Prince Malachi The First's Posts

Theory Hazit - Extra Credit: Album Review

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 8, 2009 at 8:25am

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]



Theory Hazit - Extra Credit (HipHop Is Music) The Hip Hop IS Music label has built a quick following thus far by releasing a few solid albums since its inception. Case in point: Surreal & DJ Balance - Future Classic, Sivion - Spring of the Songbird, and the label mix cd called Heavy Rotation. Now comes a project called Extra Credit by the former Holy Culture Radio dj, and Scribble Jam Beat Champion Theory Hazit. An award winning producer, a vinyl cutting dj, a mic personality, and a phenomenal emcee to boot. A short glance at Theo's resume and you can see this guy has allot going for him so I expected this to be a pretty interesting album. This being my ears debut aside from his dj days holding down the HCR show he hosted for a brief stint... I was interested to see what Theory had to offer an album listening audience. Before checking out the album I did happen to swing by his myspace page and I noticed that Extra Credit was definitely not his first album. However, it did seam like this is his first label project. Theo has quite a few indie projects floating around. Mostly mix cd's featuring his production and some older works he's done. From the looks of the art though it was all pretty much low key and self produced leisure stuff. Nothing on the level of this which as far as I can tell is his most significant work to date. So what does Extra Credit have to offer? At first listen I was immediately taken back by the calibre of the projects apparent attention to solid, anti-commercial underground beats and clever wordplay. A definite underground sound with dirty drums and sub bass lines bouncing to vinyl crackling samples. Well mixed and mastered... the sonic value was definitely on-point. That was a pleasure to hear because allot of times you hear these basement beats (not produced in big studios with an ultra-clean sound) yet they are mixed roughly and make listening to very hard to say the least. Extra Credit did not suffer that same fate and for that I'm thankful because the lyrical content is something you really want to get down with. Theory has a distinctive laid-back flow but still intellectual and easy to comprehend and digest. A meal best served chill... Theory comes correct with great wordplay and vocal calisthenics doing his thing on the layering and diversity in delivery. His flow is not your average mundane 1-2 on pattern in monotone hip-hop structure. I like that his music never feels disingenuous or planned. His music is just that, MUSIC. Each track doesn't feel structured to a pattern or standard hip-hop formula. He's not afraid to experiment with changes in his delivery or vocal emphasis on key words. You never feel like his verses are rushed either. There is allot of artists that speak fast to flex their ability to "speed-rap" yet content gets blurred and its hard to actually sink in. I like that Theory's lyrics are easy to repeat back and he lets you feel where he's going with them. A great summer driving album... this one's full of system pumping tracks you can feel good to be kicking out of your speakers with the windows down and even rap along. Production on the album was handled by a barrage of talent including: Tony Stone, Just Me, Roxstar, Vintage, The Are, Lost Mind, Re:Flex the Architect, and of course himself! Guest features include: K-Drama, Sojourn, Just Me, Braille, Sivion, Holmskillit, and Sharlok Poems. Another key mention on the album was its upbeat humor spliced with light-hearted subject matter. Songs like "Gossip Synopsis" pits Theo against every critic slamming him on message boards or talkin smack behind his back. A clowning set of voices trash talking him cut in and out randomly as Theory Hazit rips back indirectly with verses that counteract the negativity with cunning lyrics basically driving home the point of the song. A track with a similar theme was "Dumb Dunces" feat. K-Drama that contained samples of the Scooby Doo theme song over a boom-bap faster paced beat scratch tapped with appropriate cuts and jabs making references to everything from bad emcee's to Napolean Dynomite. I had to laugh out loud a few times with some of the lines on this one. A battle track wrapped in a take you back to high school vibe... I guess to deal with the corny drama making comparisons to teach these whack emcee's to step their game up, or get schooled! Now Extra Credit is not without its serious points to take note of either. As a matter of fact those are the ones that stand out to me the most. The second single "I Just Wanna Go Home" is just that. An excellent track featuring Vintage on the beat and Theory delivery insightful lyrics about his testimony and faith. The track takes us through Theory's troubled adolescence whereby he lands himself in a jail cell on his knees calling out to God... then in comes the multiple-meaning chorus and vocals of Barry Hampton to say it all "I just want... I just wanna go home". Very dope track. The video is equally as cool as a cartoon version of Theory Hazit plays out the scenarios of the song in simplistic South Park-like animation style. Check the video out on Sphereofhiphoptv.com Now every album has its own critique but to say this one lacks something considerable would not be honest. Full of underground beats that are beautifully mixed and mastered... this is one for dirty drum fanatics and crispy sample heads alike. What the album did lack however wasn't a sense of diversity but somewhat uniformity in overall play. Moving from one song to another in a full album listening experience wasn't without its awkward points here and there. Noteworthy to a small degree is the select underground production which is un-doubtebly both a strong suit of the album, but possibly a slight drawback as well. As Extra Credit will break ground in the underground scene no doubt. There was only one song that I could see breaking ground on commercial or college radio and that being the second single I mentioned in detail above. Theory has the potential to change up his style like very few can so to say this is the only sound I foresee him pursuing wouldn't do him justice. I'd definitely like to see more diversity in his production soundscape to cater to his maximum potential lyrically and creatively. Moving to less basement beats and more on something like a DJ Hi-Tek type sound, or Primo vibe would I bet do allot to get peoples attention on a broader level. My overall take on the album. You better stay after school and pick up some... well... Extra Credit. Or fail the test of a real underground banger here. If you don't have this... make sure you head on over to the Sphere store and get yourself a copy. This is a great, solid album. Plenty of feel good tracks and weighty lyrics you can keep playing over again. A high contrast to the commercial syth-keyboard beats and monotonous delivery way too often heard today. Christian and secular alike. This is a breath of fresh air and my ears thank you. For fans of: Sivion, Surreal, Scribbling Idiots, Deepspace 5, Mars ill, Braille, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, fans of underground hip-hop and the purists of the genre. of

Why do believers suffer?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 6, 2009 at 8:42pm

Comfort for God’s people Why is there suffering in the world and why do we as Christians suffer. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do Good things happen to bad people ? If there is a God of love why does he allow suffering, especially to those he loves? We live in a world from the consequences of sin that began by two people that were very much like us. Because of their disobedience the world is in a fallen state. Sin and suffering are not God’s doing, but are allowed in his plan. The entire universe is Gods and under his control, but not everything is according to his perfect will, this is why we were asked to pray that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Nothing happens that God is not aware of, or ultimately is not in control of (he has set the boundaries.) Yet he allows evil to continue even though it is not his will. Some suffering is allowed by God as training or used as chastisement or it can be a judgment. God usually allows such suffering with a view toward restoration and formation of character. For unbelievers it is used to bring them to know him. For believers it is for our growth and to bring us closer to him. We see Good and evil fall upon believers and unbelievers alike. But only a believer can make sense out of its purpose. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do Good things happen to bad people ? To answer the first question why bad things happens to good people. The bible teaches there is none that are righteous (good), no not one. Apart from Christ none of us are righteous. None of us have an inherent righteousness. So no one is justified to complain about something bad happening to them. We can put it a different way, why does good things happen to anyone if no one is really good? So if we do suffer what purpose do trials have in our lives? We have been brought into Gods kingdom and are still pilgrims in this world. We in the world but not of it. While we are on earth we go through the valleys, we are not placed from Mountain Top to Mountain top. We can consider the Mountain tops as places that give us a glimpse heaven and the valleys as things of this world. Paul who suffered more than any other apostle wrote Rom. 8:18-21: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Why do good things happen to bad people? Solomon wrestled over this from a human perspective Eccl.4:1 To us it looks as if the same fate befalls the wicked and the righteous, there is no distinction between them and us. Many a saint and prophet wondered about why God did not destroy the wicked or deliver them from the evil. Jer.12:1-2: “Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” Solomon who once had the greatest wisdom in the world was perplexed . Eccl. 7:15: “I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. Job wondered as well in Job 21:7-15: “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty in power? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull breeds without failure; their cow calves without miscarriage. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice to the sound of the flute. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’ David wondered about this, the same as Job. Ps. 73:2-19: “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. Therefore his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them. And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me—Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.” David had to go in the temple and meet God in prayer, as he sought the Lord the answer came. Then he understood that we see from mans perspective, a temporary one. there is an eternity, which is Gods perspective. He concludes afterward in vs.22-24 “I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; you hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Job concluded as well Job 21:30: “For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; they shall be brought out on the day of wrath.” There is a day when wickedness will be dealt with in a permanent way. David After speaking of the righteous as a tree that becomes fruitful in their season Ps.1:4-6 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” There are some famous evangelists today who teach “The Lord does not give trials. He does not give people suffering or kill anyone.” That we are to receive only blessing and be delivered from trials as well as sickness if we have faith. We hear the devil comes to kill, steal and destroy. That he physically is trying to kill us. Well the devils kingdom does do this, but not without it first being permitted by God. To walk around saying we are not to suffer and everyone is to be prosperous is false. We deal with suffering not by removing it but by going through it. And we are not alone in it but God is with us all the way. Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” He is there for us just as Jesus said he would never leave us as, he sent another like himself, the comforter. God spoke to Israel Deut. 32:39: “Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.” Essentially God is in control of all things, not just some things. Speaking to Moses who was arguing with his commission. Exod.4:11: “So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? In Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphirra were judged by God for lying to the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t Satan that killed them. The judgments in Revelation during the tribulation come from angels who are doing Gods bidding. It is God who sends destruction upon the earth for people to repent. He is able to judge both unbelievers and believers alike. The devil is like a dog on leash that God will use to chasten and direct a believers life if necessary. As believers we do not have the same relationship with him as the world does. He is used to buffet us not exploit us. God will use the enemy to keep us awake.1 Pet 5:8-10: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” Satan comes to have us focus on grief and trials, fostering us to have no hope. Despite what things may look like, we are to understand our trials by Phil. 2:13-15: “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure; Do all things without complaining and disputing,; that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” He has us to be examples no matter what state of health we are in. Our God is an ever present friend and suffers along with us. He asks to cast our cares upon him. He has a purpose for our trials and sufferings. Job who suffered probably more than any other gives us insight into how God controls the circumstances in our lives. The enemy had permission by God but he could only go as far as God would allow it. The lord has overall control in every situation. In this suffering that the Lord allows for his children, he does not fully reveal to us the why’s or the how’s. Isa.55:8-9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.” “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. It is by his infinite wisdom that he interacts with his children. Job 28:20-24 “From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air. Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’ God understands its way, and He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heavens.” Gods ways are unsearchable. We cannot always see or comprehend Gods purpose, but with the eyes of faith we can understand the things of heaven being done in our lives on earth.. Ps.139:1-6: “O “LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” Isa. 40:28: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” Deut. 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” God will only reveal so much to us here on earth, he does not let us have an intimate knowledge of his ways. What we may not understand now will be better understood later in his presence. Isa.9:6 his name is wonderful-(Hebrew- Pele) this word is exclusively used of God alone, it means unable to comprehend ,indescribable. He is a God of perfection, in love, mercy as well as justice that we serve. On earth we are Gods children conformed to Christ’s likeness through suffering. It is the potter’s hand putting pressure on the clay. If there is no suffering there is no learning. Christ called us to sacrifice and die to self in our lives by picking up our cross and following his footsteps. This is to be our daily basis of training. He’s given us his example, by being perfected through his own suffering by his life and while on the cross. We find consistently throughout he scriptures that those who live godly are not promised prosperity and health or are kept from suffering. There is a purpose in it we cannot know now and even a reward that awaits us in heaven if we submit correctly through the trials. Our trials are custom made by God for us as individuals. The potter puts pressure to the clay to make it new. If the clay is soft and pliable it becomes an easier task. If the clay is hardened it becomes more difficult. It may not be pleasant it may make us be uncomfortable but it is how we go through it that counts. David knew the usefulness of suffering reflecting back on all he went through he wrote Ps. 119:67: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep they word.” V.75 “In your faithfulness you have afflicted me.” David attributed his affliction to Gods hand not the devils. We need to understand that if we are afflicted or go through a trial that can be extremely long that God is not angry with us. Even if it is for chastisement, it is out of love and his purpose in it is always for our good. John 16:33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Times of affliction are temporary even if they last a lifetime, they are short in comparison to eternity when they are removed. But to go through the fires of affliction we must focus on the Lord that can make us strong and not on our trial that can make us weak. God will then be glorified and we will know him in a more intimate way! By suffering gods glory is brought out. God is glorified when your sick or handicapped, not just when you are well. I can honestly say, He is more glorified in those who are not healthy, then are. The model of Job proves this as well as Paul the apostle. Trials can be a witness of our faith to others. Faith grows in the soil of adversity. The more life throws at you, the greater the amount of fruit that will be produced. We receive spiritual blessings through our buffeting, although at the time it may produce discomfort and anguish. Charles Spurgeon said “Through our trials God is slowly weaning us from this earth for the world beyond.” He is purging us from something very real and offensive to him. That which is contrary to him. They don’t make us perfect but implant faith and give us a glimpse of what a rest we will have in the promised land. True comfort is found not in knowing why we suffer, but in knowing the one who truly understands our pain. We cannot know all the why’s right now. It is like the back of a tapestry. When viewed from behind it is just weaves that are unrecognizable. This is our perspective from earth. But looked from the front which is Gods view we can see exactly what he is weaving and it makes perfect sense. Trials will have us either draw closer to the Lord or move away. We have two choices in it. We can get bitter by our questioning God about his design or get better in trusting him through it. It can be distressing but when it is finished yields peace. As our trials become deeper so does the well we draw from for us sustenance. Heb.11 gives us a sequential list of those who overcame this world. By faith Abraham, by faith Sarah, by faith Isaac, by faith Jacob, by faith Joseph, by faith Moses. Paul was called to suffer in his life and used his stigmata (his scourging) as proof of his call to apostleship. When Paul was called in Acts 9 the first thing said after he was chosen to be sent was, That he would learn what it is to suffer for Christ’s namesake. James 5:10-11: “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord– that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. We all have seasons of trials in the valley and the outcome of victory which put us on the Mt. Tops. We certainly enjoy the mountain tops that give us a reprieve to life’s trials. God has a different will for everyone in our lives. For Peter he was lead to die for John he lived a long life. There is not one will for all people. Rev. 1:9: “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ,” Yet though John lived longer than Peter he still was a fellow sufferer. We follow in their footsteps as they followed in Christ’s. II Thess. 1:4-5: “so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; “ Phil 1:29-30: “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” Being afflicted does not mean the Lord has ignored you or loves you any less. It can actually mean he has turned his favor upon you. 1 Pet 4:13: “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy…V.19 “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” Peter goes on 1 Pet 5:1: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Peter explains Because we partake of his suffering we can participate in his glory later. “ Rom 8:17: “ and if children, then heirs– heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Through much suffering we enter the kingdom. The harder it is for us, the more beneficial the outcome. We can never wonder the why or the what for. He’s already told us. So we need to view everything as coming from God. In our time there are those who do not want to bear the reproach of the cross. We are expected to take up the cross and walk the road of suffering. IF we die to self we will be given the power to live unto God . Heb. 2:10: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Even Christ suffered to preserve his sinlessness. 1 Pet. 1:6-7: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved or made sorrowful by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” we get married for better or worse, we are married to Christ and his love will see us through the worst of times. He does not say to pray to be delivered out of the trials but that we should be strengthened through them for our own benefit. But trials are not judgment, although they can be chastisement for correction, For whom God loves he will chastise to correct. Rom. 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,v.39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate us from his love. If you were able to measure the universe you still can’t measure his love for you, its too great. So he does things for our growth and maturity. None of us know our future but we know God holds our future and us in his hands. That’s better than Allstate insurance being in their good hands. Death is no different, No Christian is taken by the enemy in death, only unbelievers are. If we are of the 2nd birth then All of our names, as well as our days are written down in the book of life. 2 Cor.5:1-2 “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, As the Psalmist writes in Ps 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. Instead of hanging on tenaciously to this life we need to loosely hold it, as we should everything we have. Because our name is on the roll at our real address. That is where our heart should be. Jesus said store up treasures for heaven not earth. By accepting Gods hand on us in our trials we are doing just that. As Paul proclaimed to the church as his hope and ours Phil 1:22 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Vs.23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. The purpose for our sufferings is to know him. Phil 3:10: “ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, “suffering is mostly foreign to the Christian lifestyle today in America, but it was a way of life to the early Church. The phrase “fellowship of his sufferings” sound strange. How can one have intimate relationship around suffering? It means to partner together with him, we will receive strength now through the trials and the outcome of the resurrection later. Without it we can’t know him and we certainly can’t possess resurrection power. By participating in suffering we can understand how Christ felt who had no sin, struggled in his flesh to be perfected. We then can have a personal experience of Christ’s power “by means of sufferings.” Jesus said in Jn.14 he went ahead and prepared a place for us , that where he is we may be also. Some of us may leave to enjoy it sooner than others, but as Christians we all have flight reservations to the same destination. We can be assured as it says in Ps.16 in his presence Is fullness of Joy.” If we experience momentary joy now, imagine what it will be like later. As David said Ps 27:4 “One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.” To behold his beauty face to face, in his presence is fullness of joy. That day is coming for all of us, lets make sure we are prepared. What looks like a defeat in your life, can be made into Gods greatest victory. We cannot fathom the ways God uses the things of earth in our lives What looks like failure can bring out the greatest success given time. By faith, trust we apprehend his ways, we can wholly trust ourselves into his hands. Because our relationship to our perfect heavenly father is operated by his love. We see through a glass darkly now, but one day we will see face to face. Col. 3:4: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” That is a promise you can bank on. Nothing in the economy of God is wasted, it has purpose and eternal value. One day we will thank God in heaven for our trials on earth. Until then lets learn to discipline ourselves to endure them with faith, knowing he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him in times of peace, as well as in times of adversity.

Review: Morphed by Mahogany Jones

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 5, 2009 at 8:34pm

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

I can make one guarantee here: You’re not expecting this CD. It’ll catch you off guard whether you’re familiar with its artist, Mahogany Jones, or you’ve never before heard her name. And when will this realization begin to sink in? The minute you scope the cover art: There she is, Mo Jones tuned into the sounds of a flashy headset, eyes closed, lids painted, pleasant expression; and laid over this cover are words in a font that is a cross between art deco and funk era. They read “Mahogany Jones” and the title of the CD: “Morphed.” Then there’s another unexpected surprise. You’ll load your CD player (or download to your mp3) with music from this talented and proven hip hop artist … but the first thing you’ll hear will be … wait a second! That sounds like techno! Electronic? Disco-ish? What’s going on? I told you so. But don’t worry. I didn’t completely ruin it for you. Hearing is believing in this case; and nothing that I can write will cause you to entirely snoop these sounds. That is, not until you cop this project yourself. As you sit back and let each of the tracks from this album rush over you, it’s likely you’ll experience an astonishing sense of satisfaction. Morphed is music. Good music with a seldom-touched message, hot vocals, superior production and gifted lyricism. If you’re able to deconstruct the categories you may have that define music genres and not determine your ability to enjoy songs based on their adherence to those genres, you’ll love this album. And the irresistible sounds of Morphed will gain heavy rotation in your music player. As is deftly communicated in its introductory track, this project is an effort to divulge Mo’s transformation from a non-Christian to a convert, and an immature believer to a more mature one. In other words, she’s “morphed” from one being to another and, in fact, she’s still morphing. In so doing, this first official Mahogany Jones solo release encompasses all kinds of tracks that deal with assorted topics in no particular order. It seems it’s up to the listener to determine the proper sequence of thoughts and events, and how they’ve played into the life of the artist. “Easy,” for example, digs into the near-insanity survived by folks who wrestle with the challenges of human love. Encased by BeeLee’s creative tempo, the song follows Mo Jones’ signature exhaled delivery, consistently punctuated by the beautiful voices of Chris Lawson and Aisha Johnsie:

Easy come / easy go / but it’s not that easy though / when you think / when you think that you’re in love so // take your time / take it / slow / ‘cause God wants to show you / real love / real love

Another illustration is the incessant attempt to show that part of the morphing process was Ms. Jones’ departure from using her artistry according to the expectations of others to rhyming & making music in concert with her own personal style. This is displayed throughout the album, but one lyrical segment in particular shows off Mahogany’s ability to mention concepts, ideas, and terms you don’t normally see in hip hop lyrics: “Let me get that techno, disco, hip hop, bee bop, neo-soul / merengue, calypso, reggaeton, blues, jazz, Afrobeat … it can all be Gospel.” “Afrobeat”? From the H.E.R. Project through The Gathering, I must admit that Mo Jones never fails to display her knack for pulling many aspects of human existence into her rhymes. Including names of international music many hip hop heads have never even heard of. A third example of the assortment of tunes revealing this artist’s transformation is “Hate this Life.” Mo Jones introduces this song this way: “You know, some mornings I wonder am I actually living in someone else’s dream. And if so, I wish they’d wake up. ‘Cause sometimes … life really sucks.” After giving a taste of the hook, which will only fully unfold at the end of the song, Mo Jones spits over a sharp array of strings and an undeniable bass. The agonizing chorus at the end is bound to have anyone who has ever been through anything nodding in agreement by the time it’s all over. These and, frankly, every last one of the tunes on display in Morphed are well worth a listen. This album is exceptional to the point that even its questionable attributes are muffled by redeeming qualities. For instance, Mahogany Jones’ vocals sometimes sink and are hard to hear, plus there are times she seems a bit out of breath and is rushing to catch up with the tempo. But much of this is related to her personal style and unique delivery. At times she spits with a bit of a pant involved and her accent includes points where the ends of words come out low. That’s simply the way Mahogany Jones spits, for better or worse. Also, her vocals on this album are simply not as rugged as many fans are used to from this artist. But again, this project exchanges ruggedness for passion; moreover, Mo’s ability to rap over these largely electronic tracks is noteworthy. It’s also noticeable that though a lot of Christian elements are mentioned (including repentance, prayer, and God’s Word), there’s arguably no clear explanation about why Christ is necessary or why He’s simply not one option over many. Nevertheless, the fact that this album could easily drive someone to further investigation about sin, its wages, and God’s plan can’t go unnoticed. Morphed is an amazing effort on the part of Mahogany Jones, her producers (especially Temple and I-Ron-ic-Lee), and other contributing artists. The lyrics niftily present broad concepts combined with Mo’s trademark inflection, the sound quality is superb, the singers are head and shoulders beyond typical vocalists found on hip hop CDs, the interludes are fantastic, and, ironically, the persistent bass screams “hip hop” all the way through (you’ll be delighted if you have a quality set of subs). So, if you’re interested in expanding your horizons with a different sound and want transparent subject-matter, Morphed won’t disappoint. You’ll be glad you copped this CD and got on board Mahogany Jones’ journey as she becomes who God designed before

Daily Bible Study: Antioch Spreads the Word - Acts 11:27-13: 52

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 5, 2009 at 8:10pm

Lesson 1

Introduction: In Acts 11 the church in Antioch had begun. In this study, the focus will return briefly to Jerusalem, then we will observe as the Antioch church begins its work of spreading the gospel.

I. Caring for the Needy - Acts 11:27-30

>>> Please read Acts 11:27-30. <<< *1* What problem did Agabus predict would occur? He predicted (a) a famine (dearth), (b) Jesus' second coming, (c) a flood, (d) a plague of grasshoppers, (e) a fire, (f) all of the preceding. Answer: ______. *2* What did the Antioch church do about it? Answer: Antioch sent relief to the ______ in Judea. *3* To whom were funds sent? (a) central headquarters, (b) a benevolent society, (c) elders of the churches in Judea, (d) all of these. Answer: ______. Comments: We have earlier read about local churches helping needy disciples (Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-35; 6:1-7). We remember that churches emphasized the spiritual work of helping souls please God. Churches did help the needy, but as discussed in Acts 6, they did not let this divert their focus from their spiritual work. They did this by limiting their benevolent work to needy disciples. Individual Christians helped relatives and other needy people, but local church benevolence was always to brethren in Christ (cf. 1 Tim. 5:3-16). The Antioch church gathered funds, each person giving according to his ability (cf. 1 Cor. 16:1,2; 2 Cor. 9:6,7). The funds were sent to the elders of the churches in Judea. This is our first introduction to the work of elders. We will see later that this term refers to men in each local church who were appointed to oversee the church's work (Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-3). They were mature, experienced Christians who possessed leadership qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Since these men were appointed in each local church, it follows that each church in Judea would have had its own elders. This in turn demonstrates the concept of independence among local churches. Notice in Acts 11:22-30 that each local church functioned without any central organization or governing body of any kind. The Jerusalem church sent a preacher to Antioch (v22) and the Antioch church spread the gospel (v24-26) without the guidance or control of any missionary board. Likewise, needy members were cared for without the need for any central benevolent institutions. Local churches supervised their own work, but never sent financial donations to any central institutions of any kind. As illustrated here, local churches did cooperate, but only in ways that respected local church independence according to God's will. We will learn more later, but note here that churches sent funds to other churches only in cases of emergency to help needy saints in the receiving church. And even then each church was free to oversee its own work under its own elders. Never did one church or one eldership oversee the work of another church or a centralized work for many churches. We will return later to learn more about this Antioch church.

II. Persecution in Jerusalem - Acts 12:1-19

James Slain and Peter Arrested

>>> Please read Acts 12:1-5. <<< *4&5* Who caused the next persecution, and whom did he kill? Answer: A king named ______ killed ______, the brother of John. *6* What did he do to Peter? (a) killed him, (b) imprisoned him, (c) beheaded him, (d) beat him, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: The Herods were a family of Jewish kings. The Romans ruled Palestine, but they allowed some Herods to remain in power if they were cooperative. This Herod was Agrippa I. Herod raised a persecution against the church, killing James the brother of John (cf. Matt. 4:21,22). This was the first recorded death of an apostle. Herod then imprisoned Peter in the charge of four squads of soldiers. Imagine how severely this would affect the Jerusalem church! Verse 4 in the KJV refers to "Easter," however this has nothing to do with the modern religious holy day of that name. This is a misprint and a mistake in the King James Bible . It should read Passover. (1) V3 calls it the "days of unleavened bread," which was the Passover (Ex. 12). (2) All modern translations say "Passover." (3) The original Greek word is everywhere else translated "Passover." (4) There is no indication in the context that this was a Christian holy day. Why would Herod, as a Jewish enemy of the gospel, have any respect for a Christian holy day? An annual holy day in celebration of Jesus' resurrection is unknown in the Scriptures. In fact, Christians kept no annual holy days of any kind. Instead, they remembered Jesus' death in the Lord's supper on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7). The modern holy day of Easter was originally a pagan holy day, which was later adopted by Catholicism (see any encyclopedia). All annual religious holy days exist without Bible authority (cf. Galatians 4:8-11; 1:8,9; Matthew 15:9,13; 2 John 9-11).

Peter's Release

>>> Please read Acts 12:6-11. <<< *7* How was Peter held captive? (a) two chains, (b) two soldiers, (c) guards outside the door, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *8* Who released Peter and led him out of the prison? Answer: An ______ awoke Peter and led him out. Comment: As Peter lay sleeping in the prison, an angel awoke him and released his chains. The angel led him past the guards and out the iron gate, which opened by itself. The angel led him a ways from the prison and then left him. For other examples of miraculous releases from prison see Acts 5:17-25; 16:19-34.

Peter Finds the Disciples

>>> Please read Acts 12:12-19. <<< *9&10* Where did Peter find the disciples, and what were they doing? Answer: He went to the home of ______ where people were ______. *11&12* Who answered the door, and what did people say of her story? Answer: ______ answered. When they heard her story, people thought she was ______. Comments: Peter went to the home of Mary, the mother of Mark. Christians had gathered there to pray, presumably for Peter. Yet when he appeared, at first they did not believe the answer to their own prayer! After telling them what had happened, Peter went elsewhere. Next day, Herod and the soldiers were shocked that Peter was gone. The penalty for losing a prisoner in those days was death.

III. The Death of Herod - Acts 12:20-25

>>> Please read Acts 12:20-25. <<< *13&14* What caused God to be angry with Herod? Answer: He allowed people to call him a ______, not a ______. *15* What happened to Herod? (a) God killed him, (b) he lived to a ripe old age, (c) his son assassinated him, (d) nothing happened to him. Answer: ______. Comments: Herod made a speech for the people of Tyre and Sidon. To please him, they said he was a god, not a man. God killed him for allowing this, instead of giving glory to God. God is never pleased when people worship religiously anyone but Him (Matt. 4:10). This confirms our previous conclusion that we should not honor men religiously in ways that only God should be honored (Acts 10:25,26). This ends the second major section of the book of Acts. The gospel had been spread from Jerusalem throughout Judea and Samaria. Next we will see it spread to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

IV. Start of Paul's First Journey - Acts 13:1-12

(Note: A Bible or Bible atlas with good maps will be helpful in tracing Paul's journeys throughout the rest of the book of Acts.) >>> Please read Acts 13:1-12. <<< *16* Who called Barnabas and Saul to their work of preaching? (a) a missionary society, (b) the Holy Spirit, (c) the earthly headquarters. Answer: ______. *17&18* What two men did they meet on the island of Cyprus? Answer: The proconsul ______ wanted the truth but a sorcerer named ______ opposed it. *19* What was Elymas guilty of? (a) deceit, (b) opposing righteousness, (c) perverting God's ways, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *20* What happened to him? Answer: Paul struck Elymas with temporary ______. Comment: The church in Antioch of Syria had a major role in the work of preaching throughout the world. The Holy Spirit began the work by instructing Barnabas and Saul to go on a preaching journey. They first traveled to Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea southwest of Antioch. There they met a Roman ruler named Sergius Paulus, who wanted to hear the gospel. But a sorcerer named Elymas withstood the truth. The truth has always had opponents, and as in the case of Simon in Acts 8, the opponent in this story was a sorcerer. Note that Saul is called "Paul" for the first time in v9 ("Paul" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Saul"). Paul firmly rebuked Elymas for his deceit and error. Sorcery is clearly identified in Scripture as being opposed to truth and based on deceit (cf. Gal. 5:19-21). Faithful preachers have always firmly rebuked error (2 Tim. 4:2-4; Rev. 3:19). Paul did a miracle by striking Elymas temporarily blind. As in Acts 8:5-13, true prophets, who had the power to do true miracles, were perfectly willing to use their power in the presence of unbelievers and false teachers. They did so to validate their message by proving the superior power of true miracles over the power false prophets. Note that not all miracles gave physical benefits to people. Some actually caused problems as punishment for sin. But all served the purpose of confirming a message or teaching to be from God (Acts 14:3). What modern "faith healer" will do miracles today like the one Paul did here? Note that, on the basis of the evidence of the miracle, Sergius Paulus did in fact become a believer.

V. Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13:13-52

The Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 13:13-22. <<< *21* In what city did Paul preach the sermon found in vv 14ff? Answer: Paul preached in ______. *22* What had God done when Israel was enslaved in Egypt? Answer: God brought them from Egypt to the land of ______. *23* What rulers did God give Israel at first? (a) kings, (b) Caesars, (c) judges, (d) presidents, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *24* Why were they eventually given kings? Answer: They received a king because the people ______ for a king. Comments: From Cyprus the company sailed northwest to Perga in Asia Minor (see a map). There John Mark left the company. This later became an occasion of conflict between Barnabas and Saul. They traveled from there to Antioch in Pisidia (as distinguished from Antioch in Syria). There they entered a synagogue to find an opportunity to teach. Note that, in Paul's preaching trips, in every new city he would go first to the Jewish synagogue. This almost always led to teaching opportunities. Some try to use the example of Paul to prove that Christians today must observe the seventh-day sabbath. However, these were not assemblies of Christians, but assemblies of unconverted Jews. They observed the sabbath, because the Old Testament was given especially to the Jews (not to all nations - Ex. 31:13-17), and they did not know the Old Testament had been removed by Jesus (Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 10:9,10). Paul knew the law had been removed, but he attended the synagogues to find a good place to begin teaching the gospel. Given an opportunity to speak, Paul reviewed the Jews' history as recorded in the Old Testament, much like Stephen did in Acts 7. He told how God had freed Israel from Egyptian slavery and gave them the land of Canaan. They were ruled by judges until they insisted that God give them a king (1 Sam. 8). Their first two kings were Saul and then David. >>> Please read Acts 13:23-31. <<< *25* Jesus was sent in fulfillment of a promise to whom (vv 22,23)? Answer: Jesus was promised to be a descendant of ______. *26* Who came before Jesus to prepare the people for Him? Answer: ______ came before Jesus and prophesied of Him. *27* Why did Jews condemn Jesus to death? (a) they did not know Him, (b) they misunderstood the prophets, (c) both of the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: In fulfillment of a promise He had made to David, God sent Jesus to be a Savior to Israel. This states the main thesis of Paul's sermon, as it was in most sermons among unbelievers: Jesus is the Savior of mankind and the appointed Ruler (Christ) of God's people. Paul then began to accumulate evidence to support his claims regarding Jesus. John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus, and He testified that Jesus was greater than John himself. Nevertheless, the Jewish people and their leaders killed Jesus, thereby unknowingly fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and He then appeared to many witnesses who were sure to know Him since they had known Him for years beforehand. Paul here lists three proofs to sustain His claim that Jesus was sent by God to give people salvation: (1) the testimony of John, (2) fulfilled prophecy, (3) the resurrection. >>> Please read Acts 13:32-41. <<< *28* Who fulfilled the prophecy that he would see no corruption? (a) David, (b) Paul, (c) Peter, (d) Jesus, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *29* What blessing did Jesus bring for the people (vv 38,39)? Answer: Through Jesus ______ was proclaimed to the people. *30* With what warning did Paul conclude his sermon (vv 40,41)? Answer: Paul warned that they might not ______, even though the message was told to them. Comments: As Paul drew toward the end of his sermon, he continued quoting other prophecies that Jesus had fulfilled. One of them predicted that He would not see corruption. Just as Peter had done in Acts 2, Paul said this could not be a prophecy about David himself (who spoke it), because David saw corruption. The fulfillment was that, though Jesus died, yet He was raised from the dead. This fulfilled the prophecy and was a great miracle of itself. These proofs confirmed Paul's claim that Jesus was the Christ whom God had sent. The blessing the people could receive as a result was forgiveness of sins (v38). They could be truly justified from sin, a blessing that the Old Testament law could not provide (v39). Hebrews 10:1-18 explains this point further. The law gave people commands to obey and then condemned them for disobeying (Rom. 3:10-23). Yet the animal sacrifices it required could not give lasting forgiveness; rather, sins were remembered again a year later. The blessing of Jesus' sacrifice is that it can forgive sins so they are never remembered again. This is the great blessing that God had planned throughout history to bring upon all Jews and Gentiles through Jesus. But this blessing can only be received by those who are willing to meet the conditions that God has ordained. The first of these conditions was that people must believe in Jesus (v39). This condition would, in turn, require several other specific conditions as shown in other examples (repentance, confession, and baptism), but Paul emphasized faith here because these were unbelieving Jews. He then concluded the sermon by warning them of the danger that they might not believe, even after God's work had been explained to them. This too had been prophesied in the Old Testament.

The Effect of the Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 13:42-52. <<< *31* Who wanted to hear the gospel the following sabbath? Answer: Nearly the whole ______ came to hear the message. *32* How did the Jews react to this response by the city? Answer: Jews were filled with envy and ______ the teaching. *33* What did Paul and Barnabas say they would do next? (a) nothing, (b) preach to Gentiles, (c) go home, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *34* Why did they eventually have to leave town? Answer: They left because the Jews instigated ______ against them. Comments: In response to Paul's sermon, many Jews and proselytes (Gentiles converted to Judaism) continued to learn the message. The following week nearly the whole city came to hear. This aroused the Jews to such jealousy that they opposed and contradicted the teaching, so Paul and Barnabas determined to preach primarily to the Gentiles. Note in v46 that those who reject the gospel have judged themselves to be unworthy of eternal life. By contrast, those who were receptive to the gospel were appointed to eternal life (v48). Some conclude this refers to Calvinistic unconditional predestination of people regardless of their choice or character. But people are often appointed or ordained to a position conditionally based on their characteristics (cf. Acts 14:23 to 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Unconditional election would constitute respect of persons (cf. Acts 10:34,35; Rom. 2:6-11). We have seen throughout Acts that people choose for themselves how to respond to the gospel. Jewish persecution finally compelled Paul and Barnabas to flee.

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your "score.") *35* Do you attend a church that is affiliated with a centralized organization? __________ *36* What would God think of people today who allow others to bow to them or speak of them as God? __________ *37* Should faithful preachers today firmly rebuke people who sin? __________

The Greatist M.C. of All Time

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 5, 2009 at 8:00pm

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Why Jesus is different than other religious teachers

Of all the religions in the world and all the good that mankind has done in the name of these religions, there is only one person who stands out among the others. There have been more sermons spoken and books written on Jesus of Nazareth than any other individual in history. He alone stands out among any other religious teacher.

Now before I go into proving this, we can honestly say that each religions founder to the adherents of that religion believe their founder stands out. That is the very reason they follow the religion's of their particular founder. It is attractive to them because they see some unique redeeming quality in it, that they do not see somewhere else.

But being different and being a beacon to a certain culture at a certain time does not make the religion or its teacher possess the truth.

Today there are many “faiths” but the bible teaches there is only one faith, the one delivered to the saints once and for all. A recent poll taken found that 67% of Americans believe there is no such thing as absolute truth. For many people, choosing which religious system to join does not involve considering whether it is true. They choose what appeals to them, what works for them (pragmatism). In Omni magazine a number of years ago it stated it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as it works for you. This has been embraced as the norm to know what is right and good. Unfortunately what works is no test for truth as something can work and not be based on truth at all. Something is not made true because we believe it. Most people today choose a religious system that appeals to their good nature, what they are comfortable with. If it works for them they are satisfied. If there is some self-improvement they can work into their lives that will make them happy that’s is enough to justify it is right and from God.

Different religions may “work” for different people in some ways. When exercising our personal freedom of choice it cannot solve the issues of life, death, or God without considering the real truth! There are major differences to be considered. Our choice will not be satisfied by similar substitutes that change one’s present behavior and not their inner corrupt nature and their destination in the afterlife. God’s truth is from His nature and it is eternal it will affect us in an eternal way. One can be satisfied with what they have arrived at not knowing that they would have struck gold if they would have kept on digging.

With the option of various faiths one can pick their religion or spirituality that is conducive to their lifestyle they want to live by. They can choose to believe in many Gods and become a Hindu. If monotheism and strict rituals appeals to them they can become Muslim. If they want to have an ethical way to live and do good without having God in their life they can become a Buddhist or another religion that has ethics without God. In this world there are many philosophies and religions all competing for our hearts. When one searches for the truth they need to be aware of many things that we are often not attentive of. There has been TV shows and articles about people of all faiths praying for the sick and all seeing some results. Some did not know that others were praying for them. This seems to imply that spirituality is all multi faceted and that it does not matter what one believes or prays to. Our culture is very pragmatic in its approach accepting the premise if it has worked for someone it should be accepted as valid and true. One persons ceiling becomes another person’s floor.

This is what I call the leaky bucket syndrome. As one pours water into a gallon bucket with a hole in it, the water slowly leaks out. Then they go and find another bucket and pour the water into this bucket which they find has a hole in it and they go find a third bucket to pour the water into. But no matter how many buckets you use to replace the first one the water still leaks out. The moral of the story is, if you start with the wrong premise, with an untruth, it will always lose its attraction later on. It will always make less sense as one goes under the surface and finds the belief system they have held is filled with holes. The bible teaches us there is only one foundation we can build on, that is Jesus Christ.

Mankind has a great imagination and a pursuit of knowing so developments of spiritual beliefs have surfaced. We are essentially spiritual beings because we have a spirit in a body that yearns to contact God our maker. In this world we have a smorgasbord of spirituality where one can eat freely to satisfy there hunger without knowing what they are eating. Before one fills themselves up on this spiritual food they need to see if the food they are ingesting is as healthy as they first thought. Certainly any newcomer to spiritual matters can be overwhelmed with all the claims and choices.

So who is right? Are they all right as some claim, only a few or is there only one that is right? Ask people of ten religions and you will probably get 10 answers. So what makes Jesus and Christianity different? Jesus is unique. He came down from heaven to reach man. While all religions are trying to reach up to God by the work of their own hands to please him. Instead God took the initiative and reached down to us. Why? Because we do not have the ability to please Him on our own. “He said to them, You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world” (John 8:23).

Requires a Java Enabled Browser.

So why is Jesus different? Some say if you ignore the doctrine one can find the same promotion of practices in all religions. Yes there may be a few commonalities. This mostly comes from our living in a day of increased communication, and by these means our world has shrunk. This has led to more familiarity with the religious beliefs of other people and with it has come more tolerance finding what we have in common and ignoring the differences. We can as Christians respect people’s culture and choice but we do not have to agree with their religious system. Instead they need to hear the gospel and we are commanded to give it to them. After all, the gospel is God’s message of love to the people of the earth.

This is what separates Jesus and His offer of a relationship to God which we now call Christianity from all the other teachers of religions. If we take Buddha out of Buddhism it goes on. One can practice Buddhism divorced from its founder. If Krishna is removed from Hinduism the teachings and the techniques continue. One can practice Islam without Mohammed being alive. But if we take Jesus out of Christianity it crumbles. Because this religion (if I may be allowed to use the term), is based upon a person and His work done on the cross, not our work. Salvation rests on the person of Christ who must be alive or it cannot be carried out. He alone has come back to life. There is no other religious teacher who started their religion that has died, and is alive today. None. 2 Tim. 1:9-10 “Calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” It was Jesus who died for everyone’s sins no other religious leader claims this.

If we look carefully there has never been another man or woman like Jesus. He never lied He only told the truth even when it offended people. He lied to no one even when it meant saving His life. He lived a life completely free from bad influences having total integrity. If he ran for a political office all the regular people who wanted an honest man would have voted for him. There was no one who could accuse him of any wrongdoing so they had to make up lies. They lied about what He said throughout his ministry and they even lied about his being raised from the dead. People continue to lie about him and the Bibles record even to the point of the ridiculous. One of the allegations is that the Bible was written a hundred years later after His death involving no eyewitnesses. The records show that the writers claimed to be eyewitnesses.

He loved people more than anything in the world as He came to die so even his enemies can be forgiven. His life was an open book to all who wanted to know Him. He did nothing in secret. He was approachable by all willing to listen and to give perfect wisdom in every situation. Jesus did not “borrow” His teachings from anyone. His source was from God, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it was from God or whether I speak of My own authority” (John 7:16,17).

His compassion was evident to all. He ate with the outcasts and undesirables of society. “And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched Him saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:2,3). While the Religious leaders of the day scorned certain groups of people especially those who were not Pharisees, He instead sat and talked and ate with them. He let them know they were loved and not rejected by God. He had compassion on those rejected by the religious society and was for the underdog. He lifted up those who were in despair and humbled those who elevated themselves. As Peter His disciple later writes “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6,7).

He gave us the highest standard of human morality and showed power to the helpless beyond any normal human ability. His abilities were supernatural as He was able to see into people’s hearts and know what they were thinking. He was able to heal with a word, not needing to be present. There has never been another like him before or afterwards. He affected our history in such a manner that we count our dating from the time he was born. There is hardly a religion that does not recognize Him today.

In 1970 years He has changed millions of lives for the better and still answers those who call upon him. No one can ever find a bad thing about him. They might find fault with the Church but they couldn’t with Jesus when He was alive, and cannot still today. Yet people ignore him and find others to esteem above him or just don’t believe a word He said that is recorded in the NT. So why do many people refuse His ability to have compassion and love them? Why do they hate him? Why do they oppose him? When He said He is the only way, truth and life for all people? With people always appealing to tolerance, why are they not tolerant to Jesus? The reason is because His statements of exclusiveness are disturbing.

Because He gives an absolute standard of truth. In a world where people are led by there feelings people become offended. He taught that we are not good in ourselves. So they look at His teachings as negative, as He addresses fallen mankind as sinners. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But until one can comes to the realization that this is their state without Christ He can’t set them free.

If all the other religions are equally valid ways to God, then the Christian claim of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as the one and only way would be impossible. It would be not just one of the many ways but the only wrong way. If we could work out our own salvation by our good deeds, religious rituals, and practices as each religion requires, God did not have to bring the solution for our sins by crucifixion. It would have been the only absolutely wrong thing to do!

If Jesus did not rise from the dead as He claimed then His claims and His followers are audacious, preposterous and they would be the greatest group of deceivers of all time. He would not be a good teacher to be listened to but should be rejected, despite all the other wonderful things that was said and done to better mankind. It either is truth and should be held onto like our being in a life raft alone in the middle of the sea or not a word should go into our ears. John Warwick Montgomery a respected theologian writes that: Christianity’s truth claim consists merely of a finger pointing back through time to an historical figure who divided world history into two parts—to Jesus of Nazareth—to His statements concerning Himself and true religion, and to the life He led attesting to the statements He made. An honest, historically accurate, scientific investigation of these data (involving chiefly a study of the documents collected in the New Testament) will show that Jesus claimed to be God Incarnate, that He described the only true (but not the only possible) religion consisting of fellowship with Himself, and that He attested His claims by a sinless life which profoundly affected everyone who crossed His path, and by a resurrection which left no doubt in the minds of eyewitnesses that He was in fact the true God (John W. Montgomery, The Shape of The Past: An Introduction to Philosophical Historiography, vol. 1, p. 328 1962).

No other religious teacher laid down their life for their followers like this and they certainly did not for those who opposed them and were enemies. “For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

To disbelieve in the historical recoded documents that we have today one must disregard our entire knowledge of Greco Roman history. Because our knowledge of these cultures and the past depends upon documentation that is far less adequate and evidential than the evidence we have for Jesus and the Bible.

Bible Scholar F. F. Bruce stated, “The historical ‘once-for-all-ness’ of Christianity which distinguishes it from those religious and philosophical systems, which are not specially related to any particular time, makes the reliability of the writings which purport to record this revelation a question of first-rate importance” (The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? p. 8).

Jesus made it clear that we must choose when we hear. We are either for him or against him. There is no neutral ground, for to make no choice is a choice in itself. Christianity is either true reality or a figment of people’s imagination. If not the truth it is then no more or less then the other religions, it is one option to choose among the others.

It is one thing to say God gave me a message. It is a whole other thing to say I am God and here is the message. Those who walked with Jesus were very careful to write down what they heard as eyewitnesses. Why believe and follow something that is not true. Peter writes “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” (2 Pet .1:16-18) Peter is referring to the transfiguration as they were able to see Jesus for who he really is. As He hid himself from the people’s eyes but revealed it to his three closest followers on the mountaintop. Peter later died for believing in Christ.

Another one of the witnesses was John who later wrote in his first epistle, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (I Jn.1:1-4). Christianity gives people the truth which in turn gives them an unfading happiness through life. Not a happiness that is dependent on circumstanced but a inner joy that can be constant.

The apostle Paul who was an adamant enemy of Christianity was on his way to his next extermination of Christians when he was convinced by an experience with Jesus. “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen” (Romans 9:1-5).

People often ask the question “Can you prove Christianity is true?” “Have you seen God? In answering these questions- no I have not seen God physically but I have seen his touch on my life and numerous others to know it is real. After one comes into a relationship with Him they know the difference of before and after. There is a transforming power that is given to the recipient by faith. Christianity can be proven to be true because it rests on the claims of Christ. But the question that needs to be asked back is “will the person accept it if there is sufficient evidence.” Some do and some don’t despite the evidence that is presented.

In Heb.11:3 the word of God states that what we see is made by things we do not see, invisible things. In 1896 Roshen who began atomic physics discovered the X- ray and in 1923 began to discover through the electronic microscope that atoms were made of tiny particles of energy and out of these sub atomic particles are what all things were made of. Now what holds these atoms together? The nucleus of an atom are so changed that they should repel each other. There is some invisible force that holds it together. We cannot see this but reality and our experience tells us this is true. In Heb.1:3 it tells us Christ the architect of the universe holds all things together by the word of His power. Col.1:17 tells us “in Christ” all things consist and are held together. How is this possible that thousands of years before science discovered the laws and the mechanics to prove the things that could not be seen by the eye, the bible specifically describes. Science when it is truly scientific verifies the bible. So we are without excuse and have more knowledge then necessary to believe in our day and age.

It’s not that we don’t know God exists for we do. For the prophet Isaiah writes Isa.64:4 “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” Over 700 years later the apostle Paul in the New Testament writes. Rom.1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, (not hidden) being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” This where the other religions were birthed from refusing the correct knowledge of God that was once universally known. We now have the God of Eastern thought as impersonal, God is everything and everything is God. This is now the new age concept of God as life force within all of creation. The Bible presents God as independent from His creation, the God of the Bible is personal and relational. Christianity believes and teaches that the Bible alone is the revealed Word of God. Even though it was written by men, the source of the authorship is God. This claim was not invented by the Church, but is the claim the Bible makes for itself. Men of God’s own choosing recorded the words that were heard from Him.

Christianity claims a moral certainty, to anyone who is willing to take the evidence and evaluate it in light of its historicity, prophecy and manuscripts. Christianity claims an external verification through evidence, as well as an internal witness through God. To those looking in from outside the Christian faith, they can be shown a great amount of evidence for its truth claims. But when a person becomes a Christian, the assurance of truth becomes reality. But this takes a step of faith to reach this point. This is not a blind faith but an evidential faith. We need to understand that there is no 100% evidence provided for the seeker. Despite less than 100% evidence it will not stop someone from coming to an accurate and appropriate conclusion. Faith is necessary to know God because God is invisible and He is infinite. We as creatures have been given a certain amount of proof to know He exists and what we need to know Him. This faith is much like a small child in the home of loving parent’s. When the child is hungry he or she knows (trusts) the parents provision for them, that they will not go hungry. The parents are watching out for the child because of a relationship of love. So although the child does not have the evidence that everyday the parents will feed him or her, the child trusts the parents. So 100% evidence is not necessary for one to come to God. Needless to say we find that people don’t apply the standard of 100% certainty to anything else for if they did- nothing would happen. No one makes decisions on 100% certainties for anything. To do so one would have to wait great lengths of time to make any move. When we buy something we are trusting that manufacturer that it will work like they say. When we drive on the road we are trusting the other drivers to obey the laws. There is no one that possesses 100% certainty for anything because we do not have perfect knowledge. God knows this and this is why He asks for us to exercise faith. Faith is trust and in this we can become certain, and have the assurance what He said is true. Only a portion of evidence is necessary to believe in the truth. It’s like being in a house with the lights out and the shades closed in the middle of a sunny day. Someone can come over and tell us to go outside to experience a beautiful day. We can stay in the dark and say I don’t believe its light or we can trust that person’s report and just walk outside. Or we can ask for some evidence by looking out the window. Looking out the window we have enough evidence that it is sunny like they say, but we are not experiencing it. If we go outside we can find the report true, it is a beautiful day. We can feel the sun on us and the breeze blowing. Faith without any action is not faith. After faith is exercised the complete evidence of it will be there. We then know what we believe.

Moses 1500 years before Christ came into the world incorporated the first five books of the bible. Then there are the words of the prophets that spoke throughout the nation Israel’s history. Because they turned their back on the Lord He sent them men calling them to repent and believe. They also spoke of a future redeemer through Israel that would bring reconciliation to the whole world. Heb.1 tells us that God does not use prophets any longer to deliver His scripture to his people but it is by the ultimate message bearer, Jesus the Son of God. So the eyewitnesses of Jesus wrote down His words as the final revelation to man. It was climatic and final because it was God who became a man this time. He didn’t send ANOTHER PROPHET BUT CAME HIMSELF. He said He was sent directly from heaven. So when someone refuses the New Testament record they are rejecting God almost face to face. “But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me” (Rom. 10:20). No seeks God on their own but it is He who is seeking us. Have you been sought? Has He come to you in ways only you would personally know?

It’s not often a matter of evidence needed to believe but resistance to the truth of God keeps us in unbelief. It is something we all have in our own fallen nature, as the Scripture says the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. As Jesus spoke to Nicodemus He said in John 3:16-21: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” It’s about dealing with our sin nature of which no other religious system has an answer for.

The light spoken of here is synonymous with God and His word, as both are called light. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. The gospel is so simple that it disturbs those who consider themselves intelligent and important people of the world.

Are you looking for reasons to believe? Are you an honest seeker of the truth? Are you looking for reasons to disbelieve? Prov.8:17: “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.” You may not have enough information to satisfy you about Jesus, but are you open enough, willing to hear and to gain understanding. Has He drawn you so that you now want to know Him?

The problem is not a matter of “I can’t believe because the facts have not been presented” but it is more like “No matter what proof you present, I won’t accept it.” If anyone is truly interested in evaluating the evidence for proof of Christianity’s truth understand that God , the God has something wonderful for your life “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:11-13) God’s will is for a person to believe and repent. As it is written God is not willing for any to perish but that all will come to repentance. We have the ability to do so but it becomes a matter of choice. God has done all to prove His love for us by sending His Son to earth to be rejected by those He loved and cared for. To die an excruciating death, humiliated before the people He came to forgive yet He did not retaliate. He continues to hold out open arms to anyone who will come to him and will close them around those who come to the cross for forgiveness of their sins.

Classic Record Review - New Breed:Nine

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 2, 2009 at 10:36pm

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

New Breed —consisting of brother and sister duo Rosario "Macho" Ortega and Elsie Vanclief— shocked the world with their brilliant premiere album, Stop The Music, belting out such trademark hits as the Latin salute, "My People" and the club banger, "Verse of The City" Defying odds, New Breed now drops a second set, Nine, that raises the bar even higher. These Boston natives emerged on the scene over a fifteen years ago and have remarkably exhaled another collection of incredible music. Bucking that disappointing artistic trend of releasing weak second projects which pale in comparison to debut records. Cut after cut bears infectious grooves, relevant lyrics, and scorching hot production that will have hip hop fans craving for more. Nine embraces all of the qualities of New Breed's first outing, and offers a more in-depth approach to dealing with current issues. It is a also a concept album, the title representing the nine fruits of the Spirit as stated in scripture. New Breed flow candidly on the topics of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, faith, goodness, and self control. Song composition is phenomenal, and is enhanced by the duo's fluid flow. Every element, including production, lyrics, theme and showmanship are at a plateau; a larger fan based is guaranteed due in part to Macho's clever verses and Elsie's sharp stanzas, reminiscent of Eve. Elsie even tries her hand in producing by creating the drum-driven track, "Self Control". The introductory "Love" is an assortment of delectable beats, lush vocals, and sets the tone for the album. The repetitive acoustic guitar chord and traces of flute make this one a finger-snappin'-head-bobbin' delight. "Joy" has a throwback feel as producer Dert lights a 70's fuse to it. "Peace" is loaded with signature Tunnel Rats flow and production from Dert as well. "Long Suffering" jumps off as the hardest cut on the album as the Rocky-style tune laces a story of uncompromising values and tells the tale of two that will never sell out for riches or fame. The rest of the project is a bonafied hit, marked by fantastic imagery and word illustration. Nine reaches above and beyond expectations for this sibling crew. Every song stands on its own, and the entire work is sure to spark excitement and rave reviews.

Daily Bible Study: To Judea and Beyond - Acts 9:32-11:26

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 2, 2009 at 10:30pm

Lesson 7

Introduction:

Jesus had said that, after being preached in Jerusalem, the gospel would go to Judea and Samaria (Acts 1:8). Acts 8 described the preaching of the gospel in Samaria. Now we will see it spread in Judea and beyond.

I. Healing of Aeneas and Dorcas - Acts 9:32-43

The Healing of Aeneas

>>> Please read Acts 9:32-35. <<< *1&2* What problem did Aeneas have, and how long had he had it? Answer: Aeneas was ______ and had been bed-ridden for (give a number) ______ years. *3* When Peter told him to arise, what happened? Answer: Aeneas immediately ______. Comments: Note again the characteristics of true Bible miracles. The man had an obvious ailment. He had been bed-ridden for eight years. His cure was equally obvious, for he immediately got out of bed! The cure was instantaneous and complete. Even if a bed-ridden man was cured, it would normally take time to regain the strength to walk, but Aeneas could get up immediately. Like all miracles, this was clearly impossible by natural law, yet it occurred by God's supernatural intervention. The purpose was to confirm Peter's message, so people would believe it. This is exactly what happened (v35). No money was made and an offering basket was not passed.

The Raising of Dorcas

>>> Please read Acts 9:36-43. <<< *4* What kind of woman was Dorcas? (a) full of good works and charitable deeds, (b) lazy and indifferent, (c) a career business woman, (d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______. *5* What did Dorcas receive through Peter? (a) a new house, (b) a college education, (c) resurrection from the dead, (d) a financial gift. Answer: ______. Comment: Godly women sometimes wonder what work they can do for the Lord. Dorcas' example shows there is plenty for women to do. Among many other responsibilities, such as caring for her husband and children (Titus 2:4,5; 1 Tim. 5:14), a woman should look for opportunities to help widows, orphans, and other people in need. Dorcas' case also again demonstrates the nature of true miracles. She was clearly dead. Friends had gathered to mourn her. Yet Peter raised her. The problem was obvious, but was immediately and completely removed. The result was impossible by natural law and gave people reason to believe in God and His message. If, as they claim, modern "faith healers" have the same power the apostles had, why don't they do miracles like these Peter did? If they make such claims but cannot do such miracles, then they are not from God but are frauds.

II. Revelations to Cornelius and Peter - Acts 10:1-22

The Appearance of an Angel to Cornelius

>>> Please read Acts 10:1-8. <<< *6* What kind of man was Cornelius? (a) a centurion, (b) devout, (c) generous, (d) diligent in prayer, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *7* What did an angel tell him to do? Answer: He should send for ______. Comments: A centurion was a leader of a hundred soldiers. Cornelius was a devout religious man; but of special importance is the fact he was a Gentile (11:1-3). Jews believed that Gentiles were unfit for Jews to associate with (10:28). To this point, the gospel had been preached only to Jews. Jewish Christians apparently believed the gospel was only for their own nation, like the Old Testament had been. Conversion of a Gentile would be a major turning point. Special revelations were needed to convince Peter to preach the gospel to Gentiles. The first revelation came to Cornelius. An angel told him to send for Peter to tell him words by which he could be saved (11:14). Note again, as in the case of Saul and the Ethiopian, that religious devotion by itself will not save. One must learn the true gospel and obey it. Further, though direct revelation occurred in all three cases, God refused to directly tell the sinner how to be saved. The angel spoke to Cornelius, but only to get him together with the inspired teacher. The gospel today is revealed to sinners through inspired teachers (the Scriptures), not by direct revelations.

Peter's Vision

>>> Please read Acts 10:9-22. <<< *8* When he saw the vision, what did Peter not want to eat? Answer: He did not want to eat ______ animals. *9* When Peter objected, what did God say? Answer: Peter was not to call unclean that which God had ______. *10* While Peter thought about this, messengers arrived from whom? Answer: Messengers came from ______ to find Peter. *11*. What did the Holy Spirit then tell Peter to do? (a) go with the men, (b) pray some more, (c) stay where he was, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: In that climate, housetops were often used for daily activities (like balconies). Peter was praying there, when God sent a revelation by way of a trance (v10) or a vision (v17; 11:5). In the vision, Peter saw various animals that were forbidden as unclean according to the Old Testament, yet God said to eat them. When Peter objected, God told him not to condemn as unclean that which God had cleansed. This was done three times for emphasis. Peter pondered the meaning of the vision, showing that the meaning had not yet been made clear. As the messengers from Cornelius arrived, Peter received yet another revelation. The Holy Spirit told him to go with these messengers, without expressing doubts. When the men explained their purpose, Peter learned that an angel had directed Cornelius to send for him. Peter now had three revelations to consider: (1) A vision told Peter not to oppose as unclean anything that God had cleansed. (2) The Holy Spirit had told him to go to Cornelius as the messengers requested. (3) An angel had told Cornelius that Peter would preach the gospel to him.

