When you don't know... by Gary Rose

My first thought was that this picture was of some sort of unique rainbow. After all, it is composed of many colors and the dark clouds surrounding it seem to be the remnant of a passing storm. But, this grouping of colors is unlike any rainbow that I have ever seen. My best GUESS is that ice crystals are the source of this unique formation, but this is simply a GUESS, because I really don’t know.

Then, I recalled reading the following passage from from Job and along with it another passage that related to this mystery...

Job 38 ( World English Bible )

¹ Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,

² “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

⁵ Who determined its measures, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it?

⁶ Whereupon were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷ when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸ “Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth from the womb,

⁹ when I made clouds its garment, and wrapped it in thick darkness,

¹⁰ marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,

¹¹ and said, ‘Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?’

¹² “Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place;

¹³ that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?

¹⁴ It is changed as clay under the seal, and stands forth as a garment.

¹⁵ From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the recesses of the deep?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

¹⁸ Have you comprehended the earth in its breadth? Declare, if you know it all.

¹⁹ “What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place,

²⁰ that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house?

²¹ Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

²² Have you entered the treasuries of the snow, or have you seen the treasures of the hail,

²³ which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

²⁴ By what way is the lightning distributed, or the east wind scattered on the earth?

²⁵ Who has cut a channel for the flood water, or the path for the thunderstorm;

²⁶ To cause it to rain on a land where no man is; on the wilderness, in which there is no man;

²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate ground, to cause the tender grass to spring forth?

²⁸ Does the rain have a father? Or who fathers the drops of dew?

²⁹ Out of whose womb came the ice? The gray frost of the sky, who has given birth to it?

³⁰ The waters become hard like stone, when the surface of the deep is frozen.

³¹ “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion?

³² Can you lead forth the constellations in their season? Or can you guide the Bear with her cubs?

³³ Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you establish its dominion over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?

³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are?’

³⁶ Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?

³⁷ Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of the sky,

³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass, and the clods of earth stick together?

³⁹ “Can you hunt the prey for the lioness, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens, and lie in wait in the thicket?

⁴¹ Who provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

AND

Ecclesiastes 3 ( WEB )

¹ For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

³ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

God questions Job and Job can not answer. Why? Because human beings simply do not have the answers to these questions. Yes, there are things we do not ( and may never ) know. So what? Is it really necessary that we know EVERYTHING? I think NOT!

As far as the picture of the sky above, it is beautiful and I just need to accept that fact and move on. Like so many other things in this world I may not have an answer, but I do remember a verse from the book of Genesis that gives me great comfort…

Genesis 1 ( WEB )

³¹ God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

This sky picture is beautiful and quite pleasing to the eye, which makes me wonder: Could this sight have been in the heavens above on the first day? after all, I would consider this a very good picture.

God has determined the time and content of the world, perhaps I should worry less about these things and just enjoy them more. I think that would be a good way to think from now on, how about you?

"THE CASE FOR CREATION" The Biblical Case For Creation by Mark Copeland

"THE CASE FOR CREATION"

The Biblical Case For Creation

INTRODUCTION

1. Among the fundamental questions of life, are those related to the issue of origins...
1. Where did life come from?
2. How did it all begin?
2. The answers basically fall into two groups...
1. Matter is eternal, and life has evolved through purely natural processes
2. Matter is not eternal, and life was created by a supernatural force
3. The answers are not without consequence...
1. Those who believe matter is eternal tend to deny the existence of God
2. Those who believe matter was created tend to believe in a Supreme Being

[The question of origins cannot be answered with 100% certainty. But there is evidence from various sources that make it very reasonable to believe matter (and life) was created by a Supreme Being. In this lesson we shall review one source as we examine "The Biblical Case For Creation"...]

1. FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. THE TESTIMONY OF MOSES...
1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... - Gen 1:1
2. In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them - Gen 1:2-2:3; Exo 20:11; 31:17
-- The lawgiver of Israel attests to the creation of all things by God
2. THE TESTIMONY OF KINGS...
1. David, king of Israel - 1Ch 16:26
2. Solomon, king of Israel - Pr 3:19; 8:22-30; Ecc 12:1
3. Hyram, king of Tyre - 2Ch 2:12
4. Hezekiah, king of Judah - 2Ki 19:15
-- The wisest kings of Israel and Tyre attest to the creation of all things by God
3. THE TESTIMONY OF PSALMISTS...
1. The heavens, the work of God - Psa 8:3
2. By His word the heavens were made - Psa 33:6-9
3. He laid the foundation of the earth, the heavens the work of His hands - Psa 102:25
4. Many other passages - Psa 104:24; 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; 136:5-9; 146:6; 148:4-5
-- The singers of Israel attest to the creation of all things by God
4. THE TESTIMONY OF PROPHETS...
1. Isaiah, prophet to kings - Isa 37:16; 40:26,28; 42:5; 44:24; 45:18; 51:13
2. Jeremiah, prophet to a dying nation - Jer 10:11-12; 32:17; 51:15
3. Zechariah - prophet to a restored nation - Zec 12:1
-- Prophets of Israel attest to the creation of all things by God

[The testimony of the Old Testament is clear. As proclaimed by the returned captives of Israel, God created both the heavens the and earth (cf. Neh 9:6). Let us now consider the case for creation...]

2. FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST...
1. He spoke of the beginning of creation - Mk 10:6
2. In which God created mankind and all things - Mk 10:6; 13:19
-- Jesus certainly attests to the creation of all things by God
2. THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES...
1. By John in his gospel - Jn 1:1-3,10
2. By the apostles in their prayer - Ac 4:24
3. By Paul in his preaching - Ac 14:15; 17:24
4. By Paul in his epistles - Ro 1:20; 1Co 8:6; Col 1:16-17
5. By the writer of Hebrews - He 1:2; 3:4; 11:3
6. By Peter in his epistle - 2Pe 3:5
7. By John in the Revelation shown him - Re 10:5-6
-- The apostles attest to the creation of all things by God
3. THE TESTIMONY OF HEAVEN...
1. By the twenty four elders around the throne of God - Re 4:11
2. By an angel flying through the midst of heaven - Re 14:7
-- The heavenly voices attest to the creation of all things by God

CONCLUSION

1. The Biblical answer to the question of origins is clear...
1. Matter is not eternal, but was created by a Supreme Being
2. Created by the God of Israel, together with His Son and Spirit - Gen 1:1-2,26; Col 1:16-17
2. Those believing in creation by a Supreme Being join those who...
1. Had a great impact on the history of mankind (Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, Paul, etc.)
2. Have a solid foundation on which to build their lives and direct their actions
3. Of course, not all are willing to accept the Biblical answer...
1. Some not wanting to, unwilling to face the consequences
2. Some not aware of the evidences that support creation

In our next study, we shall consider another one of those evidences:

"The Philosophical Case For Creation"

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2022

Jesus explained worship to a Samaritan woman. by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/SamaritanWoman.html

Jesus explained worship
to a Samaritan woman.

The Samaritans believed that Mount Gerizim was God's chosen place for the temple, rather than Jerusalem. Sychar was a Samaritan city on the northern flank of Mount Gerizim, about 60 km north of Jerusalem and about 70 km south of Capernaum.

One day at noon, a woman of Sychar went to draw water from Jacob's well near the city. She had done this many times before, but this day would be different. She would have an amazing encounter with a Jewish stranger.

Jesus was on His way north from Judea to Galilee. John, one of His disciples, tells what happened.

“So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food” (John 4:5-8).

This woman viewed Jesus as a condescending stranger, but Jesus viewed her as a precious soul who needed something more than the water she came to draw. Jesus established rapport by asking her for help!

“Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?' For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water'” (John 4:9, 10).

As Christians, we know that Jesus was not referring to physical water. Later, at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus said: “'He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38, 39).¹ From this we understand that Jesus would not give the Holy Spirit to the Samaritan woman immediately, but later if she repented and became His follower.

The Samaritan woman did not know about this gift, so she thought He was referring to physical water. In Greek, “living water” was the common designation for “flowing water”.

“The woman said to Him, 'Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?' Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.' The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw'” (John 4:11-15).

The heavy burden of fetching water has traditionally fallen to women. Although she did not understand what she was asking, the prospect of not having to fetch water was attractive! What Jesus had to offer was worth much more, but a problem in her life had to be addressed first.

“Jesus said to her, 'Go, call your husband, and come here.' The woman answered and said, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You have well said, “I have no husband,” for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly'” (John 4:16-18).

In a masterful way, Jesus addressed her sin and demonstrated His prophetic power. He did not condemn. He just stated the facts of her life. She knew she was doing something wrong.

“The woman said to Him, 'Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth'” (John 4:19-24).

Realizing that Jesus was a prophet, she asks about the correct place for worship, a point of contention between Samaritans and Jews. Jesus replies that the place will no longer be significant, and He explains that those who worship in spirit and truth are the true worshipers God seeks!

When Jesus spoke of living water, He knew she would not immediately understand. Now, however, he is explaining worship to her, “Woman, believe me,” so He would use language she could understand. The normal meaning of worship “in spirit and truth” would be worship “in one's spirit and with sincerity.”

Paul uses “in truth” with this meaning in Philippians 1:18. “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

Once, when I spoke with an elderly Catholic priest in Belgium, he said that he agreed fully with a tract on the Lord's supper I had given him. I asked, “How then can you speak the words you say when you celebrate mass?” He replied, “Well, you must understand that much of Catholic worship is play-acting.”

Jesus was correcting the common error of superficial worship that does not come from the heart.

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).

Only in spirit can man truly worship the Father of spirits.

In the Old Testament, worship in spirit is described as serving the Lord with all ones heart and soul. “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12).

Which worshipers please God? “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2). “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones'” (Isaiah 57:15).

Because Jesus referred previously to the Holy Spirit, some have suggested that worship “in spirit” refers to worship in the Holy Spirit.

The Samaritan woman, however, would not have understood “in spirit” to be referring to the Holy Spirit, and since Jesus began his explanation with, “Woman, believe me,” He would use language she could understand.

An important principle in understanding the Scriptures is to take expressions in their ordinary sense unless a less obvious meaning is evident.

“The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming' (who is called Christ). 'When He comes, He will tell us all things.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He'” (John 4:25, 26).

The Samaritans expected the Messiah. This woman believed in the Christ! She now hears this man, who knew the details of her life, declare that He is the Messiah! She leaves her waterpot, forgetting about physical water, and returns to the city to share her experience with others!

“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 'Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' Then they went out of the city and came to Him. ... And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.' So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, 'Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.' Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee” (John 4:28-30, 39- 43).

What did Jesus teach the woman at the well about worship? There would no longer be a local center of worship anywhere on earth. God who is Spirit seeks true worshipers who worship Him in spirit and truth.

Roy Davison

End Note:
¹ For ‘living water’ see also Revelation 21:6; 22:17.

The Scripture quotations in this article are from The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.

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

Can Sin vs. Cannot Sin? Dave Miller, Ph.D.

https://apologeticspress.org/can-sin-vs-cannot-sin-5980/

Can Sin vs. Cannot Sin?

Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Difficult Passages Difficult Passages Difficult Passages Doctrinal Matters Inspiration of the Bible

From Issue: R&R – July 2021

Those who disbelieve the inspiration of the Bible commonly call attention to passages that appear, on the surface, to contradict each other. Oftentimes, the apparent disparity is easily clarified by a closer look at the original language which the Holy Spirit selected to express Himself. One confusing concept where knowing the underlying grammar sheds further light is seen in 1 John. In 1 John 1:8-10, we find these words:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

These words are hardly surprising, since most people understand that they are not perfect and, in fact, have sinned many times. Yet reading further in 1 John, one encounters the follow startling remarks:

Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him…. 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 3:6,9).

The skeptic might easily conclude that the Bible contradicts itself—or at least John did.

However, in Greek, tense generally refers to “kind of action” which consists of linear or punctiliar. “Linear” refers to continuous action, while “punctiliar” refers to point action, a single event. The verb rendered “have (not) sinned” (a perfect active indicative) in chapter 1 refers to point action in the past with abiding results. John was saying that Christians sin, but they commit isolated, less frequent acts of sin since they are no longer under the rule of sin, and they constantly repent and confess their sins (vs. 9).

Chapter 3, on the other hand, uses a present indicative of continuous action. It refers to habitual, ongoing sin without compunction, with sin ruling one’s life as in his pre-Christian state. John did not contradict himself. He simply called attention to the fact that Christians are certainly not perfect. We make mistakes like everyone does. However, having changed our minds (the meaning of “repent”) about our pre-Christian lifestyle, we have deliberately chosen to forsake the sinful behavior that characterized our lives as non-Christians. Those who have not become Christians, however, have no motivation to resist sin, striving every day to eliminate it from one’s mind and life.

---

Published July 18, 2021

Attitudes Toward God’s Word by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

Attitudes Toward God’s Word

 

Several years ago during National Bible Week, the then host of the Tonight Show, Jay Leno, did one of his on-the-street interviews.

Leno asked, “Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?”

“God helps those who help themselves,” offered one person.

“Freedom of speech,” guessed another.

“Name one of the apostles,” Leno challenged.

Not one person could do it.

More recent surveys indicate that Bible illiteracy is rampant in America. In a poll, only 42% quizzed could identify who preached the Sermon on the Mount.

And incredibly, 12% even thought Noah was married to Joan of Arc.

The problem is not that the Bible impossible to understand, it is people’s attitude toward it.

Currently, we’re reading the book of Acts which reveals a sharp contrast in attitudes regarding the apostles preaching.

(1) Some people resisted.

Not everyone accepted the apostles’ message as divine Truth. Many of the Jews rejected Jesus as the Son of God. Not all of the hearers on Pentecost obeyed the gospel. Often on Paul’s missionary journeys, he turned from the Jewish audience to a Gentile one because they resisted his preaching.

Sadly many today remain in ignorance because they refuse to listen and learn. As preachers of the gospel, we want everyone to hear the gospel and obey it. We may think something is wrong with us. With our sermon. With our presentation. With our approach.

But the sad fact is that because of prejudice many reject the Bible as the Word of God. They reject Jesus as the son of God. And they refuse to consider anything a gospel preacher says.

(2) Others ridiculed.

For some folks resistance is not enough, they must ridicule the message and the messenger. When Paul preached about the resurrection in Athens, some of the philosophers mocked Paul. They snickered and sneered at the notion of the resurrection. For them it was inconceivable. But rather than consider it, they poked at the idea.

Through the years I’ve received some jabs and jests at something I peached. Today with social media, it has become more common for those unbelievers to ridicule Christians, preachers, the church and the gospel message with their pejorative posts on facebook.

Too often preachers feel the need to respond to every retort and ridiculing remark. Usually, it’s better to let it go. And to heed the counsel of the wise man: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself” (Prov. 26:4).

(3) Still, others retaliated.

For some rejecting and ridiculing wasn’t enough. They had to retaliate. The Jewish religious leaders imprisoned Peter and John. Stoned Stephen to death. And continually harassed Saul of Tarsus after his conversion to Christ everywhere he went.

Today the moral standard of Christianity is not popular or politically correct. In Islamic ruled countries Bible believers are beheaded. In other parts of the world, Christians must meet in secret. In America, corrupt politicians, immoral pop stars, and a biased new media would like to silence Bible believers. Through slander, innuendo, and blackballing some Believers, the world seeks vengeance on the object of their scorn.

We are called to be faithful regardless of the consequences. To preach and teach the Truth without fear or favor. And to respond, not with revenge, but love for the souls of the lost.

(4) Some people received the Word of God.

When Paul went to Berea, the Bible says, they “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Ax 17:11). This was the posture of many on Pentecost. And throughout Jerusalem and Judea. In Antioch and Samaria, they received the Word with “great joy.”

Today, there are still many good and honest hearts who are receptive to the Gospel. They will give the message a fair hearing. And the Word produces good fruit. Almost daily, I hear or read of someone in the world who has obeyed the gospel.

As preachers, pastors and Bible teachers, we must not become weary in well doing. Or allow those who resist, ridicule or retaliate to restrain our message and ministry.

Paul’s ancient advice should still serve as our motto and mission, “Preach the Word.”

 

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman