The Christian Faith

February 2014, Spring is near:

EXPLICIT BIBLE TRUTH
Jesus
Who is He
What is He
Why is He

The Christian Faith:

2Timothy 3:16 All Scripture, writings of Jehovah is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
The writings of the Bible are about the Bible and come to us from the Holy Spirit of Jehovah God who is called Jehovah, the Incarnate God, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, God the Word, the Restrainer with the different names, titles identifying the different ministries of Jehovah God.
Revelation 19:10 And I fell before his, the Angels feet to worship him, but he said to me, Behold! Stop! I am a fellow-slave of yours, and of your brothers, having the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The Bible was a completed work by the end of the Apostolic age, before 100 A.D and has no legal additions since that time, 1Corinthians 13:9-13.
Most of us read English translations of the Bible as we cannot read Hebrew and Greek and some read more than one translation in an effort to more fully understand as they are all works of scholarship.
The Spirit of Christ indwells all believers and gives us illumination, understanding of the written word as the “Word of God is a Lamp unto our feet” showing us the way.

2Timothy 3:17 so that the man, person of God may be perfected, being fully furnished for every good work.

1Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit says clearly that in the last times some people will abandon the faith by following deceitful spirits, the teachings of demons,
The Last Times is the Church age, Hebrews 1:2, 1John 2:18 that has now lasted almost 2000 years,
1Timothy 4:2 and the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have been burned by a hot iron.
1Timothy 4:3 They will try to stop people from marrying and from eating certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
At this time in history there were 2 main groups of false teachers with one being Judaizers who still practiced dietary laws and did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, Messiah. The other being Gnostic’s (nos tics) who reportedly taught abstinence from foods and abstinence of marriage but freedom of self indulgence including free sex. Gnostic’s may be the people referred to in Jude 1:3-5,2Peter 2:1-2.
Christianity comes exclusively from the Bible. We must rightly divide the Bible understanding that some elements of the Law and the early Church who had temporary gifts to kick start the Church so to speak and to complete the Bible have been eliminated for the balance of the Church age.
The Church age, dispensation will cease at the Rapture of the Church, the beginning of 70^th week, the last and final week of Daniel the Prophet, Daniel 9:24-25.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once, for all timedelivered unto the saints.
Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, license to sin, and denying, Romans chapter 6 the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Believed not here would possibly be better understood as not faithful . This means they all got a shot at righteous living but many failed and probably means they died the sin unto death as those in the flood of Noah and as many do today, 1Peter 4:6, Luke 1:5-6, John 5:24-29, Romans chapter 2.
As we are under Grace and not the penalty of the Law many people find this very difficult to understand.
We are required to keep the commandments of God but we cannot be prosecuted for not doing so as the “Blood of Jesus” covers sins committed but the ones walking with God will inherit the “Kingdom of God”.
The Gospel has been preached to the dead, 1Peter3:18-20, 1Peter 4:6 with dead meaning out of the Body, those who died in the flood. Has God extended this Grace to others, I don’t know but I would not be surprised.

2Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Swift here means that when it does happen, it will happen rapidly and they will not escape.
2Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
1Timothy 4:3 above is like a big red neon sign warning us about false teachers.
We have no commandment to either eat foods or to be married but we have the freedom to eat or not eat and to marry or not marry, Colossians 2:16-23.
Marriage begins with a personal commitment between two people, members of the opposite sex and is better when confirmed by a civil union with a marriage certificate which protects both parties but it is the commitment to God’s word and to each other that preserves the marriage.
Some have chosen to abstain from certain foods and some to remain single with some devoting their lives to a Christian ministry.
We have the right to do this but we do not have the right to teach abstinence from marriage or foods as commandments of God.

1Corinthians 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I, single.
1Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain themselves, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn, burn with passion.

1Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
1Timothy 4:5 because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Everything God created for food is good for food and nothing is to be refused as it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
God did not create aspartame or other artificial sweeteners and He did not create penicillin or other drugs which are injected in beef, pork or chickens some of which can cause problems for some eaters or perceived problems called phobias.
Wheat and corn and other grains have been genetically altered to increase yield and improve disease resistance causing problems for some eaters.
If we have problems with some foods then we should not eat these foods or chemicals but we should always give thanks to God for whatever we do eat.
I saw an interview with a 105 year old Grandpa in which he was asked about his longevity. His reply was that every day he ate bacon and eggs.
Those were both frowned upon by the then powers of acceptable diet many of who die prematurely not knowing the power of the Lord, Jehovah God.
Some 10 years later the Government changed it’s negative position on eggs to a more positive position, why, I have no idea as eggs had not changed.
Longevity has more to do with 1Peter 3:10-12, Ephesians 6:1-3 than anything else.

Longevity:

1Peter 3:10 “For the one desiring to love life, and to see good days, let him restrain his tongue from evil, even his lips not to speak guile.
1Peter 3:11 Let him turn aside from evil, and let him do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it;
1Peter 3:12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against any doing evil things, Psalm 33:13-17

Childrens Obedience:

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Ephesians 6:2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise, Exodus 20:12
Ephesians 6:3 “that it may be well with you, and you may be long-lived on the earth”, Deuteronomy 5:16

1Timothy 4:6 If you continue to point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the healthy teaching that you have followed closely. Healthy teaching and nourished here would be 1Timothy 4:4-5, see above.
1Timothy 4:7 Do not have anything to do with godless myths and fables of old women, but train yourself in godliness.

1Timothy 4:8 Physical exercise is of limited value, but Godliness is very dear, A pledge of life, both there, in eternity and here, now.
1Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, KJV.
What this says is walking the walk is profitable both now and in the future with the outcome eventually being peace and security in the near term and long range wealth in eternity future.
1Timothy 4:9 This saying is trustworthy and deserves complete acceptance.
1Timothy 4:10 To this end we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, that is, of those who believe.
1Timothy 4:11 These are the things you, Timothy must insist on and teach.

Must Do’s:

1Timothy 4:12 Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for other believers in your speech, behavior, love, faithfulness, and purity.
1Timothy 4:13 Until I arrive, concentrate on the public reading of Scripture, on exhorting, and on teaching.
1Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy, accompanied by the laying on of the elders’ hands.
The gift that is in Timothy comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit and the laying on of hands is an endorsement from the Elders who recognize the gift, 1Corinthians 12:4-7.
Because Timothy is directed in 2Timothy 4:5 to do the work of an evangelist my assumption is he must be an Evangelist, Ephesians 4:11-12.
2Timothy 4:5 But you must be clear-headed about everything. Endure suffering. Do the work of an evangelist. Devote yourself completelyto your ministry.
1Timothy 5:22 Lay hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
1Timothy 4:15 Think on these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress.
1Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to your life style and your teaching. Persevere in these things, for if you do this, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Save yourself is an impossibility as we are saved by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, Ephesians 2:8-10.
The Greek word translated save here is correctly translated save but we should ask “saved from what”?
What is in view here is sanctification by righteous living, comprehension and implementation of God’s word that separates us from the world and the consequences of sin through chastisement, discipline, see 1Timothy 4:8 above.
Ron

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