III. Peter's Sermon to Cornelius - Acts 10:23-43

The Gathering at Cornelius' House

>>> Please read Acts 10:23-33. <<< *12&13* What did Peter find at Cornelius' house? Answer: Cornelius had gathered his ______ and ______. *14* When Cornelius bowed to him, what did Peter do? (a) thanked him, (b) accepted it because he was Pope, (c) ignored it, (d) forbade it, (e) all of these? Answer: ______. *15* What did Peter say he had learned (v28)? Answer: We should not call any man ______. Comments: Peter took six Jewish Christians with him to witness the event (v23; 10:45,46; 11:12). When they arrived, Cornelius had gathered together his friends and relatives to hear the message. This demonstrates the zeal we should have that all our loved ones learn the truth. Cornelius bowed as an act of religious honor to Peter, but Peter refused saying he was just a man. Some churches encourage people to bow religiously to a Pope or a statue of Mary or a saint. They claim Peter was the first Pope, yet Peter himself clearly forbade all such acts. Peter then explained what he had learned from the inspired revelations he had received. Jews refused to associate with people of other nations (Gentiles). They considered such people to be unclean. But Peter had learned not to consider any man to be unclean (v28). This was the lesson the revelations were intended to teach. No one is unfit for our association simply because of race or nationality. And above all, people of all nations are fit subjects to receive the gospel (vv 34,35). Unlike the Old Testament, the gospel is for people of all nations.

The Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 10:34-43. <<< *16&17* What had Peter learned about those whom God accepts? Answer: He accepts those who ______ God and ______. *18&19* What did people do to Jesus, and what did God do (v38-41)? Answer: People ______ Jesus, but God ______ Him the third day. *20* What evidence did Peter offer that Jesus was from God? (a) miracles, (b) the resurrection, (c) fulfilled prophecy, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: Peter began his sermon by stating the spiritual consequences of what he had learned about Gentiles. Not only may we associate with people of other nations (v28), but God willingly accepts them without partiality or respect of persons (v34,35; cf. Rom. 2:11). Our standing before God is not determined by race, nationality, or other physical conditions for which we are not responsible. What matters is our faith and conduct toward God. Note that we are not saved by "faith only" as some claim. Proper works of obedience are also necessary (cf. Matt. 7:21-27; Rom. 2:6-10; 6:17,18; Heb. 5:9; 10:39; 11:8,30). Peter then preached a sermon briefly describing Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This was similar to his sermons in Acts 2 and 3, but here Peter preached to Gentiles, because Jesus is "Lord of all" (v36 - i.e., other nations too, not just Jews). Again, Jesus' claim to be from God was confirmed by His miracles (v43), by His resurrection and appearances (vv 39-41), and by fulfilled prophecy (v43).

IV. The Coming of the Spirit - Acts 10:44-48

>>> Please read Acts 10:44-48. <<< *21* What happened to the Gentiles as Peter preached? Answer: The ______ fell on them as Peter spoke. *22* What did the Gentiles do as a result? Answer: They spoke in ______ and magnified God. *23* What did Peter command them? (a) to pray for forgiveness, (b) to be baptized in water, (c) to honor him as Pope, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: At this point, Peter was already aware of three revelations showing that the Gentiles were subject to the gospel. Here we read of one last proof. The Spirit Himself came upon the Gentiles, enabling them to speak in tongues (restudy Acts 2 to review what tongues were). This gift amazed the Jewish Christians who had come with Peter. Having already considered the other three revelations, Peter realized that God was willing for these Gentiles to be converted. So he commanded them to be baptized in water (vv 47,48). Note that Peter was supposed to tell Cornelius words whereby he could be saved (11:14), and those words included the command to be baptized in water. Furthermore, baptism in the name of the Lord is water baptism (10:47,48), and this is the baptism that is necessary for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Hence, water baptism is included in what people must do to be saved from sin. See again Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21.

V. Peter's Defense - Acts 11:1-18

>>> Please read Acts 11:1-14. <<< *24* What issue was raised when Peter went to Jerusalem? Answer: Jewish Christians said he ate with ______. *25* What events did Peter retell? (a) the vision about animals, (b) the Spirit's message, (c) the angel's message to Cornelius, (d) all of these. Answer: ______. Comments: The preaching of the gospel to Gentiles was big news to Jewish Christians. In Jerusalem, they confronted Peter about it. This shows how strongly Jewish Christians felt. It also shows why God had used such strong evidence to change people's thinking. Peter responded by summarizing the evidence that God wanted the Gentiles to be taught. This helps us also to learn what God's purpose was. Peter told about: (1) the vision of unclean animals, (2) the message of the Spirit that he should go with Cornelius' messengers, and (3) the angel's message telling Cornelius to send for Peter to tell him how to be saved. Note that the six Jewish brethren who had accompanied Peter served as witnesses of what had happened. Peter expected his conduct to be questioned. Further, note again that people who are lost in sin must be told by inspired men what to do to be saved. Teaching from the inspired message is essential to salvation (cf. John 6:44,45; 8:31,32; Rom. 1:16; 10:13,14,17; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 8:26,29,35; 9:6; 11:14; 18:8). >>> Please read Acts 11:15-18. <<< *26* What event did Peter tell next? Answer: The ______ fell on Cornelius' household. *27* What promise from God did this remind Peter of? Answer: The promise of ______ in the Holy Spirit. *28* What conclusion was reached? (a) baptism is not necessary, (b) we are saved by faith only, (c) Gentiles can repent and be saved. Answer: ______. Comments: The fourth and final event Peter retold was the coming of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius' household. He said this reminded him of the promise made through John about Holy Spirit baptism (see on Acts 1:3-8). What had happened to Cornelius was like what came "on us at the beginning." This clearly refers to the apostles who received Holy Spirit baptism and spoke in tongues in Acts 2. So Cornelius' household had received the Holy Spirit in a way similar to Pentecost. In all the Bible at most two events are described as Holy Spirit baptism: the coming of the Spirit on the apostles in Acts 2 on the occasion of the first Jewish converts, and the coming of the Spirit on Cornelius' household on the occasion of the first Gentile converts. Clearly the coming of the Spirit was a special circumstance to convince Jewish Christians that Gentiles could obey the gospel. Like Holy Spirit baptism is Acts 2, this was a unique circumstance that does not need to be repeated today. Holy Spirit baptism was a rare event, intended to provide special confirmation for certain unique situations. It was never intended to be needed or to continue throughout history. Cornelius' household, therefore, received two baptisms: Holy Spirit baptism (10:44-46; 11:15,16) and water baptism (10:47,48). Ephesians 4:4-6 shows that today there is "one baptism," just like there is just one God, etc. Other baptisms had occurred before, but by the time Ephesians 4 was written, these other baptisms had ceased. The "one baptism" that continues is water baptism for the remission of sins. We summarize:

The Conversion of Cornelius' Household - Acts 10 and 11

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
11:14	10:43	11:18		10:47,48	saved (11:14)

In Acts 8, disciples had been scattered from Jerusalem. We have read of their work in Samaria and Judea. Now the message goes further.

VI. The Gospel In Antioch - Acts 11:19-26

>>> Please read Acts 11:19-26. <<< *29,30&31* In what areas was the gospel preached next (v19)? Answer (list in order): Disciples preached in ______, ______, and ______. *32* Who went to encourage the disciples in Antioch (v22)? Answer: The church in Jerusalem sent ______ to Antioch. *33* Whom did he seek to help in the work of teaching (v25)? Answer: He went to Tarsus to seek for ______. *34* What special name was first given to the disciples here? (a) Baptists, (b) Lutherans, (c) Catholics, (d) Christians, (e) all of these. Answer: ______. Comments: A significant change occurs in these verses. Here for the first time the gospel goes beyond Judea and Samaria into areas north of there (cf. Acts 1:8). Disciples from Jerusalem made converts as far away as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Hearing this, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to exhort and encourage them (cf. Acts 4:36,37). His diligent work led to many conversions. He in turn brought Saul to help, and many more were taught. For the first time the term "Christian" was used to refer to followers of Christ. This term is also used in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. Note that denominational labels were not used, for the simple reason that denominations did not exist! Jesus had one universal church, and all saved people were in it (Acts 2:47; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:23-25). It was Jesus' church (Matt. 16:18), bought with His blood (Acts 20:28), and He is Head of it (Eph. 1:22,23). Whose name should it wear but His (Rom. 16:16)? Paul rebuked those who began wearing names to honor men (1 Cor. 1:10-13). Note also that the church was a spiritual body focusing its work on man's relationship with God. The church taught the word to save lost souls and to exhort saved people to remain faithful (v23,26). The early church grew by teaching God's word and worshiping Him. Never did the church attract people by carnivals, parties, theatrics, banquets, or fun and games. It never involved itself in modern Social Gospel promotions. The first lesson of our next course will also emphasize the independence of local churches of Christ. They accomplished their work without forming centralized organizations or governing bodies of any kind. The beginning of the Antioch church marks a major turning point. In Acts 13, this church began sending preachers throughout the Roman Empire. Indeed, the gospel was about to go throughout the world (Acts 1:8). And it was all accomplished by individual Christians and local churches relying on the power of Gods' word (Rom. 1:16).

Personal application questions:

*35* Are you concerned like Cornelius for the salvation of your loved ones? __________________ *36* What does the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles mean to you? __________________ *37* Can you find any event in the Bible that is called "Holy Spirit baptism" other than Acts 2 (the apostles) and Acts 10&11 (Cornelius' household)? _____________

The Big Bad Wolf:What Is the Word of Faith Movement?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 1, 2009 at 7:33pm

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Word of Faith teaching is decidedly unbiblical. It is not a denomination and does not have a formal organization or hierarchy. Instead, it is a movement that is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price. The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the latter 20th century. Its founder was E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science (where "name it and claim it" originated) fit well with the emerging Pentecostal movement and its emphasis on the supernatural, so he combined them and created a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism. Kenneth Hagin in turn studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most Word of Faith teachers align themselves with. At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the "force of faith." It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God's sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith—and by extension ourselves—into god. From here, its theology just strays further and further from Scripture: It claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall humans took on Satan's nature and lost the ability to call things into existence. In order to correct this situation, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan's nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born-again, and rose from the dead with God's nature. After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the Incarnation in believers so they could become little gods as God had originally intended. Following the natural progression of these teachings, as little gods we again have the ability to manipulate the faith-force and become prosperous in all areas of life. Illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith, and are remedied by confession—claiming God's promises for oneself into existence. Simply put, the Word of Faith movement exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status. Needless to say, this is a false representation of what Christianity is all about. Obviously, Word of Faith teaching does not take into account what is found in Scripture. Personal revelation, not Scripture, is highly relied upon in order to come up with such absurd beliefs, which is just one more proof of its heretical nature. Countering Word of Faith teaching is a simple matter of reading the Bible. God alone is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe (Genesis 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:15), and does not need faith—He is the object of faith (Mark 11:22; Hebrews 11:3). God is spirit, and does not have a physical body (John 4:24). Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6), but this does not make him a little god or divine. Only God has a divine nature (Galatians 4:8; Isaiah 1:6-11, 43:10, 44:6; Ezekiel 28:2; Psalms 8:6-8). Christ is Eternal, the Only Begotten Son, and the only incarnation of God (John 1:1, 2, 15; 1:14, 18; 3:16; 1 John 4:1). In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). By becoming a man Jesus gave up the glory of heaven but not His divinity (Philippians 2:6-7), though He did choose to withhold His power while walking the earth as man. The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people, causing them to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical. At its core is the same lie Satan has been telling since the Garden: “you shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Sadly, those who buy into the Word of Faith movement are still listening to him. Our hope is in the Lord, not in our own words, not even in our own faith (Psalm 33:20-22). Our faith comes from God in the first place (Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2) and is not something we create for ourselves. So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.

The Word of Faith (WF) movement emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the latter 20th century. The Word of Faith movement as a whole has no formal organization or authoritarian hierarchy, though the movement does have a number of high-profile teachers who heavily influence Word of Faith theology. It's basic theology is a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism.

Kenneth Hagin is often referred to as the "father" of the Word of Faith movement, but in reality it was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866) who laid the foundations. It was Quimby's metaphysical teachings that influenced E.W. Kenyon, and it was E.W. Kenyon's teachings that in turn influenced Kenneth Hagin. Most prominent Word of Faith teachers today draw their inspiration from Kenneth Hagin.

The "force" of faith, an unbiblical view of faith, is the foundation of Word of Faith theology. Proponents believe they can use words to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health, wealth, etc.). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God's sovereign will -- God Himself being subject to the "laws" of faith.

Doctrines considered essential by historic Christianity are not necessarily considered essentials in Word of Faith theology. Word of Faith teachers often redefine or reinterpret Christian essentials in order to fit them into their own peculiar theological systems. These reinterpretations are often derived from "revelation knowledge" (i.e. special revelations supposedly from God, given specifically to the WF teacher). Placing "revelation knowledge" above Scripture is one reason why WF teachers often blatantly contradict Scripture (and often each other). For example, one WF teacher, when speaking of God said, there are nine of them; and yet another WF teacher, when speaking of Jesus said, I (Jesus) never claimed to be God.

Word of Faith teachers are notorious for teaching everything from the heretical to the downright ridiculous. For example, one WF teacher (who recently renounced WF) once stated that Adam could fly, and women were originally designed to give birth from their sides. Many sincere Christians within the WF movement are unaware that their favorite teachers are teaching doctrines that flatly contradict the Word of God. One reason for this lack of discernment is that followers are told that questioning the teacher is synonymous with "touching God's anointed," or "quenching the Spirit." They are unaware that Scripture encourages us to test all teaching by the written Word of God.

The Word of Faith movement is a serious threat to the Church -- this because WF is assaulting Christianity from within the Church. What follows is a comparison of Word of Faith theology, as espoused by many of these prominent teachers, with the teachings of historic Christianity. Since this pamphlet represents a cross-section of Word of Faith teachings, Word of Faith adherents will believe some, but not necessarily all of these unbiblical doctrines.

GOD

WF: God is not sovereign. God needs permission to act. "Satan had gained ascendancy in the earth by gaining Adam's authority, and God was left on the outside. God couldn't come here in His divine power and wipe them out. He had to move in an area where it would be ruled legal by the Supreme Court of the Universe" (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, p. 51).

BIBLE: God is sovereign over all creation. Man does not control God. "'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy" (Romans 9:15-16).

JESUS CHRIST

WF: You control Jesus with your mouth. "You create the presence of Jesus with your mouth....He is bound by your lips and by your words ... Remember that Christ is depending upon you and your spoken word to release His presence" (Cho, The Fourth Dimension, Vol. I, p.83).

BIBLE: Christ is sovereign over all creation. Man does not control Christ. "These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation....You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:14, 17).

THE ATONEMENT

WF: Word of Faith theology has completely rewritten and redefined the atonement. In WF, Jesus suffered and died on the cross, descended into hell (supposedly the seat of Satan's government), spent three days serving a sentence in hell (where He was tortured by demons), was then born again and released from hell on a technicality.

When Jesus was in the pit of hell, in that terrible torment, no doubt the Devil and his emissaries gathered around to see the annihilation of God's Son. But in the corridors of hell, there came a great voice from heaven: "Turn Him loose! He's there illegally!" And all of hell became paralyzed. (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, p. 143, emphasis in original)

Jesus was born again before his eyes! (Ibid, p. 189, emphasis in original)

BIBLE: Jesus was not "born again." He could not be born again since He did not have a sinful nature. The sacrifice had to be perfect -- Christ alone had no sin nature. "(B)ut with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake" (1 Peter 1:19-20).

Christ did not descend into hell. He descended into Hades (Sheol) and preached to the Old Testament saints in paradise. "The he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise'" (Luke 23:42-43).

Hell (Gehenna) is not the seat of Satan's government. Hell is currently unoccupied. Hell is a place of punishment and torment where Satan, demons, and the unregenerate will eventually be cast. Christ did not serve a sentence in hell; He atoned for our sins on the cross. "When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished (tetelestai).' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit" (John 19:30).

MAN

WF: Man is a god, though a lesser god than God the creator. "Adam was an exact duplication of God's kind!....Adam was subordinate to God. God created him, gave him all this authority and power, and said to him, 'Be god over the earth as I am God over the heavens'" (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, pp. 16-17).

BIBLE: Man is not, nor ever will be, a god. There is only one true God (John 17:3); if man is a god then man has to be a false god. "Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me" (Isaiah 43:10).

FAITH

WF: Faith is a force. "Faith is a power force. It is a tangible force. It is a conductive force" (Copeland, The Force of Faith, p.13).

Words activate the force. "The force of faith is released by words. Faith-filled words put the law of the Spirit of life into operation" (Ibid. p. 18).

BIBLE: Faith is not a force. Faith is trusting in the promises of God. Faith is synonymous with 'being sure': "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). We exercise faith when we trust in the promises of God.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE

WORD-FAITH MOVEMENT "You don't have a god in you, you are one."(1) "Pray to yourself, because I'm in your self and you're in Myself. We are one Spirit, saith the Lord."(2) "I say this with all respect so that it don't upset you too bad, but I say it anyway. When I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, 'I Am,' I just smile and say, 'Yes, I Am, too!'"(3) What group would say such outrageous things? What group would have the nerve to perpetuate such blasphemous doctrines? Could it be the Jehovah's Witnesses? the Mormons? the Unitarians? the New Agers? Could it be—the Christians?

The Word-Faith Teachers

The Word-Faith Teachers. This is the group that would seek to convince us that Jesus and His disciples were rich, that to be poor is a sin, to be sick is a sin, and that faith is a creative force that we can use to shape our world just like God supposedly created this world and universe that we live in through His "faith"! Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, John Avanzini, Robert Tilton, Fred Price, and Benny Hinn (who at the time of this writing has authored the number one best selling Christian book in America, "Good Morning, Holy Spirit") are just a few that spew out this theological vomit.

A Sampling of Error

To name just a few of the more outrageous things that have been said by these so-called teachers will stagger the senses: John Avanzini is convinced that "Jesus had a nice big house",(4) "Jesus wore designer clothes",(5) and "Jesus was handling big money".(6) Fred Price also claims that Jesus was rich and that He left us with an example to follow. That is why Fred drives a Rolls Royce; he is following Jesus' example! Mr. Price also communicates one of the more sickening beliefs of the Word-Faith teachers which shocks even those with a mild amount of common sense. He says, "How can you glorify God in your body, when it doesn't function right?....What makes you think the Holy Ghost wants to live inside of a body where He can't see out through the windows, and He can't hear out the ears?"(7) This insulting and insensitive comment regarding the handicapped and crippled among us stirs up anger in even the most hardened of consciences. Yet this statement by Mr. Price is followed by exuberant applause and approval from his congregation (I would like to hear Mr. Price say this to Joni Eareckson, or Tony Melendez). These kind of statements boggle our minds and stagger our senses. It would seem that most people would see the error in these teachings, yet millions follow these men with a militant passion.

The Tip of the Iceberg

If this was as far as the teaching of these men went, if their only error was that they think everyone should be wealthy and healthy, then we could maybe shrug this movement off as a novelty and realize that soon people with an ounce of common sense will see the error in these teachings. Unfortunately, these teachings are but the tip of the iceberg. They are but the rotten fruit of a foul, putrid, blasphemous and heretical root. The erroneous actions of the faith teachers is but the symptom of their twisted and diseased teachings concerning the nature of man and the nature of God. I think you will see, after examining what they believe in these two key areas, that we are not dealing with a Christian sect gone awry, but that we are dealing with a non-Christian heretical group that is as deadly in their doctrine as any major cult.

The Error Begins

Who is God to the faith teachers? Kenneth Copeland will tell you first off that "God is the biggest failure in the Bible...the reason you've never thought that is because He never said He was one".(8) Copeland also teaches us that "God is a being that stands somewhere around 6'2", 6'3",(9) intimating that God has a body, an error subscribed to by the Mormons. Copeland states, without any biblical warrant, that the earth we live on is a "copy of the mother planet"(10) which God lives on, again imitating a Mormon doctrine. Never mind that the Bible plainly states that God is spirit (John 4:24), never mind that the Bible never says a thing about this earth being a copy of any so-called mother planet. Yet these arguments don't work with the faith teachers because they have supposedly received these teachings by direct revelation from God. Therefore to oppose them is to oppose God. These men have lifted themselves above any critical investigation yet they have forgotten the biblical mandate that anything not in accord with the Word of God must be rejected. We will examine shortly their reactions to any kind of criticism. After the faith teachers have thoroughly belittled God to slightly more than an exalted man, they then proceed to exalt man to the status of God. Adam, to the faith teachers, was an exact duplicate of God. Copeland teaches, "Gods reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself. I mean a reproduction of Himself. He [Adam] was not a little like God, he was not almost like God, He was not subordinate to God even".(11) Copeland even states that "Adam is God manifested in the flesh",(12) a title that can only be truly applied to Christ Jesus alone. The perceptive man can easily see that the problem here is a confusion about what it means to be made in the image of God. The faith teachers claim that being made in the image of God is synonymous to having the nature of God. To be made in the image of God is to be a "little god" they would admit. Yet is that what the church has commonly taught. The overwhelming consensus of the church has been that man is created in the image of God in the sense that he is a person as God is a person, possessing mind, will, and emotions, that he is reasonable, unique among creation, a ruler over creation, and capable of personal fellowship with God. We bear the image of God, but we do not share His nature or substance or make-up. We are not omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, or infinite. God is the only being that is holy in and of Himself (Rev. 15:4). We are made in His image and have dignity because of that, but we are not an exact duplicate of God in any sense of the word. That status is reserved for the Lord Jesus Christ alone (see Col 2:8, Heb. 1:3, 2 Cor. 4:4).

The Error Grows

Beginning with this foul root of error, the faith teachers proceed into more putrefying departures from the Christian faith. The faith teachers claim that when Adam fell in the garden he forfeited the nature of God and took on the nature of Satan. This error is but a link in the chain that connects the faith teachers exalting of man and belittling of God. You see, salvation for the faith teachers is not the removal of sin through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation for the faith teachers is not the forgiveness of sins and the restoring of a right relationship between God and man. Salvation for the faith teachers is instead the removal of the nature of Satan from man and the restoring of the nature of God in man. How is the restoring of the nature of God in man to come about? The answer that the faith teachers give is that Jesus had to take on the nature of Satan on the cross. In fact, the whole sacrifice of Christ on the cross takes on a completely different emphasis and meaning for the faith teachers. You see, it is not enough that Christ died physically in the theology of the Word-Faith teachers. In order to take away our Satanic nature and restore our God nature, Jesus Christ had to die spiritually as well as physically. He then had to descend to hell. Then while in hell he was born again and through His act of being born again He conquered the devil.

The Error Examined

You must follow the steps of this error very carefully for it is but the doorway into the single most blasphemous and heretical teaching of the Word-Faith teachers. 1) On the cross Jesus took upon Himself the nature of Satan. The Bible says that Jesus is God the Son, God manifest in the flesh. Jesus therefore possesses the attributes of deity such as omnipotence, omniscience, eternalness, immutability, etc. Though in His incarnation, He chose not to exercise all of His attributes, He still retained them. One of God's attributes which Jesus shares is His immutability. This means that God is unchangeable in His person. Although He acts in time, and establishes and changes relationships in time, His essence, which includes His perfect and holy attributes, never changes. God does not change (Mal. 3:6) and neither does Jesus. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb 13:8). But the faith-teachers begin their error by claiming that the Holy, undefiled, unchangeable Son of God became evil to the core taking upon Himself the nature of Satan. Blasphemy! Our holy God does not become unholy. 2) Jesus died spiritually. Again the unchanging God-man did not die spiritually, but physically. 1 Pet. 3:18 states that Jesus was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit. Jesus did not need to die spiritually as well as physically to gain our salvation. The offering of His body was enough. Colossians 1:13 states "He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death"; Hebrews 13:12, "therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood"; Hebrews 10:10, "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ". Was Jesus lying when He cried upon the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30)? Was there yet more to be done to secure our salvation? That comforting cry from the lips of our blessed Lord can be nothing but true and our salvation was completely bought and paid for at this most climactic moment of all of history! 3) Jesus descended into hell a mortal man. Seeing that there is no need for Christ to have done any more to procure our salvation then what had already been accomplished, this point becomes nothing more than an embellishment to the truth. Jesus Christ did not suffer in hell. He descended to Hades, to the abode of the dead. There was no need for Him to do anymore for our salvation. Satan had already been defeated and conquered (Col 2:14-15). Also, Jesus was not, nor ever will be, a mere mortal human being. To be a mere mortal, He would have to stop being God, and that is one thing that is against God's nature and attributes. 4) Jesus was born again. Jesus had no need to be born again. Jesus was not a lost and hell-bound sinner who needed regeneration. He was the Almighty, Eternal, and Holy Son of God. The faith teachers will drag Jesus to the lowest depths in order that their teaching will have at least a hint of logic. This idea that Jesus was born again is the crucial link for the faith teachers that enables them to cry out at the end of their wicked formula for salvation, "I am a little god". Observe. 5) Jesus defeated the devil by being born again. We now have Jesus, a mere mortal man, suffering in hell. Jesus then decides to be born again. He defeats the devil and becomes the first-born among many brethren. Now here is where the Scripture twisting really becomes ludicrous. Copeland states that nowhere in the Bible after the book of Acts is Jesus called the unique and only begotten Son of God. He then twists Romans 8:29 to mean that Jesus is the first born again man. This first reborn man, Jesus, has set the pattern for a new race to come. And according to the Faith Teachers, we are that new race to come. We are equal to Jesus for we are born again just as He was. Do you see what has happened here? The faith teachers have so suppressed the deity of Jesus that they have, in essence, denied it. Copeland goes the farthest in this revelation He supposedly received from Jesus, "Don't be disturbed when people accuse you of thinking you're God. The more you get to be like Me, the more they're going to think that way of you. They crucified Me for claiming that I was God. But I didn't claim I was God; I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was in Me. Hallelujah. That's what you're doing."(13) The Jesus of the faith teachers has so little in common with the Jesus of the Bible that it is clear to anyone with a grain of discernment that the Jesus of the faith teachers is not the Jesus of the Bible but instead is the kind of religious decoy that Paul warned us to be on the lookout for. "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you put up with it easily enough" (2 Cor. 11:3-4). And we are putting up with it. We are taking this so calmly. Another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit is mocking the true Jesus, the true gospel, and the true Spirit and we are so tolerant of it that we allow it on our TV set and call it Christian!?

The Fruit Of The Error

Why is it so important for the Faith-Teachers to ignore such explicit passages as "It is finished," etc? Why must they have Jesus dying spiritually as well as physically, entering hell as a mortal man capable of failure, and being born again to defeat the devil? The reason is that the faith teachers have a diminished view of Jesus. When Jesus is downplayed as nothing more than an anointed man, it brings the faith teachers up to the level of Jesus. In fact, both Kenneth Copeland and Fred Price have publicly stated that if it was just the physical death of Jesus on the cross that saves us then anyone could have done it. Kenneth Copeland says, "And the whole New Testament calls Him the first-born....The word "born" began to ring in my spirit; it just began to roll around: born, born. I never had let Him go through that in my own thinking....And while I was laying there thinking about these things, the Spirit of God spoke to me. And He said, "Son, realize this: Now follow Me in this, don't let your tradition trip you up." He said, "Think this way: A twice-born man whipped Satan in his own domain." And I threw my Bible down. I said, "What?" He said, "A born-again man defeated Satan. The first-born of many brethren defeated him." He said, "You are the very image and the very copy of that one." I said, "Goodness gracious, sakes alive!" And I began to see what had gone on in there, and I said, "You don't mean--you couldn't dare mean, that I could have done the same thing?" He said, "Oh, yeah, if you'd had the knowledge of the Word of God that He did, you could have done the same thing, 'cause you're a reborn man, too.""(14) No mention is made of the sinlessness of Christ. No reverence is shown toward the unique virgin birth of Christ. See the depths to which the Word-Faith teachers have desecrated our Lord. Jesus Christ could pay for our sins because He was sinless, being uniquely born of a virgin, and thus not sharing in the sin nature of Adam and his descendants, a fact to which neither Copeland nor anyone can likewise boast of. The sickening outcome of this wickedness is that the Gospel message is no more "Turn to the cross of Jesus, ye wretched sinners, and plead for God's forgiveness. Find rest for your sin and guilt beneath the blessed cross of the great and mighty Savior." Instead the faith Teacher's gospel message is, "You shall be like God"! The original lie of the devil is now the gospel message and is broadcast around the world for all to hear! He must be pleased! And the end result is the blasphemous cries of those who subscribe to this wickedness. Kenneth Hagin: "You are as much the incarnation of God as Jesus Christ was...the believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth".(15) Benny Hinn: "Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge....you are god"(16) "You are a little god on earth running around".(17) Kenneth Copeland: "I say this with all respect so that it don't upset you too bad, but I say it anyway, when I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, 'I Am,' I just smile and say, 'Yes, I Am, too!'"(18) "You don't have a god in you, you are one."(19) Paul Crouch: "Do you know what else that's settled then tonight? This hue and cry and controversy that has been spawned by the devil to try to bring dissension within the body of Christ that we are gods. I am a little god. I have His name. I am one with Him. I'm in covenant relation. I am a little god. Critics be gone!"(20)

A Time For Action

Am I just theologically splitting hairs here? If this were a matter of when and how to baptize, or how many times a year should the Lord's Supper be observed, or whether the rapture was post, mid, or pre-trib, then I could rightfully be accused of that. Yet this is not a minor issue. At stake here is the very character of our God and Savior Jesus Christ and the great salvation that He has given us. If you have the wrong Jesus, you have the wrong salvation and it should be clear from the evidence presented above that the Jesus of the Word-Faith movement is a far cry from the Jesus of the Bible! When Shirley MacClaine chants over and over on national TV , "I am God, I am God!" we evangelicals go into an uproar. Yet when those who claim to be in our own ranks say, "I am a little god", we don't even flinch, but rather applaud them and their supposed evangelical efforts. Michael Horton has rightly written, "It must cause our heavenly Father much grief that we would consider unity more important than the One in whom we are united. It must quench the Spirit to see Christians treating blasphemies, heresies, and scandalous statements as though they were no more than odd "emphases." The simple fact is that it is not the ones that are zealous for sound doctrine and orthodoxy who are the divisive ones. The Word-Faith teachers are the ones who are guilty of being divisive. They are fully aware that what they are teaching is relatively new. They constantly ask us to put away our traditions and forget our creeds. Benny Hinn says to an audience, "Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge?" then proceeds to inform them "you are god".(21) Hinn also, after teaching his audience that God consists of nine distinct substances, boasts "You think you're in this church to hear things you've heard for the last 50 years?".(22) The Word-Faith teachers expect everyone to accept their authority and teachings without criticism or testing. Whenever anyone challenges their teachings they promote division instead of discussion. Before his death, Dr. Walter Martin sought to dialogue with Kenneth Copeland over his teachings, yet Copeland refused to meet with Martin. Fred Price has publicly stated that he will not meet with a critic unless he has as many followers as him. Last Spring, the Christian Research Institute, a very reputable and trustworthy counter-cult and apologetic ministry, devoted a week of radio programs to exposing the errors of the Word-Faith movement. Immediately after the shows were aired, Paul Crouch had this to say about CRI during his televised "Praise-a-thon" program amid shouts of "amen" and "you tell 'em brother" from the studio audience:

"I think God's given up on a lot of that old rotten Sanhedrin religious crowd, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. I think they're damned and on their way to hell and I don't think there's any redemption for them...the heresy hunters that want to find a little mote of illegal doctrine in some Christian's eye and pluck that little mote out of their eye when they've got the whole forest in their own lives and in their own eyes. I say to hell with you! Oh hallelujah. Get out of God's way, quit blocking God's bridges or God's gonna shoot you if I don't! I refuse to argue any longer with any of you out there. Don't even call me. If you want to argue doctrine, if you want to straighten out somebody over here, if you want to criticize Ken Copeland for his preaching on faith, or Dad Hagin. Get out of my life! I don't even want to talk to you or hear you. I don't want to see your ugly face! Get out of my face in Jesus' name."(23)

Notice that there is no desire to dialogue about the issues. Notice that Paul Crouch doesn't explain why they believe what they believe and subsequently why CRI was in error for presenting the programs. All that Paul does is attack the people, he does not give an account for the hope that is in him. The Faith teachers erroneous and blasphemous teachings are what are promoting division. It is not those who criticize them and seek to dialogue with them in a reasonable matter that are to blame. It is the childish and unresponsive Word-Faith teachers that are to blame. But you say, what about the good they do? Dear friend, no one gets everything wrong! Even the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, the New Age, etc. get a few things right every once in while. But isn't that the substance of deception? The skin of the truth stuffed with a lie. An appearance of righteousness yet inside rottenness and dead man's bones. No, the evil propagated by these teachers so outweighs the good that we must reject them entirely. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I, for one, am embarrassed by the Word-Faith teachers and I am ashamed to be represented by them. These men represent Christianity to millions. They present a false picture of what it means to be a Christian and I think it is abhorrent. Michael Horton has rightly asked, "Do those who occasionally view televangelistic programming know that evangelical Christianity offers an intelligent interpretation of and hope for human existence? Does the average unbeliever come away from an ordinary telecast with a better grasp of the substance of the Christian faith?" The Word-Faith teachers and Trinity Broadcasting Network on the whole defeat their very purpose. They seek to evangelize but they are only preaching to the choir. The vast majority of people who watch already claim to be Christian, and the occasional non-believer that tunes in is quick to see the unreality presented and the apparent con-game that is going on. And to make matters worse, the sparse amount of teaching that is usually presented to the Christian is of the lethal type that we have been discussing and instead of strengthening the body of Christ, it poisons it. What should we do? I see at least three things that can be done and they are not minor operations. When a cancer is first recognized in a body, the procedure to remove it is quick, easy, and relatively painless if the cancer has been caught in its early stages. But when a cancer has gone unnoticed for years and has been allowed to nurture and infiltrate an entire body, then the procedure to remove it will be much more complicated, slow, and painful. The Word-Faith teaching is a spiritual cancer that has infiltrated the church to its very marrow. We must take action now and it will not be pleasant. First, the most obvious thing to do is to not support any of these ministries monetarily. Don't watch any of the Word-Faith teachers programs and encourage and warn others to do the same. Don't buy their books. If your local Christian bookstore carries their material let them know that you will not frequent their stores if they continue to carry this spiritual cancer. Second, take a stand for Jesus! Why won't the church take a stand? I have asked myself that question over and over. Are we afraid to attack evil in the supposed name of unity? Is it that we are so far gone that we don't figure that it matters what you believe as long as you "love Jesus"? If so, let's quit calling other religions false and accept the cults into our fold. Let's bring in the Jehovah's Witnesses who love their Jesus (even though to them he is the archangel Michael, the first and greatest created being). Let's bring in the Mormons, and the Unitarians, etc. Let's say good-bye to the creeds and sound doctrine. Let's forget the stern warnings of the Apostle Paul to beware of false teachers and false doctrine which spreads like gangrene. Let's all just "love Jesus" (whoever that Jesus might be to us)? NO! We cannot forget the creeds, we will not abandon truth. We must obey our Lord when He tells us to "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits" (Mat. 7:15-16). The fruit of the Word-Faith teachers is none other than the fruit that the devil deceived our ancient mother Eve with. It is still as deadly and still as putrid in God's sight as it was then. The Word-Faith teachers and their movement must be actively opposed and rejected as non-Christian! Who will stand for Christ? Third, this would not have come about if more Christians knew their Bible and what it taught. This would not have come about if more Christians knew what the Bible has to say about the nature of man, the nature of God, the doctrine of the trinity, etc. It is time to return to teaching sound doctrine so that the common Christian man can be armed against error. It is time to study the great foundational doctrines of our faith so that we won't be deceived by religious charlatans. Doctrine is not just for theologians. Words like propitiation, sanctification, justification, trinity, incarnation, predestination, redemption, etc. are not just useless theological words but are the very foundations of the faith. It's time to use our minds again. It's time to quit being so emotional, mystical, and man-centered in our doctrine. It's time that Christians took some in-depth journeys into the wonder of the Holy Scriptures to find out about truth and reality. Christianity is truth, and as Art Lindsley has rightly stated, "There is nothing that produces emotion like the truth". Do you want a vibrant growing faith? Search the Scriptures. Do you seek truth, real truth? The kind of truth that infiltrates every area of your life with purpose and meaning and joy! You won't find it on a TV station. You'll find it when you spend time alone in an attitude of worship and prayer with an open Bible and the very God of the Universe teaching you and loving you through His blessed Holy Spirit applying His most Holy word directly to your life. Theology is not always entertaining but it is always enriching. It is a lot easier to turn on that TV and turn off your mind but you'll be at a loss because of it, and you will miss out on one of the most wonderful blessings of life: communion with the Living Lord.

Conclusion

Stated most simply, the error of the faith movement is that they exalt man and decrease God. They exalt man to God status and reduce God to man's status. They are aware that what they are teaching is unorthodox and controversial to say the least, yet they have no wish to change their tune. They refuse to be accountable to anyone. No man is an island unto himself. These men who are spokesmen for the Christian faith to the public and represent the Lord Jesus to millions through their television programs are preaching a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different spirit than what is revealed to us in Holy Scripture. The Apostle Paul has some strong words for these men and with them I close. I pray we will take them to heart and that the Spirit that so moved Paul to action against false teachings will move within us to produce in us a holy zeal for truth! "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:6-9)

REFERENCES

1. Kenneth Copeland, "The Force Of Love" tape # 02-0028 2. Kenneth Copeland, "Believer's Voice of Victory", Feb. 1987, p.9 3. Kenneth Copeland, "Believer's Voice of Victory" broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/9/87 4. John Avanzini, "Believer's Voice of Victory" broadcast on TBN, recorded 1/20/91 5. John Avanzini, "Believer's Voice of Victory" broadcast on TBN, recorded 1/20/91 6. John Avanzini, "Praise the Lord" broadcast on TBN, recorded 9/15/88 7. Fred Price, "Is God Glorified Through Sickness?" tape # FP605 8. Kenneth Copeland, "Praise-a-thon", broadcast on TBN, recorded 1988 9. Kenneth Copeland, "Spirit, Soul, and Body", tape # 01-0601 10. Kenneth Copeland, "Following the Faith of Abraham" tape # 01-3001 11. Kenneth Copeland, "Following the Faith of Abraham" tape # 01-3001 12. Kenneth Copeland, "Following the Faith of Abraham" tape # 01-3001 13. Kenneth Copeland, "Voice of Victory" Vol. 15, No. 2, 2/87 14. Kenneth Copeland, "What Happened from the Cross to the Throne" tape # 02-0017 15. Kenneth Hagin, "Word Of Faith" Dec. 1980, p. 14 16. Benny Hinn, "Our Position In Christ", tape # AO31190-1 17. Benny Hinn, "Praise-a-thon" broadcast on TBN, November, 1990 18. Kenneth Copeland, "Believer's Voice of Victory" broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/9/87 19. Kenneth Copeland, "The Force Of Love" tape # 02-0028 20. Paul Crouch, "Praise The Lord" broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/7/86 21. Benny Hinn, "Our Position In Christ", tape # AO31190-1 22. Benny Hinn broadcast, recorded 10/13/90 23. Paul Crouch, "Praise-a-thon" broadcast on TBN, recorded 4/2/91

Mars ILL – Pro Pain (A Review of a Classic Must have Album)

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on July 1, 2009 at 6:00pm

Mars ILL – Pro Pain (Gotee) Quite possibly the best super duo since Batman and Robin… ATL’iens Soulheir the manCHILD (emcee) and master of the crate diggers, Dust (producer) hits you hard with their latest release “Pro Pain”. A solid release. Mars ILL - Pro Pain (Gotee Records)Beginning in 2001 with their debut album “Raw Material” these two have put a new sound into the melting pot that is hip hop music. 5 years and several albums later, with no gripes about it they stick to the underground like a rebellion clamoring troops to take the front-lines. This confrontationalism through positive messages is even more evident in their word play and sound. Mars ill is harsh dirty drums and complex collages of vinyl sampled gritty guitar licks, soulful abstract horns and keys, plus grimy bass lines that set aside a soundscape for raw truthful lyrics which smack you upside your head. A truly unique find among the culture. Pro Pain was supposed to be released in July of 2005. But due to a sample clearing issues the album was recalled from the shops and the release was delayed until May of 2006. Now, with the addition of a few new songs and some surprising collabs such as Cappadonna of Wu-Tang Clan, and Prince Po of Organized Konfusion… Pro Pain makes its mark. Key tracks include: The single “More” that features Ahmad of 4th Avenue Jones, “Dog Eared Page”, and “Effortless” that features X:144 who also comes with the beat on this banger… But there is a whole lot more worthy of your ear play! The M.I.A. tracks from the original track listing are: Change Your Ways, All Out, Movement, and Loud. Nevertheless, Pro Pain is a must have for the underground hip-hop fan. Not to mention Mars ill fan. Quite arguably their best album to date. An instant classic. My one and only gripe is I wish the producer Dust would use deeper kicks or layer allot more depth to his drums. Often times it doesn’t hit as hard as I would like and feels more like a 70’s rock album on the drum kit rather than hip-hop. This seams to be intentional and Dust’s steelo, so its somewhat excusable in comparison to the rest of the dope soundscape. Although in comparison to the two beats not produced by Dust such as “Effortless” by X:144 and “Dog Eared Page” produced by T.R.E.K. you can really hear the difference as those stand out sonically and hit much harder than the rest on the album. Over all this album is jam packed with solid lyrics and a natural flow about them that is refreshing to underground hip hop fans… and a reason to be fearful for aspiring emcee’s on the come-up. But with enough content focused more on building up then destroying, its inspiring to hear something this original. My suggestion. Pick this one up for sure. For fans of: Deepspace5, 4th Avenue Jones, Listener, Sintax,the.terrific, Sev Statik, Stu Dent, Tunnel Rats

Daily Bible Study: Persecution Helps Spread the Gospel – Acts 8,9

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 30, 2009 at 8:11pm

Introduction: Chapter 7 ended with the death of Stephen. We will see that this led to severe persecution, but the result simply helped spread the gospel. I. Saul Leads the Persecution – Acts 8:1-4 >>> Please read Acts 8:1-4. <<< *1* Who arrested and imprisoned the disciples? (a) Peter, (b) Saul, (c) Mohammed, (d) Pharaoh, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *2* What did the disciples do when they were scattered (v4)? Answer: The disciples went everywhere preaching the ______. Comment: Saul had consented to Stephen’s death, but that was not all. He persecuted disciples so fiercely that they had to flee Jerusalem. The scattered disciples still did not stop preaching. Instead, everywhere they went they told people about Jesus. Even death and persecution did not stop their commitment to preaching. Note that all Christians became teachers. They did not leave this work up to a few leaders (cf. v4 to v1). The gospel spreads effectively when all members teach. This begins the second major section of Acts. The gospel here began to spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria (see Acts 1:8). II. Philip’s Work in Samaria – Acts 8:5-13 >>> Please read Acts 8:5-13. <<< *3* What miracles did Philip do? (a) casting out demons, (b) healing paralyzed people, (c) healing lame people, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *4* How had Simon fooled the people? Answer: Simon used sorcery to convince them he had great ______ from God. *5* What resulted from Philip’s work (v12,13)? (a) people believed, (b) people were baptized, (c) Simon was baptized (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: Philip had been one of the seven servants chosen in Acts 6, but the persecution sent him to Samaria. Jerusalem was in Judea. Samaria was the region north of Judea (see a Bible map). Jews hated Samaritans, because they were a mixed breed; but like their Master, Christians should love the souls of all men (cf. John 4:9 in context). A man named Simon had used sorcery to fool the Samaritans into believing he had great power from God. But even Simon recognized the true miracles Philip did. As a result, Simon and many Samaritans believed and were baptized. Once again miracles achieved the purpose of confirming the gospel to be from God (see on Acts 3:1,2). In order to serve this purpose, true miracles had to be superior to what was done by fakes and false prophets. In this case, even the false miracle worker recognized the superiority of true miracles (see also on Acts 4:13-18). In particular, true miracles were clearly superior to the power of sorcery. Sorcery, witchcraft, astrology, and all Occult powers are repeatedly condemned in Scripture. They come from Satan and therefore are inferior to God’s miracles. See Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; 22:15; Acts 19:18-20; 13:4-12. This event records the second great example of conversion in Acts. It may be summarized as follows: The Conversion of the Samaritans – Acts 8:5-13 Hearing Belief Repentance Confession Baptism Result v5,6,12 v12,13 v12,13 (cf. Mark 16:16) III. Laying on of Hands and Simon’s Sin – Acts 8:14-25 The Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Samaritans >>> Please read Acts 8:14-19. <<< *6* Who came to Samaria from Jerusalem? (a) Jesus (b) John the Baptist, (c) Peter and John, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *7* How did the Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit? Answer: The apostles laid their ______ on the Samaritans. Comment: The Samaritans had been saved from sin when they believed and were baptized (vv 12,13; cf. Mark 16:16). But the Holy Spirit had not fallen on them. In a sense all saved people have a relationship of fellowship with the Holy Spirit (see 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:19,20; Rom. 8:9), but clearly Acts 8 refers to something more than that. The Samaritans had received no miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Contrary to the beliefs of some, not all saved people receive supernatural gifts. The apostles had received supernatural gifts when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2). We will see just one other recorded example of Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 10). But the Samaritans received power from the Spirit, not by Holy Spirit baptism, but by having apostles lay hands on them (Acts 8:17-19). Note that Philip could do miracles, but apostles had to come from Jerusalem to give other people spiritual gifts. This shows that people, other than apostles, could not pass on the powers of spiritual gifts to others, even if they themselves possessed the powers. Only apostles could pass these powers on. See also Acts 19:1-7; Rom. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:6. Simon’s Sin >>> Please read Acts 8:18-25. <<< *8* What sin did Simon commit? Answer: He tried to buy the power to give people the ______. *9* How did Peter describe him? (a) his heart was not right. (b) wicked, (c) bitterness, (d) iniquity, (e) he would perish, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *10&11* What was he told to do to be forgiven of his sin? Answer: Peter told Simon to ______ and ______ for forgiveness. Comment: Simon had been converted as surely as had the other Samaritans (vv 12,13; cf. Mark 16:16). But he apparently allowed his old conduct to take control again. He sinned and clearly stood condemned. This shows that a child of God can so sin as to be lost. The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” contradicts many Scriptures. See John 15:1-6; Rom. 6:12-18; Gal. 5:1-4; 6:7-9; 1 Cor. 9:25-10:12; 2 Peter 2:20-22. Simon was also told what to do to be forgiven. One who is not a child of God needs to believe, repent, and be baptized to be forgiven. If after that a child of God sins again, he does not need baptism again. Instead, he must repent and pray for forgiveness (v22). See also 1 John 1:8-10; Matthew 6:12; Luke 18:13,14. Other Christians may also pray for us, as Simon requested here (v24; see also James 5:16). IV. Conversion of a Treasurer – Acts 8:26-40 Introduction to the Treasurer >>> Please read Acts 8:26-31. <<< *12* Whom did Philip find on the road to Gaza? Answer: Philip met a treasurer from the land of ______. *13* What was this man doing as he returned from Jerusalem? Answer: He was reading from the prophet ______. Comment: An angel told Philip to go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (see a map). There he found a eunuch from Ethiopia, who was the queen’s treasurer. Note that this man was clearly religious. He had traveled by chariot from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship God. As he returned home, he was reading the Old Testament. But we will see that he was still lost, because he did not know about Jesus (cf. John 8:24; 14:6; Mark 16:16; Acts 4:12). Clearly a person can be a sincere, devout religious person and yet be lost. See also Acts 10:1-4,22; 11:14; 23:1; 26:1-11; 1 Tim. 1:12-16. The Spirit led Philip to teach this treasurer (v29ff). Never in the Bible did angels, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit ever tell a lost sinner how to be saved, although sometimes they would get a preacher together with the sinner (cf. Acts 9:1-19; 10:1-11:18). So today do not expect that God or the Holy Spirit will directly tell a sinner how to be saved. They must hear the message from inspired teachers, whose word today is recorded in the Scriptures. See also Rom. 10:14; 2 Cor. 5:18; 4:7; 2 Tim. 3:16,17. The Baptism of the Treasurer >>> Please read Acts 8:32-40. <<< *14* About whom did Philip preach to the treasurer? (a) Peter, (b) Moses, (c) Jesus, (d) John the Baptist, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *15* What did the treasurer want to do as a result? Answer: He asked what hindered him from being ______. *16* What did he have to do first? (V37 – this may be in a footnote). Answer: He confessed that he believed Jesus Christ to be the ______. *17* How is baptism described? (a) they went down into the water, (b) Philip baptized him, (c) they came up out of the water, (d) all of these. Answer: ______. Comment: The treasurer was reading Isaiah 53:7,8 about one who died without resistance. This is one of many Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Philip used this passage to preach Jesus to him. Preaching Jesus includes teaching about His will for our lives. As a result, the treasurer realized his need to be baptized and wanted to do so immediately. Bible examples emphasize the urgency of baptism (see Acts 2:41; 9:18; 16:33; 22:16). This is because baptism is essential in order to receive salvation (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21). However, Philip said that, before the treasurer could be baptized, he must believe in Jesus. When the treasurer confessed his faith, Philip baptized him. Note that baptism is only for people who understand God’s word and choose baptism on the basis of their own faith in Jesus (Mark 16:15,16; Gal. 3:26,27; Acts 8:12; Rom. 10:9,10). Do babies qualify? Also note that Bible baptism involved going down into the water and coming up out of it (cf. Mark 1:9,10). Is this what denominations do when they practice sprinkling or pouring? Bible baptism involved a burial and a resurrection – please read Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12. This fits immersion, but not sprinkling or pouring. Bible baptism was a complete immersion in water of a person who had chosen for himself to obey on the basis on his own faith and understanding. Any other water “baptism” is a human change in God’s plan (cf. Matt. 15:9,13; Gal. 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Col. 3:17; Jer. 10:23 Rev. 22:18,19). This example of conversion may be summarized as follows: The Conversion of the Treasurer – Acts 8:26-39 Hearing Belief Repentance Confession Baptism Result v35 v37 v37 v38,39 Rejoicing (v39) V. The Conversion of Saul – Acts 9:1-19 Jesus’ Appearance to Saul >>> Please read Acts 9:1-9. <<< *18* Why did Saul go to Damascus? (a) to capture Christians, (b) to worship Christ, (c) to see relics, (d) to attend a “Christian rock concert.” Answer: ______. *19* Who appeared to him as he traveled? Answer: ______ appeared to Saul from a bright, shining light. *20* What disability did he receive as a result? Answer: As a result Saul was struck with ______. Comment: Saul was still persecuting Christians (cf. 8:1ff). As he traveled, Jesus appeared to him. This would have especially amazed him, because he believed Jesus was a fraud. When Jesus appeared, this convinced Saul that Jesus had been raised from the dead and therefore He was the Christ as His disciples had been preaching. As in the case of the treasurer, God did not directly tell Saul how to be saved. Saul had to go into the city and be told by an inspired man. No one learns how to be saved by direct revelation. Jesus appeared to Saul, not to save him or to tell him how to be saved, but to make him an eyewitness that Jesus had been raised. This would convince him to believe in Jesus and qualify him to be an apostle (Acts 26:16; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:1-8). Jesus said that, in Damascus, Saul would be told what he “must do.” Many preachers say there is nothing one must do to be saved. Is this what Jesus believed? See also Matt. 7:21-27; Acts 10:34,35; Rom. 6:17,18; Heb. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:8,9; James 2:14-26; 1 Pet. 1:22,23; 1 John 5:3; 2:3-6. After Jesus’ appearance, Saul was blind. This continued to remind him that Jesus really had appeared to him. Also, when his sight was restored, he would be sure that the one who restored it was the one sent to tell him what he must do. As with all miracles, the purpose was to confirm that a message or messenger was really from God. The Visit of Ananias >>> Please read Acts 9:10-18. <<< *21* What did Saul do as he waited in Damascus (v11)? (a) rejoiced, (b) prayed, (c) celebrated, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *22* What task did the Lord say he had for Saul to do? Answer: Saul would bear Jesus’ ______ to Gentiles, kings, etc. *23* What did Saul do as soon as his sight was restored? Answer: Immediately Saul arose and was ______. Comment: The Lord sent a disciple named Ananias to tell Saul what to do. At first Ananias was reluctant to visit such a dangerous persecutor. But Jesus said He wanted Saul to preach the gospel, and that this man who had caused so much suffering would himself suffer for Jesus. Ananias went to Saul, restored his sight, and told Saul what he must do. As a result, Saul arose and was baptized. Some people believe a sinner is saved by “faith alone” or by praying, without baptism. But Saul clearly believed in Jesus on the road, and in Damascus he was praying. But he still had not been told what he must do to be saved. When Ananias told him what to do, he immediately was baptized. Read Acts 22:16 to see what Ananias told him. There is no example anywhere in the gospel of an unbaptized sinner being forgiven by prayer. This conversion may be summarized as follows: The Conversion of Saul – Acts 9:1-19 (cf. 22:3-16; 26:1-17.) Hearing Belief Repentance Confession Baptism Result 9:6 9:18 (Cf. 22:16) VI. Saul’s Preaching – Acts 9:19-31 Preaching in Damascus >>> Please read Acts 9:19-25. <<< *24* What effect did Saul’s preaching have? Answer: People were ______ because he formerly opposed the gospel. *25* How did he escape those who tried to kill him? Answer: He was let down through the wall in a ______. Comment: After Saul’s conversion, he preached Christ in Damascus. People were amazed that he was proclaiming what he had so opposed. Jesus had predicted that Saul would be persecuted for his new faith. After his conversion, Saul became the apostle Paul. Throughout his life, Jews resented him, because his conversion demonstrated the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In Damascus, he escaped a death plot when disciples lowered him through the wall in a basket. Saul’s Work in Jerusalem >>> Please read Acts 9:26-31. <<< *26* What did Saul try to do at Jerusalem? (a) commit suicide, (b) convert back to Judaism, (c) join the disciples, (d) deny Jesus. Answer: ______. *27* Who explained to the apostles about his conversion? Answer: ______ told the apostles how Saul had been converted. *28* Why did Saul eventually leave Jerusalem? Answer: He fled because again people tried to ______ him. Comment: When Saul went to Jerusalem, he tried to become part of the congregation of Christians there. However, they feared him, remembering his former persecutions. Barnabas informed the apostles about his conversion, so the church received him. He immediately began preaching, but again persecution forced him to flee. The Bible mentions many congregations or churches of disciples in various localities. Saul’s example shows that a Christian should always associate himself or herself with such a local church. Christians have group responsibilities that can be fulfilled only in a local church. This includes worshiping, teaching, and group Bible study. To fulfill these responsibilities, each Christian should choose a faithful local church and commit himself to its work. Like Saul, when a Christian moves to a new locality, he should search out a faithful church and express his desire to be received as a member of that group. No Christian in the Bible ever, with God’s approval, neglected to commit himself to be part of a local church. Personal application questions: *29* Do you believe a child of God can so sin as to be eternally lost? __________________ *30* Is baptism an immersion, sprinkling, or pouring? __________________ *31* Can prayer save an unbaptized sinner? __________________

THE COLOR OF SCRIPTURE

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 29, 2009 at 8:23pm

The issue of race and /or color in the Bible is one that has been over looked and/or disregarded by the church for years. Todays Christians assume the characters of the Bible had European features. Sadly this is what we are taught and we accept it. These assumptions are enhanced by illustrations in Christian education and Sunday School material. In fact any time a film studio even conceder’s allowing a black man to play the role of Jesus, there are vast protest and calls of blasphemy. Most English-language information on Christianity gives the false subliminal impression that Jesus was a dark haired Anglo or Caucasian. Though Christianity is frequently portrayed as “the White Man’s Religion”. The truth is that most of the people in the Bible were people of color: Semitics, black, and Mediterranean. CONCERNING ADAM AND THE ORIGIN OF MANKIND When you conceder the likely location of the Garden of Eden, the climate of the time and the likely diet of the people, the evidence will leave little doubt that those that occupied the garden were people of color. Adam could not have resembled today’s traditional white man, for he, Eve and their offspring lived in a tropical environment unlike any known today, Making it impossible for a man to live life with pale skin. Genesis describes Eden as a tropical paradise. The Bible names the countries Havilah (a Country near Egypt) and Ethiopia, placing the garden in Africa and in the mist of the “lands of Ham and Crush, “the father and grandfather of black nations”(see Gen. Chapt. 2) Furthermore science confirms it is not possible for a Caucasian couple to produce offspring with skin that is dark in color. It is however possible for a black couple to produce offspring with skin dark in color. Based on this Scientific truth alone you must conclude that the original man had to be black. THE ORIGIN OR MANKIND AFTER THE FLOOD. According to genesis 9:19 and the table of Nations in Genesis. 10, all mankind is descended from the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth. The descendants of Japheth, the youngest son, settled in Anatolia, modern Turkey, and from there moved to the Caucasus mountains of Western Russia. As a result they settled Europe and Russia becoming he ancestors of the Caucasian Peoples. Their main impact on Israel was though the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. Ham’s descendants became the various black peoples who settled the African continent and parts of the Arabian peninsula. His son were Cush, whose descendants settled in Egypt, Put, whose descendants settled in Libya and Canaan, whose descendants settled in Palestine and founded the cities of Sidon, Tyre and Carthage among others, were the ancestors of the Phoenicans. Collectively, in ancient times the decedents of Cush formed a large ethnic group and were the main populace of the Cushite Empire which extended from present day libya to Ethiopia and Nubia, South of Egypt, all of present day Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula into the Mountains of Turkey. They Spoke a variety of Languages and had Skin Pigmention ranging from dark black to medium brown. One of Cush’s sons was Nimrod, founder of Babylon, Akkad, Assyria and Nineveh, several of early mankind’s most powerful nations And cities. There Languages are generally. referred to as belonging to the Western Semitic group, although they are actually Hamitic. Mizraim’s descendants became the Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathusim, and Casluhim (Phillistines). According to the Jewish0Roman Hisorian Flaviua Josephus, Most of these people were destroyed in the Ethiopic Wars. THE MYTHICAL CURSE OF HAM AND THE ACTUAL CURSE OF CANAAN It its often claimed that the black race resulted from a curse that Noah placed on his son Ham because Noah become drunk with wine and Ham “looked upon his fathers nakedness.” Some scholars interpret this as a euphemism and believe that Ham had Homosexual intercourse with his father; others believer the reason for the curse was the disgrace Ham Caused by telling others. The claim is that the curse turned ham black in the spot. The truth is Genesis 9:25-27 records that in fact Noah cursed Ham’s youngest son Canaan, not Ham: [25] he said, “cursed be Canaan!” Canaan’s decendants founded Sidon and among others were the ancestors of the Jebusites, Amorities, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinited, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathithes. There is ample historical evidence that indeed cursed with depravity including temple prostitutes and human sacrifice. One scholar, Lenormeant, said of the Canaanite religion: “no other people ever rivaled them in mixture of bloodshed and debauchery with which they thought to honor the deity.” THE LINEAGE OF JESUS FROM NOAH Jesus descended from the line of shem: his lineage from Noah though Abraham is shown in Genesis 11:10-27 and Luke 3:34-38. Jesus’ Lineage from Abraham though David is shown in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Jesus as a Person of Colour The oft-asked question “What did Jesus look like?” is sometimes paired with related questions like “Was Jesus black?” or “Was Jesus a man of colour (color)?” Our difficulty is the sheer scarcity of the source materials that would help us to give properly informed answers to these questions. Nevertheless, it seems likely that it is appropriate to describe the historical Jesus as a person of colour, but appreciation of this likelihood has been impeded in much Christian art, culture and scholarship for several reasons: * There exists no early description of Jesus akin to the one we have, for example, of Paul in The Acts of Paul and Thecla. The few short descriptions we do have tend to focus more on his stature than on his appearance (Justin Martyr, Tertullian), and those are most likely derived from inferences based on Isaiah 52:14 and 53:2-3. * The description of the heavenly, apocalyptic Jesus in Revelation may have exercised an undue influence. The Jesus of Revelation 1 has hair “white like wool”, though one might draw attention to the fact that Ethiopians in antiquity were characterized as having “woolly” hair,(1) in which case the mentions of the word “white” (leukos) here should be seen purely as informed by the apocalyptic nature of the passage. But ultimately this passage tells us much more about apocalyptic than it does about first century Galilean peasants like Jesus. * Politics of omission: recent New Testament scholarship has drawn attention to a shameful politics of omission in both Biblical authors (e.g. Luke-Acts) and modern Biblical scholars, the tendency of which is to exaggerate the role of Rome and the Roman orbit and to marginalize darker races outside of that orbit.(2) * Reconstructing Jesus in their own image: the perennial problem of historical Jesus research, highlighted nearly a century ago by Albert Schweitzer yet still prevalent – and historical Jesus scholarship, as a sub-discipline of Biblical Studies, has been carried out primarily by white, male American, German and British scholars working with the modernist historical-critical approach. A quick survey of the depictions of Jesus on the covers of recent books on the Historical Jesus, most of which have portraits in the white, western artistic tradition, confirms how far most of these scholars are from even tacitly acknowledging that Jesus was a man of colour.(3) The New Testament itself tells us nothing directly about Jesus’ appearance. No doubt many of the first tradents, themselves Jews emanating from the same part of the world, would have taken for granted that Jesus, like them, was a person of colour. But for many a contemporary western audience, some rethinking needs to be done, not least given the legacy of Anglo-Saxon Jesuses presented by so many for so long. There is a marked influence, for example, from the Jesus films emanating from America and Europe in the 20th Century, all of which use American or European actors of a particular hue, tending to prefer sandy-haired, blue-eyed Jesuses. When black actors appear in the films, they are placed opposite Jesus and in contrast with him (e.g. Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (dir. Norman Jewison, 1973). The Miracle Maker (dir. Derek W. Hayes & Stanislav Sokolov, 2000) marks a distinct and welcome departure from this trend in its depiction of a dark, swarthy Jesus who, it might be added, is probably supposed to evoke the notion, in contemporary viewers, that he is Jewish. But what is the evidence that Jesus might be described as a person of colour? * The region in which Jesus lived: the African American Biblical Scholar Cain Hope Felder(4) makes the case that we should see the Middle East of Jesus’ day as a kind of eastern extension of Africa, using archaeological and linguistic evidence to demonstrate the interaction between these peoples in these regions.(5) * Jesus’ General Ancestry: A key element in the narrative of the Hebrew Bible is the Hebrews’ move to, sojourn in and liberation from Egypt. Felder claims that they were a mixed race of Afro-Asiatics. Moses had a Cushite, or Ethiopian wife (Num.12:1); a son of Aaron, the one who begot the priestly line, was Phinehas (Ex.6:25), which in Egyptian means “the Nubian”, referring to the area of Sudan or Ethiopia (Jer.38:7).(6) * Jesus’ Genealogy – four Afroasiatic women are mentioned in the Genealogy that opens Matthew’s Gospel: Rahab. Tamar, Ruth and Bathsheba. (Matt. 1.2-17) * Jesus’ Connection with Egypt: in both Christian and non-Christian texts, Jesus is placed in Egypt during his formative years. Celsus, a Jewish critic of Christianity from the second century, reported the tradition that Jesus learnt his magical powers in Egypt (Origen, Contra Celsum, 1.28). And Matthew’s Gospel famously reports the holy family’s flight to Egypt (Matthew 2) and announces the return with the scriptural “Out of Egypt I have called my son” (Matt. 2.15). Some Useful Quotations “If the truth be insisted upon, the family stock of Jesus himself was none other than Afroasiatic. His parents probably resembled the typical darker Palestinian, Egyptian or Yemenite of today; many African-Americans would have similar features . . . It may not be going too far to suggest that the “Sweet Lil’ Jesus Boy” of the Negro Spiritual is probably most accurately described as an Afro-Asiatic or “a person of color.” While the Negro spiritual intones: “We didn’t know who you was,” it paradoxically reminds many modern Christians that what Jesus actually looked like may come as a surprise.” (Cain Hope Felder, “Blacks in the Bible and in Bible Lands”, Sphinx (Summer 1999), on-line journal, http://www.apa1906.org/sphinx/sum99/p069.htm) “. . . Jesus and his family spent more than a fleeting moment in Egypt. It is not inconceivable, for example, that Jesus might well have learned to walk and talk right here in Africa. Further, Jesus and his Jewish family, being Afro-Asiatic in colour and culture, would have appeared more chocolate-brown than Caucasian in complexion — more like a typically miscegenated African American, Kenyan Kikuyu or South African ‘coloured’.” (Gosnell L. Yorke, “Biblical hermeneutics: an Afrocentric perspective”, Religion and Theology 2/2 (1995), pp. 145-158; reproduced on-line at http://www.unisa.ac.za/dept/press/rt/22/theol2w.html) Select Bibliography Randall C. Bailey & Jaquelyn Grant (eds.), The Recovery of Black Presence: An Interdisciplinary Exploration. Essays in Honor of Dr Charles B. Copher (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995) Charles Copher, Black Biblical Studies: Biblical and Theological Issues on the Black Presence in the Bible (Chicago: Black Light Fellowship, 1993) Cain Hope Felder (ed.), The original African heritage study Bible (Nashville: James C. Winston Publishing Company, 1993) Cain Hope Felder (ed.), Stony the road we trod: African American biblical interpretation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991). Cain Hope Felder, Troubling Biblical Waters; Race, Class, and Family, (New York: Orbis Books, 1994) Cain Hope Felder, “Blacks in the Bible and in Bible Lands”, Sphinx (Summer 1999), on-line journal, http://www.apa1906.org/sphinx/sum99/p069.htm Rosemary C. Rodman and Vincent L. Wimbush (eds.), African Americans & the Bible: Sacred Text and Social Texture (New York: Continuum, 2000) Gosnell L. Yorke, “Biblical hermeneutics: an Afrocentric perspective”, Religion and Theology 2/2 (1995), pp. 145-158; reproduced on-line at http://www.unisa.ac.za/dept/press/rt/22/theol2w.html Notes 1. Frank M. Snowden, Jr., Blacks in Antiquity: Ethiopians in the Greco-Roman Experience (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979), p. 23. 2. See, for example, Cain Hope Felder, “Racial Ambiguities in the Biblical Narratives,” in Gregory Baum and John Coleman (eds.), The Church and Racism, (Concilium 151; New York: Seabury, 1982); and Clarice J. Martin, “A Chamberlain’s Journey and the Challenge of Interpretation for Liberation,” Semeia 47 (1989), pp. 105-135. 3. I can think of only one possible exception to this rule, John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus: Volume 2: Mentor, Message, Miracles (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1994), which depicts a Jesus with a dark complexion, with long black hair and beard. 4. Felder is professor of New Testament languages and literature at Howard University Divinity School in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. 5. Cain Hope Felder, Troubling Biblical Waters; Race, Class, and Family, (New York: Orbis Books, 1994), pp. 8-14. 6. Ibid

Put Some Healthy Sweetness In Your Life

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 28, 2009 at 7:30pm

A lot of people ask what replacements are available for sugar. They know that they should not be eating so much processed sugar, and are quickly learning that it is nearly impossible to avoid it if you are eating any packaged foods, as it is literally in everything regardless of what food you purchase. If you don’t believe me – I challenge you to go to your food cupboard, grab 2-3 items and look at the ingredients – not the nutrition facts (because all food contains some sugars), but the actual ingredients – all of the following are considered processed sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, sucrose, glucose, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and maltodextrin – just to name a few. Seventy-six percent of the 134 lbs. of sugar the average person eats is hidden in foods (Teresa Paul, from HW, Vol. 28). What is a person to do? The Artificial Sweeteners First lets talk about artificial sweeteners that are on the market that are not truly considered natural or healthy. All of these by the way were discovered by accident. The first artificial sweetener was saccharin, invented over 130 years ago by two chemists who where experimenting around with coal tar derivatives. Coal tar is the liquid by-product of the distillation of coal to make coke. It is very viscous brown or black liquid, with smell of naphthalene, or mothballs. It can be made into coal tar soap, which is used to treat eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and other skin disorders via prescription. Many people still believe that saccharine is dangerous because of the “cancer warning” that is still on some saccharine packages. This scare was because some researcher tested rats on saccharine in dosages 1000 times more than would be “normal” for a human in the same weight/size ratio. Further testing by many laboratories has since changed this, and this label has recently been removed. It can leave a yucky aftertaste, which many people don’t like. Saccharine, which is 300 times sweeter than sugar, is also known as Sweet N’ Low, or “the pink stuff” and amazingly is the number one-selling brand today in terms of units and volume. A sweetener from coal – no thanks, I’ll pass. The next big artificial sweetener to hit the market was Asparatame, also known as Nutra-Sweet, or Equal – which is documented in many books and many sites on the web as being unhealthy, causing everything from digestive problems, brain tumors, etc. Two sources you can check out are www.mercola.com and books by Dr. Russell Blaylock. This sweetener was found by accident by a medical chemist who was investigating a drug for ulcers. More and more people are noticing health problems from these sweeteners. If you want to know if it may be affecting your health – stop using all of these sweeteners for 1 month. See if you notice a difference in your health. In addition, the companies that make these products must add fillers to the product because the sweetener is so strong, 180 times sweeter than sugar. Some add cornstarch, which is bad for people with corn allergies, and others add silica or sand. If you think all those “lite” drinks and “diet” products you are eating are healthy for you, I would reconsider. The latest artificial sweetener discovered is sucralose, or Splenda, discovered in 1976 by a graduate student. The August Issue of Discover Magazine, 2005 has an article on all of these artificial sweeteners with pictures of each in their chemical structure, and states that the graduate student’s “… head researcher had told him to test some compounds, but he misunderstood and tasted them instead. Of the three sweeteners, sucralose has been touted as the most natural, but that claim ‘has more to do with clever marketing than with chemistry,’…” In fact, in what we find a very humorous note is both the sugar association and Merisant Worldwide, manufacturer of the artificial sweetener Equal, are suing to stop Splenda from making the claim ‘made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar.’ They say the phrase misleads consumers into thinking Splenda is natural when it is actually ‘a highly processed chemical compound.’ Adding fuel to the fire is this Internet poll: In a poll of 426 people, 47 percent of respondents thought Splenda was natural. Only 8 percent knew it was made from sucralose, which is made by chlorinating sucrose, or sugar.” (Dale Buss, April 28, 2003) Yes, you read that right – chlorinating – with chlorine. Another popular new sweetener that is up and coming is Acesulfame-K – also known as Sunette, Sweet One, and Sweet ‘n Safe. Suzanne Somers uses this in her SomerSweet product. Acesulfame-K was discovered in 1967 and is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar. Acesulfame-K is a highly stable, crystalline sweetener with a chemical structure that is similar to saccharin. Acesulfame-K is usually used in combination with aspartame or other sweeteners because it has a synergistic effect to enhance and sustain the sweet taste of foods and beverages. Acesulfame-K is found in many foods, and it was approved for use by the FDA in 1988. “Even compared to aspartame and saccharin which are afflicted with their own safety problems, acesulfame K is the worst. The additive is inadequately tested, the FDA based its approval on tests of acesulfame K that fell short of the FDA’s own standards. But even those tests indicate that the additive causes cancer in animals, which means it may increase cancer risk in humans. In l987, CSPI (The Center for Science in the Public Interest) urged the FDA not to approve acesulfame K, but was ignored. After the FDA gave the chemical it’s blessing, CSPI urged that it be banned. The FDA hasn’t yet ruled on that request.” This is from http://www.holisticmed.com/acek/ . It isn’t something I want to take a chance with for my health. There is another new sweetener coming on the market called neotame – which is 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Why we need that, I have no idea. So what is wrong with Honey? There are many natural sweeteners. These include simple sugars such as honey, molasses, date sugar or syrup, turbinado sugar (raw sugar – they take the sugar cane, dry it, and crush it – making true brown sugar – the popular brown sugar you purchase in the grocery store is really white sugar with molasses added after the fact, true raw sugar has the molasses still in tact without removing valuable minerals), Sorghum (a grain syrup), Succanat (dried cane juice – where they take the sugar cane, and extract out the juice), maple sugar or syrup, fructose (fruit sugar) and fruit juice concentrate. One popular brand of fruit juice concentrate is Mystic Lake Syrup. Then there are the complex sugars like, brown rice syrup, and barley malt. Fruit can also be substituted in recipes (for example; replace applesauce for oil in banana bread), as fruit is 33% complex sugar. The complex sugars take your body longer to break down and are considered healthier than the simple sugars. There are complex sugars in all whole grains as well. Once you have optimum health, eating these in moderation is considered okay. Remember it is important that our bodies do get some form of sugars – sugars turn to carbohydrates and that is what our bodies burn for energy. So once you are healthy eating simple sugars in moderation is a good thing. In the meantime we recommend people get their sugars from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The problem with all of these natural sweeteners is that they still act as sugar in the body. This means they raise blood sugar levels, are high on the glycemic index scale, which is bad for diabetics and others with blood sugar issues. For people that are trying to get rid of fungus, parasites or other health issues, they can feed these organisms and make it harder to rid the body of these unfriendly body guests. The biggest issue of all is weight loss, all sugar turns to carbohydrates and must be burned by the body. And let’s face it, people like to eat sweets, but don’t like to exercise – so sweeteners that don’t affect the glycemic index are considered beneficial for weight loss. Healthy Alternative Sweeteners Fortunately there are some healthy alternative sweeteners out on the market today. Four of the most popular are Agave Nectar, Lo Han, Stevia and Xylitol. Agave Nectar The first of these is Agave Nectar from the Agave cactus. This agave nectar is what they make tequila out of. It is similar in taste and texture to honey. It can be purchased in a raw form – which means it is not heated or cooked, a dark form, which has more minerals intact and has a richer flavor similar to barley malt, or a light form, which is lighter and looks more like honey or brown rice syrup. It is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar, but has nearly half the amount of carbohydrates. Agave has a glycemic index of 48, and honey has one of 58. Most agave nectar is organic and is easy to use and cook with. I make lemonade with it often – using water, lemon juice, and agave to sweeten. I also use it as a sweetener in my chai tea as it adds body to the tea, so with the oat milk, and the Yogi Tea Redbush Chai Tea – it is very yummy. Lo Han Another favorite sweetener of is Lo Han Kuo. Also known as just Lo Han, it is a fruit from China. Lo Han is so low in calories that one serving has no measurable caloric value, it also has an incredibly low glycemic index. It does not cause sweet or food cravings, nor does it stimulate fat storage. Lo Han does not raise blood sugar and is safe for most diabetics and hypoglycemics. Best of all, it tastes great. Flavor is slightly softer or some would say, more fruity than sugar, a bit like maple syrup. It can be used in cereals, tea, or wherever you would sweeten with sugar. There are recipes in the boxes as well and there are starting to show up on websites as well. Lo Han is 10-15 times as sweet as sugar. Prices have dropped on this product and it is now much more cost-effective, but it is still considered more expensive than the other sweeteners listed here. Lo Han is sold by TriMedica as SlimSweet, and a few other makers as well. There are even beverages available by many companies that use Lo Han as a sweetener. Stevia Stevia has been used for over 1500 years in Paraguay and surrounding countries. In the 1970’s the Japanese developed a method of refining the sweetness out of the plant – creating a new term called steviosides, which are 300 times sweeter than sugar. In Japan stevia is sold in most of their soft drinks and many other products, as they do not allow any artificial sweeteners to be used. When using the whole leaf extract, there is a bitter taste with the sweetness, and an aftertaste of licorice when the product is diluted with water or other liquid. I have many people tell me that they have “tried stevia” and don’t like it. I encourage people to try several brands, because each is very different from the next. Each brand can vary between 20-200 times sweeter than sugar, some are liquids and some are powders. Cooking with stevia can be a challenge – but there are some great cookbooks out there – check your local library first or Amazon.com for some used ones. I am sure your local health food store will have some of the most recent ones, or just surf the Internet as there are many out there as well. Recipes that call for 1 cup of sugar, will usually only use 1/8th of a teaspoon of stevia – which of course changes the bulkiness of the finished product. Cookies for example, wouldn’t have that much bulk to them – so it is important to find a recipe that will give you the end result that you are looking for. Xylitol (wood sugar) Xylitol is approved for use as a sugar substitute in 35 countries and has been in the U.S. since the 1960’s. Xylitol is an all-natural wood sugar and is naturally extracted without chemicals using steam. The human body naturally produces xylitol and it is also a natural carbohydrate that is found in fibrous fruits and vegetables. The benefits of xylitol include: stops the growth of yeast (including Candida Albicans), safe for diabetics, very low on the glycemic index scale – 7, fights plaque, improves breath odor, strengthens tooth enamel, 40% fewer calories than sugar (9.6 calories per serving), 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar, helps to boost the immune system and reduces middle ear infections by 40% in children, reduces infections in the mouth and relieves dry mouth. Xylitol can be used in all baking except where yeast is involved. It works great in hot drinks, but doesn’t dissolve well in cold drink. There are xylitol cookbooks available. Xylitol was originally made from birch trees, but after damaging many birch forests, with no other use for the extracted wood, many companies have now switched to corncobs. Almost all xylitol is now extracted from corncobs. Some companies use non-GMO corn, and others do not. Check where you purchase xylitol as each source is different and many of our customers notice the difference between the brand names. Xylitol is unique of all the sweeteners as it actually helps your teeth. It is now used as a sweetener in many gums, and candy products, as well as toothpaste, mouthwash and even nose spray, as it is beneficial for sinus and ear infections because it kills the fungus and bacteria that cause these conditions. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and there are many other sugar alcohols out there on the market; sorbitol comes from cherries, maltitol that comes from malt sugar, mannitol comes from seaweed, and lactitol from milk sugar. The negatives for xylitol are that when you use too much xylitol in some baking, there is a cooling effect aftertaste, which of course is perfect for gum, candy or other products where there is mint present. Xylitol gum lasts forever, which is great. . There is another new sugar alcohol called Erythritol that we are seeing in some new products. It doesn’t cause the intestinal problems like the other sugar alcohols, but it also doesn’t have all the benefits of the xylitol either. I encourage you to try these new healthy sweeteners and put some healthy sweetness in your life.

Daily Bible Study: Problems Inside & Outside the Church – Acts 6&7

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 25, 2009 at 9:27pm

Introduction: All local churches face problems. The first congregation was no exception, but they realized problems do not just go away by themselves. They must be confronted. The church’s first internal problem had been about collecting funds (the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5). We will see that the second internal problem concerned distribution of funds. Money has often been a center of conflict, whether in the early church or today’s church. I. Men Appointed to Care for Widows – Acts 6:1-7 >>> Please read Acts 6:1-7. <<< *1* What problem did the church face? Answer: Some Grecian ______ were neglected in the daily distribution. *2* What solution did the apostles reveal to solve the problem? Answer: They said to appoint (give a number) ______ men to watch over the matter. *3* What work did the apostles themselves continue to emphasize? (a) making new laws, (b) prayer and the word, (c) recreation and sports. Answer: ______. Comments: A problem arose when certain Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) in the church claimed that their widows were not being cared for as well as other widows. To solve the problem, the apostles said that men should be especially appointed to see that the distribution was handled fairly and properly. The men chosen had to be wise and spiritually minded, having a reputation for righteousness. Not just any men may be appointed leaders among God’s people. 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 list qualifications men must have to serve as elders or deacons in local churches. As in Acts 6, when God has spelled out the qualifications, the local church is expected to determine which men meet those qualifications. The issue here concerned what needy people should be cared for by church funds. This “business” was accomplished under the guidance of men within the framework of the local church. This is the first of many passages that emphasize local church independence (cf. 1 Peter 5:1-3; Acts 14:23; 20:28). Specifically, each local church should decide for itself what needy members it will care for. Instead of this, modern churches often form boards, societies, and institutions to centralize and supervise the work on behalf of many local churches. Such was never done in the New Testament, neither in evangelism nor in benevolence. Each local church was completely capable and responsible to make decisions about its own local work without supervision or guidance from any central earthly organization. Finally, note that the church did care for the physical needs of its own destitute widows. But the highest officers, the apostles, did not consider such work to be their primary focus. Physical concerns were delegated to others, while the highest leaders concentrated on spiritual concerns: worship and teaching God’s word. This harmonizes with other passages showing that the emphasis of local churches should be on spiritual matters. The church exists to help people be saved, grow in their relationship with God, and receive eternal life. See 1 Peter 2:5; John 18:36; Acts 20:28-30; John 3:3,5; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 4:11-16. Think: Even the authorized work of caring for destitute members should not be allowed to hinder the spiritual emphasis of the church. Should the church then allow itself to become involved in Social Gospel practices which appeal to people’s physical, material interests but are not even authorized activities for local churches to engage in? In order to prosper in God’s work, a local church must deal with its internal problems (cf. v7). II. Stephen’s Preaching and Arrest – Acts 6:8-15 >>> Please read Acts 6:8-15. <<< *4* What work did Stephen do? (a) started a monastery, (b) blessed the holy water, (c) did miracles and disputed with false teachers. Answer: ______. *5* How effective was his teaching? Answer: People could not resist the ______ of his speech. *6* How did his opponents deal with Stephen (v13)? Answer: They had ______ testify against him. Comments: For several chapters now the record of Acts will follow the work of two of the seven men appointed in Acts 6. Stephen was the first man after Pentecost who was said to do miracles but not an apostle. Interestingly, verse 6 said the apostles had laid hands on these men. Acts 8:14-22 will show that people, who were not apostles, could receive miraculous power by having apostles lay hands on them; but only apostles could so impart these powers. Think: Many people today say we should “tolerate” all other views and should not say other religious people are wrong. But Stephen boldly disputed with men in error, just as the apostles and other faithful preachers did throughout Acts. Should we should imitate their example? See also Rev. 3:19; Gal. 6:1,2; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2-4. As with the apostles in Acts 4,5, Stephen’s effective preaching of truth led to opposition. People could not disprove his teaching, but they still refused to accept it. Instead, they resorted to lies and persecution. This is just what Jesus predicted (Matt. 5:10-12). Note that John 2:19-22 clearly says that Jesus’ statement about destroying the temple and raising it up referred to his body, not to a place of worship. III. Stephen’s Defense – Acts 7:1-53 When the high priest allowed him to speak, Stephen presented one of the best overviews of Old Testament history to be found anywhere. The Promises to Abraham >>> Please read Acts 7:1-8. <<< *7* What Old Testament character did Stephen begin describing? (a) Moses, (b) David, (c) Eve, (d) Abraham, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *8* What command did God give him (v3)? Answer: He was to leave his country and go to a land that God would ______ him. *9* What promise did God make to him (vv4,5)? Answer: He promised to give the land of Canaan to his ______. *10* What covenant did God make with him (v8)? (a) circumcision, (b) the 10 Commands, (c) the sabbath day, (d) the rainbow. Answer: ______. Comments: Stephen may appear to be ignoring the charges against him. However, he had already proved the Jews could not answer his evidence (6:10ff). By summarizing Jewish history, he began with a subject the Jews knew and loved, then he used it to show that they had rejected God’s word like their ancestors had repeatedly done. God had commanded Abraham to leave his homeland not even knowing where he was going (Gen. 12:1). Because of Abraham’s obedient faith (Heb. 11:8-10), God gave him three great promises. Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation, would inherit Canaan, and through them would come a blessing on all nations. These blessings were to come on Abraham’s descendants, yet at the time he was childless! In Acts 3:25,26, Peter had explained that the promise of the blessing on all nations referred to salvation through Jesus’ death. Circumcision of male children was the sign of this covenant (Gen. 17:9-14). The promises were repeated to Abraham’s heirs: Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s twelve sons. Before these promises would be fulfilled, however, Israel must undergo slavery. See Gen. 12:2,3,7; 22:17,18; 26:3,4. Joseph’s Role in the History of the Nation >>> Please read Acts 7:9-16. <<< *11&12* What did Joseph’s brothers do to him, and what did God do? Answer: His brothers sold him into ______, but God made him ______ of the land. *13* What caused Joseph’s brothers to go to Egypt? (a) they were lost, (b) a famine, (c) they went to fight a war, (d) a religious pilgrimage. Answer: ______. *14* Whom did Joseph then bring to live in Egypt with him? Answer: He brought his father (named) ______ and his relatives went to Egypt. Comments: In fulfillment of God’s prediction, Abraham’s descendants became slaves in Egypt. This began because, of Jacob’s twelve sons, the favorite was Joseph. In envy, his brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt (Gen. 37). Yet God blessed Joseph by a series of fascinating providential acts, so that he became governor of the land (Gen. 39-41). When famine came, Joseph had prepared the Egyptians. But Joseph’s brothers were unprepared, so they went to Egypt to buy food. There Joseph recognized his brothers and, unknown to them, tested their repentance. Finally, he revealed himself to them and forgave them (Gen. 42-45). He then brought Jacob and the whole family to Egypt, so he could provide for them. So the Israelites escaped the famine, but other trials awaited them. Slavery and the Birth of Moses >>> Please read Acts 7:17-22. <<< *15* How did a later Egyptian king treat the Israelites? (a) he mistreated (dealt treacherously with) them, (b) he made slaves of them, (c) he caused the death of their babies, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *16* Who was eventually born? (a) Jesus, (b) Peter, (c) Moses. Answer: ______. *17* Who brought him up as though he were her own son? Answer: Moses was brought up by ______. Comment: Years later an Egyptian king or Pharaoh came to power who did not know Joseph. He enslaved the Israelites and caused the death of their sons, because he feared their growing numbers. God heard the prayers of His oppressed people and sent a deliverer named Moses. By God’s providence, Moses escaped death as a baby by actually being raised as the son of Pharaoh’s own daughter! Moses’ Flight from Egypt >>> Please read Acts 7:23-29. <<< *18* What attempts did Moses make to help the Israelites? Answer: He killed an ______ and tried to reconcile two Israelites. *19* Where did he go when he realized his deed was known? (a) Midian (Madian), (b) Jerusalem, (c) Rome, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: When Moses grew up, he realized he was really an Israelite, so he decided to try to help the Israelites. First, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite. Then he tried to make peace between two Israelites. One of them rejected him saying, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” When he realized that people knew he had killed the Egyptian, he fled to the land of Midian. The Call of Moses at the Burning Bush >>> Please read Acts 7:30-37. <<< *20* How did God appear to Moses? (a) as a woman, (b) in a cloud, (c) in a dream, (d) in a bush that burned but was not consumed. Answer: ______. *21* What did God instruct Moses to do for the Israelites? Answer: God wanted Moses to deliver Israel from ______. *22* Whom did Moses predict that God would later raise up? Answer: Moses predicted God would send a ______ like Moses. Comments: Later God appeared in a burning bush and called Moses to go to Egypt to free the Israelites. He empowered Moses to do great miracles, including the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians, the crossing of the Red Sea, and providing for Israel in the wilderness. By the time Israel left Egypt, the first of God’s promises to Abraham had been fulfilled: they had become a great nation. Moses also predicted the coming of a later prophet like himself. This prophet was Jesus (see on Acts 3:22,23). Note the similarities: Similarities between Moses and Jesus Both were lawgivers and judges (vv35,38). Both delivered people from bondage (v35). Both were prophets and mediators (vv37; cf. Gal. 3:19). Both did great signs and wonders (v36). Both were rejected by the people (vv35,39-41,52). The Israelites’ Idolatry >>> Please read Acts 7:38-46. <<< *23* Where did God speak to Moses (v38)? Answer: God spoke to Moses at Mt. ______. *24* What did Israel worship (vv39-43)? (a) a calf, (b) images, (c) the host of heaven, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *25* God instructed Moses to make the tabernacle in what way? Answer: He made the tabernacle according to the ______ God had showed him. Comments: Stephen here approaches the main point of his defense. God gave laws to Israel through Moses and led them into the promised land of Canaan. But the people worshiped idols repeatedly throughout their history. God kept His promises, but the people disobeyed Him and did not keep their part of the covenant. Note that the second promise to Abraham had now been fulfilled: his descendants had received the land of Canaan. Some people, even today, claim that Israel never really received the land, so Jesus will give it to them when He returns. But the Bible clearly says they did receive all that God had promised (Josh. 23:14; 21:43-45). Stephen’s Rebuke of the Jews >>> Please read Acts 7:47-53. <<< *26* What did Solomon build? (a) an idol, (b) a temple to God, (c) the city of Rome, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *27* How did Israel treat the prophets that God sent them? Answer: The Jews had ______ the prophets. *28* What application did Stephen make to the Jews of his day? Answer: The Jews disobeyed the law and murdered the ______. Comments: In Canaan, Israel was led by judges then later by kings, including David and Solomon. Solomon built the temple. Stephen quotes Scripture showing that, though God approved of the temple, no building could ever contain God. This showed that the Jews misunderstood the significance of God’s gifts to them. God had given the Israelites great promises through Abraham, deliverance and the law through Moses, and the temple through Solomon. They seemed to think these things assured them of God’s favor. Stephen showed that they were mistaken. They still had to obey God. But despite God’s goodness, the people became more disobedient. God sent prophets to teach the people and call them to repentance. Yet Stephen asked which of those prophets the people had failed to persecute or kill. This brought Stephen to his climax. The prophets had foretold of the coming Messiah. The Jews knew their ancestors had mistreated the prophets and disobeyed the law. Yet they themselves also had disobeyed the law and had even killed the Messiah that the prophets predicted! Once again the defendant became the accuser! The Jews had put Stephen on trial, claiming he disrespected the law and the temple. He proved they were really the ones who disrespected the law. IV. The First Christian Martyr – Acts 7:54-60 >>> Please read Acts 7:54-60. <<< *29* What did the Jews do to Stephen for his message (v58)? Answer: They cast him out of the city and ______ him. *30* What did he see in heaven? Answer: He saw Jesus standing (where?) at the ______ of God. *31* What plea did he make on behalf of his murderers? Answer: He asked the Lord to not charge them with this ______. Comments: Stephen had just accused the Jews of being like their ancestors, who persecuted and killed the prophets. They proceeded to prove he was correct by doing the very same thing to him! Note again the contrast to the Jews on Pentecost in Acts 2. When they had been accused of having killed Jesus, they repented and were baptized. But when Stephen made the same accusation against these Jews, they killed him! The effect of the gospel depends on the hearts of the hearers. Before dying, Stephen was allowed to see Jesus at God’s right hand. This further confirms that Jesus now reigns as King (see on Acts 2:33). And note once again the importance of bold proclamation of truth. Many today want the gospel message to be watered down and compromised with “a positive message.” The gospel does contain positive truth, but people will not appreciate it till they first see their own error and their need for repentance. Faithful preachers did not fail to tell people their errors. Stephen was willing to die rather than compromise. The “first Christian martyr” died calling on Jesus to receive his spirit and to not charge this sin against the murderers. He died as his Master had died. Among the murderers was a young Jew named Saul. He never forgot Stephen’s death (see Acts 22:20). In Saul’s case, Stephen’s prayer was fulfilled, not immediately, but later when Saul repented and was converted (see Acts 9). Personal application questions: *32* Should church supervision be local or centralized? __________________ *33* How common is disobedience among God’s people? __________________ *34* Should Christians show other people their errors, even in religion? __________________

What You Should Know About Organic Foods

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 25, 2009 at 9:23pm

Just what does it mean when a food is labeled organic? The U.S. Department of Agriculture finally issued a new national seal designed to bring clarity and assurance to consumers that foods bearing the seal are certified organic following USDA standards which were 10 years in the making. Organic LabelBeginning Oct. 21, only foods certified as at least 95 percent organic – that is, produced without most pesticides, toxic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics – will be allowed to carry the official “USDA organic” seal. One caveat: The new rules apply only to food produced on or after Oct. 21, so it may be several months before the seal becomes commonplace in grocery aisles, particularly on packaged foods where the turnover is slower. The new USDA national standards replace what had been a mishmash of certification systems run by individual states and private groups. The USDA seal will ensure consumers are actually purchasing a product that is truly organic rather than a creatively worded package that advertises itself as organic when only a few ingredients actually are. Under the new rules, foods will be labeled as belonging to one of four categories: 1. Food that is 100 percent organic may carry the new “USDA organic” label and say “100% organic.” 2. Food that is at least 95 percent organic may carry the new seal. 3. Food that is at least 70 percent organic will list the organic ingredients on the front of the package. 4. If a product is less than 70 percent organic, the organic ingredients may be listed on the side of the package but cannot say “organic” on the front. The national organic program rules prohibit the use of conventional pesticides, petroleum- or sewage-sludge-based fertilizers, bioengineering or ionizing radiation and synthetic substances. Foods certified as organic must be produced using growing methods that minimize soil erosion and that maintain or enhance the fertility of the soil. Organic farms need to prove that these materials have not been used for at least three years. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones, must be fed organic feed and have access to the outdoors. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” an inspector visits the farm where the food is produced to make sure the farm meets USDA standards. Look for the word “organic” and a small sticker version of the USDA organic seal on vegetables or pieces of fruit or on the sign above the organic produce display. The word “organic” and the seal may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Use of the seal is voluntary. The federal government’s stamp of approval is an important step toward mainstream acceptance for the rapidly growing industry. Organic food sales in the U.S. are increasing by about 20 percent a year and are expected to surpass $11 billion in 2002 and $20 billion in 2005. The new USDA’s national criteria for labeling are aimed at enabling consumers to make an educated choice among the foods they purchase and also include the safeguard of fines for misrepresentation. New federal laws for organic certification assess penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of selling or labeling products “organic” when they are not or when organic food is contaminated with non-organic compounds. This means that the organic grapes can.t be contaminated by the non-organic apples. Separate tubs and wash water are used to trim and clean produce and if there is an organic display in a place where non-organics have been, it is required that the nonskid mats be replaced and the area cleaned with a mild, bleach solution. For more detailed information on the USDA organic standards, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop, call the National Organic Program at 202-720-3252, or write USDA-AMS-TM-NOP, Room 4008 S. Building, Ag Stop 0268, 1400 and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Daily Bible Study: The First Converts at Work – Acts 2:42-3:26

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 24, 2009 at 2:30am

Introduction: In Acts 2:14-36 Peter had preached the first gospel sermon after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. 3000 people obeyed and became the first converts to the gospel. Please review Lesson 2 before proceeding. Let us see what these people did as new converts to the gospel. I. Worship – Acts 2:42 >>> Please read Acts 2:42. <<< *1,2,3&4* In what four things did early converts “continue steadfastly”? Answer (list them in order): They continued in the apostles’ ______, in ______, in ______, and in ______. The apostles’ doctrine Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles in their preaching (John 16:13). Their message was the very will of Jesus Himself (Luke 10:16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Matthew 10:19,20). We should study their message diligently today, just as these early Christians did. No commands should be taught that differ from what they taught (Matthew 15:9; Galatians 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Colossians 3:17). Fellowship “Fellowship” means sharing. Early Christians shared many blessings (see vv 43-45). V42 refers to activities they shared together in worship. All Christians have spiritual fellowship with one another because of our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3-7). But we should never share or have fellowship in sin (Eph. 5:11; 2 John 9-11). Breaking of bread “Breaking bread” can refer to a common meal (as in v46). But v42 clearly refers to worship, so this must be the Lord’s Supper. >>> Please read Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. <<< *5* What is the meaning of the unleavened bread in communion? Answer: The bread is a memorial to Jesus’ ______. *6* What is the meaning of the cup (fruit of the vine)? Answer: The cup is a memorial to His ______. Old Testament feasts memorialized various important events. In the New Testament we remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper. We will later see that this should be done each first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Prayer Prayer refers to speaking to God (Acts 4:23-31), in which we praise and thank Him and make requests (Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7). >>> Please read 1 Timothy 2:5,6. <<< *7* How many mediators are there between men and God? Answer (give a number): There is ______ mediator between God and men. *8* Who is this mediator? (a) Mary, (b) the priesthood, (c) Buddha, (d) Jesus, (e) dead saints, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: Jesus is the only Mediator between men and God, because His death makes it possible for us to approach God in prayer. Since only Jesus did this, no one else can mediate between men and God. We will see that other acts of Scriptural worship include singing and giving. Like these early converts, we too should “continue steadfastly” in all these acts of worship (Heb. 10:25). II. Caring for Needy Members – Acts 2:43-45 >>> Please read Acts 2:43-45. <<< *9* What work is described here? (a) building a cathedral, (b) a pilgrimage to Mecca, (c) caring for needy members, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *10* Who gave to help people who were in need (v44)? Answer: Those who gave were all who ______. Comment: The purpose of this collection was to relieve individuals in need, not to distribute property equally (2:45; 4:35). Each disciple decided voluntarily how much to give (2 Cor. 9:7; Acts 5:4). Christians did not practice mandatory communal living. People continued to own houses to live in (Acts 2:46; 21:8; chap. 12). This special need likely arose because people had come to Jerusalem from all over the world (vv 5-11). After being converted, they stayed to be taught before going home. Other Christians went to great lengths to provide for them. Many other verses show that local churches helped needy members (Acts 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1,12). We will learn that churches received funds to do their work by taking collections on the first day of the week. All members gave generously according to their prosperity. See 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7. III. Church Growth – Acts 2:46,47 >>> Please read Acts 2:46,47. <<< *11* Who adds people to Jesus’ church? (a) the Pope, (b) the Lord, (c) the priests, (d) the other members vote them in, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *12* Whom does the Lord add to the church? Answer: The Lord adds those who are ______. Comments: To accommodate meetings of thousands of Christians, the Jerusalem church apparently met in a porch of the temple (cf. Acts 3:11; 5:12). However, they ate their meals at home. We will see that the work of the early church involved worshiping God, studying and teaching God’s word, and caring for needy members. As a church, they never became involved in modern Social Gospel activities, such as entertainment and recreation, etc. Even common meals were eaten apart from church meetings (see also 1 Cor. 11:22,34). The church is a spiritual body, dedicated to the salvation of souls. We need to imitate this spiritual emphasis in the church today. From verse 47 on, Acts describes the church as a living, working group of people (Acts 5:11; 8:1-3; 11:22,26; etc.). The church is not a physical building or a denomination. It is the body of all people who have been saved by Jesus’ blood and over whom He rules as Head (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23,25; Acts 20:28). If, as some believe, the church is not essential to salvation, that would mean that Jesus’ blood and Headship are also non-essential! One cannot purchase membership or be voted into the church that Jesus’ built. One must submit to the gospel, so Jesus’ blood cleanses him. Then Jesus adds him to the church (v47). The church promised by Jesus had begun. It is the kingdom of Christ, and all saved people are in it! Are you part of it? IV. The Healing of the Lame Man – Acts 3:1-10 The Problem >>> Please read Acts 3:1,2. << *13* What problem did the man at the temple gate have? Answer: The man was ______. *14* What proves he really had this problem? (a) he was lame from birth, (b) he was 40 years old (Acts 4:22), (c) people carried him to the temple, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: The Holy Spirit gave the apostles power to do miraculous signs (Acts 2:43). These miracles confirmed that God sent the men to act on His behalf. Satan sends false prophets, who claim to be from God (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Matt. 7:15). Today, we can recognize false prophets by comparing their teaching to the Bible, but when the church had just begun the Bible was not completed yet. People needed a way to distinguish true prophets from false prophets. Miracles accomplished that purpose (cf. Acts 1:3; 2:22; 14:3; Mark 16:20; John 20:30,31; Hebrews 2:3,4). To do this, true miracles had to be signs that false prophets could not duplicate. They were always clearly impossible by natural law but could be accomplished only by God’s supernatural power. They always possessed characteristics that marked them as true miracles. These characteristics also distinguish Bible signs from the so-called miracles of modern false healers. The healing of the lame man demonstrates the characteristics of true miraculous Bible signs. The first characteristic was that miraculous healings solved obvious diseases that clearly existed. This man had been lame all his life (over 40 years). He had to be carried to the temple gate. Bible miracles never cured invisible or psychosomatic diseases, but always clear, obvious physical diseases. Modern “healers” often profess to heal problems that cannot be seen or that could result from a person’s state of mind. >>> Please read Acts 3:3-5. <<< *15* What did the man ask Peter and John to give him? (a) healing (b) a miracle, (c) alms (a charitable gift), (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: The man asked for money, not for a miracle. This shows that people who were healed in the Bible did not always have faith to be healed. This man was not even expecting to be healed. Modern “healers” often fail to accomplish a healing, so they blame the sick person for not having enough faith. When Jesus tried to heal, He never failed, nor did the apostles fail after the Spirit came on Pentecost. And they never excused a failure on other people’s lack of faith. The Healing >>> Please read Acts 3:6-8. <<< *16&17* Why didn’t Peter give the man money? Answer: Peter said he had no ______ or ______. *18* What did Peter do for the man? Answer: Instead of giving money, Peter told him to rise up and ______ in the name of Jesus . *19* How do we know the man was healed? (a) he stood up, (b) he leaped and walked, (c) he reacted immediately, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: This shows other characteristics of true Bible miracles. Miracles were never done for the personal glory or financial gain of the teacher. Peter had no wealth and asked for none. He gave the glory to God (”in the name of Jesus”). Modern healers always ask for contributions, even from people in abject poverty. Often such men are very rich. Also, the healing was instantaneous – the man “immediately” received strength. This is true of all Bible healings (cf. Luke 13:11-13; Mark 2:10-12; 5:25-29, 35-42; etc.). Modern “healers” often claim miracles if people gradually improve over a period of days, months, or years! Further, the healing was complete and obvious. All symptoms of the disease were removed. The man stood up leaping and walking. Even if his strength had returned, he would naturally need to learn to walk. But this man could immediately leap and walk. Modern “healers” often claim miracles when improvement is only partial or not obvious at all. >>> Please read Acts 3:9,10. <<< *20* Who observed the man walking? (a) all the people, (b) only the apostles, (c) no one, (d) only the man himself saw it. Answer: ______. *21* How did this affect the people? Answer: The people were filled with ______. Comment: Again note that the people could observe for themselves the effect of the miracle. It occurred to a man they knew locally. They were not asked to believe on the basis of unconfirmed testimony about events that occurred to unknown people in faraway lands. They could observe the proof for themselves. Finally note that the miracle caused wonder and amazement. This illustrates the purpose of miracles. They always occurred to confirm that men were sent by God (see references above). Consider what we have learned about miraculous Bible healings: Characteristics of Miraculous Healing Bible Miracles Modern “Healings” * Impossible by natural law * Obvious ailments * No failures * Not for the gain of the healer * Instantaneous * Complete, obvious healing * Purpose: to confirm the word *Explainable by natural law * Often invisible or psychosomatic * Often try but fail * Healers become wealthy * Gradual or progressive * Improvement partial or no proof * Confirms no new revelation V. The Second Gospel Sermon – Acts 3:11-26 >>> Please read Acts 3:11-15. <<< *22* What happened as news of the healing spread? Answer: As news spread many people ran together and met on Solomon’s ______. *23* What did Peter accuse the people of doing to Jesus? Answer: Peter said they had ______ Jesus. *24* What did God do? (a) killed the people, (b) forgave everyone, (c) raised Jesus from the dead, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *25* How did Peter prove Jesus had been raised? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised. Comment: People gathered as they heard about the miracle, so Peter used the opportunity to preach to them. The message is similar to Acts 2. Peter convicted the people of killing Jesus and again gave the apostles’ testimony that Jesus had been raised (see Acts 1:8; 2:32). Sinners must come to believe in Jesus. Peter’s first proof was the resurrection. >>> Please read Acts 3:16-18. <<< *26* Who had sent the power that healed the lame man? Answer: The power to heal came through faith in ______. *27* Did the people kill the Christ: (a) knowingly, or (b) ignorantly? Answer (a or b): ______. *28* Who had foretold the suffering of Jesus? Answer: God foretold Jesus’ suffering through all His ______. Comment: Peter said that the healing of the lame man was done by the power of Jesus. So his second proof of Jesus was miracles. When the people killed Jesus, they had not known He was their Christ, God’s Son. But they were still guilty. Ignorance of God’s law is not an excuse (see Acts 17:30). As in Acts 2:23, Jesus’ death was not unexpected. God knew all along it would happen, and had predicted it by the prophets. So Peter’s third proof of Jesus was fulfilled prophecy, just like in Acts 2:23-36. >>> Please read Acts 3:19-21. <<< *29* What did Peter say they should do about their sins? Answer: He told them to repent and ______. *30* Heaven must receive Jesus until what happens? (a) the times of restoration, (b) He establishes an earthly kingdom, (c) the Rapture. Answer: ______. Comments: “Conversion” refers to a change of life, so one ceases being alienated from God and enters into His fellowship (Matt. 18:3; 13:15). Now compare Acts 3:19 to Acts 2:38: 2:38 – Repent and be baptized for remission of sins 3:19 – Repent and be converted so your sins may be blotted out The parallel shows that baptism is the point at which one is converted. “For remission of sins” (2:38) means “that your sins may be blotted out” (3:19). So again, baptism is necessary to receive forgiveness of sins. Then one receives “times of refreshing” – he is born again so that all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:5; Rom. 6:3,4). What are the “times of restoration” (v21)? Man’s sin brought spiritual consequences including alienation from God (Gen. 3:1-15). Jesus’ death can “restore” sinners to God’s favor. The gospel age is the time when this saving message is preached so all have the opportunity to be restored, as prophesied in the Old Testament. At the end of the gospel age Jesus will come to judge men for their lives. >>>Please read Acts 3:22,23. <<< *31* Who predicted the coming of a prophet like himself? (a) Isaiah, (b) Mohammed, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Moses. Answer: ______. *32* How much of that prophet’s message must we listen to? Answer: We must hear ______ He teaches. *33* What happens to those who do not give heed to Him? Answer: Those who don’t give heed will be ______ from among the people. Comments: Again, various cults claim that their leader was the prophet predicted to be like Moses. But the whole context describes the work of Christ. V26 clearly says great blessings came through Jesus. In Acts 7:37 Stephen again quotes this passage and applies it to Jesus. Jesus is the prophet who was like Moses. What could be more fitting? People today must listen to all that Jesus teaches us. Some want to pick and choose, accepting what they like and rejecting the rest. The prophecy says that those who do so will be utterly destroyed. >>> Please read Acts 3:24-26. <<< *34* What prophets had foretold “these days” when Peter spoke (v24)? Answer: This was foretold by ______ the prophets. *35* What covenant had been made with Abraham? Answer: God promised all families of the earth would be ______. *36* What blessing fulfilled the covenant? Answer: We are blessed through Jesus if we turn away from our ______. Comment: God’s covenant with Abraham was known by every Jew. It was the basis of Israel’s special position in God’s plan. But the greatest hope it offered was a blessing for people of all nations, not just Jews. Peter here clearly identifies that blessing: It was forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal. 3:8,16). This great blessing had come! The covenant with Abraham had been fulfilled! Salvation was available to all! Have you received that forgiveness? Personal application questions: *37* How should worship in the church today compare to that of the early church? __________________ *38* Do you believe miracles like in Acts 3 really did occur? __________________ *39* Do you believe membership in Jesus’ church is essential to eternal life? __________________

God’s Dietary Laws: Abolished in the New Testament?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 23, 2009 at 2:00am

READERS: The purpose of this article is not to condemn or insult those who hold to the standard Christian teaching that God’s dietary laws are abolished under the New Covenant. The purpose of the article is to examine the New Testament passages which are commonly quoted in support of this teaching, and to show that these passages do not really teach what most Christians think they teach. The Bible tells us that there was a distinction between clean and unclean animals for at least a thousand years before the Torah was given to Moses. This distinction between clean and unclean animals is mentioned in Gen. 7:2 and 8:20, in the account of Noah’s Flood. Genesis does not tell us which animals were clean and which were unclean, but it is obvious that Noah knew the difference. About a thousand years later, when the Torah was given to Moses, God went into great detail and listed which animals were clean (kosher; fit for human consumption) and which were unclean (non kosher; not fit for human consumption). The entire 11th chapter of Leviticus is devoted to this subject. A shorter version of the list is repeated in Deuteronomy 14. Orthodox Jews take these commandments literally, and do not eat pork, shellfish, or any of the other forbidden meats. Christians, on the other hand, feel that there is nothing wrong with eating these things. Many Christians (and doctors and nutritionists, too) will admit that people would be a lot healthier if they followed God’s dietary laws, and a small number of Christians actually do make an effort to avoid meat from unclean animals. But the great majority of Christians do not view the dietary laws as Divine commandments which ought to be obeyed. A number of arguments have been put forth to support the standard Christian position. Probably the oldest argument is drawn from the Second Century Epistle of Barnabas. The writer spiritualizes the dietary laws, and says that the various unclean animals represent different types of behavior in which a Christian should not engage. While there may be a legitimate analogy here (Christians shouldn’t behave like pigs, etc.), the analogy fails to prove that God does not want His people to take the commandments literally and abstain from these meats. Of course the most common argument against the validity of the dietary laws is the claim that God abolished them in the New Testament. This claim is often coupled with the idea that God originally gave the dietary laws because people didn’t have refrigeration in Old Testament times. I’ve got news for you. People didn’t have refrigeration in New Testament times, either. If God’s dietary commandments had anything at all to do with the absence of refrigeration, He wouldn’t have “abolished” them until about a hundred years ago, when refrigeration was invented. There are six New Testament passages which can give the impression that God did, indeed, abolish the dietary commandments which He established in the Old Testament. However, a close look at these passages reveals that they really prove no such thing. The only way a person can use any of these passages to “prove” the nullifying of the dietary laws is to: 1) ignore the context of the passage; 2) ignore the historical background of the passage; 3) ignore what the rest of the Bible says about the subject; 4) ignore the implications and logical conclusions of this theological position. Before we look at the six New Testament passages, let us consider two important questions: 1) Were the dietary laws, as written in the Bible, man-made traditions, or were they commandments of God? Bible-believers must admit that these were commandments which God expected His people to obey; 2) Did the Son of God teach His disciples to disobey the commandments of God? Some might think this is a ridiculous question, yet this is exactly what some Christians actually believe Jesus did in Matt. 15, the first passage we will look at. Matt. 15:11, 17f

“Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man . . . Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Many sincere Christians believe that Jesus abolished the Old Testament dietary laws when He made these statements. This idea is given further support in modern translations of the parallel passage in Mark 7:19, where the NASB adds, “Thus He declared all foods clean)” and the NIV says, “(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods ‘clean’).” What most Christians do not know is that this parenthetic interpretation of Jesus’ words does not exist in the Textus Receptus, the “Received Text” that was accepted by the Church as the only authoritative Greek New Testament text until about a hundred years ago. This parenthetic interpretation of Jesus’ words was obviously a comment that some scribe wrote in the margin of the text. Later scribes accidentally or deliberately incorporated the marginal comment into the text itself, so the statement appears only in corrupted texts. But the statement does not appear in the Textus Receptus, so the KJV says nothing about Jesus “declaring all foods clean.” Let us examine this passage, though, and see if Yeshua really was declaring all foods clean. If we back up a few verses, we see Yeshua rebuking the scribes and Pharisees for disobeying the commandments of God: “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God?” (Mt. 15:3), He asks them. “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! You invalidate the word of God by your tradition.” After making statements like these, are we to suppose that Jesus would then set aside and invalidate one of the commandments of God by declaring “all foods,” including meats God had forbidden, “clean”? If so, this would make Jesus either a hypocrite, or stupid, or both. These are charges I would certainly not want to make against Him! Yet this is exactly what the standard Christian position makes Him out to be. The real meaning of Yeshua’s words can be clarified by looking at the context. The controversy in this chapter was not over whether or not pork is kosher. The controversy was initiated when the scribes and Pharisees criticized Yeshua’s disciples for eating with unwashed hands. The Pharisees believed that Shibia, an evil spirit, sat upon the hands at night, and this spirit had to be washed off before eating (Dake Reference Bible, 42, fn.r). Jewish beliefs about hand washing are stated in the Talmud: · “A person who despises the washing of the hands before a meal is to be excommunicated” (Ber. 47b). · “Whoever eats bread without first washing his hands is as though he had sinned with a harlot” (Sot. 4b). · “Whoever makes light of the washing of his hands will be uprooted from the world” (Sot. 4b). · “Whoever eats bread without scouring his hands is as though he eats unclean bread” (Sot. 4b). These beliefs are rooted in the traditions of men, not in the commandments of God. When Yeshua made His statements that seem to be “declaring all foods clean,” He was simply saying that kosher food does not become unkosher if it is eaten with unwashed hands. He was simply disagreeing with the belief that “whoever eats bread without scouring his hands is as though he eats unclean bread.” His final statement makes it clear that this was the point He was making: “ . . . but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man,” (Mt. 15:20). The issue was not over whether or not pork and shellfish are kosher. God had already made that clear in the Torah. The issue was over whether or not unwashed hands caused kosher food to become unkosher. The only way we can say He “declared all foods clean” is to say that He “declared all kosher foods clean,” even if eaten with unwashed hands. Yeshua, a Torah-observant Jew, would not have considered pork or shellfish to be “food.”

Acts 10 Acts 10 tells about Peter’s vision of a great sheet descending from heaven. The sheet is filled with unclean animals, and a voice says, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter says, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” This was many years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection. If Yeshua had “declared all foods clean” several years earlier, Peter certainly didn’t know anything about it! Yet many Christians believe that God sent this vision to tell Peter that He had “changed His mind” about the dietary laws, and abolished them. However, the context shows that the vision had nothing at all to do with a change in God’s dietary laws. The message of the vision was that God was cleansing the Gentiles through their faith in the Messiah, and God wanted these Gentiles to be part of the body of Messiah, a body which at this time consisted of only native-born Jews and of proselytes who had undergone a full, formal conversion to Judaism. The unclean animals in the sheet were symbolic of the Gentile nations. This kind of symbolism would not have seemed unusual to Peter, a Jew who was familiar with the Scriptures. In the writings of the Prophets, the Gentile nations are symbolized by unclean animals such as the eagle, the lion, the bear, and the leopard. (See Ezekiel 17 and Dan. 7). To properly understand Peter’s vision, we must put ourselves in Peter’s shoes. Like the Messiah he followed, Peter was a Torah-observant man. He knew God had clearly commanded His people to not eat certain animals. This is why he said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” To put yourself in Peter’s shoes, imagine that you, as a born-again Christian man, go into a trance and see a great sheet let down from heaven. The sheet is filled with naked women. You hear a voice address you by name and say, “Arise, take and commit adultery!” Like Peter, you would be taken aback by such a vision, because you know that the Scriptures dearly forbid such an act. The only conclusion you could draw from such a vision would be: a) it is of the devil; or b) it is of the Lord, but certainly not meant to be taken in a literal sense. When the messengers of Cornelius arrived, Peter understood that the vision was indeed from the Lord. The fact that these men were Gentiles led Peter to understand the true meaning of the vision: “God hath shown me that I should call no MAN common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). Peter’s explanation makes it clear that the vision was meant to be understood in a figurative sense. Peter had the brains to know that God would not command him to do something that the Scriptures clearly forbid. Peter understood that the vision had nothing at all to do with a change in the dietary laws; it was God’s way of showing Peter His intention to graft the Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel through their faith in Israel’s Messiah. And those grafted into Israel should obey the commandments which God gave to Israel. Colossians 2:16 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink,” Paul wrote. Does this mean that Christians are absolutely free from any dietary restrictions? If that is the case, then I can be a glutton and a drunkard. “But gluttony and drunkenness are condemned in other Bible passages!” you object. True. And eating meat from unclean animals is condemned in other Bible passages, too. As with other New Testament passages, we just need to look at the context of this statement to understand its intended meaning. Verses 13-14 tell us we have been forgiven because the “certificate of debt” has been “taken out of the way.” This “certificate of debt” is not God’s Torah. This is the cheirographon. This word is used only one time in the New Testament. It is a legal term used in extra-Biblical Greek writings, and it means “certificate of indebtedness” (Gingrich Lexicon). In this context, it means that the record of our sins has been thrown out of God’s Court. Because the Messiah died for our sins, this record of our transgressions is inadmissible evidence in the Courtroom of Heaven. Because of the work of our Advocate, Yeshua, we have triumphed over our accuser (verse 15). It is for this reason that we are to let no man judge us: “Let no man therefore judge you . . . .” The word “therefore” points us back to the previous verses which I have just discussed. One way we could paraphrase the passage is this: · You have been forgiven. (v.13) · The record of your sins has been removed from God’s Courtroom through the work of your Advocate, Yeshua. (v. 14) · He triumphed over your accuser, the devil, so you can be victorious over sin. (v.15) · For that reason ["therefore"], don’t give anyone the opportunity to condemn you ["let no man judge you"] in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or the new moon, or the sabbath days. In other words, through the Messiah you have the power to obey the commandments of God which regulate these things. Therefore walk in obedience so that no man can condemn you for not obeying God’s commandments regarding food, drink, holy days, new moon, and sabbaths. · These things are important because they are shadows [not "were" shadows] of things yet to come [not "of things that have already come"]. (v.17) The above paraphrase affirms God’s dietary laws rather than abolishing them. Even if someone wants to interpret Col. 2:16 to mean “don’t worry about dietary laws,” the context forces us to understand this to mean “don’t worry about man-made regulations concerning food and drink.” The entire passage is dealing with man-made regulations of human origin: · “ . . . lest any MAN should beguile you,” (2:4) · “Beware lest any MAN spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of MEN . . . .” (2:8) · “Let no MAN therefore judge you . . . ,” (2:16) · “Let no MAN beguile you . . . ” (2:18) · “ . . . why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances . . . after the commandments and doctrines of MEN?” (2:20-22) Six times the word man/men is entioned in Col. 2. The NIV acknowledges that these verses are talking, not about God’s commandments, but about man-made regulations: the NIV titles this section “Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ.” Paul was dealing with teachers who were imposing man-made regulations as a means to attaining spirituality. Paul was not saying that the laws of God’s Torah are not important. The word law does not appear even one time in the entire Book of Colossians. I Timothy 4:1-5 Paul tells Timothy that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” One mark of these deluded apostates is “commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth.” Paul continues: “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Is this passage telling us that we can disregard God’s commandments that forbid the eating of unclean animals? We might come to this conclusion if we ignore two phrases which qualify and limit the meaning of “every creature.” The first qualifying phrase is “which God hath created to be received [i.e., received as food; created to be eaten].” Which creatures did God create to be received as food? Did God create swine, shellfish, rats, maggots, lizards, bats, and moles to be received as food? Obviously the phrase “every creature” means “every creature which God created to be received as food.” How do we know which creatures God created to be received as food? The answer to that question is in the second qualifying phrase, “sanctified by the word of God.” Where does the Word of God tell us which animals are sanctified and set apart to be received as food? In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, the chapters that give the dietary laws. If we say that “every creature” is not limited and qualified by the phrases “which God hath created to be received” and “sanctified by the word of God,” then we have a problem, because the meat of some animals is poisonous and will kill a person. These creatures are obviously not intended to be received as food. Words such as all and every are often limited in their meaning. In this same epistle Paul tells Timothy that God “richly gives us all things to enjoy” (6:17). Does “all in this verse mean “all” in an unlimited sense? Does God give us Playboy magazine and other pornography to enjoy? Does He give us our neighbor’s wife to enjoy? Does He give us heroin, cocaine, and marijuana to enjoy? Obviously, “all things” does not include those things which God has forbidden, nor those things which are deadly. In the same way, “every creature” does not include those animals which God has forbidden. We see a similar use of “every” in Gen. 1:29, where God says to Adam, “Behold, I have given you EVERY herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth … to you it shall be for food.” Does this mean that all herbs are suitable to eat? How about hemlock, poison ivy, and marijuana? In the 1960s I saw a hippie poster with this Bible verse from Genesis in bold letters superimposed over a large marijuana leaf. Under the Bible verse in smaller letters it read, “This has been overruled by a ‘higher authority’.” The standard Christian position declares that there are no restrictions on what we eat. But Christians do not think through to the logical implications of this theological position. If there are no restrictions, then we cannot criticize people who eat marijuana brownies. We cannot criticize gluttons and drunkards. We cannot even criticize cannibals, for man is also one of God’s creatures. Luke 10:8 and I Corinthians 10:27 “ . . . eat such things as are set before you” (Luke 10:8). “ . . . Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (I Cor. 10:27). Did Yeshua mean that when we are a guest we should eat anything a host offers us, even if it is meat which God has forbidden in the Torah? Did Paul mean that we should not even ask whether or not the meat is from an unclean animal? There are a few things we need to consider. Let’s look at Luke 10:8 first. Yeshua spoke these words when He sent out the seventy. These were seventy Torah-observant Jews who followed a Torah-observant Rabbi. Rabbi Yeshua had told His disciples, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” (Matt. 10:6). It is obvious from this statement that the disciples would be lodging in Torah-observant Jewish homes, where the kosher laws were followed. It is ridiculous to suppose that the disciples might have been offered a pork chop in one of these Jewish homes. Even if this very unlikely possibility had occurred, the disciples would have had enough sense to know that this is not what their Master meant when He said to, “eat such things as are set before you.” He simply meant to be content with the food which your host provided. Paul’s statement in I Corinthians is very similar to Yeshua’s statement, but the context is quite different. Paul is dealing with the question of eating food which has been offered to idols. The New Testament clearly teaches that it is wrong for Christians to eat food offered to idols. Four times this is written, in Acts 15:20, 21:25; Rev. 2:14, 20. On the surface, Paul’s teaching in I Cor. 8 seems to contradict these verses in Acts and Revelation. But Paul clarifies the issue in I Cor. 10, when he writes that “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice [to idols], they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of devils,” (v. 20-21). The problem the Corinthians were facing was this: they did not want to eat meat which had been offered to idols. Sometimes meat sold in the public markets came from animals which had been sacrificed to idols. It might be difficult or impossible to find out whether or not a specific cut of beef came from a cow which had been offered to an idol. Should the Corinthian Christians continue to buy meat at the public market, not knowing whether or not the animal had been offered to an idol? Paul answered this question: “Whatsoever is sold in the market, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (I Cor. 10:25). Apparently, Paul was telling the Corinthians that a person was guilty of eating meat offered to idols only of he knew that the meat had been offered to an idol. If a host offering you meat happened to say, “This was offered in sacrifice to idols,” Paul said that a Christian should “eat not,” (10:28). But if the host said nothing, then the Christian was free to eat the meat. It is in this context that Paul writes “whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (10:27). In other words, do not ask whether or not the meat has been offered to idols. However, this does not mean that we cannot ask what kind of animal the meat came from. Here is a real-life illustration. In 1989 I was standing with some friends near a Hindu temple in India. A Hindu man took some dried fruit from a plate sitting at the foot of one of the idols outside the temple. He came over and offered us some. Because I knew it was food which had been offered to an idol, I politely refused it. Yet I felt free to eat in Indian restaurants, because I had no way of knowing whether or not the food being served to me had previously been offered to idols. Many well-meaning Christians believe that Jesus’ and Paul’s instructions to “eat what is set before you” means that a missionary should not refuse food that a host offers, even if it is meat from an unclean animal. Refusing the food might insult the host and hinder him from accepting the gospel. Again, Christians do not think through to the logical implications and conclusion of this position. If it is permissible (and actually preferable) to knowingly disobey God’s dietary laws to avoid offending one’s host, then why would it not be permissible (or preferable) to disobey other Divine laws to avoid offending one’s host? In some cultures a man shows hospitality to a guest by letting the guest sleep with his (the host’s) wife. If the guest refuses this offer, it is a great insult to the host and the host’s wife. In other cultures it is an insult if a guest refuses to get drunk with the host. In the drug culture it is an insult to refuse to get high with the host. Our quiet, humble, obedience to God’s commandments will sometimes offend people who are ignorant of God’s commandments. Offending some people is one of the unpleasant side effects of obedience. Isaiah 65 and 66 In Isaiah God speaks about “a rebellious people which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; a people that provoke Me to anger continually to My face,” (65:2, 3). One of the reasons these people provoke the Lord is because they “eat swine’s flesh, and the broth of unclean meat is in their pots,” (65:4). “But that’s not talking about Gentiles!” someone objects. “That verse is talking about Israel! Paul says so in Romans 10!” True. And in Romans 11, the very next chapter, Paul says that Gentiles who believe in the Messiah are grafted into Israel. Paul also says that believing Gentiles are made a part of “the commonwealth of Israel” (Eph. 2:12). The context of Isaiah’s prophecy is after the Gentiles have been grafted in and made a part of Israel. Therefore these words are not addressed only to Jews. They are also addressed to non-Jewish Christians living under the New Covenant, because these Christians are grafted into Israel. Before the new heavens and new earth are established, Yahweh declares that He will consume those people “who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice” (Isa. 66:17). The context of this prophecy is the end times, right before the new heaven and new earth are established. This tells us that at this time of history, the Lord still expects His people to obey His dietary laws. I will not presume to speculate on the standing or the fate of Christians who knowingly disregard God’s commandments concerning meat from unclean animals. God is merciful, and I believe He forgives His people when they err in ignorance, when they honestly do not know any better. Of course there is a difference between willful ignorance and innocent ignorance. I believe that, before the Lord destroys those who “eat swine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice,” He will make it clear to those who truly love Him that the dietary laws are still valid and for our own good. It is my prayer that this article will be instrumental in helping to open the eyes of those who truly love Him. – written by Daniel Botkin, Litt. D. This article is from the November/December, 1997, issue of Mr. Botkin’s free bimonthly publication, Gates of Eden, PO Box 2257, East Peoria, IL 61611-0257.

