Did Jesus Christ Exist in the Form of God While on Earth? by Wayne Jackson, M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=354

Did Jesus Christ Exist in the Form of God While on Earth?

by	Wayne Jackson, M.A.

Some conservative writers have attempted to defend the idea that the second Person of the Godhead, at the time of the “incarnation” (i.e., when “the Word became flesh”—John 1:14), laid aside “the form of God.” They contend that the concept of an infinite God being clothed within a human body is illogical. Though these authors undoubtedly mean well, their position is quite erroneous as to the nature of the incarnate Christ.

Several arguments have been employed in attempting to buttress this position. For example, it has been argued: (a) God cannot be tempted (James 1:13); but (b) Jesus was tempted (Hebrews 2:18). The conclusion is thus supposed to be: Jesus did not exist in the form of God.

The logical consequence of this position is that Jesus Christ was not deity in the flesh. Advocates of this view usually do not mean to affirm explicitly that conclusion, but that is where such reasoning leads. What these writers have failed to realize, with reference to James 1:13, is that God the Father—not Christ the Son—is in view in that context. James was not discussing the nature and/or role of Christ. Thus, it is improper to generalize regarding the nature of the Lord from this brief reference.

The text commonly appealed to as proof that Jesus did not exist on Earth in “the form of God” is Philippians 2:6. Here is the full context of what Paul wrote:

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-8, ASV).

But the position advocated is incorrect for the following reasons.

In Philippians 2:6, Paul spoke of Christ as “existing in the form of God.” The term “existing” is not a past tense form. It translates the Greek term huparchon, a present tense participle. The present tense reveals that the Savior’s existence, in the “form of God,” is a sustained mode of being, not one that was interrupted by the incarnation. A.T. Robertson called attention to the difference between the present tense, huparchon (denoting “eternal existence in the morphe [form] of God”), and the Lord’s “becoming” (aorist tense) in the likeness of man (1931, 4:445). There was a time when the second Person of the Godhead did not exist as man; there never has been a time when He was not in “the form of God.”

W.E. Vine commented that this grammatical form denotes “an existence or condition both previous to the circumstances mentioned and continuing after it” (1991, p. 279). Another scholar noted that the word expresses “continuance of an antecedent state or condition” (Abbott-Smith, 1923, p. 457). Hendriksen was quite correct when he asked: “[O]f what did Christ empty himself? Surely not of his existence ‘in the form of God’ ” (1962, p. 106). Wuest amplified the present tense form of the participle by suggesting that Jesus “has always been and at present continues to subsist” in the form of God (1961, p. 462). It is unnecessary to multiply additional examples.

Contrary to the evidence, however, it has been alleged that whereas Christ existed in the form of God prior to the incarnation, He divested himself of that status while on Earth. Finally, according to the theory under review, Jesus resumed the form-of-God nature when He returned to heaven. There is no biblical support for this concept, which violates the explicit testimony of Scripture.

The Greek word for “form” is morphe. This term denotes that which is “indicative of the interior nature” of a thing (Green, 1907, p. 384), or as Kennedy observed, morphe “always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it” (1956, 3:436). Trench commented that “none could be en morphe theou [in form of God] who was not God” (1890, p. 263). All of this simply means that if Jesus gave up the “form of God” when He became incarnate, then He ceased being God at that time. This is equivalent to the doctrine advocated by Jehovah’s Witnesses, namely, that Christ was “nothing more than a perfect man.” I must say, in the kindest way possible, that the position under review is unrepresentative of the teaching of the New Testament.

But it is alleged that Jesus could not have existed in “the form of God” because the New Testament speaks of the Lord being led of the Spirit, protected by angels, etc. Obviously, therefore, Christ was not “infinite God.”

The thing that seems to be at the root of this misunderstanding is a failure to recognize that the Lord’s earthly limitations were not the consequence of a less-than-God nature; rather, they were the result of a self-imposed submission reflecting the exercise of His sovereign will. Of what did Christ “empty” Himself when He became flesh?

A.H. Strong expressed it well when he noted that, by means of the incarnation, Jesus “resigned not the possession, nor yet entirely the use, but rather the independent exercise, of the divine attributes” (1907, p. 703). To say the same thing in another way, the Lord’s incarnate status involved, not a divestiture of divine form/essence or attributes, but rather a subordination of those attributes to the Father in terms of role function. When Jesus affirmed, “[T]he father is greater than I” (John 14:28), He was not disclaiming divine nature; rather, He was asserting that He had subjected Himself voluntarily to the Father’s will.

Think about this for a moment: How could Christ be void of the divine attributes, and still be divine? A thing is the sum of its attributes. This is an insurmountable difficulty for those who argue that the incarnate Christ was not in the “form of God.”

If Christ was not fully God, i.e., existing in the “form of God,” exactly what was He? Quasi-God? Half-God? Merely appearing to be God (as certain Gnostics held)? Only perfect Man? What?

Moreover, if Jesus did not exist in the “form of God” while He lived on Earth, how could He claim to be “one” (neuter gender, suggesting unity of nature) with the Father (John 10:30)? Why did the Lord allow Thomas to call him “God” (John 20:30)? Why did Jesus accept worship (Matthew 8:2), when He plainly taught that only God is worthy of worship (Matthew 4:10)?

Finally, if it is to be argued that Christ laid aside His status of being in “the form of God” by virtue of His humanness and His subordination to the Father, then one must contend, to be consistent, that Jesus does not possess the “form of God” now, because as our Mediator He is “the man, Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5), and He still is in subjection to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:27).

Some may feel that this is simply a matter of inconsequential semantics. However, sometimes semantics is quite important. Gospel truth is a message of words, and the Christian teacher needs to be accurate in the language he employs. May the Lord help us to be precise in the expression of biblical truth.

REFERENCES

Abbott-Smith, G. (1923), A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark).

Green, Samuel (1907), Handbook to the Grammar of the Greek Testament (London: Religious Tract Society).

Hendriksen, William (1962), Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Kennedy, H.A.A. (1956), “Philippians,” The Expositor’s Greek Testament, ed. W.R. Nicoll (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Robertson, A.T. (1931), Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman).

Strong, A.H. (1907), Systematic Theology (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell).

Trench, R.C. (1890), Synonyms of the New Testament (London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trubner, & Co.).

Vine, W.E. (1991), Amplified Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Iowa Falls, IA: World Bible Publishers).

Wuest, Kenneth (1961), The New Testament—An Expanded Translation (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

A Personal Note About the Darwin Day Debate by Kyle Butt, M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2663

A Personal Note About the Darwin Day Debate

by	Kyle Butt, M.A.

As most of our readers are aware, I participated in a debate February 12, 2009 in which I defended the existence of the God of the Bible. My opponent was Dan Barker, the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the largest atheistic organization in North America. The debate took place on the campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. The venue for the debate held 550 people. It was filled to capacity, and several came that could not get in due to fire regulations. From what I can gather, there were probably about 650-700 who showed up. The entire debate lasted about two hours with alternating speeches from Dan and me and an audience question segment that lasted about 30 minutes.

We don’t have any precise records as to the make-up of the audience, but in my estimation, it looked as though there were about 400 members of the Church in attendance, with another 50 or so Christians who could not get in due to seating limitations. Many of the Christians traveled several hundred miles, driving for 6-8 hours to be in attendance. Several congregations brought bus loads of people, some even chartered buses. It was truly energizing to see so many Christians who cared enough to spend their valuable time and money to be there to support the Lord’s cause.

Months before the debate, Christians all over the world had been including the debate in their personal prayers as well as congregational prayers. From what I have been able to gather, literally thousands of Christians, some from other countries, were praying for the success of the debate. As the debate got closer, many Christians fasted and spent hours praying specifically for the truth to be obvious and God’s name to be glorified.

We arranged for Apologetics Press to have a table set up at the debate, from which we distributed material. We passed out information about A.P., as well as articles and books that addressed the specific arguments that were part of the debate. In all, we gave away about $5,000 worth of materials (of course, this was only possible through the generous donations of our supporters). We also gave people the opportunity to sign-up for weekly e-mail updates, and we made hundreds of personal contacts with other members of the church, those in denominations, and those in the skeptical community. We have already been involved in several e-mail, postal mail, and phone exchanges that stemmed from the debate, and we anticipate many more opportunities in the upcoming months and years to spread the truth because of the networking done at the debate.

