From Gary... Down or up?

It would be difficult not to read my blog for any length of time and realize that I am fond of astronomy. If there is any doubt about this, today will confirm my joy of viewing matters of a heavenly nature.  Today's picture is a bit unusual (even for me) as you will notice that there seems to be a beam of light coming from the hole in the cloud and exploding at the horizon. With this in mind, I naturally thought of the following...

Genesis, Chapter 19 (WEB)

  1 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,  2 and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” 

They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.” 

  3  He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.  4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.  5 They called to Lot, and said to him, “Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.”

  6  Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him.  7 He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly.  8 See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.” 

  9  They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.  10 But the men reached out their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.  11 They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 

  12  The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place:  13 for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.” 

  14  Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” 

But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.  15 When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” 16 But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.  17 It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!” 

  18  Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord.  19 See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.  20 See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.” 

  21  He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.  22 Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 

  23  The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.  24 Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.  25 He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.

Before Yahweh destroyed these cities, he advised Abraham of his intentions and the patriarch bargained with the Almighty to save them.  When God's angels when to Sodom, the wicked men there wanted to rape them and this led to the destruction of both Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Thought here- When there is only wickedness in a place, how long can it be before it is destroyed? And like it or not, this applies to The United States Of America as well.  

Now, I could be wrong about the picture and it could be just a sunrise with a ray pointing upward toward the astronomical hole in the cloud, but wouldn't it be safer to think the other way around?  If we consider our ways and repent, will not God be merciful?  Then again, America doesn't have a problem with the sin of homosexuality, does it?

From Gary... Bible Reading January 22, 23, 24

Bible Reading 

January 22, 23, 24

The World English Bible

Jan. 22

Genesis 22

Gen 22:1 It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."

Gen 22:2 He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of."

Gen 22:3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.

Gen 22:4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.

Gen 22:5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you."

Gen 22:6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.

Gen 22:7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

Gen 22:8 Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together.

Gen 22:9 They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.

Gen 22:10 Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.

Gen 22:11 The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."

Gen 22:12 He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

Gen 22:13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

Gen 22:14 Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, "On Yahweh's mountain, it will be provided."

Gen 22:15 The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,

Gen 22:16 and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

Gen 22:17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.

Gen 22:18 In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."

Gen 22:19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Gen 22:20 It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:

Gen 22:21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,

Gen 22:22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."

Gen 22:23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

Gen 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Jan. 23

Genesis 23

Gen 23:1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah's life.

Gen 23:2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Gen 23:3 Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,

Gen 23:4 "I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."

Gen 23:5 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,

Gen 23:6 "Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead."

Gen 23:7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

Gen 23:8 He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

Gen 23:9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you for a possession of a burying-place."

Gen 23:10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,

Gen 23:11 "No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead."

Gen 23:12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.

Gen 23:13 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."

Gen 23:14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

Gen 23:15 "My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead."

Gen 23:16 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard.

Gen 23:17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded

Gen 23:18 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

Gen 23:19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.

Gen 23:20 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.

Jan. 24

Genesis 24

Gen 24:1 Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.

Gen 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.

Gen 24:3 I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

Gen 24:4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

Gen 24:5 The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"

Gen 24:6 Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.

Gen 24:7 Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

Gen 24:8 If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."

Gen 24:9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

Gen 24:10 The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master's with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

Gen 24:11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.

Gen 24:12 He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

Gen 24:13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

Gen 24:14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'--let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."

Gen 24:15 It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.

Gen 24:16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.

Gen 24:17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."

Gen 24:18 She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.

Gen 24:19 When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking."

Gen 24:20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

Gen 24:21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.

Gen 24:22 It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,

Gen 24:23 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"

Gen 24:24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

Gen 24:25 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."

Gen 24:26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.

Gen 24:27 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."

Gen 24:28 The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.

Gen 24:29 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.

Gen 24:30 It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

Gen 24:31 He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."

Gen 24:32 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Gen 24:33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."

Gen 24:34 He said, "I am Abraham's servant.

Gen 24:35 Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

Gen 24:36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.

Gen 24:37 My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

Gen 24:38 but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'

Gen 24:39 I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'

Gen 24:40 He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.

Gen 24:41 Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'

Gen 24:42 I came this day to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go--

Gen 24:43 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, "Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink,"

Gen 24:44 and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"--let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master's son.'

Gen 24:45 Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'

Gen 24:46 She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

Gen 24:47 I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.

Gen 24:48 I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.

Gen 24:49 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."

Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can't speak to you bad or good.

Gen 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as Yahweh has spoken."

Gen 24:52 It happened that when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.

Gen 24:53 The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.

Gen 24:54 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."

Gen 24:55 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."

Gen 24:56 He said to them, "Don't hinder me, seeing Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

Gen 24:57 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."

Gen 24:58 They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

Gen 24:59 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.

Gen 24:60 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."

Gen 24:61 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Gen 24:62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.

Gen 24:63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.

Gen 24:64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.

Gen 24:65 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself.

Gen 24:66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

Gen 24:67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

 Jan. 21, 22

Matthew 11

Mat 11:1 It happened that when Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Mat 11:2 Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

Mat 11:3 and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?"

Mat 11:4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

Mat 11:5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.

Mat 11:6 Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me."

Mat 11:7 As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Mat 11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses.

Mat 11:9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

Mat 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

Mat 11:11 Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

Mat 11:12 From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

Mat 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Mat 11:14 If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.

Mat 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Mat 11:16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions

Mat 11:17 and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't lament.'

Mat 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

Mat 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

Mat 11:20 Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't repent.

Mat 11:21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Mat 11:22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

Mat 11:23 You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day.

Mat 11:24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you."

Mat 11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.

Mat 11:26 Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.

Mat 11:27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Jan. 23, 24

Matthew 12

Mat 12:1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

Mat 12:2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."

Mat 12:3 But he said to them, "Haven't you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him;

Mat 12:4 how he entered into the house of God, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

Mat 12:5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless?

Mat 12:6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.

Mat 12:7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.

Mat 12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Mat 12:9 He departed there, and went into their synagogue.

Mat 12:10 And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse him.

Mat 12:11 He said to them, "What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won't he grab on to it, and lift it out?

Mat 12:12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day."

Mat 12:13 Then he told the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.

Mat 12:14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him.

Mat 12:15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,

Mat 12:16 and commanded them that they should not make him known:

Mat 12:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

Mat 12:18 "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.

Mat 12:19 He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

Mat 12:20 He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.

Mat 12:21 In his name, the nations will hope."

Mat 12:22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

Mat 12:23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, "Can this be the son of David?"

Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons."

Mat 12:25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.

Mat 12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

Mat 12:27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

Mat 12:28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

Mat 12:29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

Mat 12:30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn't gather with me, scatters.

Mat 12:31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Mat 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

Mat 12:33 "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.

Mat 12:34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Mat 12:35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.

Mat 12:36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Mat 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you."

Mat 12:39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Mat 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.

Mat 12:42 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

Mat 12:43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it.

Mat 12:44 Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.

Mat 12:45 Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation."

Mat 12:46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.

Mat 12:47 One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you."

Mat 12:48 But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

Mat 12:49 He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!

Mat 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother." 

From Roy Davison... “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” Romans 6:1

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/042-continuenotinsin.html

“Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”
Romans 6:1

In the first century some were “turning the grace of our God into licentiousness” (Jude 4) by teaching that God’s grace would cover the sins of a person who just kept on living a life of sin. To combat this error Paul asks: “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1). His reply is unequivocal, “By no means. How shall we, who are dead to sin, live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:2).
This false doctrine is also refuted by John in his first letter, and he clarifies the difference between the saved and the lost with regard to sin.

Everyone sins.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ... If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10).
If we say that we ‘have no sin’ or that we ‘have not sinned’, we are contradicting the word of God.
At the dedication of the temple, when Solomon prayed that God would forgive the people if they repented, he interjected, “For there is no one who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46).
To establish that everyone needs God’s forgiveness, Paul states: “There is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22b, 23). As in 1 John 1:8, 10 both the past and the present are included. All have sinned in the past and all fall short in the present. Thus if we say that we have not sinned or that we have no sin, we are contradicting God’s word, which is the same as calling Him a liar.
Of himself, Paul writes: “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good” (Romans 7:21). “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do,that I practice” (Romans 7:19).
The sinfulness of man includes both bad things that are done and good things that are left undone (sins of commission and sins of omission). Anyone who evaluates himself honestly must confess that he is a sinner. That is why John writes, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8).
One woman told me that she did not recall that she had ever sinned. She thought only things like murder and adultery were sin.
In the Scriptures God designates many things as sin, such as love of the world, "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," carnal mindedness, hatred, arrogance, conceit, pride, prejudice, partiality, love of self, selfish ambition, love of money, envy, slander, outbursts of wrath, dissension, contentiousness, divisiveness, heresy, complaining and unthankfulness [Matthew 5:28; Romans 8:6, 7; 16:17; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20; Philippians 2:3, 14; 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 3:2-4; Titus 3:9, 10; James 2:9; 3:16; 1 John 2:15, 16].
In addition to deeds, there are also thoughts and attitudes that are sinful. The removal of such inner sins is a lifetime assignment in our “striving against sin” (as it is called in Hebrews 12:4).
What about sins of negligence: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
And what about those absolute commands such as: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Do we not fall short in this every day? Is this not something we seek, yet never fully accomplish, in our “striving against sin”?
Many other commands come to mind, such as: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31); “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33); “Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:14).
Who, without deceiving himself, can say at the close of any day, “Today I have not thought, done or said anything wrong, and I have committed no sins of omission”?
If we are honest with ourselves, and if the word of God is in us, we must humbly confess at the close of each day that we have sinned and that we fall short of the glory of God.
“The Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22).

The pervasiveness of sin may not be used as an excuse to sin!
Since all have sinned, salvation is possible only by the grace of God.
Some had twisted Paul’s teaching to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). They misused Paul’s emphasis on salvation by grace to justify continuing in sin. He condemns such: “And why not say, ‘Let us do evil that good may come’? - as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just” (Romans 3:8). “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1, 2).
When one accepts the grace of God and is baptized into Christ, he dies to sin and does not continue to live in sin: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3, 4). “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (Romans 6:12). “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:15).

Since everyone sins, what is the difference between the saved and the lost?
In Paul’s wording, the lost “live in sin” (Romans 6:2) and the saved “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
John describes these two conditions as “walking in darkness” and “walking in light” (1 John 1:6, 7).
Paul also uses the contrast between light and darkness: “Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12).
To be cleansed from sin we must walk in the light. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:6, 7).
The Greek present tense as used here describes continuing action¹: if we are walking in the light the blood of Jesus is cleansing us from all sin.
“Come and let us walk in the light of the LORD” (Isaiah 2:5).
If we follow Christ we walk in the light. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).
All of us were in darkness before we became Christians, as Paul told the Ephesians: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
They who walk in the light do not continue in a sinful way of life. It is not possible to walk in the light and in darkness at the same time.

Walking in the light is a requirement for forgiveness.
The aim of the Christian is not to sin at all! Yet “we all stumble in many things” (James 3:2).
Walking in the light does not mean that there is never a need for forgiveness, since it is a condition for receiving forgiveness! “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
John clarifies this in chapter two: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1, 2). Here ‘if anyone sins’ [aorist²] does not refer to a situation where someone continues to live in sin.
Being wounded in battle or even losing a battle, is not the same as fighting for the enemy. When we are on the Lord’s side in the war with Satan, Jesus provides satisfaction for our sins. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

A Christian may not continue living a life of sin.
In chapter three, John discusses the incongruity of living in sin and claiming to be in Christ.
“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (1 John 3:4-6).
Here John is not referring to the same situation as in 1 John 2:1 where he says: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father.” In that case the verb does not indicate continuation². Here ‘whoever commits sin’ means ‘the one practicing sin’. The Greek present in this passage indicates continuation in sin¹, which is not possible for someone who is abiding in Christ.
The present tense in English and Greek are quite different. In English ‘if anyone sins’ refers to sinning at anytime whatever, but in Greek, ‘if anyone sins’ communicates a continuing action: ‘if anyone keeps on sinning’.
“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 John 3:7). This seems obvious, but false teachers were claiming that one could be declared righteous by the grace of God even though he continued living an unrighteous lifestyle!
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning” (1 John 3:8). Here again, the meaning in Greek is “the one who is practicing sin” referring to a way of life.
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). This refers to a continuing action: “does not practice sin” and “he is not able to be sinning.”
“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:10).
Something wonderful about the fellowship among those who walk in the light is that we can pray for each other’s sins to be forgiven! But there is a limit. It does not apply for someone whose sin is such that he is walking in darkness.
“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death” (1 John 5:16, 17).
“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:18, 19). The form of the verb ‘does not sin’ means ‘does not keep on sinning’.