Daily Bible Study: The First Gospel Sermon – Acts 2:1-41

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 21, 2009 at 6:20pm

Introduction: The events of this chapter begin as the 12 apostles (1:26) were gathered in Jerusalem waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had instructed in Acts 1. Please review the previous lesson before beginning. I. The Coming of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-13 The Promise of the Holy Spirit Fulfilled >>> Please read Acts 2:1-4. <<< *1&2* What filled the apostles, and what were they able to do (v4)? Answer: The were filled with the ______, so they spoke in ______. Comment: Clearly this fulfilled the promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had told the apostles to wait for. It came in Jerusalem not many days after Jesus’ ascension, just as He had said it would. But remember that the kingdom was to come when the Holy Spirit came. As our study proceeds, watch for more evidence that the kingdom had indeed begun. The Gift of Speaking in Tongues >>> Please read Acts 2:5-13. <<< Jewish males were required to attend the feast of Pentecost, so Jews were present in Jerusalem from all over the world. The nations from which these men came are listed in vv 9-11. As people heard about what had happened to the apostles, a great crowd gathered to listen to them. *3* Note v6. What did the hearers recognize when the apostles spoke? Answer: Each one heard them speak in his own [[[________]]]. Note that the “tongues” the apostles spoke (vv 4,11) are clearly identified as being “languages” (vv 6,8). *4* From where had all the speakers come (v7)? (a) Jerusalem, (b) America, (c) Judea, (d) Galilee, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *5* What subject did the apostles speak about (v11)? Answer: They spoke about the ______ of God. Comment: Note what we learn here about the miracle of tongues: The miracle of Bible tongues consisted of men being miraculously enabled to speak existing languages they had never studied. This miracle accomplished two purposes: (1) It enabled the apostles to teach people who did not speak their language, and (2) the miracle would show people the apostles were from God (Mark 16:17,20). People today sometimes claim to receive “the Pentecost experience” of tongue-speaking, but they do not do what was done on Pentecost. Rarely do they claim to speak in an existing language; and if they do claim it, they cannot prove it is a language. No one else can recognize it as an existing language. What they actually speak is gibberish. Tongue-speaking on Pentecost * Speakers spoke previously existing languages. * People who knew the language could recognize it. * Hearers could understand the content and be instructed by it. * Speakers had not learned the languages by studying them. II. Peter’s Sermon – Acts 2:14-36 A Prophecy of the Coming of the Spirit The Holy Spirit had come to enable the apostles to preach about Jesus (Acts 1:8). Using the opportunity, Peter began by showing that the apostles were not drunk (as some thought), because it was too early. >>> Please read Acts 2:14-21. <<< *6* What Old Testament passage was fulfilled here (use your cross-references)? (a) Joel 2, (b) Genesis 2, (c) Judges 2, (d) Jonah 2. Answer: ______. *7* What did the prophecy say would come on the people? Answer: God’s ______ would be poured out on the people. *8* What could people do as a result? (a) prophesy, (b) see visions, (c) dream dreams, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *9* When would this happen? Answer: It would happen in the ______. Comment: “The last days” refers, not to the time of Jesus’ second coming, but to the entire gospel age. Peter said the events on this day of Pentecost occurred “in the last days.” Hebrews 1:1,2 says the last days were when God spoke through His Son, in contrast to the time past when he spoke to the fathers by the prophets. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18.) Peter’s point is that events on Pentecost began the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit on His people. *10* What could happen to those who turned to the Lord (v21)? Answer: Those who called on the Lord would be ______. Peter used the opportunity to begin preaching the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is what the people really needed to hear. Jesus’ Miracles >>> Please read Acts 2:22,23. <<< *11,12&13* What had God done through Jesus among the people? Answer: Jesus had been empowered to do ______, _______, and ________ among them. *14* Why does the Bible record Jesus’ miracles (John 20:30,31)? Answer: By reading the record of Jesus’ signs, we can ______ that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Comment: Peter was preaching to the same people who had killed Jesus at the previous Passover. He intended to prove that the one they had killed was in fact the Christ, the Son of God (cf. v36). He used three proofs to convince them. The first proof was Jesus’ miracles. *15* What had the people done to Jesus? (a) crowned Him King, (b) honored Him, (c) crucified Him, (d) believed in Him. Answer: ______. *16* Who had foreknown that this would happen? Answer: This was done by the foreknowledge of ______. Comment: Many premillennial folks claim that Jesus came to earth expecting to set up an earthly kingdom, but unexpectedly the people rejected and killed Him. However, the Bible says that God knew all along this would happen (cf. Isaiah 53). God sent Jesus knowing He would die as the sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:6-9; Matt. 26:28; 20:28). Jesus’ Resurrection and Fulfillment of Prophecy >>> Please read Acts 2:24-28. <<< *17* What did God do after men crucified Jesus? Answer: God ______ Jesus from the dead. Comment: God does not expect people to believe in Jesus without proof. Peter’s second proof was the resurrection, and he proved this by two lines of evidence: fulfilled prophecy and eyewitness testimony. *18* Name the book and chapter quoted in v25-28 (see cross-references). Answer: The passage is (give book and chapter only) ______. *19* Who spoke this prophecy? (a) Moses, (b) David, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Mohammed, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *20&21* What did the prophecy say would happen to his soul and flesh? Answer: His soul would not stay in ______; His flesh would not suffer or undergo ______. Comment: Hades (”hell” in some translations) here refers to the abode of departed or disembodied spirits (cf. Luke 16:19-31). The man described here would die, and his spirit would go to Hades but would not stay there. His flesh would not decay. How can this be? Peter explains. >>> Please read Acts 2:29-32. <<< Peter proved David was not prophesying about himself, since David did die and see corruption (cf. Acts 13:34-37). *22* About whom was David speaking? (a) himself, (b) Buddha, (c) Christ, (d) Mary Baker Eddy, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *23* Where would Christ then sit? Answer: Christ would sit on ______. Comment: If Jesus sat on David’s throne, then he must be king! *24* What event was David predicting? (a) the end of the earth, (b) the fall of Jerusalem, (c) his own death, (d) the resurrection of Christ. Answer: ______. *25* How did Peter confirm that this had really occurred? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised. Comment: Peter showed that David was speaking as a prophet about his descendant the Christ, who would sit on David’s throne. The prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus arose from the dead. The testimony of the apostles confirmed this to be true. Note that the apostles were bearing testimony of the resurrection, exactly like Jesus had said they would. And the Holy Spirit was empowering them to do so, as promised in Acts 1:8. This proved that Jesus was king and His kingdom had begun. Jesus was on David’s throne! >>> Please read Acts 2:33-36. <<< *26* What promise was fulfilled by the things the people were seeing and hearing? (a) the Holy Spirit had come, (b) Peter was Pope, (c) Abraham had returned, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *27* What passage is quoted in vv 34,35 (see cross-references)? (a) Isaiah 53, (b) Jeremiah 31, (c) Genesis 2, (d) Psalm 110. Answer: ______. *28&29* What conclusion did Peter want the people to reach (v36)? Answer: Jesus is both ______ and ______. Comments: Peter clearly says that the promise of the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled, just as had been predicted in Acts 1:3-8. But remember the kingdom would come when the Spirit came. Peter quoted Psalm 110:1-4, which said Jesus would rule at God’s right hand as a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6-8 explains that this means He would be both king and priest at the same time. Peter here shows this has been fulfilled. The Spirit had come and Jesus was at God’s right hand. Hebrews shows He is our priest now. Therefore, Jesus must be king now and His kingdom must have begun. Proofs that the Kingdom Had Begun * The Holy Spirit had come with power (cf. Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8) * Jesus is on God’s right hand (vv 33,34; cf. Psalm 110:1-4) * Jesus is on David’s throne (v30). * Jesus would be King when He is priest (Psalm 110). See also Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9. Some people say Jesus’ kingdom still has not come even today. But Peter showed that Jesus’ kingdom was in existence then, and people could become part of it. If Jesus is priest and king at the same time, then His kingdom must be spiritual in nature, not an earthly civil government (John 18:36). Our future studies will show that the kingdom is Jesus’ church (Matthew 16:18,19). See the links at the end of this study to learn more about the beginning of the kingdom. The conclusion of this great gospel sermon was that Jesus is Lord (ruler) and Christ (the anointed one or the Messiah). God had anointed His son to serve as King over His people. The Jews had been responsible for the death of their own Messiah, the Son of God! III. The Reaction of the Multitude – Acts 2:37-41 Requirements of Forgiveness >>>Please read Acts 2:37,38. <<< *310* How did the people react to Peter’s sermon? Answer: The people were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we ______?”. *31* Were these people: (a) forgiven people asking how to show they had been forgiven, or (b) guilty people asking how to be forgiven? Answer: ______. *32&33* What did Peter tell them to do about their sins? Answer: Peter said to ______ and be ______ in Jesus’ name. *34* For what reason did he say they should be baptized? Answer: They should be baptized for the ______ of sins. Comment: Clearly Peter’s sermon had convicted these people of their guilt. They wanted forgiveness, so Peter told them how to receive it. To “repent” means to change ones mind about sin (Matt. 21:28-32). A person must recognize his guilt and must decide to turn away from sin and begin obeying God. Many other passages show repentance is necessary to forgiveness (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Luke 13:3,5; 2 Cor. 7:10). Peter also said to “be baptized.” Clearly Acts 2:38 does not refer to Holy Spirit baptism as promised to the apostles in Acts 1:3-8. That promise had been fulfilled in 2:1-4. Verse 38 refers to the baptism of the Great Commission, which all people are commanded to obey. Note how this passage harmonizes with the Great Commission: Facts about Baptism Great Commission Acts 2 Baptism commanded Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19 Acts 2:38 For all people Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19 Acts 2:38,39 Preceded by hearing Mark 16:15 Acts 2:14-40 Preceded by faith Mark 16:16 Acts 2:36 Preceded by repentance Luke 24:47 Acts 2:38 Necessary to salvation Mark 16:16 Acts 2:38 So here for the first time the apostles preached salvation through the death of Jesus as commanded in the Great Commission. All people (”every one of you” – v38) need to obey this instruction, because all need forgiveness (Rom. 3:23). This applies to future generations (”your children”) and “all who afar off” (v39). This includes all of us today. The Multitude’s Response >>> Please read Acts 2:40,41. <<< *35* What further instruction did Peter give? Answer: He told them to be saved from that ______ generation. *36* How many obeyed and were baptized? Answer (give a number): ______. *37* How soon were they baptized? (a) Six months later, (b), never, (c) the same day, (d) they waited till a baptismal service weeks later. Answer: ______. Comments: Some people say baptism is not necessary to salvation. So they believe Peter was speaking to saved people, telling them how to outwardly express that they had already been saved. But that is clearly not the case. Peter was addressing lost sinners telling them how to be “saved.” This is clear because: (1) They were “cut to the heart” when Peter preached they were guilty of crucifying Christ (v36,37). (2) They asked what to do about it (v37). (3) Peter told them what to do to be saved, including repentance (v38,40). Do innocent people still need to repent? Furthermore, Peter said to be baptized “for the remission of sins” (v38). Compare this to Matthew 26:28, where Jesus said He would die for many “for remission of sins.” He died in order that people might receive remission. So Acts 2:38 must mean that people should be baptized “in order to receive the remission of sins.” This agrees with many other Scriptures (see Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21). So Peter was here telling these people how to call on the name of the Lord, so they could be saved, as he had mentioned in v21. When God specifies the purposes for which we should do an act, we displease Him when our motives or reasons for acting do not harmonize with His will. For example, we must partake of the Lord’s Supper in memory of Jesus’ death. We displease God if we do the actions for the wrong reasons (see 1 Cor. 11:23-29). Likewise, people must be baptized for the right reason: for remission of sins. Think: What would be our condition if we were baptized for some reason other than what God has specified? We will study many examples of conversion in the Book of Acts. As we do, we will summarize what we learn. Sometimes when people tell a story they give many details, but other times they give fewer details. The same is true in Bible history. As we summarize Bible conversions, we will list only the facts that are specifically mentioned. By considering several examples, however, we will learn all that sinners must do to be forgiven. The conversion of the Jews on Pentecost may be summarized as follows: The Conversion of the Jews on Pentecost – Acts 2 Hearing Belief Repentance Confession Baptism Result v14-41 (v36) v38 v38,41 Remission v38 Conclusion Note the urgency of baptism in this case. 3000 people were baptized on that same day (v41). When people today decide they want to be baptized, denominations often postpone their baptisms till a “baptismal service” weeks or even months later. They do this because, as we have seen, they do not believe baptism is necessary for salvation. They don’t believe people are still guilty of their sins, even though those people have not been baptized. Such teaching disagrees with the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:8,9). Baptism in the Bible was always an urgent act, because people are not saved till they are baptized. People must be baptized for the purpose of receiving remission of sins, so before baptism they are still guilty of their sins. Jesus’ church today must faithfully teach and practice the gospel just as Jesus inspired the apostles to teach it. Jesus’ kingdom had begun! 3000 souls were added to it in response to the first gospel sermon! Personal application questions: Remember that these questions do not affect your “score.” But they do help you make application of the lesson, and they help us be aware of what our students understand and believe. *38* Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? __________________ *39* Have you repented of your sins? __________________ *40* Have you been baptized? __________________ *41* If you have been baptized, did you do it for the purpose of receiving remission of your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ? __________________

What You Need To Know About Honey

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 21, 2009 at 5:58pm

This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. Although it is available throughout the year, it is an exceptional treat in the summer and fall when it has just been harvested and is at its freshest. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees’ saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive’s walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture’s content making it ready for consumption. Food Chart This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Honey provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Health Benefits In addition to its reputation as Nature’s nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey’s unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant. Raw Honey – An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance The health benefits of honey – like all foods – depend on the quality of the honey. But in this case, the situation is even more extreme, because the pollen that collects on the bees’ legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful and as diverse as those plants. In addition, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey, for example, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis. Propolis, sometimes called “bee glue,” is actually a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Honeybees make propolis by combining plant resins with their own secretions. However, substances like road tar have also been found in propolis. Bee keepers sometimes use special screens around the inside of the hive boxes to trap propolis, since bees will spread this substance around the honeycomb and seal cracks with the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal resins. The resins found in propolis only represent a small part of the phytonutrients found in propolis and honey, however. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated. Is the Cough from an Upper Respiratory Infection Keeping Your Child Awake? Try a Dose of Buckwheat Honey In a study involving 105 children aged 2-18 years with upper respiratory tract infections of 7 days or less and night-time coughing, a single night-time dose of buckwheat honey was an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty, compared to a single dose of dextromethorphan (DM). Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine asked parents to give either honey, honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM), or no treatment to the children. The first night, the children did not receive any treatment. The following night they received a single dose of buckwheat honey, honey-flavored DM, or no treatment 30 minutes before bedtime. The trial was partially blind as parents could not distinguish between the honey and the medication, although those administering no medication were obviously aware of the fact. Parents were asked to report on cough frequency and severity, how bothersome the cough was, and how well both adult and child slept, both 24 hours before and during the night of the dosage. Significant symptom improvements were seen in the honey-supplemented children, compared with the no treatment group and DM-treated group, with honey consistently scoring the best and no-treatment scoring the worst. Based on parental “symptom points,” children treated with honey improved an average of 10.71 points compared with 8.39 points for DM-treated children and 6.41 points for those who were not treated. These results might be good news for parents of children two years and older, since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended that children under six should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, due to potentially harmful side effects. However, it’s important to note that this study did not attempt to test the potential benefits of buckwheat honey for children under two, and recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other children’s health organizations for a total avoidance of honey by children one year and younger still make good sense. (The AAP’s major concern here is unnecessary risk of infantile botulism that might result from the presence of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in the honey). An International Symposium Discusses Likely Benefits of Honey Speakers at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, held in Sacramento, CA, January 8, 2008, presented a number of research papers. (Fessenden R. Report to the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health) Findings include: * Different varietals of honey possess a large amount of friendly bacteria (6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria), which may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.” * Lactobacilli, which deliver protective and beneficial benefits to bees as well as humans, were not found in the bees’ honey stomach during the winter months when the bees under investigation were fed sucrose, indicating that certain bee-feeding practices may have dangerous and unwanted effects on bees. * Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose “unlocks” the enzyme from the liver cell’s nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol – in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity. * Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body’s tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or glucose alone. Individuals with greater glucose intolerance (e.g., those with mild diabetes and Type 1 diabetes) showed significantly better tolerance to honey than sucrose. In addition, the antioxidants in honey, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, frequently by a larger factor than can be explained by their actual amount, may be beneficial for diabetics and help to improve endothelial function (the function of the cells that make up the lining of our blood vessels) and vascular health. * In a year-long animal study comparing the effects of sucrose, honey and a low glycemic index (GI) sugar-free diet, rats on the honey-based diet showed: reduced weight gain and percentage of body fat, decreased anxiety, better spatial recognition memory, improved HDL cholesterol (15-20% higher than rats fed sugar or sucrose diets), improved blood sugar levels (HA1c), and reduced oxidative damage. * Honey has been shown to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan (see “One Study Finds Buckwheat Honey To Be a Successful Cough Medicine” earlier in this Health Benefits section) * Honey boosts immunity. Research conducted in several hospitals in Israel found honey effective in decreasing the incidence of acute febrile neutropenia (when high fever reduces white blood cell count) in 64% of patients. Honey also reduced the need for Colony Stimulating Factor (a compound produced in the cells lining the blood vessels that stimulate bone marrow to produce more white blood cells) in 60% of patients with acute febrile neutropenia; increased neutrophil count (another type of white blood cell), decreased thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and stabilized hemoglobin levels at >11 gm/dl (a bit low but way better than full blown anemic). * 32% of the cancer patients involved in the above immunity research reported improved quality of life. First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health Practical Tip: Look for honey produced in the summer by flower-fed bees-it’s most likely to contain friendly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Improve Athletic Performance and Heal Wounds with Honey? Primarily honey has been used as an energy source, but recent research has examined the use of honey as an ergogenic aid (a food or ingredient that helps an athlete’s performance) and wound healing agent, both of which were once considered merely age-old anecdotes. In the time of the ancient Olympics, athletes were reported to eat special foods, such as honey and dried figs, to enhance their sports performance. Recently, however, one group of researchers has investigated the use of honey as an ergogenic aid in athletes. The study involved a group of 39 weight-trained athletes, both male and female. Subjects underwent an intensive weight-lifting workout and then immediately consumed a protein supplement blended with either sugar, maltodextrin or honey as the carbohydrate source. The honey group maintained optimal blood sugar levels throughout the two hours following the workout. In addition, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration (carbohydrates stored in muscle) was favorable in those individuals consuming the honey-protein combination. Sustaining favorable blood sugar concentrations after endurance training by ingesting carbohydrates before, during and after training is important for maintaining muscle glycogen stores (glycogen is the form in which sugar is stored in muscle as ready-to-use fuel), so that muscle recuperation is more efficient and the athlete is ready to perform again at their highest level the next day. The best-studied ergogenic aid is carbohydrates because they are necessary for maintaining muscle glycogen stores. For now, honey appears to be just another source of carbohydrates that can help athletes perform at their best, rather than a superior choice over any other carbohydrate. The wound healing properties of honey may, however, be its most promising medicinal quality. Honey has been used topically as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds for centuries. One study in India compared the wound healing effects of honey to a conventional treatment (silver sulfadiazene) in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment, 91 percent of honey treated burns were infection free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. Finally, a greater percentage of patients’ burns were healed more readily in the honey treated group. Another study examined the wound healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following Caesarean section and hysterectomy. Compared to the group receiving the standard solution of iodine and alcohol, the honey treated group was infection free in fewer days, healed more cleanly and had a reduced hospital stay. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the wound healing benefits that are observed when honey is applied topically. Because honey is composed mainly of glucose and fructose, two sugars that strongly attract water, honey absorbs water in the wound, drying it out so that the growth of bacteria and fungi is inhibited (these microorganisms thrive in a moist environment). Secondly, raw honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase that, when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic. In addition to the specific enzymes found in honey, which may help in the healing process, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. One antioxidant in particular, pinocembrin, which is unique to honey, is currently being studied for its antibacterial properties. One laboratory study of unpasteurized honey samples indicated the majority had antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria found readily in our environment that can cause infections, especially in open wounds. Other reports indicate honey is effective at inhibiting Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Darker honeys, specifically honey from buckwheat flowers, sage and tupelo, contain a greater amount of antioxidants than other honeys, and raw, unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances. A Spoonful a Day Keeps Free Radicals at Bay Daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans, according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, CA, March 28, 2004. Biochemist Heidrun Gross and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, gave 25 study participants each about four tablespoons buckwheat honey daily for 29 days in addition to their regular diets, and drew blood samples at given intervals following honey consumption. A direct link was found between the subjects’ honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood. Honey Helpful for Healthy Individuals and Those with High Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes In a series of experiments involving healthy subjects and those with either high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, honey has proved itself the healthiest sweetener. For 15 days, 8 healthy subjects, 6 patients with high cholesterol, 5 patients with high cholesterol and high C-reactive protein (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and 7 patients with type 2 diabetes were given solutions containing comparable amounts of sugar, artificial honey or natural honey. In healthy subjects, while sugar and artificial honey had either negative or very small beneficial effects, natural honey reduced total cholesterol 7%, triglycerides 2%, C-reactive protein 7%, homocysteine 6% and blood sugar 6%, and increased HDL (good) cholesterol 2%. (Like C-reactive protein, homocysteine is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.) In patients with high cholesterol, artificial honey increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, while natural honey decreased total cholesterol 8%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and C-reactive protein 75%. And in patients with type 2 diabetes, natural honey caused a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than either dextrose or sucrose (refined sugars). So, enjoy a little honey in your morning coffee, lunchtime yogurt or afternoon cup of green tea. Looks like a daily spoonful of honey may help your need for medicine go down. Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese. Description Honey is a delicious viscous sweetener made naturally by bees for their own nourishment. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees’ saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive, where they deposit it into the cells of the hive’s walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the honey’s moisture content, making it ready for consumption. Honey comes in a range of colors including white, amber, red, brown and almost black. Its flavor and texture vary with the type of flower nectar from which it was made. While the most commonly available honeys are made from clover, alfalfa, heather and acacia flowers, honey can be made from a variety of different flowers, including thyme and lavender. History Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it. The prestige of honey continued for millennia until one fateful event in culinary and world history – the “discovery” of refined sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets., Once these became more widely available, they were in great demand since they provided a relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. With their growing popularity, honey became displaced by sugar for culinary use. Since then, although honey is still used for sweetening, much of its use has become focused on its medicinal properties and its use in confectionary. How to Select and Store Honey is sold in individual containers or in bulk. It is usually pasteurized, although oftentimes at farmer’s markets you can find raw honey. Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, or filtered – provided it is of the highest organic quality – is your best choice. Look for honey that states “100% pure.” While regular honey is translucent, creamy honey is usually opaque and is made by adding finely crystallized honey back into liquid honey. Specialty honeys, made from the nectar of different flowers, such as thyme and lavender, are also available. Remember that the darker the color, the deeper the flavor. You might also look for darker-colored “honeydew” varieties produced by bees that collect the sugary secretions insects leave on plants, which is called honeydew. While all honey has impressive levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, a recent study of Spanish honey varieties shows that honeydew honey has even higher levels of antioxidant polyphenols than honeys bees make from nectar. (Perez RA, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture) Spanish researchers looked at 36 varieties of Spanish honey in two groups: clover honey, which bees make from the nectar of flower blossoms, and honeydew honey, made by bees from a sweet, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids that live off plants. Honeydew honey tends to be darker and more acidic than clover varieties. Although harder to find than clover honey in the U.S., honeydew honey produced in America should also provide higher levels of antioxidants, noted study co-author Rosa Anna Perez, a researcher with the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario in Madrid. It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn’t absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor. Tips for Cooking with Honey: If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. To prevent honey from sticking to measuring cups and spoons, use honey that is in its liquid form. Honey makes a good replacement for sugar in most recipes. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less, one-half to three-quarters of a cup for each cup of sugar. For each cup of sugar replaced, you should also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter of a cup. In addition, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF since honey causes foods to brown more easily. A Few Quick Serving Ideas: Use honey in place of table sugar as a sweetener in your tea. Drizzle apple slices with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. To enjoy sweetened yogurt without excess sugar, mix a little honey into plain yogurt. A delicious sandwich that is enjoyed by kids of all ages is a combination of peanut (or almond) butter, with bananas and honey. In a saucepan over low heat, combine soymilk, honey and unsweetened dark chocolate to make a deliciously nutritious chocolate “milk” drink. Safety Remember that the quality of honey is a function of the plants and environment from which pollen, saps, nectars and resins were gathered. Other substances found in the environment – including traces of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics – have been shown to appear in honey. The amount varies greatly. Do not feed honey-containing products or use honey as a flavoring for infants under one year of age; honey may contain Clostridium botulinum spores and toxins that can cause infant botulism, a life-threatening paralytic disease. Honey is safe for children older than 12 months and adults. Nutritional Profile For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Honey. In-Depth Nutritional Profile In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Honey is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. Introduction to Food Rating System Chart In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn’t contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food’s in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients – not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good – please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you’ll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food’s nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling.” References * Al-Waili NS. Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food. 2004 Spring;7(1):100-7. PMID:15117561. * Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983. * Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986. PMID:15210. * Fessenden R. Report to the Officers and Board of Directors of theCommittee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, January 21, 2008. http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/Image/Symposium%20Report.pdf. * Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996. * Gribel’ NV, Pashinskii VG. [The antitumor properties of honey]. Vopr Onkol 1990;36(6):704-9. PMID:13980. * Gross H, Polagruto J, Zhu Q, Kim S, Schramm D, Keen C. Effect of honey consumption on plasma antioxidant status in human subjects. Paper presented at the 227th American Chemical Society Meeting, Anahein CA, March 28, 2004. . * Keast-Butler J. Honey for necrotic malignant breast ulcers. Lancet 1980 Oct 11;2(8198):809. PMID:13990. * Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, et al. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. PMID:18056558. * Perez RA, Iglesias MT, Pueyo E, Gonzalez M, de Lorenzo C. Amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity of Spanish honeys. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jan 24;55(2):360-5. PMID:17227066. * Rao CV, Desai D, Kaul B, et al. Effect of caffeic acid esters on carcinogen-induced mutagenicity and human colon adenocarcinoma cell growth. Chem Biol Interact 1992 Nov 16;84(3):277-90. PMID:13970. * Rao CV, Desai D, Rivenson A, et al. Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by phenylethyl-3-methylcaffeate. Cancer Res 1995 Jun 1;55(11):2310-5. PMID:13950. * Rao CV, Desai D, Simi B, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid esters on azoxymethane-induced biochemical changes and aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon. Cancer Res 1993 Sep 15;53(18):4182-8. PMID:13960. * Tanzi MG, Gabay MP. Association between honey consumption and infant botulism. Pharmacotherapy. 2002 Nov;22(11):1479-83. PMID:12432974. * Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988. PMID:15220.

