God's Word, or Our Words?

God provided us with a Bible, at an incredible cost for its many cast members, many of whom suffered or died so that we can learn from their lives, their mistakes, and their triumphs. Many also suffered and died through history, just for preserving this book, even for translating it into English. It's a precious book, God knows that all serious Christians know that. So to see the many ways it has been mangled, twisted, and re-interpreted by some for their own purposes is just unacceptable. There are enough people who claim to have new revelations and new interpretations and we must learn to recognise when this is happening and reject it. The Bible has only one author, God, and the task we have is to know exactly what is in His heart as we read his words.

So how do we read and interpret the Bible? How can we tell what is in the heart of God as we read His words? We begin with two Greek words, exegesis, and eisegesis. Exegesis is the act of reading the words of the Bible and only receiving the truth that God put there. Eisegsis is the act of reading the Bible and only receiving what agrees with your own ideas. The first technique is, I hope you agree, the way we should approach hte Bible. The other one is the chosen route of our TV preacher and may God forgive him!¹

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Footnotes:

1. Steve Maltz, How the Church Lost the Way, Saffron Planet, pp 72

Why Normative Interpretation? Because it is Consistent

Hermeneutics is the study of methods of interpretation, especially of Biblical texts. Exegesis is the process of explaining these interpretations.

There is, of course, more than one method of interpreting Biblical texts. The hermeneutic of choice for this blog is called Normative, Natural, and sometimes the historical-grammatical interpretive principle. Some refer to it as literal.

The term "literal" implies, incorrectly, that figures of speech and symbols are not considered relevant to scriptural interpretation. Therefore the term is avoided because of the baggage that accompanies it. As will be seen in the "Golden Rule of Interpretation" there are indeed symbols used in the Bible, these however are usually explained in the context of the text they appear in.

One other hermeneutic which will be mentioned here is the allegorical hermeneutic. This interpretive approach expounds the belief that the use of symbols and allegory (fables) is used extensively throughout the Old and New Testaments. There are many reasons this is believed to be so by its adherents, far too many to be addressed here. The problem with this approach is that those who make use of it cannot agree amongst themselves what is allegorical and what should be read literally. Furthermore where there is agreement concerning what is allegory and what is not, the interpretation of those allegorical passages cannot be agreed upon.

The allegorical approach is rejected here, and the normative, or natural interpretation of Scripture is affirmed. Scripture must stand upon its own merits. ( 2Ti 3:16 ) If it does not then man becomes the final arbiter of truth, and each may do what is right in his own eyes.

This declaration is made now so no one is deceived into thinking there is another approach being taken. The reader will find affirmations of:

• The Jewish roots of the Christian faith
• Israel's, that is the Jewish peoples, rightful place as the chosen people of God
• Orthodoxy (right teaching/opinion)
• The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
• The basics of the Christian faith

The reader will also find specific explanations and rejection of:

• Anti-Semitism, in all its guises
• Replacement Theology - The Church is not Israel
• Heresies
• Apostasy - departures from the faith professed
• Various hermenuetical approaches

The goal is to provide historical background and reasoned arguments for those who seek to understand the foundational teachings of their faith in more detail. May the Traditional, Evangelical, Charismatic, and Pentecostal all find something here.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." - Herbert Spencer

The Olivet Discourse

For a full and very clear discussion of this topic please visit Ariel Ministries and read their excellent analysis of the text of Matthew 24 and 25: The Olivet Discourse according to Matthew 24 and 25.

Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum also has a dissertation which is available in manuscript form and as an appendix in his excellent book The Footsteps of the Messiah, on pages 621 to 650. Please read this book, and the relevant portions of scripture, for yourself.