I had about six months to prepare for the debate. During that time, I tried to watch each of Dan’s debates on the subject, as well as read all his books and many of his articles or other writings. I also found various Web sites that addressed Dan’s specific arguments. Thomas Baxley, a senior at Faulkner University who was interning with us at the time, also watched the Barker debates and helped me tremendously in narrowing down the material to be used during the debate. For the six months of preparation, my co-workers Eric Lyons, Dave Miller, and Caleb Colley, picked up most of my other writing responsibilities for our monthly journals and our Web site. I am extremely grateful for their extra effort that allowed me to stay focused on the debate.

My overall assessment of the debate is that it was a huge success on several different levels. First, I believe it invigorated the Lord’s Church, and reminded our people that New Testament Christianity is founded on truth and reason, and can stand against and defeat the best that the atheistic, unbelieving world has to offer. Second, it also manifested what the Lord’s Church can do when we work together. The prayers offered up to God, the financial support given to Apologetics Press, and the personal presence of so many Christians were an overwhelming testimony to the fact that the church of Jesus Christ is alive and well in the United States of America and is not afraid to stand up and be counted for His cause. Third, the debate helped show some of those in the skeptical community that rational, logical arguments undergird the Christian faith, and that those arguments are powerful and respect the dignity and God-given freedom of choice for all humanity.

Finally, and most important, it needs to be stressed to the point of redundancy that anything good that has been or will be accomplished by the debate must be attributed to the God of the Bible Whose existence I defended. It is His truth that was presented, His providential hand worked out the arrangements for the debate to transpire, and His strength and power, accessed by the prayers of thousands of faithful Christians, support those who are employed in defending His cause. We must always remember, that no matter what part we play in furthering the Lord’s Kingdom, at the end of the day, we are merely servants of the Most High who are doing what it is our duty to do (Luke 17:10). To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Babylon the Great Has Fallen by Kyle Butt, M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=821

Babylon the Great Has Fallen

by	Kyle Butt, M.A.

Babylon was one of the richest cities in the world during the years 740 B.C. to 680 B.C. During these “glory days,” the city prospered like it had the Midas touch; everything it touched seemed to turn to gold. It was located between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers—a strip of land so agriculturally productive that today it is known as the “fertile crescent.”

But its agriculture and well-watered plains were not the reason it was famous. Babylon gained its reputation because of its high, massive walls and its strong defensive battlements. In fact, ancient writers described walls that were 14 miles long on all four sides of the city and that reached heights of over 300 feet—taller than most building today. Not only were the walls long and high, but in some places they also were 75-feet thick. But the wall was not the only form of defense. The Euphrates River surrounded the city, making a perfect moat that ranged anywhere from 65 to 250 feet across. This wall/moat combination appeared to make the city unconquerable.

Yet in spite of the strong military and defensive strength of the city, God’s prophets foretold its destruction. In Jeremiah 50:9, the prophet declared that God would “raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country.” This prediction probably seemed unfounded at the time it was made, because none of the countries in the north came close to having enough strength to defeat Babylon. But years after the prophecy, Cyrus, king of the Medo-Persian Empire, mounted a huge force of many different nations and marched southward against Babylon.

The details of the fulfillment are amazing. Jeremiah recorded that God had declared: “I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry” (51:36). Again the prophet foretold: “A drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of carved images” (50:38). Also, the prophet promised that the Lord had spoken: “I will prepare their feasts; I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep and not awake” (51:39).

Now listen to the story as history unfolds. The Euphrates River ran underneath the great walls of Babylon. After a siege of two full years, Cyrus was able to divert the river to make it flow into a huge marsh on the western side of the city. By doing this, he “dried up the rivers” of Babylon and provided an easy way for his soldiers to enter under the city walls where the water used to flow. But the Babylonians inside the city had no idea what was taking place. They could have defended the city, but instead they were feasting and getting drunk. Cyrus ordered his men to act like drunken revilers, and by the time the Babylonians knew what had hit them, the city was filled with enemy troops and who ultimately conquered it.

