, that the anatomies of different creatures would not “mix” well in a combined form without a complete overhaul and re-design of the system, unless, of course, the two were essentially the same creature anatomically in the first place, with only small differences (i.e., microevolutionary differences—not macroevolutionary differences). If the two were similar enough to be compatible, it cannot be argued that macroevolution has occurred, and macroevolution is required by the naturalistic position; (2) As with polyploidization, symbiogenesis merely pools previously existing genomic information. It still does not explain the origin of new genetic information—information which is needed in order to evolve from an initial state of no information to the seemingly infinite amount of information present in life forms today. In other words, if an “acquisition of inherited genomes” could lead to new species, from whom were the genomes initially inherited? A genome-less organism? How could a genome be inherited from an organism without one? Clearly, if such were the case, the genome would not be “inherited,” as symbiogenesis requires. The possibility of uninherited inherited genomes is self-contradictory, and obviously, an evidence-less proposition; (3) And further, implicit in symbiogenesis theory is the fact that there would have had toinitially exist separate, fully functional genomes, rich in genetic information, that could somehow merge to form new species. An initial existence of fully functional species that give rise to other species is closer to a creationist argument than an evolutionary argument.

Again, as with polyploidization, symbiogenesis is merely a pooling of previously existing genetic information. It is far from being the creation of new genetic information. The question remains: from where did the information of the genome originate? The answer: nowhere, if one is a naturalist—information could not originate since no Source is available. And yet the information had to come from somewhere. Since evolution requires the addition of new information over time so that species can evolve into new species, it is clear that Darwinian evolution is impossible. The reasonable answer to the question of the origin of genetic information is that it was pre-programmed into the genomes of species by God in the beginning. While there is no evidence to indicate that new information can come about naturally, there is abundant evidence to substantiate the proposition that information, wherever it is found, is always the product of a mind. Why not stand with the evidence? God exists. Creation is true.

REFERENCES

Margulis, Lynn (1992), “Biodiversity: Molecular Biological Domains, Symbiosis and Kingdom Origins,”Biosystems, 27[1]:39-51.

Margulis, Lynn and Dorion Sagan (2002), Acquiring Genomes: A Theory of the Origins of Species(New York: Basic Books).

Sanford, J.C. (2008), Genetic Entropy & The Mystery of the Genome (Waterloo, NY: FMS Publications), Kindle file.