Q.1. Comparing yourself to the 1 billion half starved, poverty stricken Asians and Africans, do you think you might be considered a proud person?
Q.2. Do you have more than enough to eat every day? If you are 1 lb. overweight the answer is yes.
Q.3. Do you have a lot of spare time? There are 168 hours in a week. If you have a 40 hour work week there are 128 hours remaining. Sleep 8 hours a day? You have 72 hours left. That's almost half a week. What do you do with those 72 hours? Watch tv? Play video games? Shoot hoops? Hang out?
Q.4. What exactly are you doing for the poor and needy? A 5 dollar turkey once a year? Your generousity overwhelms me.
Now read the "other" reasons why God sent fire and brimstone down on Sodom.
MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO DO A SERIOUS SELF EXAMINIATION AND REARRANGE OUR PRIORITIES. WE MAY BE GIVING AN ACCOUNT BEFORE THE "BEMA" OF CHRIST SOONER THAN WE THINK.
Ezekiel 16:49
"Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
thot42day
Friday, November 19, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
III John - A New Testament Character Study
Read III John with the purpose of examining the character of three men mentioned in the letter; Gaius, Diotrephes and Demetrius.
Here are the results of my examination.
Gaius - was a man who was "walking in the truth". What does it mean to "walk" in the truth? Well, first of all, it implies a knowledge of the truth. "Thy Word is Truth". A person cannot walk in the truth if he has no knowledge or a distorted knowledge of the Word of God. For example: a man in a foreign place without a map or with an inaccurate map will not be able to find his way. The Bible admonishes us to let the Word of God dwell in us richly and to study the Word. We cannot walk in the truth if we do not know what it is! Then, "walking in the truth" means to put our knowledge of the Word of God into practice. It is not enough to know what the Bible says, the devil can quote scripture. We read in James 1:22 "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves."
"Gaius was a man who knew the Word of God and put it into practice in his daily life.
Diotrephes - was the "pickle in the middle" or the "thorn" among the roses. Nothing good was said of him. If you list his characteristics in vs. 10, they are:
loves to be first - egotistic
does not accept what the Apostle says - ignorant of the Word of God
unjustly accuses us - slanderous
uses wicked words - foul mouthed
puts hospitable people out of the church - drives decent people away
In vs. 11 John admonishes us not to imitate evil (Diotrephes).
In the common language of today we would say that he was an evil and egotistical Biblical ignoramus with a foul mouth full of slander who drove decent people out of the church. vs. 10,11
Demetrius - had a good reputation. Everyone testified of his integrity even the Apostle John himself who added, "and our testimony is true". I wonder why John added that phrase? Could it be that Diotrephes slanderous, lying tongue had slashed away at Demetrius to sully his good name? But John said, "our testimony is true."
Here are the results of my examination.
Gaius - was a man who was "walking in the truth". What does it mean to "walk" in the truth? Well, first of all, it implies a knowledge of the truth. "Thy Word is Truth". A person cannot walk in the truth if he has no knowledge or a distorted knowledge of the Word of God. For example: a man in a foreign place without a map or with an inaccurate map will not be able to find his way. The Bible admonishes us to let the Word of God dwell in us richly and to study the Word. We cannot walk in the truth if we do not know what it is! Then, "walking in the truth" means to put our knowledge of the Word of God into practice. It is not enough to know what the Bible says, the devil can quote scripture. We read in James 1:22 "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves."
"Gaius was a man who knew the Word of God and put it into practice in his daily life.
Diotrephes - was the "pickle in the middle" or the "thorn" among the roses. Nothing good was said of him. If you list his characteristics in vs. 10, they are:
loves to be first - egotistic
does not accept what the Apostle says - ignorant of the Word of God
unjustly accuses us - slanderous
uses wicked words - foul mouthed
puts hospitable people out of the church - drives decent people away
In vs. 11 John admonishes us not to imitate evil (Diotrephes).
In the common language of today we would say that he was an evil and egotistical Biblical ignoramus with a foul mouth full of slander who drove decent people out of the church. vs. 10,11
Demetrius - had a good reputation. Everyone testified of his integrity even the Apostle John himself who added, "and our testimony is true". I wonder why John added that phrase? Could it be that Diotrephes slanderous, lying tongue had slashed away at Demetrius to sully his good name? But John said, "our testimony is true."