Even though the above circumstances would be enough to prove the accuracy of the prophecy of Jeremiah (and thus the Bible), the prophet’s predictions do not stop there. Chapters 50-51 of Jeremiah’s book are filled with more futuristic condemnations of Babylon, all of which were fulfilled in the smallest detail. Truly, the words spoken by the prophet did come to pass.

Time after time, the Bible has been “dead on” when it has predicted the future. Secular records document the facts about Babylon. So what does this prove? It proves one simple thing—that God Himself inspired the words written between the covers of the Bible. And because that is the case, every human being should welcome the Bible “not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Does Song of Solomon Mention Muhammad? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=8&article=4749

Does Song of Solomon Mention Muhammad?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Islamic apologists have attempted to bolster the credibility of their beliefs by claiming that the Bible, itself, makes reference to the coming of the prophet Muhammad. Ironically, this claim comes even in the face of the prevailing Islamic contention that the Bible has been corrupted, and thus cannot be relied upon as an accurate record of God’s Word. Nevertheless, Muslim polemicist Zakir Naik claims that Muhammad is mentioned by name in the Hebrew text of Song of Solomon 5:16. The reader is urged to weigh this claim in light of the exegetical evidence surrounding the passage.

In English, the verse reads: “His mouth is most sweet, yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!” (NKJV). A phonetic transliteration of the underlying Hebrew text reads: Kheeco mahm-tah-keem vuh-coollo ma-kha-madeem zeh dodee veh-tseh ray-ee beh-note yerushalayim. Muslims claim that the bolded word, though translated “altogether lovely,” is the name of Muhammad (Naik, n.d.). Consider six linguistic evidences that dispute Naik’s claim:

1. The second syllable (kha) utilizes the Hebrew letter heth which has a hard initial sound like the “ch” in the Scottish word “loch.” It is to be distinguished from the Hebrew letter he which is the same as the English letter “h.” If Muhammad was being referred to, the simple “h” would have been more linguistically appropriate.
2. Muslims claim that the eem (or im) in ma-kha-madeem in the Hebrew language was “added for respect” (Naik). This claim is untrue and unsubstantiated. The letters constitute the standard form for changing a singular to a plural—like adding “s” or “es” in English (cf. Weingreen, 1959, pp. 35ff.). As the eminent Emil Rödiger (who was professor for oriental languages at the University of Halle and the student of the well-known German Orientalist, H.F.W. Gesenius) noted in his editorial comment in the prestigious Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar: “The use of the plural as a form of respectful address is quite foreign to Hebrew” (Gesenius, 1898, p. 418).
3. The meaning of the Hebrew ma-kha-madeem is different from the meaning of the word “Muhammad” in Arabic. According to Sheikh Abd al-Azîz, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, the word “Muhammad” is derived from the Arabic root word hamd meaning “praise.” It is the emphatic passive participle of that root and can be translated as “the Oft-Praised One” (n.d.). However, the Hebrew term (makh-mahd) in the passage under consideration has a completely different meaning. It refers to “grace, beauty” (Gesenius, 1847, p. 464), “a desirable thing, delightfulness” (Brown, et al., 1906, pp. 326-327), “a pleasant thing” (Payne, 1980, 1:295), or “precious” (Holladay, 1988, p. 190). English translations render the term “altogether lovely” (NKJV, NIV), “wholly desirable” (NASB), and “altogether desirable” (ESV, RSV). No reputable English translation would render the underlying Hebrew as “praised one,” let alone as “Muhammad.” All Muslims have done is happen upon a Hebrew word that phonetically sounds somewhat like “Muhammad” and have erroneously concluded the word must be referring to him. Such handling of linguistic data is irresponsible—if not deceptive.
4. Further, the claim that Muhammad is intended in the verse completely disregards the context and message of the book of Song of Solomon. The book consists of a dialogue between Solomon, his Shulamite bride-to-be, and the “daughters of Jerusalem,” with perhaps even God interjecting His comment (5:1b), as well as the Shulamite’s brothers (8:8-9). The term used in 5:16 that Muslims claim refers to Muhammad is also used in 2:3 to refer to the Shulamite’s beloved—“Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade withgreat delight.” “Great delight” is the Hebrew word also used in 5:16; in both cases the words of the Shulamite refer to her beloved—not Muhammad.
5. Forms of the same Hebrew word are used elsewhere in the Old Testament, yet Muslims do not claim that those passages refer to Muhammad. Rightly so, since those verses cannot be forced to fit the notion that Muhammad is under consideration. For example, Isaiah 64:11 mourns the destruction of Jerusalem: “Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, is burned up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.” “Pleasant things” is a form of the same word in Song of Solomon 5:16. Would the Muslim contend that Muhammad was “laid waste” in Jerusalem? Additional occurrences of the same word—which dispel the misuse of the term by Muslims—are seen in 1 Kings 20:6; 2 Chronicles 36:19; Lamentations 1:10,11; Ezekiel 24:16,21,25; Hosea 9:9,16; Joel 3:5; et al. (Wigram, 1890, p. 687).
6. Even if the Hebrew word “lovely/desirable” in Song of Solomon were the Hebrew equivalent of the Arabic word “praised one” (which it is not), it still would not follow that Muhammad is being referred to in the Bible. Instead, it would simply be an indication that the underlying word stands on its own as a term used for other applications. For example, the Hebrew word for “bitter” is mah-rah. It is used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the concept of bitter. Yet, due to her unpleasant circumstances in life, Naomi (whose name means “pleasant”) requested that her name be changed to “bitter” (mah-rah) to reflect her bitter predicament. It does not follow, however, that when the Hebrew word “bitter” appears in the Old Testament, it refers to Naomi. If parents today were to name their child John, it would not follow that they intended to reflect an association with others in history who have worn the name John—nor would references to John in the Bible constitute prophecies pointing to their son. Muslims have the cart before the horse. Their claim is equivalent to parents naming their child “wonderful” or “special”—and then claiming that an ancient writer had their child in mind when the writer used the word “wonderful” or “special” in referring to another person contemporary to the writer.