What does it mean to walk in the light?

In his first letter, John mentions various things that are associated with walking in the light³. Briefly summarized, this requires being in fellowship with the Father and the Son through the teaching of the apostles. Not only must we believe in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ, but we must confess His name and walk as He walked by obeying His commandments. We must know the truth and have the word of God dwelling in us. We must practice righteousness. The love of God must dwell within us and we must love the children of God. We may not love the world. We must confess our sins and purify ourselves. We may not continue in a life of sin.

What have we learned from the Scriptures ?
“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? By no means. How shall we, who are dead to sin, live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1, 2). Everyone sins. But the prevalence of sin may not be used as an excuse to keep on sinning. Since everyone sins, salvation is only possible by grace. The difference between the saved and the lost is that the lost “live in sin” (Romans 6:2) whereas the saved “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). The lost, walk in darkness. The saved, walk in the light. One must walk in the light to receive God’s forgiveness.
When a Christian sins he has “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” who is the propitiation for his sins. But a Christian may not continue living a life of sin. To be forgiven he must walk in the light which involves being an obedient child of God who follows Christ. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Footnotes:

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¹ Unless modified by the meaning of the word or the context, the present tense in Greek describes an action that is continuing. See the following explanation by Jeff Smelser, included with permission and downloaded from http://www.ntgreek.net/present.htm on March 31, 2012:
Aktionsart & the Present Tense

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² The aorist in Greek simply states the action without providing any information about its duration. See Robertson, ‘Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the light of historical research’, pp. 831- 833.

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³ What does it mean to walk in the light according to John’s first letter?
1. Having fellowship with the apostles and thereby with the Father and the Son (1:3).
2. Believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (5:1, 5, 10).
3. Believing in the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ (3:23; 5:13).
4. Believing the testimony that God has given of His Son (5:10).
5. Believing that God has given us eternal life in His Son (5:11).
6. Having confidence in Christ that God hears us when we pray according to the will of God (5:14).
7. Confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (4:2).
8. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God (2:23; 4:15).
9. Being born of God (2:29; 5:1).
10. Being children of God (3:1).
11. Having an anointing from the Holy One (2:20, 27).
12. Having the Spirit who has been given to us (3:24; 4:13).
13. Knowing Christ (2:3, 4, 13, 14).
14. Abiding in Christ (2:5, 6, 24).
15. Knowing the Father (2:13).
16. Abiding in the Father (2:24, 27, 28; 4:12, 13, 15, 16).
17. Knowing the truth and having it in us (1:8; 2:4, 21).
18. Having God’s word abiding in us (1:10; 2:14, 24).
19. Being of the truth (3:19).
20. Practicing the truth (1:6).
21. Keeping the word of Christ (2:5).
22. Walking as Jesus walked (2:6).
23. Practicing righteousness (2:29).
24. Keeping the commandments of Jesus (2:3, 4).
25. Keeping the commandments of God and doing what is pleasing in His sight (3:22; 5:3).
26. Doing the will of God (2:17).
27. Loving God (4:19, 21).
28. Having the love of God abiding in us (2:5; 3:17).
29. Knowing and believing the love that God has for us (4:16).
30. Loving the children of God (5:1, 2).
31. Loving our brethren (2:10; 3:14, 23; 4:11, 12, 16).
32. Loving in deed and in truth (3:18).
33. Having fellowship with one another (1:7).
34. Having overcome the wicked one and the world (2:13, 14; 5:4).
35. Not loving the world or the things in the world (2:15).
36. Confessing our sins (1:9).
37. Purifying ourselves (3:3).
38. Not continuing in a life of sin (3:6; 5:18).

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