Antipodean59's Blog
Restored New Testament Christianity
Archive for the category “Truth”
Freewill
Keith Sisman (my brother-in-Christ) posted this on his face book site. Traces of the Kingdom is another site you may be interested in.
Freewill – today society does not understand the issues concerning freewill, but just a few centuries ago it was a major concern. Kings ruled with absolute authority. The Roman Catholic Church likewise through the doctrine of Original Sin ruled with absolute power, often clashing with secular rulers. The ordinary person, the surfs, stood no chance. We are taught at school democracy started with the Magna Carta (Latin for “the Great Charter”), It was agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215 (Windsor is where Mr Obama wished happy birthday to the Queen last week). The Charter was first drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebel barons, it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the aristocracy from illegal imprisonment and access to swift justice. It did nothing for the peasant and surf class (that’s you and me).
If we go back to 400BC much of Northern Europe (named after the goddess Europa) held to Freewill, it was a doctrine of the Celts and their priesthood the Druids. On the other hand the Romans held to Original Sin and infant baptism (it had to come from somewhere) denying Freewill.
In 390BC the Celts under a British King sacked Rome. This is not taught in history, it should be. We have both contemporary British and Roman accounts, it is not an invention. One of the invading Celtic tribes was later known as the Galatians, Paul wrote them a letter. This started a war with Northern Europa that lasted many centuries. The Druid headquarters was based in Britain, possibly Anglesey. Caesar was determined to destroy the Druids and he did a fairly decent job. In this period there were many minor kingdoms, at time of war these minor kingdoms would come together under a head king or emperor, an emperor was of imperial status, above that of a king.
When the gospel was spread in Northern Europa the Celts understood Freewill, it was their doctrine. I am not defending the Celts, they practised human sacrifice and for religious reasons sometimes ate their victims alive, this is the origin of the Roman Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation (cannibalism). Genesis 9:4-6 “But you shall not eat flesh in its life, its blood. And surely the blood of your lives I will demand. At the hand of every animal I will demand it, and at the hand of man. I will demand the life of man at the hand of every man’s brother. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood shall be shed by man. For He made man in the image of God.”
Those being cooked made a great protest, thus instruments of music were introduced into this pagan worship alongside of singing to drown out the protesting, protecting the ears of the families of the victims. This is possibly the origin of Soprano singing. This took place in a stone circle, the centre of the circle was known as the core, which gives us our word choir. It is interesting the flesh was taken from the living victim from the groin area and then barbequed before eating. What is really fascinating this practice was worldwide suggesting a common place of origin – Babylon. The knife used was flint; the taking of flesh from a living human victim from their groin area using a flint knife by a priest was worldwide. Stone circles are dated far too early because of flint knives and chippings; metal was banned from worship areas. It was the same with Solomon’s temple (1 Ki 6:7) “And when it was being built, the house was built of finished stone made ready beforehand. And there was not heard in the house a hammer or an axe, or any iron tool, while it was being built” (Greens Literal Version).
I don’t mention this in Traces or the Devils’ Door because it is not a pleasant subject, I can go into greater detail but I do not think it is healthy and serves no purpose. This is though hrough my study the pagan origin of choirs, instruments in worship and the cannibalistic ongoing sacrifice of Transubstantiation. In a Roman Catholic temple (church) the choir is a part of a building, where the singers sang. The Celts called their worship circles and mounds – churches! The Roman Catholic Church has never formally adopted the instrument, it was allowed into worship for the peasant classes. The Romish Church spiritual sang acapella.
Back to Freewill. Where Freewill was believed as opposed to human depravity is where the church flourished after Augustine forced by coercion the pagan doctrine of Original Sin. It is from his time the church split and the Churches of Christ start to appear in history, separate from the Romish beast.
Natural or Design?
Science has discovered a nano machine motor that is required for every living thing to operate on earth. Called APT synthase, this master piece of design is a simple three piece motor that is the apparent power house for cell function.
Evolutionists (or as I call them, God deniers) say if you can show and thus prove such a thing can be as a result of naturalistic processes then it is game over – there is no designer and intelligent force required for life.
The following short videos contain material that will either enlighten you and thus charge your course of thinking or it will harden your heart just like that of the ancient Pharaoh found in Exodus 7-11.
Graham
Thought for the week
God’s Plan For Religious Unity
In the first century there was not all of the division among those who profess Christ as there are today. In that the church is made-up of fallible humans while the apostles were still living there were both error taught and unauthorized practices. Probably the church at Corinth was at the top of the list of digression. Among other things that congregation had factions within it caused by those who were attempting to show allegiance unto mere humans. The Apostle Paul condemned this in no uncertain terms at First Corinthians 1:10-13.
Such division is still condemned in the inspired Word of God. Even the very night in which the Son of God was betrayed by Judas Iscariot our Lord was concerned those who professed Him would become divided. At John 17:20-21, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” You and I know for a fact that those who profess Christ are divided into hundreds of different religious organizations. The Lord’s prayer will not become reality of all who profess Him as long as there is conflicting doctrines among what is referred to as Christendom. Just to agree to disagree will not unite those who profess Christ. You might have a form of union, but not unity. If someone tied the tails of two live cats together you would have a union but not unity.
What is the answer to this dilemma? It will be necessary for each religious group to cast off its peculiar doctrines and embrace only a “thus saith the Lord,” the Bible. Each religious group will not accept the creeds of others, but all acknowledge the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Our Lord declared at: Matthew 15:9, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” The seven principles of unity acceptable unto the Lord are stated by the Apostle Paul at: Ephesians 4:3-6, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Anything less than all seven of those basic truths will not provide the unity pleasing unto the Lord.
Dub Mowery (Preacher and a very wise man in the church of Christ)
Thought for the week
Be Perfect
To be perfect is something Jesus expects His disciples to be: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). How can that be, you ask, when it is simply not possible even though you try as hard as you can. In fact if Jesus meant to be perfect like Himself; that is, having not sinned (II Corinthians 5:21) then He contradicts His own scriptures which state, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (I John 1:10). So, is the meaning of perfect as used by Christ to be sinless? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that one can only be such by being “perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28); that is “perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12) and no, for try as we might “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
A simple analysis of the word “perfect” comes up with the answer as to its meaning. According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary the word as used by Jesus is “tel’-i-os
From G5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness: – of full age, man, perfect.” In other words the word means to complete a task; be mature; reach the end.
Jesus wants those who decide to follow Him to reach a point whereby they are not only in Christ but are striving to reach the goal of maturity. This was something the Hebrew converts were lacking in according to Hebrews 5:12-14 “when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” He is saying they were still feeding like infant babes from the elementary “principles of the doctrine of Christ” instead of being mature and eating the protein of doctrinal “perfection” (Hebrews 6:1).
So this is Jesus plea in Matthew 5:48 that you be perfect so that you may know what is right and what is wrong when it comes to the will of God.
Are you perfect and complete in all the will of God? Are you in Christ having been baptised for the remission of sins? If not, then I strongly urge you to seek out a member of God’s church to find out exactly how to become perfect in His will before you die because “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27) and you sure don’t want to face this frightening prospect: “Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:30-31).
Graham
Thought of the week
Preparation
As I sat in my favourite coffee shop drinking a cup of vanilla chai latte this afternoon, I 
watched many people going about their daily business and I got to thinking that many, of whom I feel certain, would be blissfully unaware that this life is a preparation for that which is to come. They were laughing and frowning; playing and toiling and just living life as though this is all life has to offer. But what if there is something more to this life as we know it?
The Bible tells man there is definitely more to life than that which he experiences in the here and now. The wise man said, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes” (Proverbs 16:2) but the God of the Bible thinks and says differently, for just as He warned the Israelites to “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12) so, too, the warning is just as relevant for man today to be prepared! John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). He was of course speaking of the realization of the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) as foretold by Isaiah 750 years beforehand. This same Lamb of God says to “Repent or perish” (Luke 13:3). That word “repent” is given meaning by the Apostle Paul’s preaching as he recalls to King Agrippa in Acts 26:20 that men “should repent, turn to God and do works fitting to repentance.” That is to say, do due preparation to turn and meet God or you will, as Jesus says, “perish”.