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The Gospel Truth
A Different Gospel
Galatians 1:6-10 NASB "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 if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
In a "politically correct" environment it is just not nice to talk this way. Today, Paul would no doubt be accused of embracing the very thing he was writing against. "Shut up, Paul - you're being legalistic and judgemental!" By a strange twist in thinking, the Galatian Christians would today be portrayed as virtuous for being inclusive, tolerant and accepting diversity. Paul, in turn, would be condemned for being narrow minded, judgemental and legalistic.
However, the truth remains that "The Way of Salvation", the Gospel, can be distorted and perverted. And contrary to "political correctness" our attitude should be the same as the Apostle Paul's.
Perverting the Gospel
Paul wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...." Rom.1:16
The Gospel or Good News is a message about God, Jesus Christ, and Salvation.
It is called, "The Gospel of God" in Rom. 1:1.
It is called, "The Gospel of Christ" in Gal. 1:7.
It is called, "The Gospel of Salvation" in Eph. 1:13.
The gospel is a message that can be clearly communicated. It is a message about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race (the gospel of God). It is a message about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins (the gospel of Christ). It is a message that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul. (the gospel of salvation)
Any of these elements of the gospel can be perverted. The Apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia that to "embrace" a distorted Gospel was to "abandon" Jesus Christ. Gal. 1:6. In other words, there is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Paul warned the church of Galatia not to receive this Gospel perversion. The distortion was the claim of Judaizers that a Gentile believer needed, among other things, to be circumcised according to Jewish law. Paul warned them: "if you recieve circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you." "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace." Gal. 5:2&4
Paul could have said to the Galatians, "Let's not make an issue out of this", but he didn't because he had faced the issue before as he writes in Gal. 2:5 "But we did not yeild in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you."
Embracing a distorted gospel is no trifling matter. It will result in Christ being of no benefit to you, being severed from Christ, and falling from grace,
Examples of a Distorted Gospel
The one true gospel is called "The Gospel of God", "The Gospel of Christ", and "The Gospel of Salvation". A perversion or distortion of any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
Let me give you an example of perverting the first element of the Gospel.
Hindus believe that God has become incarnate on not just one but on many occasions. Some would say 330 million times according to the number of their gods. The Hindus beleive in a Trinity: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Kali, a popular goddess, would be an incarnation of Vishnu. No doubt many Hindus would say that Jesus is God incarnate, one of 330 million, and would say that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind. However, that "faith" in Jesus would not save them because they have perverted the Gospel of God (the one true God, eternal, creator of heaven and earth who eternally exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; not Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Any other distortion of the nature of God would likewise make the gospel linked to that pervsion null and void. "I am the Lord your God....You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:2-3 There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel of God.
The one true gospel is also called "The Gospel of Christ" because it is a message about the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Eternal Son, by Whom and for Whom all things were created. It is a message about His incarnation, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, His death, burial, bodily resurrection, ascention to heaven and His soon-coming return to rule and reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem.
A perversion or distortion of the Lord Jesus Christ makes any "gospel" attached to that perversion null and void. Here's an example:
There are people who call themselves "Christian" who deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who say that he was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, that he was just a man, a good man and God was with him but that He is not God. Strange as it may sound there are those who say that Jesus and Satan are brothers. There are some who say His resurrection from the dead was only a spiritual resurrection, that He did not bodily ascend into heaven. These are all distortions of the Glorious Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are distortions of the "Gospel of Christ" and the truth remains that there is no salvation in a perversion of the Gospel.
The gospel is a message(1)about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race. It is a message (2) about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. And it is a message (3) that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul.
Distorting any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel. One cannot have salvation in Jesus and worship a false god. Likewise, trusting in a "Jesus" other than the true Jesus will not save anyone.
Furthermore, there is only one way to receive the benefits of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and be saved. Imitating the life of Jesus will not secure salvation. " it is ......not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, through faith. Read Romans 10:8-15. The message of the One True God and the Lord Jesus Christ must first be heard, then believed with the heart and confessed openly, then God saves by administering His grace and mercy. The mercy of God is when God does not give us what we really do deserve. The grace of God is when God gives us something (salvation) that we do not deserve.