Daily Bible Study: The First Converts at Work – Acts 2:42-3:26

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 18, 2009 at 7:39pm

Introduction: In Acts 2:14-36 Peter had preached the first gospel sermon after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. 3000 people obeyed and became the first converts to the gospel. Please review Lesson 2 before proceeding. Let us see what these people did as new converts to the gospel. I. Worship – Acts 2:42 >>> Please read Acts 2:42. <<< *1,2,3&4* In what four things did early converts “continue steadfastly”? Answer (list them in order): They continued in the apostles’ ______, in ______, in ______, and in ______. The apostles’ doctrine Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles in their preaching (John 16:13). Their message was the very will of Jesus Himself (Luke 10:16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Matthew 10:19,20). We should study their message diligently today, just as these early Christians did. No commands should be taught that differ from what they taught (Matthew 15:9; Galatians 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Colossians 3:17). Fellowship “Fellowship” means sharing. Early Christians shared many blessings (see vv 43-45). V42 refers to activities they shared together in worship. All Christians have spiritual fellowship with one another because of our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3-7). But we should never share or have fellowship in sin (Eph. 5:11; 2 John 9-11). Breaking of bread “Breaking bread” can refer to a common meal (as in v46). But v42 clearly refers to worship, so this must be the Lord’s Supper. >>> Please read Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. <<< *5* What is the meaning of the unleavened bread in communion? Answer: The bread is a memorial to Jesus’ ______. *6* What is the meaning of the cup (fruit of the vine)? Answer: The cup is a memorial to His ______. Old Testament feasts memorialized various important events. In the New Testament we remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper. We will later see that this should be done each first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Prayer Prayer refers to speaking to God (Acts 4:23-31), in which we praise and thank Him and make requests (Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7). >>> Please read 1 Timothy 2:5,6. <<< *7* How many mediators are there between men and God? Answer (give a number): There is ______ mediator between God and men. *8* Who is this mediator? (a) Mary, (b) the priesthood, (c) Buddha, (d) Jesus, (e) dead saints, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comments: Jesus is the only Mediator between men and God, because His death makes it possible for us to approach God in prayer. Since only Jesus did this, no one else can mediate between men and God. We will see that other acts of Scriptural worship include singing and giving. Like these early converts, we too should “continue steadfastly” in all these acts of worship (Heb. 10:25). II. Caring for Needy Members – Acts 2:43-45 >>> Please read Acts 2:43-45. <<< *9* What work is described here? (a) building a cathedral, (b) a pilgrimage to Mecca, (c) caring for needy members, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *10* Who gave to help people who were in need (v44)? Answer: Those who gave were all who ______. Comment: The purpose of this collection was to relieve individuals in need, not to distribute property equally (2:45; 4:35). Each disciple decided voluntarily how much to give (2 Cor. 9:7; Acts 5:4). Christians did not practice mandatory communal living. People continued to own houses to live in (Acts 2:46; 21:8; chap. 12). This special need likely arose because people had come to Jerusalem from all over the world (vv 5-11). After being converted, they stayed to be taught before going home. Other Christians went to great lengths to provide for them. Many other verses show that local churches helped needy members (Acts 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1,12). We will learn that churches received funds to do their work by taking collections on the first day of the week. All members gave generously according to their prosperity. See 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7. III. Church Growth – Acts 2:46,47 >>> Please read Acts 2:46,47. <<< *11* Who adds people to Jesus’ church? (a) the Pope, (b) the Lord, (c) the priests, (d) the other members vote them in, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *12* Whom does the Lord add to the church? Answer: The Lord adds those who are ______. Comments: To accommodate meetings of thousands of Christians, the Jerusalem church apparently met in a porch of the temple (cf. Acts 3:11; 5:12). However, they ate their meals at home. We will see that the work of the early church involved worshiping God, studying and teaching God’s word, and caring for needy members. As a church, they never became involved in modern Social Gospel activities, such as entertainment and recreation, etc. Even common meals were eaten apart from church meetings (see also 1 Cor. 11:22,34). The church is a spiritual body, dedicated to the salvation of souls. We need to imitate this spiritual emphasis in the church today. From verse 47 on, Acts describes the church as a living, working group of people (Acts 5:11; 8:1-3; 11:22,26; etc.). The church is not a physical building or a denomination. It is the body of all people who have been saved by Jesus’ blood and over whom He rules as Head (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23,25; Acts 20:28). If, as some believe, the church is not essential to salvation, that would mean that Jesus’ blood and Headship are also non-essential! One cannot purchase membership or be voted into the church that Jesus’ built. One must submit to the gospel, so Jesus’ blood cleanses him. Then Jesus adds him to the church (v47). The church promised by Jesus had begun. It is the kingdom of Christ, and all saved people are in it! Are you part of it? IV. The Healing of the Lame Man – Acts 3:1-10 The Problem >>> Please read Acts 3:1,2. << *13* What problem did the man at the temple gate have? Answer: The man was ______. *14* What proves he really had this problem? (a) he was lame from birth, (b) he was 40 years old (Acts 4:22), (c) people carried him to the temple, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: The Holy Spirit gave the apostles power to do miraculous signs (Acts 2:43). These miracles confirmed that God sent the men to act on His behalf. Satan sends false prophets, who claim to be from God (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Matt. 7:15). Today, we can recognize false prophets by comparing their teaching to the Bible, but when the church had just begun the Bible was not completed yet. People needed a way to distinguish true prophets from false prophets. Miracles accomplished that purpose (cf. Acts 1:3; 2:22; 14:3; Mark 16:20; John 20:30,31; Hebrews 2:3,4). To do this, true miracles had to be signs that false prophets could not duplicate. They were always clearly impossible by natural law but could be accomplished only by God’s supernatural power. They always possessed characteristics that marked them as true miracles. These characteristics also distinguish Bible signs from the so-called miracles of modern false healers. The healing of the lame man demonstrates the characteristics of true miraculous Bible signs. The first characteristic was that miraculous healings solved obvious diseases that clearly existed. This man had been lame all his life (over 40 years). He had to be carried to the temple gate. Bible miracles never cured invisible or psychosomatic diseases, but always clear, obvious physical diseases. Modern “healers” often profess to heal problems that cannot be seen or that could result from a person’s state of mind. >>> Please read Acts 3:3-5. <<< *15* What did the man ask Peter and John to give him? (a) healing (b) a miracle, (c) alms (a charitable gift), (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: The man asked for money, not for a miracle. This shows that people who were healed in the Bible did not always have faith to be healed. This man was not even expecting to be healed. Modern “healers” often fail to accomplish a healing, so they blame the sick person for not having enough faith. When Jesus tried to heal, He never failed, nor did the apostles fail after the Spirit came on Pentecost. And they never excused a failure on other people’s lack of faith. The Healing >>> Please read Acts 3:6-8. <<< *16&17* Why didn’t Peter give the man money? Answer: Peter said he had no ______ or ______. *18* What did Peter do for the man? Answer: Instead of giving money, Peter told him to rise up and ______ in the name of Jesus . *19* How do we know the man was healed? (a) he stood up, (b) he leaped and walked, (c) he reacted immediately, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. Comment: This shows other characteristics of true Bible miracles. Miracles were never done for the personal glory or financial gain of the teacher. Peter had no wealth and asked for none. He gave the glory to God (”in the name of Jesus”). Modern healers always ask for contributions, even from people in abject poverty. Often such men are very rich. Also, the healing was instantaneous – the man “immediately” received strength. This is true of all Bible healings (cf. Luke 13:11-13; Mark 2:10-12; 5:25-29, 35-42; etc.). Modern “healers” often claim miracles if people gradually improve over a period of days, months, or years! Further, the healing was complete and obvious. All symptoms of the disease were removed. The man stood up leaping and walking. Even if his strength had returned, he would naturally need to learn to walk. But this man could immediately leap and walk. Modern “healers” often claim miracles when improvement is only partial or not obvious at all. >>> Please read Acts 3:9,10. <<< *20* Who observed the man walking? (a) all the people, (b) only the apostles, (c) no one, (d) only the man himself saw it. Answer: ______. *21* How did this affect the people? Answer: The people were filled with ______. Comment: Again note that the people could observe for themselves the effect of the miracle. It occurred to a man they knew locally. They were not asked to believe on the basis of unconfirmed testimony about events that occurred to unknown people in faraway lands. They could observe the proof for themselves. Finally note that the miracle caused wonder and amazement. This illustrates the purpose of miracles. They always occurred to confirm that men were sent by God (see references above). Consider what we have learned about miraculous Bible healings: Characteristics of Miraculous Healing

Bible Miracles Modern “Healings” * Impossible by natural law * Obvious ailments * No failures * Not for the gain of the healer * Instantaneous * Complete, obvious healing * Purpose: to confirm the word *Explainable by natural law * Often invisible or psychosomatic * Often try but fail * Healers become wealthy * Gradual or progressive * Improvement partial or no proof * Confirms no new revelation V. The Second Gospel Sermon – Acts 3:11-26 >>> Please read Acts 3:11-15. <<< *22* What happened as news of the healing spread? Answer: As news spread many people ran together and met on Solomon’s ______. *23* What did Peter accuse the people of doing to Jesus? Answer: Peter said they had ______ Jesus. *24* What did God do? (a) killed the people, (b) forgave everyone, (c) raised Jesus from the dead, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *25* How did Peter prove Jesus had been raised? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised. Comment: People gathered as they heard about the miracle, so Peter used the opportunity to preach to them. The message is similar to Acts 2. Peter convicted the people of killing Jesus and again gave the apostles’ testimony that Jesus had been raised (see Acts 1:8; 2:32). Sinners must come to believe in Jesus. Peter’s first proof was the resurrection. >>> Please read Acts 3:16-18. <<< *26* Who had sent the power that healed the lame man? Answer: The power to heal came through faith in ______. *27* Did the people kill the Christ: (a) knowingly, or (b) ignorantly? Answer (a or b): ______. *28* Who had foretold the suffering of Jesus? Answer: God foretold Jesus’ suffering through all His ______. Comment: Peter said that the healing of the lame man was done by the power of Jesus. So his second proof of Jesus was miracles. When the people killed Jesus, they had not known He was their Christ, God’s Son. But they were still guilty. Ignorance of God’s law is not an excuse (see Acts 17:30). As in Acts 2:23, Jesus’ death was not unexpected. God knew all along it would happen, and had predicted it by the prophets. So Peter’s third proof of Jesus was fulfilled prophecy, just like in Acts 2:23-36. >>> Please read Acts 3:19-21. <<< *29* What did Peter say they should do about their sins? Answer: He told them to repent and ______. *30* Heaven must receive Jesus until what happens? (a) the times of restoration, (b) He establishes an earthly kingdom, (c) the Rapture. Answer: ______. Comments: “Conversion” refers to a change of life, so one ceases being alienated from God and enters into His fellowship (Matt. 18:3; 13:15). Now compare Acts 3:19 to Acts 2:38: 2:38 – Repent and be baptized for remission of sins 3:19 – Repent and be converted so your sins may be blotted out The parallel shows that baptism is the point at which one is converted. “For remission of sins” (2:38) means “that your sins may be blotted out” (3:19). So again, baptism is necessary to receive forgiveness of sins. Then one receives “times of refreshing” – he is born again so that all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:5; Rom. 6:3,4). What are the “times of restoration” (v21)? Man’s sin brought spiritual consequences including alienation from God (Gen. 3:1-15). Jesus’ death can “restore” sinners to God’s favor. The gospel age is the time when this saving message is preached so all have the opportunity to be restored, as prophesied in the Old Testament. At the end of the gospel age Jesus will come to judge men for their lives. >>>Please read Acts 3:22,23. <<< *31* Who predicted the coming of a prophet like himself? (a) Isaiah, (b) Mohammed, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Moses. Answer: ______. *32* How much of that prophet’s message must we listen to? Answer: We must hear ______ He teaches. *33* What happens to those who do not give heed to Him? Answer: Those who don’t give heed will be ______ from among the people. Comments: Again, various cults claim that their leader was the prophet predicted to be like Moses. But the whole context describes the work of Christ. V26 clearly says great blessings came through Jesus. In Acts 7:37 Stephen again quotes this passage and applies it to Jesus. Jesus is the prophet who was like Moses. What could be more fitting? People today must listen to all that Jesus teaches us. Some want to pick and choose, accepting what they like and rejecting the rest. The prophecy says that those who do so will be utterly destroyed. >>> Please read Acts 3:24-26. <<< *34* What prophets had foretold “these days” when Peter spoke (v24)? Answer: This was foretold by ______ the prophets. *35* What covenant had been made with Abraham? Answer: God promised all families of the earth would be ______. *36* What blessing fulfilled the covenant? Answer: We are blessed through Jesus if we turn away from our ______. Comment: God’s covenant with Abraham was known by every Jew. It was the basis of Israel’s special position in God’s plan. But the greatest hope it offered was a blessing for people of all nations, not just Jews. Peter here clearly identifies that blessing: It was forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal. 3:8,16). This great blessing had come! The covenant with Abraham had been fulfilled! Salvation was available to all! Have you received that forgiveness? Personal application questions: *37* How should worship in the church today compare to that of the early church? __________________ *38* Do you believe miracles like in Acts 3 really did occur? __________________ *39* Do you believe membership in Jesus’ church is essential to eternal life? __________________

the-oracle-2.jpg?w=468&h=343&h=343

Daily Bible Study: The First Gospel Sermon – Acts 2:1-41

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on June 16, 2009 at 10:09pm

Introduction: The events of this chapter begin as the 12 apostles (1:26) were gathered in Jerusalem waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had instructed in Acts 1. Please review the previous lesson before beginning. I. The Coming of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-13 The Promise of the Holy Spirit Fulfilled >>> Please read Acts 2:1-4. <<< *1&2* What filled the apostles, and what were they able to do (v4)? Answer: The were filled with the ______, so they spoke in ______. Comment: Clearly this fulfilled the promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had told the apostles to wait for. It came in Jerusalem not many days after Jesus’ ascension, just as He had said it would. But remember that the kingdom was to come when the Holy Spirit came. As our study proceeds, watch for more evidence that the kingdom had indeed begun. The Gift of Speaking in Tongues >>> Please read Acts 2:5-13. <<< Jewish males were required to attend the feast of Pentecost, so Jews were present in Jerusalem from all over the world. The nations from which these men came are listed in vv 9-11. As people heard about what had happened to the apostles, a great crowd gathered to listen to them. *3* Note v6. What did the hearers recognize when the apostles spoke? Answer: Each one heard them speak in his own [[[________]]]. Note that the “tongues” the apostles spoke (vv 4,11) are clearly identified as being “languages” (vv 6,8). *4* From where had all the speakers come (v7)? (a) Jerusalem, (b) America, (c) Judea, (d) Galilee, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *5* What subject did the apostles speak about (v11)? Answer: They spoke about the ______ of God. Comment: Note what we learn here about the miracle of tongues: The miracle of Bible tongues consisted of men being miraculously enabled to speak existing languages they had never studied. This miracle accomplished two purposes: (1) It enabled the apostles to teach people who did not speak their language, and (2) the miracle would show people the apostles were from God (Mark 16:17,20). People today sometimes claim to receive “the Pentecost experience” of tongue-speaking, but they do not do what was done on Pentecost. Rarely do they claim to speak in an existing language; and if they do claim it, they cannot prove it is a language. No one else can recognize it as an existing language. What they actually speak is gibberish. Tongue-speaking on Pentecost * Speakers spoke previously existing languages. * People who knew the language could recognize it. * Hearers could understand the content and be instructed by it. * Speakers had not learned the languages by studying them. II. Peter’s Sermon – Acts 2:14-36 A Prophecy of the Coming of the Spirit The Holy Spirit had come to enable the apostles to preach about Jesus (Acts 1:8). Using the opportunity, Peter began by showing that the apostles were not drunk (as some thought), because it was too early. >>> Please read Acts 2:14-21. <<< *6* What Old Testament passage was fulfilled here (use your cross-references)? (a) Joel 2, (b) Genesis 2, (c) Judges 2, (d) Jonah 2. Answer: ______. *7* What did the prophecy say would come on the people? Answer: God’s ______ would be poured out on the people. *8* What could people do as a result? (a) prophesy, (b) see visions, (c) dream dreams, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *9* When would this happen? Answer: It would happen in the ______. Comment: “The last days” refers, not to the time of Jesus’ second coming, but to the entire gospel age. Peter said the events on this day of Pentecost occurred “in the last days.” Hebrews 1:1,2 says the last days were when God spoke through His Son, in contrast to the time past when he spoke to the fathers by the prophets. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18.) Peter’s point is that events on Pentecost began the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit on His people. *10* What could happen to those who turned to the Lord (v21)? Answer: Those who called on the Lord would be ______. Peter used the opportunity to begin preaching the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is what the people really needed to hear. Jesus’ Miracles >>> Please read Acts 2:22,23. <<< *11,12&13* What had God done through Jesus among the people? Answer: Jesus had been empowered to do ______, _______, and ________ among them. *14* Why does the Bible record Jesus’ miracles (John 20:30,31)? Answer: By reading the record of Jesus’ signs, we can ______ that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Comment: Peter was preaching to the same people who had killed Jesus at the previous Passover. He intended to prove that the one they had killed was in fact the Christ, the Son of God (cf. v36). He used three proofs to convince them. The first proof was Jesus’ miracles. *15* What had the people done to Jesus? (a) crowned Him King, (b) honored Him, (c) crucified Him, (d) believed in Him. Answer: ______. *16* Who had foreknown that this would happen? Answer: This was done by the foreknowledge of ______. Comment: Many premillennial folks claim that Jesus came to earth expecting to set up an earthly kingdom, but unexpectedly the people rejected and killed Him. However, the Bible says that God knew all along this would happen (cf. Isaiah 53). God sent Jesus knowing He would die as the sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:6-9; Matt. 26:28; 20:28). Jesus’ Resurrection and Fulfillment of Prophecy >>> Please read Acts 2:24-28. <<< *17* What did God do after men crucified Jesus? Answer: God ______ Jesus from the dead. Comment: God does not expect people to believe in Jesus without proof. Peter’s second proof was the resurrection, and he proved this by two lines of evidence: fulfilled prophecy and eyewitness testimony. *18* Name the book and chapter quoted in v25-28 (see cross-references). Answer: The passage is (give book and chapter only) ______. *19* Who spoke this prophecy? (a) Moses, (b) David, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Mohammed, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *20&21* What did the prophecy say would happen to his soul and flesh? Answer: His soul would not stay in ______; His flesh would not suffer or undergo ______. Comment: Hades (”hell” in some translations) here refers to the abode of departed or disembodied spirits (cf. Luke 16:19-31). The man described here would die, and his spirit would go to Hades but would not stay there. His flesh would not decay. How can this be? Peter explains. >>> Please read Acts 2:29-32. <<< Peter proved David was not prophesying about himself, since David did die and see corruption (cf. Acts 13:34-37). *22* About whom was David speaking? (a) himself, (b) Buddha, (c) Christ, (d) Mary Baker Eddy, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *23* Where would Christ then sit? Answer: Christ would sit on ______. Comment: If Jesus sat on David’s throne, then he must be king! *24* What event was David predicting? (a) the end of the earth, (b) the fall of Jerusalem, (c) his own death, (d) the resurrection of Christ. Answer: ______. *25* How did Peter confirm that this had really occurred? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised. Comment: Peter showed that David was speaking as a prophet about his descendant the Christ, who would sit on David’s throne. The prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus arose from the dead. The testimony of the apostles confirmed this to be true. Note that the apostles were bearing testimony of the resurrection, exactly like Jesus had said they would. And the Holy Spirit was empowering them to do so, as promised in Acts 1:8. This proved that Jesus was king and His kingdom had begun. Jesus was on David’s throne! >>> Please read Acts 2:33-36. <<< *26* What promise was fulfilled by the things the people were seeing and hearing? (a) the Holy Spirit had come, (b) Peter was Pope, (c) Abraham had returned, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______. *27* What passage is quoted in vv 34,35 (see cross-references)? (a) Isaiah 53, (b) Jeremiah 31, (c) Genesis 2, (d) Psalm 110. Answer: ______. *28&29* What conclusion did Peter want the people to reach (v36)? Answer: Jesus is both ______ and ______. Comments: Peter clearly says that the promise of the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled, just as had been predicted in Acts 1:3-8. But remember the kingdom would come when the Spirit came. Peter quoted Psalm 110:1-4, which said Jesus would rule at God’s right hand as a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6-8 explains that this means He would be both king and priest at the same time. Peter here shows this has been fulfilled. The Spirit had come and Jesus was at God’s right hand. Hebrews shows He is our priest now. Therefore, Jesus must be king now and His kingdom must have begun. Proofs that the Kingdom Had Begun * The Holy Spirit had come with power (cf. Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8) * Jesus is on God’s right hand (vv 33,34; cf. Psalm 110:1-4) * Jesus is on David’s throne (v30). * Jesus would be King when He is priest (Psalm 110). See also Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9. Some people say Jesus’ kingdom still has not come even today. But Peter showed that Jesus’ kingdom was in existence then, and people could become part of it. If Jesus is priest and king at the same time, then His kingdom must be spiritual in nature, not an earthly civil government (John 18:36). Our future studies will show that the kingdom is Jesus’ church (Matthew 16:18,19). See the links at the end of this study to learn more about the beginning of the kingdom. The conclusion of this great gospel sermon was that Jesus is Lord (ruler) and Christ (the anointed one or the Messiah). God had anointed His son to serve as King over His people. The Jews had been responsible for the death of their own Messiah, the Son of God! III. The Reaction of the Multitude – Acts 2:37-41 Requirements of Forgiveness >>>Please read Acts 2:37,38. <<< *310* How did the people react to Peter’s sermon? Answer: The people were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we ______?”. *31* Were these people: (a) forgiven people asking how to show they had been forgiven, or (b) guilty people asking how to be forgiven? Answer: ______. *32&33* What did Peter tell them to do about their sins? Answer: Peter said to ______ and be ______ in Jesus’ name. *34* For what reason did he say they should be baptized? Answer: They should be baptized for the ______ of sins. Comment: Clearly Peter’s sermon had convicted these people of their guilt. They wanted forgiveness, so Peter told them how to receive it. To “repent” means to change ones mind about sin (Matt. 21:28-32). A person must recognize his guilt and must decide to turn away from sin and begin obeying God. Many other passages show repentance is necessary to forgiveness (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Luke 13:3,5; 2 Cor. 7:10). Peter also said to “be baptized.” Clearly Acts 2:38 does not refer to Holy Spirit baptism as promised to the apostles in Acts 1:3-8. That promise had been fulfilled in 2:1-4. Verse 38 refers to the baptism of the Great Commission, which all people are commanded to obey. Note how this passage harmonizes with the Great Commission: Facts about Baptism Great Commission Acts 2 Baptism commanded Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19 Acts 2:38 For all people Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19 Acts 2:38,39 Preceded by hearing Mark 16:15 Acts 2:14-40 Preceded by faith Mark 16:16 Acts 2:36 Preceded by repentance Luke 24:47 Acts 2:38 Necessary to salvation Mark 16:16 Acts 2:38 So here for the first time the apostles preached salvation through the death of Jesus as commanded in the Great Commission. All people (”every one of you” – v38) need to obey this instruction, because all need forgiveness (Rom. 3:23). This applies to future generations (”your children”) and “all who afar off” (v39). This includes all of us today. The Multitude’s Response >>> Please read Acts 2:40,41. <<< *35* What further instruction did Peter give? Answer: He told them to be saved from that ______ generation. *36* How many obeyed and were baptized? Answer (give a number): ______. *37* How soon were they baptized? (a) Six months later, (b), never, (c) the same day, (d) they waited till a baptismal service weeks later. Answer: ______. Comments: Some people say baptism is not necessary to salvation. So they believe Peter was speaking to saved people, telling them how to outwardly express that they had already been saved. But that is clearly not the case. Peter was addressing lost sinners telling them how to be “saved.” This is clear because: (1) They were “cut to the heart” when Peter preached they were guilty of crucifying Christ (v36,37). (2) They asked what to do about it (v37). (3) Peter told them what to do to be saved, including repentance (v38,40). Do innocent people still need to repent? Furthermore, Peter said to be baptized “for the remission of sins” (v38). Compare this to Matthew 26:28, where Jesus said He would die for many “for remission of sins.” He died in order that people might receive remission. So Acts 2:38 must mean that people should be baptized “in order to receive the remission of sins.” This agrees with many other Scriptures (see Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21). So Peter was here telling these people how to call on the name of the Lord, so they could be saved, as he had mentioned in v21. When God specifies the purposes for which we should do an act, we displease Him when our motives or reasons for acting do not harmonize with His will. For example, we must partake of the Lord’s Supper in memory of Jesus’ death. We displease God if we do the actions for the wrong reasons (see 1 Cor. 11:23-29). Likewise, people must be baptized for the right reason: for remission of sins. Think: What would be our condition if we were baptized for some reason other than what God has specified? We will study many examples of conversion in the Book of Acts. As we do, we will summarize what we learn. Sometimes when people tell a story they give many details, but other times they give fewer details. The same is true in Bible history. As we summarize Bible conversions, we will list only the facts that are specifically mentioned. By considering several examples, however, we will learn all that sinners must do to be forgiven. The conversion of the Jews on Pentecost may be summarized as follows: The Conversion of the Jews on Pentecost – Acts 2 Hearing Belief Repentance Confession Baptism Result v14-41 (v36) v38 v38,41 Remission v38 Conclusion Note the urgency of baptism in this case. 3000 people were baptized on that same day (v41). When people today decide they want to be baptized, denominations often postpone their baptisms till a “baptismal service” weeks or even months later. They do this because, as we have seen, they do not believe baptism is necessary for salvation. They don’t believe people are still guilty of their sins, even though those people have not been baptized. Such teaching disagrees with the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:8,9). Baptism in the Bible was always an urgent act, because people are not saved till they are baptized. People must be baptized for the purpose of receiving remission of sins, so before baptism they are still guilty of their sins. Jesus’ church today must faithfully teach and practice the gospel just as Jesus inspired the apostles to teach it. Jesus’ kingdom had begun! 3000 souls were added to it in response to the first gospel sermon! Personal application questions: Remember that these questions do not affect your “score.” But they do help you make application of the lesson, and they help us be aware of what our students understand and believe. *38* Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? __________________ *39* Have you repented of your sins? __________________ *40* Have you been baptized? __________________ *41* If you have been baptized, did you do it for the purpose of receiving remission of your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ? __________________

the-oracle-2.jpg?w=468&h=343

Lesson 1

I. Caring for the Needy - Acts 11:27-30

II. Persecution in Jerusalem - Acts 12:1-19

James Slain and Peter Arrested

Peter's Release

Peter Finds the Disciples

III. The Death of Herod - Acts 12:20-25

IV. Start of Paul's First Journey - Acts 13:1-12

V. Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13:13-52

The Sermon

The Effect of the Sermon

Personal application questions:

Lesson 7

Introduction:

I. Healing of Aeneas and Dorcas - Acts 9:32-43

The Healing of Aeneas

The Raising of Dorcas

II. Revelations to Cornelius and Peter - Acts 10:1-22

The Appearance of an Angel to Cornelius

Peter's Vision

III. Peter's Sermon to Cornelius - Acts 10:23-43

The Gathering at Cornelius' House

The Sermon

IV. The Coming of the Spirit - Acts 10:44-48

V. Peter's Defense - Acts 11:1-18

The Conversion of Cornelius' Household - Acts 10 and 11

VI. The Gospel In Antioch - Acts 11:19-26

Personal application questions:

Note: this page contains paid content.