What do you need to do in this preparation? Well, here is a web site that will be a good start: www.churchesofchrist.net/authors/David_B_Brown then click on “How to become a Bible Christian”.
God bless you as you travel and study through His word.
Graham
Did Castro have JFK assassinated?
Cliff Kincaid of Accuracy in Media has an interesting review of Brian Latell’s new book Castro’s Secrets.
Castro’s role in the JFK murder has been the subject of controversy for decades. In 2009, on one of the Sunday interview programs, ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson said that he wanted to ask Fidel Castro before he died, “Did you do it? Meaning November 22, 1963.” This was the date of Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination of JFK.
The answer, as Latell’s book makes clear, is that Kennedy was considered early on to be an enemy of the Cuban communist revolution, and that the Kennedy brothers had tried to kill Castro. For his part, Oswald was a pro-Castro Marxist activist who had traveled to the Soviet Union and had gone to the Cuban consulate in Mexico City on three occasions between September 27 and October 2, 1963, seeking a visa to travel to Cuba. During one of these visits, he proclaimed, “I’m going to kill Kennedy.”
Of course this is not new news and no doubt the skeptics will cry conspiracy but, nonetheless, it makes for interesting reading. Whatever the result, JFK’s murder violates God’s will and the perpetrators and accomplices will stand accountable before God (Romans 2:6; Hebrews 9:27). Further, He will carry through with His vengeance, for “vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19).
Graham
Was Sargent Bales operating alone?
In my opinion there is something mighty suspicious about the recent tragic murder of the innocent Afghans allegedly committed by a lone US Army Staff Sargent. As Trevor Loudon’s website article shows maybe there is more to it than meets the eye.
Here is an excerpt:
In an interview with Press TV’s U.S. Desk on Tuesday, Duff argued that the number of soldiers who committed the crime was more than one—despite earlier claims by the U.S. military that “only one U.S. soldier” was involved in the killings…
Duff insists that new evidence shows those involved “were not drunk.” He said they had “the permission” to leave their base and used a vehicle to drive “two miles” away to get the village where the fatal shooting took place. “They could not have left the base without the permission of the commanding officer revenge raid.”
Duff added that “No vehicle could possibly leave the gate of an American facility without the permission of an officer after midnight unless it were on an authorized military action.”
He also said that the soldiers even carried enough “gasoline cans” which they used to set the bodies on fire.
I realise we should not jump to conclusions or indulge in conspirsy theorys but I cannot help but smell a rat. As the old adage says: there is no smoke without fire.
Graham
The truth; i.e., God’s word will set you free from sin
A preacher back in 1958 had the following to say about the truth of God’s word that changeth not over the years in much the same manner as God Who declares: “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. [This in order that] In the exercise of His will He brought us [that is those who have obeyed his word] forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures” (James 1:17-18).
Let us sit back and hear what Melvin Vaughan had to say all those years ago.
Of all those things which are important and essential to man’s spiritual welfare, there is no single item that can affect him more significantly than his attitude toward the truth.
The truth, in a special sense, was made known by the coming of the Lord: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). It is not surprising that the Lord had so much to say about the truth and what it can do for men. The Lord pointed out that the truth leads men to the freedom most needed: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8: 31,32). The truth revealed and applied is the means by which God “sanctified” or sets man aside in His service as the Lord indicated in His prayer: “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth”3 (John 17:17). So important is the truth to men that the major function of the Comforter or Holy Spirit was to remind the disciples of the truth Jesus had taught them during his ministry (John 14: 26), and to guide the apostles “. . . into all truth” (John 16:13).
The Truth Shall Make You Free
( Melvin L. Vaughan – 1958)
Those to whom the Holy Spirit was sent emphasised the importance of truth. James writes of the “word of truth” as the means by which his readers had been “begotten of God” (James 1:18). Paul reminded the Ephesians that the salvation they enjoyed was the end result of their response to the truth delivered to them (Eph.1:13). Peter points to the truth as the means by which man becomes justified before God: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pet. 22, 23).
Even though the importance of the truth has been emphasized and its source clearly identified with the will of God; it has been denied, ignored, ridiculed, and misrepresented by men. Those who have sought to uphold the truth have been persecuted, oppressed and even put to death because of their devotion to the truth which they held to be unalterable.
The word of God renders to man an invaluable service by pointing out to him the truth with regard to his state, the limitations of his ability, his great need, and the solution to that need. Paul in examining the spiritual state of the people apart from Christ concluded that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Sin is identified in the Bible as including both the “transgression” of God’s law (1 John 3:4), and the failure or refusal to fulfil a known duty to God: “To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).
To recognise the fact of sin and its existence, even in one’s self, is of little significance until it is known that sin is the barrier that separates man from God. “Behold,” the prophet has written, “The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that he cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:1,2).
Here is the truth about man’s state and need. He becomes guilty of sin because he has violated Divine law. Because he is guilty of sin he is alienated from God and should he die in this condition he is forever and eternally excluded from the joys of heaven. A disagreeable picture, to be sure. and unfortunate indeed is the person whose knowledge of the truth goes no further than this!
Man does not have within himself the means or knowledge by which he can free himself from these sins and become reconciled to God. Jeremiah had long since reminded Israel of this: “The way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps” (Jer.10: 29). To provide the means, God sent His Son to be the propitiation for the sins of the world; to provide the guidance, the Son brought the truth. In the Son is revealed the truth by which alone it is possible to have access to God: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
Jesus had said: “. . . if ye continue in my word . . . ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). The truth does provide freedom from ignorance by making both knowledge and understanding available: “The entrance of thy word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130). The truth provides freedom from uncertainty by making the pathway visible: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my pathway.” (Psalm 119:105.) The truth makes known the possibility of attaining freedom from sin by showing how the barrier between man and God can be removed: “. . . if ye continue in my word . . . ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32). The truth provides this freedom from sin in reality as man obeys the truth: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obedience to the truth . . .” (1 Pet. 1:22, 23).
The good news of freedom from sin through the sacrifice of Christ and obedience to the truth is called “the gospel” (1 Cor.15:1-4).
For the truth to become to you what it can, and what the Lord desires it to become, it must be sought in the words of the Lord and His apostles (John 8: 31,32). This truth must be approached reverently, respectfully, and open-mindedly that it might produce faith. (Rom. 10: 17; 2 Thess.2:10-12). The response of which a believer involves the turning from sin and error to truth and righteousness inspired by gratitude for His mercy and the desire to please him (Rom.2: 4). The removal of the guilt resulting from sin is to be found where the Lord placed it in His death where His blood was shed. According to the truth the penitent believer is “baptized into his death” (Rom.6:3,4), “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). It is here that he is made “free from sin” (Rom.6:18), has his sins “washed away” (Acts 22:16), enters Christ (Gal.3:27), and becomes a “new creature” (2 Cor.5:17).
The church, which is composed of the saved (Acts 2:47), is to be the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim.3:15). The ‘disciple indeed” is to “let his light so shine before men that others may see his good works and glorify his Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16). The teacher must uphold the truth at all times in its purity and fullness as revealed by the Lord (2 Tim.2: 2; Jude 3).
Love and devotion to the truth leads the new creature to walk in the steps of him who “. . . left us an example. . . .” That he might “draw near with full assurance of faith having his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and his body washed with pure water” (Heb.10:22).
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed in Him: If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8: 31,32).
- Will you recognise according to God’s standard that you are caught up in sin and need to rectify it?
- Will you follow the steps provided by the unchangeable word that leads to freedom from sin?
- Will you enter the church that is Christ’s body where the truth that sets you free is a “pillar and ground”?
- If you are willing to follow, let it be known to Christ’s church that gathers in your neighborhood or reply to this post and let “us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).
A logical look at what killed the dinosaurs
The atheist/evolutionist clambers around devising theory after theory to explain the extinction of the dinosaur rather than look at the obvious answer God supplies in Genesis.
The recent discovery in Mongolia of parrot beaked dinosaurs heaped together in a mass grave should stir the mind to look at the atheist/evolutionist argument and logically compare it with the creationists’ alternative.
Be honest with yourself for it doesn’t affect my standing with the Maker upon Judgement Day, just you according to Romans 2:6.
Graham
Antipodean
Timaru church of Christ
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