The truth of the matter is that the Bible nowhere refers to Muhammad. All other biblical passages purported to do so may likewise be shown to be misinterpreted and misapplied (Miller, 2003). The Bible contains within itself evidence that all non-Christian religions are false and contrary to the will of the God of the Universe (for more, see Miller, 2005).

REFERENCES

Al-Azîz, Sheikh Abd (no date), “The Meaning of the Prophet’s names ‘Muhammad’ and ‘Ahmad,’” Islam Today, http://en.islamtoday.net/quesshow-14-738.htm.

Brown, Francis, S.R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs (1906), The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2000 reprint).

Gesenius, William (1847), Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1979 reprint).

Gesenius, William (1898), Hebrew Grammar, ed. E. Kautzsch (Oxford: Clarendon Press).

Holladay, William (1988), A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Miller, Dave (2003), “Is Muhammad Mentioned in the Bible?” Apologetics Press,http://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=8&article=88&topic=46.

Miller, Dave (2005), The Quran Unveiled (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).

Naik, Zakir (no date), “Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Bible,” Islam 101,http://www.islam101.com/religions/christianity/mBible.htm.

Payne, J. Barton (1980), hamad in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason Archer, Jr. and Bruce Waltke (Chicago, IL: Moody).

Weingreen, J. (1959), A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew (Oxford: Clarenden Press), second edition.

Wigram, George W. (1890), The Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1980 reprint).

From Mark Copeland... "THE CHURCH JESUS BUILT" The Work Of The Church

                        "THE CHURCH JESUS BUILT"


                   The Work Of The Church

INTRODUCTION

1. Having considered the organization and worship of "The Church Jesus
   Built", what about the work of the church...?
   a. What does the Lord intend for His church to do in this world?
   b. Are we free to involve the church in whatever work we deem
      suitable?

2. In asking such questions, we should continue to note the distinction
   between the church universal and the church local...
   a. The church universal has no earthly organization in which to do
      its work; what work it does is done as individuals who live and
      work in the world
   b. The church local has organization as we have seen, and as such is
      capable of some sort of corporate (as opposed to individual) work
   -- It is the work of the church local that I am addressing in this
      study

3. The work of the church can be gleaned in some respects from what is
   revealed about the organization and worship of the church...
   a. For the Lord organized His church to effectively carry out its
      work
   b. And the worship ordained would certainly complement the church in
      its work
   -- Look at the organization and worship of the church, and that
      begins to tell one what the work of the church is!

[With that in mind, and turning now to the Scriptures, let me first
stress that the work of the church includes...]

I. EDIFICATION (PREPARING THE SAINTS FOR SERVICE)

   A. IMPLIED BY ITS ORGANIZATION AND WORSHIP...
      1. The local church when completely organized will have bishops
         (elders, pastors)
         a. Their function is to feed and oversee the flock - Ac 20:28;
            1Pe 5:1-2
         b. As they carry out their responsibilities, the church will be
            built up (edified)
      2. The activities of their worship are designed to edify
         a. E.g., singing designed to exhort and admonish, as well as
            praise God - Ep 5:19; Col 3:16
         b. E.g., preaching and teaching which certainly edifies the church

   B. EXPLICITLY STATED IN THE SCRIPTURES...
      1. Speaking of the gifts which Christ gave His church - Ep 4:11
      2. Such gifts (including that of evangelists, pastors and
         teachers) are designed:
         a. For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry
         b. For the edifying of the body of Christ - Ep 4:12
      3. As each person in the church does their part, the end result
         will be the "growth of the body for the edifying of itself in
         love" - Ep 4:15-16

[When one looks at how the local church is organized, what it is called
to do in worship, and the purpose of the gifts that Christ gave His
church, I believe it is fair to say that the primary work of the local
church is edification, i.e., the spiritual development of its members!
But clearly there is more.  The work of the local church certainly includes...]

II. BENEVOLENCE (PROVIDING FOR NEEDY SAINTS)

   A. THE EARLY CHURCH CARED FOR ITS MEMBERS...
      1. We see it in the church at Jerusalem for its own - Ac 4:32-37
      2. We see it in the church at Antioch for their brethren in Judea
         - Ac 11:27-30
      3. We see in the churches of Macedonia and Achaia for their
         brethren in Jerusalem - Ro 15:25-26

   B. ITS ORGANIZATION AND WORSHIP ACCOMMODATED SUCH WORK...
      1. Deacons were appointed - cf. Php 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8-13
         a. They served the congregation
         b. If the seven selected in Acts 6 were prototypes of the work
            of deacons, they would certainly serve in providing
            assistance for widows and other needy members - Ac 6:1-6
      2. The collection for needy saints was made a part of the weekly
         assembly - 1Co 16:1-2

   C. THERE WERE LIMITATIONS TO ITS BENEVOLENCE...
      1. In Paul's instructions to Timothy - 1Ti 5:9-16
         a. Widows with believing family members were not to be
            supported
         b. Their own families should support them, that "the church not
            be burdened"
      2. Examples of church benevolence are limited to needy saints
         a. In every case of church benevolence, i.e., where money was
            taken from the church treasury, the recipients were
            believers in need - cf. Ro 15:25-26; 1Co 16:1-2; 2Co 8:1-4;9:1
         b. Of course, individually Christians are expected to be "good
            Samaritans" and help those in the world as they have
            opportunity and ability
      -- This implies that the local church was not intended to be a
         social agency to cure all the social ills in the world.  It
         has neither the organization nor resources to do so!

[The work of benevolence, while important, appears to take a back seat
to the primary work of the church, which was edification.  But there is
another work of the church, which is a natural outgrowth of equipping
the saints for ministry...]

III. EVANGELISM (PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL)

   A. THE EARLY CHURCHES WERE INVOLVED IN EVANGELISM...
      1. They sent out preachers to spread the word in new places - cf.
         Ac 13:1-3
      2. They provided support for such preachers - e.g., 2Co 11:8,9

   B. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE LORD EXPECTS...
      1. For His disciples were to make more disciples - Mt 28:19-20
      2. For His people are to proclaim the praises of God - 1Pe 2:9-10
      3. And among the gifts He gave to His church was the function of
         "evangelists" - Ep 4:11

CONCLUSION

1. The work of the church can be summarized as:
   a. Edification (preparing the saints for service)
   b. Benevolence (providing for the needy saints)
   c. Evangelism (proclaiming the gospel)

2. For such work the Lord designed His church, especially in the local sense...
   a. As reflected in its organization
   b. As reflected in its worship

3. When we let the local church do its proper work, it will...
   a. "equip saints for the work of the ministry"
   b. "edify the body of Christ"
   c. "grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ"

4. If we are to truly be "The Church Jesus Built"...
   a. Let's be sure to understand what the work of the church is
   b. Let's make sure that we carry out that work in the local church as
      taught in the New Testament

May we today let the church be "The Church Jesus Built", in its nature,
its organization, its worship, and its work!  In this way we can do our
part to fulfill the prayer of Paul:

   "to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
   forever and ever. Amen." (Ep 3:21)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Gary... In the twinkling of an eye

This is just a photo of a drop of water, but to me it means more than that. It captures something that occurs so quickly that we would never see it otherwise and that is amazing.  Now, I am unsure whether or not this picture has been manipulated, but, if not, then this is even more astonishing (because of the colors)!!!  Consider the following...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 15

 51  Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.  53 For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 

  55 “Death, where is your sting?

Hades, where is your victory?”

  56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 

I met a neighbor this morning while I was walking my dogs and when he stopped his vehicle to say hello. I was pleasantly surprised!!! Surprised, not so much by the event, as by his condition. You see, he has severe breathing problems and I ALWAYS see him with his oxygen backpack, but he didn't have it with him.  I greeted him with my customary "Every day above ground is a good day" and he returned with something like "We are only promised the last breath we have taken".  This made an impression on me, as I knew right away that his statement held special significance.

Considering how fast things can change for we who are human beings, I encourage you to relish every moment you have on this earth; it may be your last. But, just as quickly as the picture, you, who belong to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, may in fact be changed and be with the LORD!!!  How, this happens- I do not know.  Perhaps someone will invent a camera capable of revealing this?  And I would love a copy of THAT PICTURE!!!  

Need a little more encouragement; read the whole of 1 Corinthians, chapter 15!!!!

PS. I forgot to mention the quick photography above forms a crown- so does that which occurs in the "twinkling of an eye"!!!!

From Gary... Bible Reading April 21

Bible Reading  

April 21

The World English Bible

Apr. 21

Numbers 33, 34

Num 33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, when they went forth out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Num 33:2 Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Yahweh: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.

Num 33:3 They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians,

Num 33:4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them: on their gods also Yahweh executed judgments.

Num 33:5 The children of Israel traveled from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.

Num 33:6 They traveled from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.

Num 33:7 They traveled from Etham, and turned back to Pihahiroth, which is before Baal Zephon: and they encamped before Migdol.

Num 33:8 They traveled from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.

Num 33:9 They traveled from Marah, and came to Elim: and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees; and they encamped there.

Num 33:10 They traveled from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.

Num 33:11 They traveled from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.

Num 33:12 They traveled from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.

Num 33:13 They traveled from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

Num 33:14 They traveled from Alush, and encamped in Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

Num 33:15 They traveled from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai.

Num 33:16 They traveled from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped in Kibroth Hattaavah.

Num 33:17 They traveled from Kibroth Hattaavah, and encamped in Hazeroth.

Num 33:18 They traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah.

Num 33:19 They traveled from Rithmah, and encamped in Rimmon Perez.

Num 33:20 They traveled from Rimmon Perez, and encamped in Libnah.

Num 33:21 They traveled from Libnah, and encamped in Rissah.

Num 33:22 They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.

Num 33:23 They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.

Num 33:24 They traveled from Mount Shepher, and encamped in Haradah.

Num 33:25 They traveled from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth.

Num 33:26 They traveled from Makheloth, and encamped in Tahath.

Num 33:27 They traveled from Tahath, and encamped in Terah.

Num 33:28 They traveled from Terah, and encamped in Mithkah.

Num 33:29 They traveled from Mithkah, and encamped in Hashmonah.

Num 33:30 They traveled from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth.

Num 33:31 They traveled from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene Jaakan.

Num 33:32 They traveled from Bene Jaakan, and encamped in Hor Haggidgad.

Num 33:33 They traveled from Hor Haggidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah.

Num 33:34 They traveled from Jotbathah, and encamped in Abronah.

Num 33:35 They traveled from Abronah, and encamped in Ezion Geber.