Many people are trusting their church to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting someone else's faith, perhaps a parent's or "godparent's" faith to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting in a religious rite such as baptism or confirmation to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting that the reception of sacraments will save them. They will not.
Only God can save. Only God can grant saving grace.
"By grace are you saved through faith". Any other way is a perversion of the truth and will not save.
There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Galatians 1:6-10 NASB "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 if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
In a "politically correct" environment it is just not nice to talk this way. Today, Paul would no doubt be accused of embracing the very thing he was writing against. "Shut up, Paul - you're being legalistic and judgemental!" By a strange twist in thinking, the Galatian Christians would today be portrayed as virtuous for being inclusive, tolerant and accepting diversity. Paul, in turn, would be condemned for being narrow minded, judgemental and legalistic.
However, the truth remains that "The Way of Salvation", the Gospel, can be distorted and perverted. And contrary to "political correctness" our attitude should be the same as the Apostle Paul's.
Perverting the Gospel
Paul wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...." Rom.1:16
The Gospel or Good News is a message about God, Jesus Christ, and Salvation.
It is called, "The Gospel of God" in Rom. 1:1.
It is called, "The Gospel of Christ" in Gal. 1:7.
It is called, "The Gospel of Salvation" in Eph. 1:13.
The gospel is a message that can be clearly communicated. It is a message about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race (the gospel of God). It is a message about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins (the gospel of Christ). It is a message that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul. (the gospel of salvation)
Any of these elements of the gospel can be perverted. The Apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia that to "embrace" a distorted Gospel was to "abandon" Jesus Christ. Gal. 1:6. In other words, there is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Paul warned the church of Galatia not to receive this Gospel perversion. The distortion was the claim of Judaizers that a Gentile believer needed, among other things, to be circumcised according to Jewish law. Paul warned them: "if you recieve circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you." "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace." Gal. 5:2&4
Paul could have said to the Galatians, "Let's not make an issue out of this", but he didn't because he had faced the issue before as he writes in Gal. 2:5 "But we did not yeild in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you."
Embracing a distorted gospel is no trifling matter. It will result in Christ being of no benefit to you, being severed from Christ, and falling from grace,
Examples of a Distorted Gospel
The one true gospel is called "The Gospel of God", "The Gospel of Christ", and "The Gospel of Salvation". A perversion or distortion of any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
Let me give you an example of perverting the first element of the Gospel.
Hindus believe that God has become incarnate on not just one but on many occasions. Some would say 330 million times according to the number of their gods. The Hindus beleive in a Trinity: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Kali, a popular goddess, would be an incarnation of Vishnu. No doubt many Hindus would say that Jesus is God incarnate, one of 330 million, and would say that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind. However, that "faith" in Jesus would not save them because they have perverted the Gospel of God (the one true God, eternal, creator of heaven and earth who eternally exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; not Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Any other distortion of the nature of God would likewise make the gospel linked to that pervsion null and void. "I am the Lord your God....You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:2-3 There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel of God.
The one true gospel is also called "The Gospel of Christ" because it is a message about the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Eternal Son, by Whom and for Whom all things were created. It is a message about His incarnation, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, His death, burial, bodily resurrection, ascention to heaven and His soon-coming return to rule and reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem.
A perversion or distortion of the Lord Jesus Christ makes any "gospel" attached to that perversion null and void. Here's an example:
There are people who call themselves "Christian" who deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who say that he was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, that he was just a man, a good man and God was with him but that He is not God. Strange as it may sound there are those who say that Jesus and Satan are brothers. There are some who say His resurrection from the dead was only a spiritual resurrection, that He did not bodily ascend into heaven. These are all distortions of the Glorious Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are distortions of the "Gospel of Christ" and the truth remains that there is no salvation in a perversion of the Gospel.
The gospel is a message(1)about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race. It is a message (2) about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. And it is a message (3) that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul.
Distorting any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel. One cannot have salvation in Jesus and worship a false god. Likewise, trusting in a "Jesus" other than the true Jesus will not save anyone.
Furthermore, there is only one way to receive the benefits of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and be saved. Imitating the life of Jesus will not secure salvation. " it is ......not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, through faith. Read Romans 10:8-15. The message of the One True God and the Lord Jesus Christ must first be heard, then believed with the heart and confessed openly, then God saves by administering His grace and mercy. The mercy of God is when God does not give us what we really do deserve. The grace of God is when God gives us something (salvation) that we do not deserve.
Many people are trusting their church to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting someone else's faith, perhaps a parent's or "godparent's" faith to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting in a religious rite such as baptism or confirmation to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting that the reception of sacraments will save them. They will not.
Only God can save. Only God can grant saving grace.
"By grace are you saved through faith". Any other way is a perversion of the truth and will not save.
There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The Principles of Bible Interpretation. #1
The first and most important is "The Principle of Literal Interpretation".
A folksy way of stating this principle is: "If the plain sense makes good sense don't look for another sense."
In normal everyday conversation the "hearer" takes for granted that the speaker wants to convey information in a straightforward manner. The "speaker" is not expecting the hearer to be looking for hidden messages and esoteric meanings in the words he chooses. Anything else would make it nearly impossible for two people to communicate. We ask the question, "what did you mean by that?" only when we have a problem understanding the normal meaning of what was said. We should approach the Bible in the same way.
Theologian Bernard Ramm states: "The literal interpretation as applied to any document is that view which adapts as the sense of a sentence, the meaning of the sentence in usual, or ordinary, or normal conversation or writing."
A great deal of mischief has taken place when people have preconceived ideas and rather than take a statement for its face value "read into" it something which the author never intended.
Looking for hidden meanings, secret messages and esoteric knowledge in a passage of Scripture may cause the actual message of the text to be lost or misunderstood.
Next time you read the Bible and find a passage that is a little difficult to understand, try taking it at face value, unless it is obvious that a figure of speech is being used. "If the plain sense makes good sense don't look for another sense."
to be continued
A folksy way of stating this principle is: "If the plain sense makes good sense don't look for another sense."
In normal everyday conversation the "hearer" takes for granted that the speaker wants to convey information in a straightforward manner. The "speaker" is not expecting the hearer to be looking for hidden messages and esoteric meanings in the words he chooses. Anything else would make it nearly impossible for two people to communicate. We ask the question, "what did you mean by that?" only when we have a problem understanding the normal meaning of what was said. We should approach the Bible in the same way.
Theologian Bernard Ramm states: "The literal interpretation as applied to any document is that view which adapts as the sense of a sentence, the meaning of the sentence in usual, or ordinary, or normal conversation or writing."
A great deal of mischief has taken place when people have preconceived ideas and rather than take a statement for its face value "read into" it something which the author never intended.
Looking for hidden meanings, secret messages and esoteric knowledge in a passage of Scripture may cause the actual message of the text to be lost or misunderstood.
Next time you read the Bible and find a passage that is a little difficult to understand, try taking it at face value, unless it is obvious that a figure of speech is being used. "If the plain sense makes good sense don't look for another sense."
to be continued
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fatal Attraction, Garlic Girls, Delilah and HIV
A spin-off of the blog, Hormonal Choice.
Fatal Attraction
I didn't see the 1987 movie but it got a lot of press, nominated for 6 Oscars, and headers were splashed all over the media. I read a couple of reviews. You know the plot; an unfaithful husband gets more than he bargained for. The "love cocktail" of powerful brain chemicals (phenylethelamine, dopamine and oxytocin) helped create an extremely strong neural pathway in Alex Forrest's brain. She became obsessed with Dan then psychotic. "I guess you thought you'd get away with this. Well, you can't", says Alex. "I'm not going to be ignored, Dan!"
Glenn Close, the actress who played Alex, reported that after the film was released she was approached a number of times by men who said, "You scared the beegeebees out of me. You saved my marraige." However, many men, throwing all caution to the wind, watched the movie then went on to have their own affair. The "love cocktail" had done it's work in their own brain.
The Garlic Girls
Karl Johann's Gata (street) in downtown Oslo, Norway, is for the most part, a traffic free walking street running from the Central Train Station to the Royal Palace. A very interesting and popular place to hang out. Street musicians and one man bands from around the world make their way here in the summertime to entertain and earn a few "kroner". The Garlic Girls used to make regular public appearances. Seated on the edge of a fountain in the public square, four or five beautiful young "women" sat for hours chatting, gesturing to the crowds of passersby, and acting very feminine. But it was all an act. They were all young college students, men in drag, having the time of their lives. One would have to get up in their faces to realize who and what they were, and even then it was difficult.
I watched COPS on TV a few years ago where a "John" was arrested for soliciting. He was shocked when the police informed him that the prostitute he had picked up was a transvestite. I read in the newspaper of a another incident where a prostitute was murdered when the "John" realized "she" was a "he". Yet, many people, knowing that these kinds of deceptions take place, throw caution to the wind, and walk on like a lamb to the slaughter. Lust and the "love cocktail" blinds them to the destructive nature of their behavior.
Delilah
Who would ever name their child Delilah? Samson, on a lustful high, thought that she was his friend and entrusted her with the secret of his superhuman strength. He was blind to her deception and eventually had his wandering eyes gouged out. How many have read the story then gone out and done the same thing? She wasn't his friend at all, she was in fact his worst enemy! But, the "love cocktail" had skewed his perception of the truth, he threw caution to the wind, and paid for it with his life.
HIV
The initials, HIV, used to be on every front page and every newscast. No so much any more but it is still there, it is no longer a "gay" disease, and it is still as destructive as ever with no cure in sight. Knowing the dangers of HIV and a plethora of other STD's, has not changed the moral tone of our nation. Immorality is rampant -much worse that it was 30 years ago when doctors became concerned over what they dubbed "gay cancer". Yet, many throw all caution to the wind and live a permiscuous lifestyle. Lust and the "love cocktail" drive them on.
All this to demonstrate the power of brain chemicals to distort a person's perceptions of what is good and what is bad, of what is right and what is wrong. It's as if "rose colored glasses" cloud the dangers which should be obvious. Again, be careful about who and what you get "stuck" on. Especially if the "hot" factor is present in any way, shape, or form. What you tell yourself is rational may be nothing more than the Hormonal Choice.
Fatal Attraction
I didn't see the 1987 movie but it got a lot of press, nominated for 6 Oscars, and headers were splashed all over the media. I read a couple of reviews. You know the plot; an unfaithful husband gets more than he bargained for. The "love cocktail" of powerful brain chemicals (phenylethelamine, dopamine and oxytocin) helped create an extremely strong neural pathway in Alex Forrest's brain. She became obsessed with Dan then psychotic. "I guess you thought you'd get away with this. Well, you can't", says Alex. "I'm not going to be ignored, Dan!"
Glenn Close, the actress who played Alex, reported that after the film was released she was approached a number of times by men who said, "You scared the beegeebees out of me. You saved my marraige." However, many men, throwing all caution to the wind, watched the movie then went on to have their own affair. The "love cocktail" had done it's work in their own brain.
The Garlic Girls
Karl Johann's Gata (street) in downtown Oslo, Norway, is for the most part, a traffic free walking street running from the Central Train Station to the Royal Palace. A very interesting and popular place to hang out. Street musicians and one man bands from around the world make their way here in the summertime to entertain and earn a few "kroner". The Garlic Girls used to make regular public appearances. Seated on the edge of a fountain in the public square, four or five beautiful young "women" sat for hours chatting, gesturing to the crowds of passersby, and acting very feminine. But it was all an act. They were all young college students, men in drag, having the time of their lives. One would have to get up in their faces to realize who and what they were, and even then it was difficult.
I watched COPS on TV a few years ago where a "John" was arrested for soliciting. He was shocked when the police informed him that the prostitute he had picked up was a transvestite. I read in the newspaper of a another incident where a prostitute was murdered when the "John" realized "she" was a "he". Yet, many people, knowing that these kinds of deceptions take place, throw caution to the wind, and walk on like a lamb to the slaughter. Lust and the "love cocktail" blinds them to the destructive nature of their behavior.
Delilah
Who would ever name their child Delilah? Samson, on a lustful high, thought that she was his friend and entrusted her with the secret of his superhuman strength. He was blind to her deception and eventually had his wandering eyes gouged out. How many have read the story then gone out and done the same thing? She wasn't his friend at all, she was in fact his worst enemy! But, the "love cocktail" had skewed his perception of the truth, he threw caution to the wind, and paid for it with his life.
HIV
The initials, HIV, used to be on every front page and every newscast. No so much any more but it is still there, it is no longer a "gay" disease, and it is still as destructive as ever with no cure in sight. Knowing the dangers of HIV and a plethora of other STD's, has not changed the moral tone of our nation. Immorality is rampant -much worse that it was 30 years ago when doctors became concerned over what they dubbed "gay cancer". Yet, many throw all caution to the wind and live a permiscuous lifestyle. Lust and the "love cocktail" drive them on.
All this to demonstrate the power of brain chemicals to distort a person's perceptions of what is good and what is bad, of what is right and what is wrong. It's as if "rose colored glasses" cloud the dangers which should be obvious. Again, be careful about who and what you get "stuck" on. Especially if the "hot" factor is present in any way, shape, or form. What you tell yourself is rational may be nothing more than the Hormonal Choice.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Hormonal Choice
Scientists exploring the chemistry of the brain write about a group of "chemicals which are registered together only during the initial stages of courtship". They are sometimes referred to as the "love cocktail". They are: phenylethelamine, dopamine and oxytocin. Prof. Hazan of Cornell Univ.
These chemicals help create neural pathways in the brain that are extremely difficult if not impossible to remove. Just a glance at a beautiful woman stimulates the production of these chemicals at lightning speed and the poor guy gets "zapped". If the cocktail is potent enough he can get hooked or stuck on her and even obsessed with her without even knowing who she is. (Come on guys, you know this is true). Remember the '50 song, "I love you, I need you, won't you tell me your name"?
Advertisers intentionally use this chemical reaction to help fasten the image of their products in the minds of those who see their ads. It's always a breathtakingly beautiful model demonstrating the toilet bowl cleaner. And the focus of the ad will not be on the toilet bowl, toilet brush or the nasty stains being removed. Something else will be present, maybe some cleavage, to give a little zap of "love cocktail" with the hope that the product will be included in the neural pathway just formed and fortified by these brain chemicals.
News anchors are famous for this little maneuver. Katie Couric flopped as soon as they put her behind a desk!
Now, all this to say, be careful about who and what you get "stuck" on. Especially if that "hot" factor is present in any way, shape, or form. What you tell yourself is rational may be nothing more than The Hormonal Choice.
These chemicals help create neural pathways in the brain that are extremely difficult if not impossible to remove. Just a glance at a beautiful woman stimulates the production of these chemicals at lightning speed and the poor guy gets "zapped". If the cocktail is potent enough he can get hooked or stuck on her and even obsessed with her without even knowing who she is. (Come on guys, you know this is true). Remember the '50 song, "I love you, I need you, won't you tell me your name"?
Advertisers intentionally use this chemical reaction to help fasten the image of their products in the minds of those who see their ads. It's always a breathtakingly beautiful model demonstrating the toilet bowl cleaner. And the focus of the ad will not be on the toilet bowl, toilet brush or the nasty stains being removed. Something else will be present, maybe some cleavage, to give a little zap of "love cocktail" with the hope that the product will be included in the neural pathway just formed and fortified by these brain chemicals.
News anchors are famous for this little maneuver. Katie Couric flopped as soon as they put her behind a desk!
Now, all this to say, be careful about who and what you get "stuck" on. Especially if that "hot" factor is present in any way, shape, or form. What you tell yourself is rational may be nothing more than The Hormonal Choice.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Examples continued, The Gospel of Salvation perverted.
The gospel is a message(1)about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race. It is a message (2) about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. And it is a message (3) that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul.
Distorting any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel. One cannot have salvation in Jesus and worship a false god. Likewise, trusting in a "Jesus" other than the true Jesus will not save anyone.
Furthermore, there is only one way to receive the benefits of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and be saved. Imitating the life of Jesus will not secure salvation. " it is ......not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, through faith. Read Romans 10:8-15. The message of the One True God and the Lord Jesus Christ must first be heard, then believed with the heart and confessed openly, then God saves by administering His grace and mercy. The mercy of God is when God does not give us what we really do deserve. The grace of God is when God gives us something (salvation) that we do not deserve.
Many people are trusting their church to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting someone else's faith, perhaps a parent's or "godparent's" faith to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting in a religious rite such as baptism or confirmation to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting that the reception of sacraments will save them. They will not.
Only God can save. Only God can grant saving grace.
"By grace are you saved through faith". Any other way is a perversion of the truth and will not save.
The truth remains, There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Distorting any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel. One cannot have salvation in Jesus and worship a false god. Likewise, trusting in a "Jesus" other than the true Jesus will not save anyone.
Furthermore, there is only one way to receive the benefits of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and be saved. Imitating the life of Jesus will not secure salvation. " it is ......not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, through faith. Read Romans 10:8-15. The message of the One True God and the Lord Jesus Christ must first be heard, then believed with the heart and confessed openly, then God saves by administering His grace and mercy. The mercy of God is when God does not give us what we really do deserve. The grace of God is when God gives us something (salvation) that we do not deserve.
Many people are trusting their church to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting someone else's faith, perhaps a parent's or "godparent's" faith to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting in a religious rite such as baptism or confirmation to save them. It will not.
Many are trusting that the reception of sacraments will save them. They will not.
Only God can save. Only God can grant saving grace.
"By grace are you saved through faith". Any other way is a perversion of the truth and will not save.
The truth remains, There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Examples, contnued
The one true gospel is also called "The Gospel of Christ" because it is a message about the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Eternal Son, by Whom and for Whom all things were created. It is a message about His incarnation, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, His death, burial, bodily resurrection, ascention to heaven and His soon-coming return to rule and reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem.
A perversion or distortion of the Lord Jesus Christ makes any "gospel" attached to that perversion null and void. Here's an example:
There are people who call themselves "Christian" who deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who say that he was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, that he was just a man, a good man and God was with him but that He is not God. Strange as it may sound there are those who say that Jesus and Satan are brothers. There are some who say His resurrection from the dead was only a spiritual resurrection, that He did not bodily ascend into heaven. These are all distortions of the Glorious Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are distortions of the "Gospel of Christ" and the truth remains that there is no salvation in a perversion of the Gospel. to be continued
A perversion or distortion of the Lord Jesus Christ makes any "gospel" attached to that perversion null and void. Here's an example:
There are people who call themselves "Christian" who deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who say that he was not conceived by the Holy Spirit, that he was just a man, a good man and God was with him but that He is not God. Strange as it may sound there are those who say that Jesus and Satan are brothers. There are some who say His resurrection from the dead was only a spiritual resurrection, that He did not bodily ascend into heaven. These are all distortions of the Glorious Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are distortions of the "Gospel of Christ" and the truth remains that there is no salvation in a perversion of the Gospel. to be continued
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Examples of a Distorted Gospel
Please read the 2 previous blogs for a little background.
The one true gospel is called "The Gospel of God", "The Gospel of Christ", and "The Gospel of Salvation". A perversion or distortion of any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
Let me give you an example of perverting the first element of the Gospel.
Hindus believe that God has become incarnate on not just one but on many occasions. Some would say 330 million times according to the number of their gods. The Hindus beleive in a Trinity: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Kali, a popular goddess, would be an incarnation of Vishnu. No doubt many Hindus would say that Jesus is God incarnate, one of 330 million, and would say that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind. However, that "faith" in Jesus would not save them because they have perverted the Gospel of God (the one true God, eternal, creator of heaven and earth who eternally exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; not Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Any other distortion of the nature of God would likewise make the gospel linked to that pervsion null and void. "I am the Lord your God....You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:2-3 There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel of God.
to be continued
The one true gospel is called "The Gospel of God", "The Gospel of Christ", and "The Gospel of Salvation". A perversion or distortion of any of these elements of the gospel makes the message null and void. There is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
Let me give you an example of perverting the first element of the Gospel.
Hindus believe that God has become incarnate on not just one but on many occasions. Some would say 330 million times according to the number of their gods. The Hindus beleive in a Trinity: Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. Kali, a popular goddess, would be an incarnation of Vishnu. No doubt many Hindus would say that Jesus is God incarnate, one of 330 million, and would say that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind. However, that "faith" in Jesus would not save them because they have perverted the Gospel of God (the one true God, eternal, creator of heaven and earth who eternally exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; not Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Any other distortion of the nature of God would likewise make the gospel linked to that pervsion null and void. "I am the Lord your God....You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:2-3 There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel of God.
to be continued
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Perverting the Gospel
The Apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes...."
Rom. 1:16
There is only one gospel but:
It is called, "The Gospel of God". Rom. 1:1
It is called, "The Gospel of Christ". Gal. 1:7
It is called, "The Gospel of Salvation". Eph. 1:13
The gospel is a message that can be preached. It is a message about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race (the gospel of God). It is a message about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins (the gospel of Christ). It is a message that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul. (the gospel of salvation)
The gospel can be perverted or distorted. The Apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia that to "embrace" a perverted Gospel was to "abandon" Jesus Christ. Gal. 1:6. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Paul warned the church of Galatia not to embrace a perverted Gospel. The distortion was the claim of Judaizers that a Gentile believer needed, among other things, to be circumcised according to Jewish law. Paul warned them: "if you recieve circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you." "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace." Gal. 5:2&4
Paul could have said to the Galatians, "Let's not make an issue out of this", but he didn't because he had faced the issue before as he writes in Gal. 2:5 "But we did not yeild in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you."
The truth remains that embracing a distorted gospel is no trifling matter. It will result in Christ being of no benefit to you, being severed from Christ, and falling from grace,
Rom. 1:16
There is only one gospel but:
It is called, "The Gospel of God". Rom. 1:1
It is called, "The Gospel of Christ". Gal. 1:7
It is called, "The Gospel of Salvation". Eph. 1:13
The gospel is a message that can be preached. It is a message about the One True God and His love for the fallen human race (the gospel of God). It is a message about His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins (the gospel of Christ). It is a message that if believed will result in the salvation of the believer's soul. (the gospel of salvation)
The gospel can be perverted or distorted. The Apostle wrote to the Christians in Galatia that to "embrace" a perverted Gospel was to "abandon" Jesus Christ. Gal. 1:6. There is no salvation in a perverted Gospel.
Paul warned the church of Galatia not to embrace a perverted Gospel. The distortion was the claim of Judaizers that a Gentile believer needed, among other things, to be circumcised according to Jewish law. Paul warned them: "if you recieve circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you." "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace." Gal. 5:2&4
Paul could have said to the Galatians, "Let's not make an issue out of this", but he didn't because he had faced the issue before as he writes in Gal. 2:5 "But we did not yeild in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you."
The truth remains that embracing a distorted gospel is no trifling matter. It will result in Christ being of no benefit to you, being severed from Christ, and falling from grace,
Friday, June 4, 2010
A Different Gospel
Galatians 1:6-10 NASB "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 if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
In a "politically correct" environment it is just not nice to talk this way. Today, Paul would no doubt be accused of embracing the very thing he was writing against. "Shut up, Paul - you're being legalistic and judgemental!" By a strange twist in thinking, the Galatian Christians would today be portrayed as virtuous for being inclusive, tolerant and accepting diversity. Paul, in turn, would be condemned for being narrow minded, judgemental and legalistic.
However, the truth remains that one can distort or pervert the gospel which is "The Way of Salvation". And contrary to "political correctness" our attitude should be the same as the Apostle Paul's, after all, he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and there is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
In a "politically correct" environment it is just not nice to talk this way. Today, Paul would no doubt be accused of embracing the very thing he was writing against. "Shut up, Paul - you're being legalistic and judgemental!" By a strange twist in thinking, the Galatian Christians would today be portrayed as virtuous for being inclusive, tolerant and accepting diversity. Paul, in turn, would be condemned for being narrow minded, judgemental and legalistic.
However, the truth remains that one can distort or pervert the gospel which is "The Way of Salvation". And contrary to "political correctness" our attitude should be the same as the Apostle Paul's, after all, he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and there is no salvation in a perverted gospel.
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