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The Olivet Discourse, recorded in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21, is one of the most important prophetic utterances in the Scriptures. If one has a clear understanding of this prediction, one will have an outline into which almost all other subjects of prophecy will fit perfectly.¹

Notes: (taken entirely from the Olivet Discourse by Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum)²

1. The discourse is recorded in three of the four Gospels. Matt 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5-36
2. Purpose: To answer the the question When and how would the Messianic Kingdom come into being?
3. Israel had just rejected the Messiah, so the Kingdom could not be set up at that time.
4. Matthew 23:37-39 - denounced Israel's leadership, He would not return again until Israel requested Him to.
5. Question: What circumstances would cause this invitation to be issued?
6. All Gospels must be studied to get the answer to the question
7. Three questions asked by disciples:

   Tell us, when shall these things be? These things refer to:

   1. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple;
   2. What shall be the sign of your coming? This question concerns the second coming and not the rapture which is imminent;
   3. What shall be the sign of the end of the world? This is a question about the end of the age, rabbinic theology recognised two ages, this age, and the Messianic age. So the question is what is the sign that the last days of this age have begun and that will lead to the Messianic Age?

8. Things that were NOT signs:
   1. The Rise of False Messiahs
   2. The Existence of Local Wars

9. The Sign of the End of the Age (Answer to Third question)
   1. Matt 24:7-8, Mark 13:8 and Luke 21:10-11 - World wide wars will indicate that the end had begun
   2. Fulfilled by World War I and World War II
   3. Nation will rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom is a Jewish idiom which means world wide war
10. Personal Experiences of the Apostles
    1. Mark 13:9-13, Luke 21:12-19 - But before all these things...
    2. There will be a time of suffering, and a successful ministry
11. The Sign of the Fall of Jerusalem (Answer to First Question)
    1. Luke 21:20-24
    2. Jerusalem would be surrounded by armies. When this happened they were instructed to get out of Jerusalem.

       A. D. 66 Cestus Gallus surrounded Jerusalem, but noticed his supply lines were not secure. He lifted the siege and returned to Caesarea. The Jewish believers left Jerusalem.

    3. A. D. 68 Vespasian and his Son Titus surrounded and, in A. D. 70, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.
    4. 1,100,000 Jews were killed in this assault. Not one Jewish believer died.
    5. Jerusalem will not be free of Gentile nations until her Messiah returns.
12. The Great Tribulation
    1. Matt 24:9-26, Mark 14-23
    2. Matt 24:9-14 - first half of Tribulation
    3. Matt 24:9-14 is not dealing with the same events as Mark 13:9-13 and Luke 21:12-19
    4. Matt 24:15-28, Mark 13:14-23 - second half of Tribulation

13. The Sign of the Second Coming of the Messiah (Answer to Second Question)
    1. Matt 24:29-30, Mark 13:24-26, Luke 21:25-27
    2. Preceding the sign of the second coming there will be a blackout
    3. The sign of the Son of man will appear in Matt verse 30a
    4. This sign will be coupled with God's glory and will be the Shechinah Glory

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Footnotes:

1. Dr. David L. Cooper, The Olivet Discourse according to Matthew 24 and 25, Downloaded from http://www.ariel.org/dlc/dlc-wg-43.htm 5 March 2011, Copyright © 2009 Ariel Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
2. Dr Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, Copyright © 2003,2004 Ariel Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission. pp 621 - 650

Why is the church losing its young people?

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A must read editorial from creation.com. Why is the church losing its young people?

If we cast doubt upon the validity of the Scriptures (Bible), we cast doubt on everything that is "Christian". If we adopt an attitude that makes the Bible no more that a series of myths or legends then we have no grounds upon which to make claim to anything of greater value than Greek or Roman mythology.

Genesis 1:1-11 is foundational to the entire cannon of Scripture. Without it, neither Christianity nor Judaism has any validity. This principle was exemplified by a conversation I had with one of my many ex-brother-in-laws many years ago.

My brother-in-law handed me a book en-titled Women hating writings. Naturally enough, within the pages of this book was a snippet from the Bible, taken out of context. Of course a (convivial) conversation ensued about the "lies" in the Bible. He held the position the Bible was untrue and could not be relied upon and I of course attempted to refute this. My final statement was "I would never give up my life for a fairytale," to which he responded "exactly."

This is the damage done to the reputation of the Christian Faith by those who deny the validity and historical accuracy of the Bible. No less than the salvation of those who do not yet know Messiah (Christ) has been lost because of this wholesale abrogation of the truth by those who profess its belief.

What Messiah (Christ) did for you on the Cross

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content When Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross at Calvary, it was no accident. This was not a defeat for Messiah (Christ). It was God's ultimate triumph over evil. Yeshua (Jesus) was born to die on that cross. It was the purpose for which he was born. Without Yeshua (Jesus) dying on that cross, mankind would have no way to enter Heaven.

Ariel Ministries discusses this topic in more detail in Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum's papers Why Did Messiah Have to Die? and The Results of the Death of Messiah.

So what happened on the Cross? Messiah (Christ) became "sin" for us. Yeshua (Jesus), who lived a perfect life, who fulfilled ALL the requirements of the Mosaic Law, did not get killed, but offered up Himself as a perfect sacrifice (Eph 5:2, Heb 9:26, Heb 10:12) for the sins of all mankind. The only sacrifice that was able to satisfy God's requirement for justice once and for all.

The sacrifice which Yeshua (Jesus) offered on the cross paid the penalty due to all men. All men have sinned. The penalty required for sin is death. Messiah (Christ) died on the Cross, a life willingly laid down for us (Jon 10:17-18), to pay our penalty.

Because of Yeshua's (Christ's) death on the Cross we can enter into relationship with The Father. Once we believe and have satisfied the requirements of salvation we receive (instantaneously) the deposit of the Holy Spirit as a seal confirming that we now belong to Messiah (Christ). The condition of being saved is irrevocable, that is, it can not be undone. It is a one way ticket. This is the promise made to every one who believes in Messiah (Christ)...

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.

God

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God - Theology Proper

For an in-depth discussions about God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit please see the following studies from Ariel Ministries:

• The Trinity
• God the Father

The study of God is know as Theology Proper. It is not possible to do justice to this topic in the space available, we therefore try to set down the most important concepts only, and sadly only briefly touch on each.

The Trinity

There is only one God. God is comprised of three persons. These persons are distinct and separate personalities, and are not one person.

Reference to the unity of God is well established in the Old Testament. The most well know example, especially amongst Jews, is the Sh’ma of Deuteronomy 6:4. Sh’ma Y’israel, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad. – Translated this is Hear O Israel, the Lord, your God, is one Lord. Dr Fruchtenbaum again emphasises the fact that the more correct translation here is “your Gods” Therefore the correct translation would be The Lord, your Gods, is one Lord. Thus the Old Testament supports multiple personalities within the single “entity” of God.

Attributes of God

1. Omniscience - The Omniscience of God comprehends all things - things past, things present, and things future, and the possible as well as the actual.¹
2. Holiness - The holiness of God is active. As a primary motive, it incites all that he does; therefore He is righteous in His ways. Though infinitely holy, He nevertheless maintains a relation to fallen creatures; not a quiescent aloofness from them, but a vital pulsating nearness. His is not a holiness which is engendered by a sustained effort or preserved by segregation from other beings. The holiness of God is intrinsic, uncreated, and untarnished; it is observable in every divine attitude and action. It embraces not only His devotion to that which is good, but is also the very basis and force of His hatred of that which is evil.Thus there is in divine holiness he capacity for reaction toward others which is both positive and negative. ²
3. Justice - ...God has absolute right and authority over His creatures. In his rebellion against God, the creature steadfastly refuses to recognize the truth concerning the Creator's right and authority. God could have created or not at his pleasure...Since the Creator's authority is absolute, it is a superlative cause for gratitude that God is perfect in justice. Divine justice is exhibited in the fact that righteous laws are given to men, that these laws are given an impartial execution. No favoritism is ever indulged, though infinite favor is extended to those who come under the righteous provisions for salvation made possible through Christ's sacrifice for sin. On this it may be remarked, that at no point is divine justice more observable than in the plan of redemption.

   Holiness dictates that there shall be no leniency towards evil on the part of God. It is true that He considers our frame and remembers we are dust; but God never condones sin...To reject this open door of salvation which Christ is and wherein God without impairment to His holy justice can execute complete and perfect grace toward the sinner, becomes at once the final, all-condemning sin.³

4. Love - God has not attained to love, nor does He by effort maintain love; it is the structure of his being. He is the unfailing source of all love...As no other attribute, love is the primary motive in God, and to satisfy His love all creation has been formed.That infinite love has always existed between the Persons of the God-head and that God in the most worthy sense loves Himself supremely, cannot be questioned. The divine love thus did not begin to be exercised only when creatures - the objects of His love - were created.⁴
5. Goodness - This attribute, if contemplated as that which is within God, is akin to His holiness; if contemplated as that which proceeds from God, is akin to love. The infinite goodness of God is a perfection of His being which characterises His nature and is itself the source of all in the universe that is good.⁵
6. Truth - He not only advances and confirms that which is true, but in faithfulness abides by His promise, and executes every threat or warning He has made. Apart from the element of truth in God there would be no certainty whatsoever in this life.⁶
7. Freedom - The will of God is free. It acts in the way of wisdom, is exercised by infinite power, and upholds only His righteous purposes and ways; yet it is free in the sense that it is independent of all His creatures as well of all their actions.⁷
8. Omnipotence - The infinite power of God.
9. Simplicity - By this term it is indicated that the divine Being is uncompounded, incomplex, and indivisible...Simplicity of being is not a contradiction of the Trinity of Persons in which mode He subsists. The fact of the Trinity does not predicate three Essences; it rather predicates one Essence and the one Essence is simple in itself.⁸
10. Unity - God is one essence.⁹ There is one God.
11. Infinity - God transcends all limitations which time or space impose. He cannot be imprisoned either in time or space. In like manner, He knows all things perfectly. He is able to bring things to pass, even to create as He will apart from means or material, and always in measureless perfection. In every moral quality He is complete to infinity.¹⁰
12. Eternity - ...God is said to be "the eternal God." He is from everlasting to everlasting...The pure idea of eternity is too vast for human thought.¹¹
13. Immutability - Immutability is the state or quality of being that which is not capable or susceptible of change....In no sphere or relationship is God subject to change.¹² (James 1:17)
14. Ommipresence or Immensity - He is everywhere present¹³
15. Sovereignty The sovereignty of God is discerned in the absolute manner in which all things have been assigned their respective places in creation, in appointing men their day and generation as well as the bounds of their habitation, and in the exercise of saving grace.He is Creator and hist dominion is perfect and final
    

    The authority of God is established over the redeemed by the purchase which that redemption was wrought
    

    He is in authority over those among the redeemed who willingly yield their lives to Him.¹⁴

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Footnotes:

1. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, Volumes 1 & 2, Prologemena, Bibliology, Theology Proper, (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI 1976), 192
2. Ibid, 202
3. Ibid, 203-204
4. Ibid, 205-206
5. Ibid, 206
6. Ibid, 207
7. Ibid, 209
8. Ibid, 213 - 214
9. Ibid, 215
10. Ibid, 215
11. Ibid, 216
12. Ibid, 217
13. Ibid, 219
14. Ibid, 222

Apostasy

What is apostasy?

"The departure from the truth that one professed to have." The term does not imply that apostate has ever had the truth. They have however, by accepting an office of the church or some other mechanism professed to have the truth. How do you recognise an apostate?

Deeds and actions of the Apostasy

The Footsteps of the Messiah Page 71 - 72 b

1. Jude 17-19 - Mockery (results in division in the church)
   But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
   
   
2. Mocking of the fundamentals of the faith, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, Virgin Birth, substitutionary death of the Messiah.
   
   

Mark of Apostasy

The Footsteps of the Messiah Page 70

1. 2 Peter 2:1
   But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
   
   

Teachings of the Apostasy

The Footsteps of the Messiah Page 70 - 71

1. 1 John 2:22-23 - denial of the Trinity
   Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
   
   
2. 1 John 4:2-3 - denial of the Incarnation
   Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
   
   
3. 2 John 7 - denial of the Incarnation
   For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist.
   
   
4. 2 Peter 3:3-4 - denial of the second coming
   Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
   
   

Character of the Apostasy

The Footsteps of the Messiah Page 66 - 70

1. 1 Timothy 4:1-3
   Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
   
   
2. 2 Timothy 3:5
   Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
   
   
3. 2 Peter 2:1-22
   But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forebad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.