Num 33:36 They traveled from Ezion Geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin (the same is Kadesh).

Num 33:37 They traveled from Kadesh, and encamped in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.

Num 33:38 Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor at the commandment of Yahweh, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first day of the month.

Num 33:39 Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died in Mount Hor.

Num 33:40 The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the South in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

Num 33:41 They traveled from Mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah.

Num 33:42 They traveled from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon.

Num 33:43 They traveled from Punon, and encamped in Oboth.

Num 33:44 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped in Iye Abarim, in the border of Moab.

Num 33:45 They traveled from Iyim, and encamped in Dibon Gad.

Num 33:46 They traveled from Dibon Gad, and encamped in Almon Diblathaim.

Num 33:47 They traveled from Almon Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

Num 33:48 They traveled from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Num 33:49 They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.

Num 33:50 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

Num 33:51 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

Num 33:52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images, and demolish all their high places:

Num 33:53 and you shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein; for I have given given the land to you to possess it.

Num 33:54 You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance: wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Num 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell.

Num 33:56 It shall happen that as I thought to do to them, so will I do to you.

Num 34:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 34:2 Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders),

Num 34:3 then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;

Num 34:4 and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh Barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon;

Num 34:5 and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

Num 34:6 For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border of it: this shall be your west border.

Num 34:7 This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor;

Num 34:8 from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad;

Num 34:9 and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border.

Num 34:10 You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham;

Num 34:11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

Num 34:12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.

Num 34:13 Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;

Num 34:14 for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their fathers' houses, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to their fathers' houses, have received, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received, their inheritance:

Num 34:15 the two tribes and the half-tribe have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, toward the sunrise.

Num 34:16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 34:17 These are the names of the men who shall divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Num 34:18 You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.

Num 34:19 These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

Num 34:20 Of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.

Num 34:21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

Num 34:22 Of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli.

Num 34:23 Of the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

Num 34:24 Of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.

Num 34:25 Of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

Num 34:26 Of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel the son of Azzan.

Num 34:27 Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.

Num 34:28 Of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.

Num 34:29 These are they whom Yahweh commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

 Apr. 20, 21

Luke 12

Luk 12:1 Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luk 12:2 But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known.

Luk 12:3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Luk 12:4 "I tell you, my friends, don't be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Luk 12:5 But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Luk 12:6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God.

Luk 12:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Luk 12:8 "I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God;

Luk 12:9 but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.

Luk 12:10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Luk 12:11 When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don't be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;

Luk 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say."

Luk 12:13 One of the multitude said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."

Luk 12:14 But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"

Luk 12:15 He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."

Luk 12:16 He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly.

Luk 12:17 He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?'

Luk 12:18 He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

Luk 12:19 I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry." '

Luk 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared-whose will they be?'

Luk 12:21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Luk 12:22 He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, don't be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear.

Luk 12:23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

Luk 12:24 Consider the ravens: they don't sow, they don't reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!

Luk 12:25 Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height?

Luk 12:26 If then you aren't able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?

Luk 12:27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luk 12:28 But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

Luk 12:29 Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious.

Luk 12:30 For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things.

Luk 12:31 But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you.

Luk 12:32 Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

Luk 12:33 Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don't grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn't fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys.

Luk 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luk 12:35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning.

Luk 12:36 Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him.

Luk 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them.

Luk 12:38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so.

Luk 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Luk 12:40 Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don't expect him."

Luk 12:41 Peter said to him, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?"

Luk 12:42 The Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?

Luk 12:43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes.

Luk 12:44 Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has.

Luk 12:45 But if that servant says in his heart, 'My lord delays his coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,

Luk 12:46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn't expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn't know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful.

Luk 12:47 That servant, who knew his lord's will, and didn't prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,

Luk 12:48 but he who didn't know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Luk 12:49 "I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled.

Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Luk 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.

Luk 12:52 For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

Luk 12:53 They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Luk 12:54 He said to the multitudes also, "When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it happens.

Luk 12:55 When a south wind blows, you say, 'There will be a scorching heat,' and it happens.

Luk 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?

Luk 12:57 Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?

Luk 12:58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

Luk 12:59 I tell you, you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny."