didache's Xanga Site

Weblog

Sunday, 07 June 2009

What is SIN - part 2
What is SIN - 2
Introduction
The existence of sin is an undeniable fact. No man can examine his own nature, or observe the conduct of his fellow men, without having the conviction forced upon him that there is such an evil as sin. This is not a purely moral or theological question. It falls also within the province of philosophy, which assumes to explain all the phenomena of human nature as well as of the external world. Philosophers, therefore, of every age and of every school, have been compelled to discuss this subject. The philosophical theories, as to the nature of sin, are as numerous as the different schools of philosophy. This great question comes under the consideration of the Christian theologian with certain limitations. He assumes the existence of a personal God of infinite perfection, and he assumes the responsibility of man. No theory of the nature or origin of sin which conflicts with either of these fundamental principles, can for him be true. Before entering upon the statement of any of the theories which have been more or less extensively adopted, it is important to ascertain the data on which the answer to the question, What is sin-? is to be determined; or the premises from which that answer is to be deduced. These are simply the declarations of the word of God and the facts of our own moral nature. Ignoring either wholly or in part these two sources of knowledge, many philosophers and even theologians, have recourse to the reason, or rather to the speculative understanding, for the decision of the question. This method, however, is unreasonable, and is sure to lead to false conclusions. (Charles Hodge - Systematic Theology)

As we saw in my previous post, the Hebrew word chata and its equivalent Greek word hamartano primarily mean to miss the mark. We will next look at the words used for guilt.
A. Asham (H816-819) 1.a primitive root; to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish :- × certainly, be (-come, made) desolate, destroy, × greatly, be (-come, found, hold) guilty, offend (acknowledge offense), trespass.2.guilt; by implication a fault; also a sin-offering :- guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass (offering). 3. guilty; hence presenting a sin-offering :- one which is faulty, guilty 4. guiltiness, a fault, the presentation of a sin-offering :- offend, sin, (cause of) trespass (-ing, offering). (Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary)
1. Asham and its derivative are used over 100 times in the Old Testament.
2. ²Or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether the carcass of an unclean wild beast or of an unclean domestic animal or of unclean creeping things that multiply prolifically, even if he is unaware of it, and he has become unclean, he is guilty (asham). ³Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever kind the uncleanness may be with which he becomes defiled, and he is unaware of it, when he does know it, then he shall be guilty (asham). Leviticus 5:2-3
3. Do not accuse and hurt a servant before his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty (asham) [of adding to the burdens of the lowly]. Proverbs 30:10
4. [She] said, Why then have you planned such a thing against God's people? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty (ashem), in that [he] does not bring home his banished one. 2 Samuel 14:13
5. And said, You shall not bring the captives in here; we are guilty (ashmah) before the Lord already, and what you intend will add more to our sins and our guilt (ashmah). For our trespass (guilt) (ashmah) is great, and there is fierce anger against Israel. 2 Chronicles 28:13
6. Asham and it derivatives can also be translated:
B. The equivalent Greek word is: Enochos (G1777) liable to (a condition, penalty or imputation):—in danger of, guilty of, subject to. (Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary)
1. ²¹You have heard that it was said to the men of old, You shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be liable (enochos) to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the court. ²²But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice (enmity of heart) against him shall be liable (enochos) to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the court; and whoever speaks contemptuously and insultingly to his brother shall be liable (enochos) to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, You cursed fool! [You empty-headed idiot!] shall be liable (enochos) to and unable to escape the hell (Gehenna) of fire. Mathew 5:21-22
2. For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty (enochos) of [breaking] all of it. James 2:10
3. So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy [of Him] will be guilty (enochos) of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:27
4. Hebrews 2:15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to (enochos) bondage. (NKJV)
C. No matter how you look at it, both word ultimately mean we are guilty before God.

Saturday, 30 May 2009

What is SIN - part 1
What is SIN - part 1

Introduction

The existence of sin is an undeniable fact. No man can examine his own nature, or observe the conduct of his fellow men, without having the conviction forced upon him that there is such an evil as sin. This is not a purely moral or theological question. It falls also within the province of philosophy, which assumes to explain all the phenomena of human nature as well as of the external world. Philosophers, therefore, of every age and of every school, have been compelled to discuss this subject. The philosophical theories, as to the nature of sin, are as numerous as the different schools of philosophy. This great question comes under the consideration of the Christian theologian with certain limitations. He assumes the existence of a personal God of infinite perfection, and he assumes the responsibility of man. No theory of the nature or origin of sin which conflicts with either of these fundamental principles, can for him be true. Before entering upon the statement of any of the theories which have been more or less extensively adopted, it is important to ascertain the data on which the answer to the question, What is sin-? is to be determined; or the premises from which that answer is to be deduced. These are simply the declarations of the word of God and the facts of our own moral nature. Ignoring either wholly or in part these two sources of knowledge, many philosophers and even theologians, have recourse to the reason, or rather to the speculative understanding, for the decision of the question. This method, however, is unreasonable, and is sure to lead to false conclusions. (Charles Hodge - Systmeatic Theology)

As we saw in my previous post, there are many definitions for sin. All of them are correct if we are talking in theological terms, and I am not going to attempt to talk about sin in non-theological terms. One of the problems defining sin is language. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew while the New Testament was primarily written in Greek. I am not a Hebrew or Greek scholar so I'm going to rely on several dictionaries to define the words for sin as well as other words translated from the root Hebrew or Greek word. I will note Strong's Hebrew or Greek number but I will not use the punctuated versions of these words.

A. Chata (H2398) >
A primitive root; properly to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference to forfeit; lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:—bear the blame, cleanse, commit [sin], by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend (-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin (-ful, -ness), trespassive

Chata and its derivitives occurs over 500 times in the Old testament.
Now all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the smoking mountain, and as [they] looked they trembled with fear and fell back and stood afar off. And they said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die. And Moses said to the people, Fear not; for God has come to prove you, so that the [reverential] fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin (chata)." Exodus 20:20
This law, which is so extensive that we cannot measure it, so spiritual that we cannot evade it, and so reasonable that we cannot find fault with it, will be the rule of the future judgment of God, as it is for the present conduct of man. If tried by this rule, we shall find our lives have been passed in transgressions. (Matthew Henry)
Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin (chata) and miss the mark. Proverbs 19:2
Thy as hard as we can and we still miss the mark!

Chata is also translated —
faults — Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, I remember my faults (chata) today. Genesis 41:9
blame — Genesis 43:9 "I will be security for him; you shall require him of me [personally]; if I do not bring him back to you and put him before you, then let me bear the blame (chata) forever."
offenses — Ecclesiastes 10:4 "If the temper of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place [or show a resisting spirit]; for gentleness and calmness prevent or put a stop to great offenses."
B. Hamartano (G264) >
properly to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), that is, (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin:—for your faults, offend, sin, trespass.

Harmartano and its derivitive are the Greek equivalent to chata and are used about 300 times in the New Testament. In fact, harmartano and its derivitives were used to translate chata and its family in the Septuagint.
What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin (hamartano) because we live not under Law but under God's favor and mercy? Certainly not! Romans 6:15
As for those who are guilty and persist in sin (hamartano), rebuke and admonish them in the presence of all, so that the rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear. 1 Timothy 5:20
No one who abides in Him [who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him--deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] commits (practices) sin (harmatano). No one who [habitually] sins (harmartano) has either seen or known Him [recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him]. 1 John 3:6

Shun immorality and all sexual looseness [flee from impurity in thought, word, or deed]. Any other sin (harmartema) which a man commits is one outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins (harmatano) against his own body. 1Corinthians 6:18
Here the two other derivitives of harmartano are used.
This does not teach that sexual immorality is greater than any other sin; but it does teach that it is altogether unique in its effects on the body; not so much in its physical as in its moral and spiritual effects. The idea runs through the Bible that there is something mysterious in sexual intercourse, and in the effects which flow from it. Every other sin, however degrading and ruinous to the health, even drunkenness, is external to the body, that is, external to its life. But sexual immorality, involving as it does a community of life, is a sin against the body itself, because it is incompatible with the purpose of its creation, and with its immortal destiny. (Hodge's Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians)
C. The general idea of chātaʾ and hamartia is that all wrongdoing is a failure, "missing the mark" which God intends for all persons to attain. Man, as made in the image of God, has implanted within him an innate sense to live as God directs. Every departure from this sense is a coming short of the purpose for which man was made, a missing of the mark. This failure to hit the mark is always a sin against God; that is, the sinner always fails to achieve the standard set or to hit the mark established by God.[Günther, "hamartia," DNTT, 3:579; Walter Grundmann and Gustav Stählin, "hamartanō," TDNT, 1:289, 295] The moral connotations of the concept stipulate that a person misses the right mark because he intentionally chooses to aim at a wrong mark; he misses the right path because he deliberately chooses to follow a wrong path.[Smith, The Bible Doctrine of Sin, 17] We miss the mark and sin against God when, for example, we fail to love our brother, since loving our brother inevitably follows a true love for God.[Erickson, Christian Theology, 587] With regard to moral culpability, there is no question of an innocent mistake or a negative idea of failure. The terms suggest an active, deliberate missing of the right mark or way in order to choose intentionally a wrong mark or path. The sinner is responsible and accountable for the behavior that results in missing the mark, whether overtly intentional or not.[Fiedler, "hamartia," EDNT, 1:66] (A Theology for the Church)

Monday, 11 May 2009

What is SIN?

What is SIN?

Introduction

I am going to interrupt our studies to discuss an important topic. I am going to be quoting from "A Theology for the Church" by Danial L. Akin. All Bible quotes are from the Amplified Bible at BibleGateway.com.

Since the fall, no one has been able to elude the entanglements of their own sinfulness. No matter how enlightened we may be or how advanced our technological discoveries, we still find ourselves ravaged by hatred, lust, rage, and covetousness. We contend against the adversary of our ancestors: the sin that resides within each of us. We do not like to think of ourselves as helpless, yet the doctrine of sin reminds us that we are unable to extricate ourselves from the grip of our sinfulness.

These misunderstandings about the nature of sin may stem in part from the demise of meaningful and honest discourse on the subject. Although important and relevant, the topic of sin is not the most popular of issues. Modern attitudes about the subject consider it either unpleasant and inappropriate or irrelevant and passé. Recent years have witnessed a decline even in the use of the word. Several years ago, psychiatrist Karl Menninger wrote a book entitled Whatever Became of Sin? In this work Menninger called attention to the fact that "sin" is an all-but-extinct term in the American vocabulary. He noted that simply removing the word sin from our collective vocabularies would not make it disappear. Menninger argued for an understanding of sin that included willful rebellion against the standards of God.

We should take this observation to heart. We deceive ourselves if we believe that we can either minimize or eliminate the reality of sin simply by ignoring it or changing its name. Redefinitions or misunderstandings about sin do not lessen our accountability. We should also admit that such evasive efforts are themselves manifestations of sin. We live in an age that strives to ease or eradicate moral and spiritual culpability; to confess our sinfulness will painfully confront us with our shortcomings and accentuate our guilt. Our unwillingness or failure to address sin truthfully will not, however, achieve our liberation from its insidious presence, power, and penalty. The rejection of the biblical doctrine of sin does not invalidate its reality or power. To disregard the reality of sin will eventuate in individual and societal destruction. (A Theology for the Church)

Definitions

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Any thought, word, desire, action, or omission of action, contrary to the law of God, or defective when compared with it.

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

Sin is a riddle, a mystery, a reality that eludes definition and comprehension. Perhaps we most often think of sin as wrongdoing or transgression of God's law. Sin includes a failure to do what is right. But sin also offends people; it is violence and lovelessness toward other people, and ultimately, rebellion against God. Further, the Bible teaches that sin involves a condition in which the heart is corrupted and inclined toward evil.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Romans 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Romans 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).", A.A.Hodge's Outlines.

A Biblical Definition

For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. Romans 14:23

My definition

Sin is anything, known or unknown, that keeps anyone from being like Christ. See 1 Peter 1:15-16
Additional sources for definitions may be found at http://www.studylight.org/dic/

Sunday, 19 April 2009

What Nation Would Abandon God? - part 2
Jer 2:11 "Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit."

Rom 3:1-8 "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged." But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 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."

Review
1. The Glory was God’s Presence.
2. Israel was exalted by having been given God’s Word.
3. Israel was exalted because she had the way of salvation revealed to her.
4. Glory Rejected in Favor of Lies
5. Israel declined and fell into ruin because of ignoring God’s Word.
B. The Jewish Concept of Salvation — book by Kirk Douglas — following the Torah
John 8:33-41 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father; God."

Matt 3:7-9 "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."
1. The Jewish concept of salvation was that if you were a covenant member of Israel, you were going to end up in heaven, though you might have to pay for some of your sins for a time.
Their great objection to Paul’s applying his general principles of justice to their case was that their situation was peculiar: ‘God has chosen us as his people in Abraham. If we retain our relation to him by circumcision and the observance of the law, we shall never be treated or condemned as the Gentiles.’

That such was the doctrine of the Jews is shown by numerous passages from their writings. "If a Jew commit all manner of sins," says Abarbanel, "he is indeed of the number of sinning Israelites, and will be punished according to his sins; but he has, notwithstanding, a portion in eternal life." The same sentiment is expressed in the book Torath Adam, fol. 100, in nearly the same words, and the reason assigned for it, "That all Israel has a portion in eternal life." 9 This is a favorite phrase with the Rabbins, and frequently occurs in their writings. Justin Martyr, as quoted by Grotius on chap. 2:13, attributes this doctrine to the Jews of his day: "They suppose that to them universally, who are of the seed of Abraham, no matter how sinful and disobedient to God they may be, the eternal kingdom shall be given." This interpretation, therefore, makes the verse in question present the objection which the Jews would be most likely to urge. ( Kirk Douglas)

It cannot escape notice how completely the doctrine of the Jews has been transferred by ritualists to Christianity. They held that if a man was circumcised and remained within the Theocracy, he might be punished for his sins, but he would ultimately be saved. So ritualists hold that all who are baptized and remain within the pale of the true Church, though they may suffer for their sins here or hereafter (in purgatory) are certain to be finally saved. (Charles Hodge)

2. There are too many in this day who have a similar concept of salvation.
a. God saves all the "good old boys".
b. Being associated with a church will do it.

c. Being associated with a quasi-religious fraternal organization will do it.

d. Just believing that God exists will do it.

3. The Unbelieving Fundamentalist! — Some folks don’t believe, in spite of the advantages they have been given.

'For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged."'

4. Dumb idea #1—Taking care of unrighteous religious people makes God look good.

Such is the apostle’s argument against the grounds of confidence on which the Jews rested their hope of exemption from condemnation. ‘Our unfaithfulness serves to commend the faithfulness of God, therefore we ought not to be punished.’ According to this reasoning, says Paul, the worse we are, the better: for the more wicked we are, the more conspicuous will be the mercy of God in our pardon; we may therefore do evil that good may come.’ (Charles Hodge)

"But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?"
One great wicked man, in years past, muttered the following words as he lay dying—"God will forgive, it is His job!"
WRONG! God is going to judge the world, and unless you have lived a life of absolute perfection and conformity with His Law, you will be judged guilty and sentenced to everlasting punishment.

OR, unless you have a Substitute who has taken the punishment for you already.

5. Dumb idea #2 — By sinning, we can make God look better when He pardons us.

"For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 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."

Matt 5:17-20 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

Bible Christianity is NOT unlawful.

Bible Christianity does NOT say we may live as we please.

Bible Christianity re-affirms, within the New Testament, 9 of the ten commandments, and all of the moral regulations which stem from those commandments.

A Bible-believing Christian is expected to grow in grace and live a life that conforms to the moral teachings found in the Bible.

Bible Christianity merely points out that is obvious about the Law — The Law cannot save because we are too wicked, and we cannot meet the standard of the Law.

There is a perversion of the doctrine of Eternal Security which teaches "once professed, surely possessed — once I have made that profession, I am saved, secure, and safe, no matter what I do."

C. Conclusion — Let me assure you, that is false. The Bible teaching is that once someone is truly saved, they will not lose God’s salvation, because He will not let them go. However, once someone is TRULY saved, their life will grow to reflect that fact. If there is no evidence in your life that God has saved you, the chances are very great that He has NOT saved you, and you stand in need of salvation right now.
1. We should feel the peculiar responsibilities which rest upon us as the inhabitants of a Christian country, as members of the Christian Church, and possessors of the word of God; as such, we enjoy advantages for which we shall have to render a strict account, vers. 1, 2.
2. It is a mark of genuine piety, to be disposed always to justify God, and to condemn ourselves. On the other hand, a disposition to self-justification and the extenuation of our sins, however secret, is an indication of the want of a proper sense of our own unworthiness and of the divine excellence, vers. 4, 5.

3. Beware of any refuge from the fear of future punishment, founded upon the hope that God will clear the guilty, or that he will not judge the world and take vengeance for our sins, vers. 6, 7.

4. There is no better evidence against the truth of any doctrine, than that its tendency is immoral. And there is no greater proof that a man is wicked, that his condemnation is just, than that he does evil that good may come. There is commonly, in such cases, not only the evil of the act committed, but that of hypocrisy and duplicity also, ver. 8.

© Charles T. Buntin

Saturday, 28 March 2009

Human Religion Won’t Work - part 5a
What Nation Would Abandon God?

part 1

Jer 2:11 "Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit."

Rom 3:1-8 "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged." But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 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."

A. What Advantage? — "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God."
1. The Glory and exaltation of Israel — "...my people have changed their glory..." a. The Glory was God’s Presence — i. Over two hundred times in the Old Testament, we read about the Glory of the Lord, and this Glory was the very Presence of God, manifested before the children of Israel.
Exo 29:42-43 "This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory."

Exo 33:18-19 'And he said, "Please, show me Your glory." Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."'

Exo 33:22 "So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by."

ii. Under the Old Covenant, the Glory of the LORD was symbolized by the Ark, and when the Ark was captured, it was said that the Glory had departed.

1 Sam 4:22 'And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken."'

iii. In the earthly ministry of Jesus, the Glory of God was the personal Presence of Christ Jesus Himself.

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

iv. In the New Covenant, the Glory of God is at God’s Throne, accessible through prayer because of the blood of Christ, and operational in our lives by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Heb 10:19-20 "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"

2 Cor 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

2. Israel was exalted by having been given God’s Word.

Deut 26:16-19 "This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken." (see also Deut 28:1-14)

3. Israel was exalted because she had the way of salvation revealed to her.

Eph 2:11-13 "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands; that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

4. Glory Rejected in Favor of Lies — "...My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit."

5. Israel declined and fell into ruin because of ignoring God’s Word.
a. The unread book
2 Kings 22:8-13 "Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, "Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the LORD." Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."

b. There was no man of God in the Land — the men of Israel had become such spiritual wimps that God called Huldah to be the prophetess of that day.

2 Kings 22:14-20 "So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke with her. Then she said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Tell the man who sent you to Me, Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants; all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read; 'because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath shall be aroused against this place and shall not be quenched.' But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard; because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD. Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place." ' " So they brought back word to the king."

c. Israel had followed the political, religious, and philosophical examples of the heathen nations around them.

2 Kings 21:1-15 "Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will put My name." And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; and I will not make the feet of Israel wander anymore from the land which I gave their fathers; only if they are careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that My servant Moses commanded them." But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. So I will forsake the remnant of My inheritance and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become victims of plunder to all their enemies, because they have done evil in My sight, and have provoked Me to anger since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.'"

d. Israel had despised, persecuted, and killed the prophets that God had sent to correct them.

Neh 9:26 "Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations."

e. When God sent His Son, Israel ignored Him too, they rejected Him and sentenced Him to die.

Acts 7:52 "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,"

1 Thes 2:15 "who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,"

6. Application — we in this land have been blessed with God’s Word from the beginning.

Our nation was founded by God-fearing people who loved the Bible.
Our nation and our laws were established upon Godly principles from the Word.
Providence demonstrated the reason for God’s bounty to us by the modern missionary movement which burst from our shores to all corners of the world.
Godly men and women gave until it hurt to establish schools of the prophets to produce Godly preachers and missionaries.
Harvard University — (1636), founded by the General Court of Massachusetts only sixteen years after the landing of the Pilgrims, is the oldest university in the United States. Originally called the College at Cambridge, being established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it was renamed after its first major benefactor, Rev. John Harvard (1607-1638), who donated his library and half of his estate. The declared purpose of the college was:
To train a literate clergy.
The Rules and Precepts observed at Harvard, September 26, 1642, stated:
When any Scholar… is able to make [write] and speak true Latine in Verse and Prose.… And decline perfectly the paradigims of Nounes and Verbes in the Greek tongue… [he is capable] of admission into the college.
Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the maine end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternall life, John 17:3 and therefore to lay Christ in the bottome, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and Learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisedome, Let every one seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seeke it of him Prov. 2, 3.
Every one shall so exercise himselfe in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoreticall observations of Language and Logick, and in practicall and spirituall truths, as his Tutor shall require, according to his ability; seeing the entrance of the word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple, Psalm 119:130.
That they eshewing all profanation of Gods name, Attributes, Word, Ordinances, and times of Worship, do studie with good conscience carefully to retaine God, and the love of his truth in their mindes, else let them know, that (notwithstanding their Learning) God may give them up to strong delusions, and in the end to a reprobate minde, 2 Thes. 2:11, 12. Rom. 1:28.
That they studiously redeeme the time; observe the generall houres… diligently attend the Lectures, without any disturbance by word or gesture.…
None shall… frequent the company and society of such men as lead an unfit, and dissolute life. Nor shall any without his Tutors leave, or without the call of Parents or Guardians, goe abroad to other Townes.
Every Scholar shall be present in his Tutors chamber at the 7th houre in the morning, immediately after the sound of the Bell, at his opening the Scripture and prayer, so also at the 5th houre at night, and then give account of his owne private reading.… But if any… shall absent himself from prayer or Lectures, he shall bee lyable to Admonition, if he offend above once a weeke.
If any Scholar shall be found to transgresse any of the Lawes of God, or the Schoole… he may bee admonished at the publick monethly Act.
Ten of the twelve presidents of Harvard, prior to the Revolutionary War, were ministers, and according to reliable calculations, over fifty percent of the seventeenth-century Harvard graduates became ministers. Of note is the fact that 106 of the first 108 schools in America were founded on the Christian faith.
Harvard college was founded in "Christi Gloriam" and later dedicated "Christo et Ecclesiae". The founders of Harvard believed that:
All knowledge without Christ was vain.
The word Veritas, on the college seal, means divine truth. The motto of Harvard was officially:
For Christ and the Church.
The dedication inscribed on the wall by the old iron gate at the main entrance to the Harvard University campus, as well as in the catalog of the Harvard Divinity School, reads:
After God had carried us safe to New England and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, reared convenient places for God’s worship and settled the civil government, one of the next things we longed for and looked after was to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity, dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches when our present ministers lie in the dust.
Princeton University’s official motto was:
Under God’s Power She Flourishes.
The first president of Princeton University, the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, stated:
Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.
The requirements of Princeton University, during President John Witherspoon tenure, 1768-1776, included:
Every student shall attend worship in the college hall morning and evening at the hours appointed and shall behave with gravity and reverence during the whole service. Every student shall attend public worship on the Sabbaths.… Besides the public exercises of religious worship on the Sabbaths, there shall be assigned to each class certain exercises for their pupils.… and no student belong.

Our nation became an example to the world in our schools, our churches, our mission organizations.

7. But, except for a Godly remnant, our nation has rejected its very foundations.

Our nation was founded by God-fearing people who loved the Bible. — But there is a constant effort to push God-fearing people aside and to the background.
Our nation is becoming more secular. You hear it in Congress whe a speaker will say, "I'm a ________, but I don let that influence my vote."

Our nation and our laws have been perverted from the Godly principles of our establishment.
The gay marriage issue is just one example of this.

While God blessed us with bountiful riches as a nation, to be used in the propagation of the gospel, we have perverted those riches and diverted the money to become the most pleasure-seeking society in the history of the human race.
Church services have been canceled because of the Super Bowl and attendance would be so poor it wouldnt be cost efective to heat the church and turn on the lights.

The schools established by the people of God for the purpose of producing holy prophets of God have been turned into centers of pagan learning and anti-Christian philosophy.
We've covered that above.

We have imitated the beliefs and lifestyles of the pagan world.
Instead of showing the way to God, our nation is the home of the pornography industry.
Porn is a MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR industry. The porn stars consider it a job not what it actually is, fornication and adultery.

Too many Bible-believing Christians are just going along to get along, or are satisfied to sit in their padded pews and hope the rapture comes before it gets too bad.
While the nation is going to hell in a hand-basket, too many professing Bible-believing Christians are too stuck up to do anything about it, and spend all their time being self-satisfied about how salty they are instead of being salt and light in the world.

8. Pulpits

Too many pulpits in this land are silent.
Too many pulpits are pre-occupied with tickling the ears of dead church members and licking the boots of influential people.
Too many pulpits are filled by uncalled men because God’s prophets have been burned out, turned out, culled out, and shut out!
Too many pulpits are occupied by called men who have been beaten into submission by their critics!
Too many pulpits are being abandoned by called men because of their critics!

9. Listen to me!

Some of you are going to go off to seminary, and that is good. I think a good seminary education can be a wonderful intellectual foundation for ministry.
But don’t let them turn you into a slick professional package in a fancy stuffed suit.
Don’t let them file all the rough edges off you until you have no points.
You find yourself a church out in the bushes somewhere where they will let a man of God preach the Book of God.
You get those folks fired up with holy fire. Don't preach smooth, feel good sermons.
You come down here to the rescue field every now and then to catch fire and then take it back to your people!

10. "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God."

The oracles of God have been committed to Christians in this generation, and we will answer for how we handled them!
© Charles T. Buntin

browse entries:
older »

View all weblog entries

Top Tags - Weblog

View all tags

didache

- Name: Bob
- Country: United States
- Metro: Newark
- Gender: Male
- Member Since: 7/24/2005

View full profile

Connect

Weblog Archives

Don't worry - your calendar is here… to see it in action just click "Save" above and refresh the page.

View all weblog archives

About Me

I had NO thoughts of God before I was saved and never attended church. One day I noticed two men at work reading the Bible. At the time I made wise cracks and argued with one of them about the Bible. Later, I decided to find out just what they saw in the Bible. I dusted off the King James Bible that I received when I was a child in Sunday school and began to read "The REVELATION". I remember reading in bed at night and crying. I didn't know why, I just knew that something had to be done or I'd be 'cast into the Lake of Fire' (Hell). A week before God saved me, the Lord saved my wife. I noticed the change in her, but didn't want anything to do with the "Bible thumpers" she had spoken with. Later in the week my wife asked me if I wanted someone to explain to me what I was reading. I agreed and that Thursday night the Pastor of a local Bible believing church and the Holy Spirit opened the Word of God to me and I was saved! http://mysite.verizon.net/eph4.14ff