1. Just like the fallen angels who deceived the world during Noah’s time, and are now chained in Tartarus, awaiting judgment and destruction (4).
2. Just like the world who rejected Noah’s gospel – so saw destruction in the flood (5).
3. Just like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (6-10).
4. Just like dogs returning to their vomit, or sows returning to wallow in the mire (22).

LORD, protect us from the words of those whose Christian profession is not genuine.  They are heading for annihilation, and we do not want to join them.

My immediate reflection on these chapters is that what I’ve read here is exactly why I am making reading a regular part of my day.

2 Peter 3:17 But you, friends, are well-warned. Be on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet by these lawless and loose-talking teachers. 18 Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. (The Message)

Peter is referring here to the gnostics of the time, those holders of “secret” knowledge…some untold part of the salvation story.  It seems that there are plenty of people out there that are ready to tell me what the Bible says, but how much of it is true?  How much of it is their interpretation of scripture, versus what God has actually said?

On Sunday, Pastor John was talking about how the Pharasees had built up their own traditions around old testament doctrine (fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, for example), but the traditions had no direct link to the scripture.   Tradition had been built upon interpretation (either valid or not), which may have been built upon scripture, or may have been built upon another tradition.  Over time, we forget why we are doing something, and if we are not grounding ourselves in the basic principles, it is easy to be lead astray.

To that end, my future reading will not be exclusively from the Message, which is an interpretation of the Bible, but I will be doing a comparative reading against a translation (most likely NASB, ESV, or NIV).  This is not to say that the Message is bad, simply that it is an interpretation, rather than a translation of God’s word.  I have found that www.youversion.com will allow for a parallel reading, and will be using that feature.

Tomorrow, I begin Mark…

[3.3] He has revealed to you the Book with truth, verifying that which is before it, and He revealed the Tavrat and the Injeel aforetime, a guidance for the people, and He sent the Furqan.

Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Isaiah 40:5 KJV  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Matthew 11:25 KJV  At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Luke 2:26 KJV  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Ephesians 3:3-7 KJV  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  (4)  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  (5)  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  (6)  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:  (7)  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

1 Peter 1:12 KJV  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

1 Peter 5:1 KJV  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

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[3.5] Allah– surely nothing is hidden from Him in the earth or in the heaven.

1 Corinthians 4:4-5 KJV  (4)  For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.  (5)  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 KJV  (6)  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  (7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1 Samuel 16:7 KJV  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 KJV  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?  (24)  Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
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[3.6] He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He likes; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise

Isaiah 44:2 KJV  Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 44:24 KJV  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Jeremiah 1:5 KJV  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
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[3.7] He it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are decisive, they are the basis of the Book, and others are allegorical; then as for those in whose hearts there is perversity they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking to mislead and seeking to give it (their own) interpretation. but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord; and none do mind except those having understanding.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (17)  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Isaiah 28:9-10 KJV  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.  (10)  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Matthew 13:12-17 KJV  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  (13)  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  (14)  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  (15)  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  (16)  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  (17)  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
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[3.9] Our Lord! surely Thou art the Gatherer of men on a day about which there is no doubt; surely Allah will not fail (His) promise.

Ezekiel 12:25 KJV  For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 30:2-3 KJV  Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!  (3)  For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

Zephaniah 1:14 KJV  The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

Zechariah 9:16 KJV  And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.

Zechariah 14:7-9 KJV  But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.  (8)  And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.  (9)  And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
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[3.14] The love of desires, of women and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver and well bred horses and cattle and tilth, is made to seem fair to men; this is the provision of the life of this world; and Allah is He with Whom is the good goal (of life).

Exodus 20:23 KJV  Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

Matthew 10:7-10 KJV  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  (8)  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.  (9)  Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,  (10)  Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

Revelation 9:20 KJV  And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Revelation 18:11-12 KJV  (11)  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:  (12)  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
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[3.15] Say:Shall I tell you what is better than these? For those who guard (against evil) are gardens with their Lord, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and pure mates and Allah’s pleasure; and Allah sees the servants.

Revelation 22:1-3 KJV  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  (2)  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  (3)  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
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[3.18] Allah bears witness that there is no god but He, and (so do) the angels and those possessed of knowledge, maintaining His creation with justice; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.

Genesis 6:5-6 KJV  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  (6)  And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Psalms 14:3 KJV  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Psalms 53:2-4 KJV  God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  (3)  Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  (4)  Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

Jeremiah 4:22 KJV  For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
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[3.21] Surely (as for) those who disbelieve in the communications of Allah and slay the prophets unjustly and slay those among men who enjoin justice, announce to them a painful chastisement.

Acts 7:51-52 KJV  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.  (52)  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Revelation 18:23-24 KJV  (23)  And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.  (24)  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Matthew 23:30-31 KJV  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.  (31)  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
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[3.26] Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom! Thou givest the kingdom to whomsoever Thou pleasest and takest away the kingdom from whomsoever Thou pleasest, and Thou exaltest whom Thou pleasest and abasest whom Thou pleasest in Thine hand is the good; surety, Thou hast power over all things.

1 Samuel 28:17 KJV  And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

1 Kings 11:11 KJV  Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Ezra 1:2 KJV  Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Daniel 2:37 KJV  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Daniel 7:14 KJV  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
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[3.31] Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, MercifuL

Deuteronomy 6:5 KJV  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 11:1 KJV  Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

Jeremiah 31:3 KJV  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

1 John 4:8-12 KJV  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  (9)  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  (10)  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  (11)  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  (12)  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

Acts 5:31 KJV  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Ephesians 4:32 KJV  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
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[3.33] Surely Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the descendants of Ibrahim and the descendants of Imran above the nations.

Matthew 22:32 KJV  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
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[3.45] When the angels said: O Marium, surely Allah gives you good news with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the ‘. Messiah, Isa son of Marium, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah).

Matthew 1:18 KJV  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:21-23 KJV  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  (22)  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  (23)  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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[3.49] And (make him) an apostle to the children of Israel: That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.

Colossians 1:16-17 KJV  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  (17)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Genesis 2:7 KJV  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:19 KJV  And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Exodus 4:11 KJV  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

Isaiah 29:18 KJV  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

Luke 7:22 KJV  Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
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[3.51] Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path.

Deuteronomy 13:4 KJV  Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

Luke 4:8 KJV  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
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[3.55] And when Allah said: O Isa, I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so l will decide between you concerning that in which you differed.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 KJV  (15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  (16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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[3.59] Surely the likeness of Isa is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.

Genesis 1:26-29 KJV  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  (27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  (28)  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.  (29)  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
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[3.61] But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.

Acts 15:7-11 KJV  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.  (8)  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;  (9)  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.  (10)  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?  (11)  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Acts 19:8-11 KJV  And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.  (9)  But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.  (10)  And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.  (11)  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
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[3.66] Behold! you are they who disputed about that of which you had knowledge; why then do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows while you do not know.

Acts 17:17-18 KJV  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.  (18)  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

2 Peter 2:12-18 KJV  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;  (13)  And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;  (14)  Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:  (15)  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;  (16)  But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.  (17)  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.  (18)  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
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[3.70] O followers of the Book! Why do you disbelieve in the communications of Allah while you witness (them)?
[3.71] O followers of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with the falsehood and hide the truth while you know?

Isaiah 41:11-13 KJV  Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.  (12)  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.  (13)  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Jeremiah 10:14-15 KJV  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.  (15)  They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

Jeremiah 22:21-22 KJV  I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.  (22)  The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

Micah 3:7 KJV  Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
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[3.75] And among the followers of the Book there are some such that if you entrust one (of them) with a heap of wealth, he shall pay it back to you; and among them there are some such that if you entrust one (of them) with a dinar he shall not pay it back to you except so long as you remain firm in demanding it; this is because they say: There is not upon us in the matter of the unlearned people any way (to reproach); and they tell a lie against Allah while they know.

Matthew 18:23-35 KJV  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  (24)  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  (25)  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  (26)  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  (27)  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.  (28)  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  (29)  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  (30)  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  (31)  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  (32)  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  (33)  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  (34)  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  (35)  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 25:14-30 KJV  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  (15)  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  (16)  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.  (17)  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  (18)  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.  (19)  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  (20)  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  (21)  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  (22)  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.  (23)  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  (24)  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  (25)  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  (26)  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  (27)  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.  (28)  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  (29)  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  (30)  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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[3.76] Yea, whoever fulfills his promise and guards (against evil)– then surely Allah loves those who guard (against evil).

Exodus 20:6 KJV  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 KJV  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

John 15:10 KJV  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
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[3.78] Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be (a part) of the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.

Jeremiah 14:14 KJV  Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Matthew 7:15 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 24:11 KJV  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
2 Peter 2:1 KJV  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.
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[3.81] And when Allah made a covenant through the prophets: Certainly what I have given you of Book and wisdom– then an apostle comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must aid him. He said: Do you affirm and accept My compact in this (matter)? They said: We do affirm. He said: Then bear witness, and I (too) am of the bearers of witness with you.

Exodus 19:5-6 KJV  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  (6)  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

1 Peter 2:9 KJV  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Deuteronomy 18:18-19 KJV  (18)  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  (19)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

2 Peter 3:2 KJV  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
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[3.91] Surely, those who disbelieve and die while they are unbelievers, the earth full of gold shall not be accepted from one of them, though he should offer to ransom himself with it, these it is who shall have a painful chastisement, and they shall have no helpers.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 KJV  What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Matthew 16:26 KJV  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
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[3.105] And be not like those who became divided and disagreed after clear arguments had come to them, and these it is that shall have a grievous chastisement.

Matthew 12:25 KJV  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

Mark 3:24 KJV  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
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[3.108] These are the communications of Allah which We recite to you with truth, and Allah does not desire any injustice to the creatures.

1 Samuel 15:22 KJV  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Genesis 18:19 KJV  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Leviticus 19:15 KJV  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Deuteronomy 4:5-6 KJV  Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.  (6)  Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Revelation 16:7 KJV  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
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[3.109] And whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is Allah’s; and to Allah all things return

Psalms 50:10-11 KJV  For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.  (11)  I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
Genesis 5:2 KJV  Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

Isaiah 40:26 KJV  Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

Isaiah 45:7 KJV  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Isaiah 45:12-13 KJV  I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.  (13)  I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 65:17 KJV  For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Revelation 4:11 KJV  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
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[3.112] Abasement is made to cleave to them wherever they are found, except under a covenant with Allah and a covenant with men, and they have become deserving of wrath from Allah, and humiliation is made to cleave to them; this is because they disbelieved in the communications of Allah and slew the prophets unjustly; this is because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.

Psalms 78:10 KJV  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

Leviticus 26:14-16 KJV  But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;  (15)  And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:  (16)  I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

2 Kings 17:15 KJV  And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
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[3.119] Lo! you are they who will love them while they do not love you, and you believe in the Book (in) the whole of it; and when they meet you they say: We believe, and when they are alone, they bite the ends of their fingers in rage against you. Say: Die in your rage; surely Allah knows what is in the breasts.

Proverbs 25:21-22 KJV  If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:  (22)  For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

Romans 12:19-21 KJV  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  (20)  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  (21)  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:43-45 KJV  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  (44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  (45)  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
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[3.131] And guard yourselves against the fire which has been prepared for the unbelievers.

Deuteronomy 32:22 KJV  For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Revelation 20:14-15 KJV  (14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  (15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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[3.132] And obey Allah and the Apostle, that you may be shown mercy.
[3.133] And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is (as) the heavens and the earth, it is prepared for those who guard (against evil).

Revelation 22:1-3 KJV  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  (2)  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  (3)  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
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[3.137] Indeed there have been examples before you; therefore travel in the earth and see what was the end of the rejecters.

Luke 17:28-30 KJV  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;  (29)  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  (30)  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Psalms 11:5-6 KJV  The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.  (6)  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Revelation 14:9-11 KJV  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,  (10)  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:  (11)  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 20:10 KJV  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
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[3.148] So Allah gave them the reward of this world and better reward of the hereafter and Allah loves those who do good (to others).

Isaiah 40:10 KJV  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

Isaiah 62:11-12 KJV  Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  (12)  And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

Revelation 22:10-14 KJV  (10)  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.  (11)  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  (12)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  (13)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  (14)  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Revelation 21:10-14 KJV  (10)  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,  (11)  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;  (12)  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:  (13)  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  (14)  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 22:3-7 KJV  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:  (4)  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.  (5)  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.  (6)  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.  (7)  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
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[3.151] We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they set up with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and their abode is the fire, and evil is the abode of the unjust.

Zechariah 7:12 KJV  Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

Revelation 22:15 KJV  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Leviticus 26:16 KJV  I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

Isaiah 33:18 KJV  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
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[3.157] And if you are slain in the way of Allah or you die, certainly forgiveness from Allah and mercy is better than what they amass.
[3.158] And if indeed you die or you are slain, certainly to Allah shall you be gathered together.

Psalms 85:2 KJV  Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Psalms 86:5 KJV  For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Jeremiah 31:34 KJV  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Matthew 18:35 KJV  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Mark 11:26 KJV  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Acts 5:31 KJV  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Romans 4:7 KJV  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Ephesians 1:7 KJV  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

1 John 1:9-10 KJV  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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[3.160] If Allah assists you, then there is none that can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? And on Allah should the believers rely.

Psalms 53:5 KJV  There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

Jeremiah 3:25 KJV  We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

Jeremiah 23:2 KJV  Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

Ezekiel 5:8 KJV  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

Romans 1:18 KJV  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Romans 8:6-8 KJV  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  (7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:31 KJV  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

John 16:33 KJV  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 John 2:13 KJV  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

1 John 4:4 KJV  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 5:5 KJV  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
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[3.164] Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them an Apostle from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.

Deuteronomy 18:15 KJV  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Deuteronomy 18:18-19 KJV  (18)  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  (19)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Acts 3:22-26 KJV  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  (23)  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.  (24)  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.  (25)  Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.  (26)  Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Acts 7:37 KJV  This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
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[3.173] Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.

Psalms 94:21-23 KJV  They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  (22)  But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.  (23)  And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

Isaiah 54:13-15 KJV  And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.  (14)  In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.  (15)  Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
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[3.183] (Those are they) who said: Surely Allah has enjoined us that we should not believe in any apostle until he brings us an offering which the fire consumes. Say: Indeed, there came to you apostles before me with clear arguments and with that which you demand; why then did you kill them if you are truthful?

1 Kings 18:23-24 KJV  Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:  (24)  And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

1 Kings 18:36-39 KJV  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.  (37)  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.  (38)  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  (39)  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
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[3.184] But if they reject you, so indeed were rejected before you apostles who came with clear arguments and scriptures and the illuminating book.

Matthew 23:34 KJV  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

1 Thessalonians 2:15 KJV  (15)  Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
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[3.188] Do not think those who rejoice for what they have done and love that they should be praised for what they have not done– so do by no means think them to be safe from the chastisement, and they shall have a painful chastisement.

Proverbs 3:7 KJV  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 12:15 KJV  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Proverbs 26:5 KJV  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Proverbs 26:12 KJV  Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Isaiah 5:21 KJV  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

1 Corinthians 3:18-21 KJV  (18)  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.  (19)  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.  (20)  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.  (21)  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
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[3.192] Our Lord! surely whomsoever Thou makest enter the fire, him Thou hast indeed brought to disgrace, and there shall be no helpers for the unjust:

Deuteronomy 4:24 KJV  For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 9:3 KJV  Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

2 Samuel 22:7-9 KJV  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.  (8)  Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.  (9)  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

Psalms 11:6 KJV  Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Psalms 21:8-9 KJV  Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.  (9)  Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

Jeremiah 21:14 KJV  But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Nahum 1:5-6 KJV  The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.  (6)  Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Malachi 3:1-2 KJV  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.  (2)  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

Matthew 13:41-42 KJV  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;  (42)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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[3.194] Our Lord! and grant us what Thou hast promised us by Thy apostles; and disgrace us not on the day of resurrection; surely Thou dost not fail to perform the promise.

Matthew 22:31-32 KJV  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,  (32)  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Luke 20:36 KJV  Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

John 5:29 KJV  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 11:25 KJV  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Revelation 20:5-6 KJV  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  (6)  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
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[3.200] O you who believe! be patient and excel in patience and remain steadfast, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, that you may be successful.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 KJV  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Romans 2:7 KJV  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 KJV  (14)  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.  (15)  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 KJV  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  (25)  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

James 5:8-10 KJV  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.  (9)  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.  (10)  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

False teaching and heresy had infiltrated the church at Colossae just like it has the contemporary Western “Church”. For the Colossian church this deception seems to have been some form of Gnosticism, Jewish legalism, or asceticism – or maybe a combination of all three. No matter what this heresy was, like all false teaching, it was inherently man-centered; man-made in its origin and man-exalting in its application. 

Such is the case with the current “Word of Faith” or “Prosperity Gospel” theologies. These false teachings really have little to do with the Word, self-denying faith, cross-bearing obedience, or spiritual prosperity (the only form of prosperity spoken of in the New Testament). And these teachings are not the true Gospel! It takes little discernment to see that such doctrines are created by man, for man, and glorify man (read 2 Peter 2 to see how clearly and powerfully Peter exposes those who distort God’s Word for their own selfish purposes). Like the church at Colossae (and the Pharisaical religion of Jesus’ day) we see the focus shifted away from God to personalities, power, programs, and possessions. I cringe nearly every time I turn on “Christian” TV and see the exaltation of men and the attempted manipulation of God to get what man wants or “deserves”. We have made God our servant and us and our wants our god. 

Interestingly, Paul did not enter into a debate or go into a lengthy apologetic to combat these deceptions. He did not spend his efforts and energy with a detailed refutation of the false, human, worldly philosophies and deceits that endangered these believers. So what is Paul’s antidote to such deception? He points them to Jesus; the person, presence, and power of Jesus! Essentially he says these views are not of Christ or about Christ, therefore they are false. Instead of debunking these myths with a point-by-point analysis of their flaws, Paul implicitly directs us to look at Jesus in all of His glory, truth, and authority. What was Paul’s argument against the worldly deceptions that make us vulnerable to moving away from the truth in Christ? Christ Himself! He pointed to and extolled the matchless virtues of Jesus!   

Paul is not warning against all philosophy. What He is saying is to flee from anything that undermines, supplements, or distracts us from Jesus,  His work, and His truth. Why? Because Jesus is truly enough and all we need. The NASB sheds light on this by translating the first part of verse 10 as “in Him you have been made complete.” Now we get to the heart of the Colossian deception (and often the deception in the contemporary church) – there is something else, a replacement of or an addition to Jesus, that will make us and our spiritual journey complete. And this is the fundamental basis for all false teaching  - it takes the focus off of Christ. Paul says, ‘stick to Jesus and Him alone to find true fullness and completeness.’ ‘This thought points us back to the 3rd verse of this same chapter where he describes Christ as: “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 

To further emphasize just how Christ completes us, let’s see some other New Testament occurrences of this same Greek word that is often translated “filled”.  This word describes followers of Jesus as: 

• Filled with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 5:18
• Filled with joy and peace – Romans 15:13
• Filled with goodness and knowledge – Romans 15:14
• Filled with the fruit of righteousness – Philippians 1:11

So let us be vigilant in guarding ourselves against deceptive, man-made philosophies; that is, anything that undermines the supremacy of Christ and draws us away from our utter dependence on Him, His grace, and our completeness in Him. Let us be vocal about any idea or view that suppresses our absolute subjection to and adoration of Jesus . Let us identify false teaching, denounce it (see 1 Timothy 1:3-7), and deliver those trapped in its evil clutches. While always pointing people to majesty of Jesus and the true completeness found only in Him.

Therefore, beware of this kind of blustering and showmanship:

I call you out, Spirit of Jezebel! I’m gonna send you back to the pit, Spirit of Leviathan! We hate you, Spirit of Wormwood!

Good Preacher Going Bad

Now, I know what you’re thinking: These names – Jezebel, Leviathan, and Wormwood – are in the Bible. (Revelation 2:20; Isaiah 27:1; Deuteronomy 29:18, Revelation 8:11) However, nowhere does Scripture explicitly state that these are the names of specific demons that today attack our finances, our relationships, our physical bodies, or our desire for exuberant worship. That type of preaching is fanciful at best and misleading at worst.

However, don’t try to tell this to the demon-fighting prosperity preacher! He’s already on to your type. You are one of those who has a “spirit of fear” or a “spirit of intimidation.” After all, God hasn’t given us the “spirit of fear,” according to II Timothy 1:7. This is the “you-are-just-scared-of-a-move-of-the-Holy-Ghost” card that the prosperity preacher loves to play when questioned about Biblical accuracy. Please note however that the rest of II Timothy 1:7 reads, “but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” so the “spirit of fear” is not the name of some devilish imp lurking around underneath the discarded hymn books. It is simply the carnal default position of our flesh nature when we are not being led by – and bearing the fruit of – the Holy Spirit.

Furthermore, when Michal got huffy about David’s public display of dancing (II Samuel 6), there is no Bible verse that says she was possessed by the “Spirit of Intimidation.”

Beware of the preacher who is more comfortable railing against principalities and powers than he is dealing with sin in the camp and in his own life.

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. – 2 Peter 2:1-3

Whom does Peter describe here? Is this a believer in Jesus who is doing the best he can to understand and follow the teachings of his Lord? Or is this a person who hypocritically wears the name of Christ to gain power, position, and finances from other believers?

Many apply this brush to the person who honestly differs in understanding some of the finer points of Christian doctrine. I do not believe Peter has such people in mind.

Context

In context, Peter goes on to describe the predecessors of the false teacher he describes:

• angels who sinned and rebelled against God
• the ancient world whose every thought was on violence and evil prior to the flood
• Sodom  & Gomorrah in their gross immorality

He further says that these men (that is, the false teachers who will be among you):

• slander heavenly beings and are blasphemous in things they do not understand
• love pleasure so that they “carouse in broad daylight”
• revel in pleasures “while they feast with you” – i.e., in the Lord’s Supper or the Love Feast
• have eyes full of adultery, seducing the unstable as they constantly look for opportunity to sin
• are experts in greed – like Balaam who loved the wages of wickedness
• are slaves of depravity

Do you notice how much of this is arrogant selfishness in seeking their own way, their own pleasures, and their own greedy gain?

These people promise freedom in such a way that they appeal to “the lustful desires of sinful human nature.” In this, “they entice people who are just escaping [i.e., "from the corruption in the world caused by evil desires" - 2 Peter 1:4] from those who live in error” and lead those they so entice into slavery while promising freedom.

Peter further says:

Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” – 2 Peter 2:21

The entire second chapter of 2 Peter is about these false teachers. It is disingenuous to lift verse one from this context and apply it to the brother who disagrees with you on disputable matters. If a matter is disputable, it means that there is something to be said for each “side” of the dispute. (I hardly believe that the man who was reputed to say that women should not wear top knots in their hair on the basis of Matthew 24:17 in the KJV, which says “top not come down,” had a truly legitimate position. Such a man could easily be schismatic if he pressed such a view.)

This merely means that on many issues there are considerations that both parties may legitimately hold that differ. In such matters, we should not resort to “name calling” (instead of reasoning) by calling someone a “false teacher.”

When we do that, we make the term so elastic it means anything we want it to mean. Peter had a definite type of person in mind when he said there will be false teachers among us. We would do well to focus on such people instead of calling every brother who differs a “false teacher.”

Identifying False Teachers

How, then, will we identify these false teachers?

1. They are schismatic. That is, they bring in destructive heresies. See the previous post in this series for a discussion of what is a heresy. Here, Peter identifies an example of these as those who are “even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.” Would this be the same as in 2 John 7 where John wrote, “Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world“? It sure sounds like it to me.
2. They “bring the way of truth into disrepute.“ In the New Testament, truth almost always refers to the truth about Jesus. If they dishonor the way of Christ, they dishonor Christ. One example of this would be the man in Corinth who had his father’s wife – something even the Gentiles would not do (1 Corinthians 5:1)! There were many plays and other writings among the Greeks and Romans about what we call the Oedipus Complex – where a man falls in love with his mother. All of these plays are written as tragedies. While Paul does not say the man of whom he wrote was sleeping with his own mother, he was at least sleeping with his step-mother. This made a tragedy in the Corinthian church, which should have been glorifying Christ. Instead, their actions here brought shame on him.
3. These men are self-serving as they exploit the church through their greed. That is one reason that Peter, in his first epistle, wrote that the shepherd of God’s flock must “not be greedy for money, but eager to serve” (1 Peter 5:2). The exploiter is not one whom the church pays because of his work among them, but one who uses the church selfishly for his own purposes. Exploitation may be financial or emotional. That is, he may be paid but be so lazy he does not give value in what he does. Or, he may use people to “boost” his own ego by gathering a following he can use to manipulate others.
4. He makes up stories of his own. His “narrative” differs from that of the Scriptures. This is in contrast with what Peter said in 2 Peter 1:16. “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ….” He later reminded us, “that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20).

If we would worry about real wolves who try to fleece the flock in one way or another more than we worry about a brother who disagrees with us on the precise definition of “the righteousness of God” as Paul uses the expression, we would all be better off. After all, Peter said at the end of this epistle that Paul wrote in his epistles some things that are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). When we differ on some of these things, it hardly makes one of us a false teacher, even if what we are teaching honestly happens not to be true. I dare say most of us have changed our teaching on some things as we have gained more mature understanding. This does not mean we were false teachers before that change. It just means we were mistaken because of immature understanding.

I remember F Lagard Smith telling of a group of brethren who wanted to argue about the view of baptism in his book Baptism: The Believer’s Wedding Ceremony. He wrote this book in an attempt to get others to see the importance of baptism, but these brethren thought he was taking away from the significance of baptism as necessary for the forgiveness of sins. They approached him at a book signing where he was signing copies of his book for purchasers and wanted to argue with him there. He tried to dismiss them and made a comment to the effect that if God wanted to save someone without baptism, that was His prerogative. Lagard said these men spluttered and said, “God has no prerogative.”

This, my friends, virtually denies the sovereignty of the Lord who has redeemed us. In trying to label Dr. Smith as a false teacher, these men identified themselves as at least dangerously near what Peter described as being false teachers.

NEXT (6): What Is Not of Faith

PREVIOUS (4): Contrary to the Teaching

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Genesis 17:9-12

The covenant concerns Abraham’s seed. God was the Initiator of this covenant, and He also changed the names of Abram and Sarai, by adding “H’s” to their names. I’m no expert in Hebrew, but my understanding is that the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is “H,” and that this letter represents grace.

Circumcision (“cutting around” the seed-multiplying instrument) was the outward show of God’s covenant people. Cutting off from – and setting aside unto – is a physical picture of a spiritual reality. True believers today are to be circumcised in their hearts.

In Genesis 18 the Lord comes to visit Abraham in disguise.

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

Genesis 18:1

Keep in mind Abraham was 99 years old when this happened. For him, the “heat of the day” probably was especially uncomfortable.

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Genesis 18:2

Abraham was known for tents and altars. He knew that this world was not his home, and he was devoted to God.

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Genesis 18:3-8, emphasis added

Note the haste and desire to serve and wait upon the Lord that Abraham displays. He truly was the friend of God. The Lord had come to destroy Sodom. But first He stopped to talk with Abraham, His friend, about it. At least three times in Scripture Abraham is called the “friend of God” (II Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23).

Abraham was the friend of God and Lot was a friend of the world. Newspaper journalists have a technique they use to get a lot of information into the first paragraph of a news story. They focus on the “who, what, when, where, and why.”

“Police report that John Doe was shot last night in Metropolis while trying to rob a bank.”
The who: John Doe
The what: He was shot.
The when: last night
The where: Metropolis
The why: because he tried to rob a bank

I want to use this technique to compare the differences between the friend of God and the friend of the world.

The WHO for Abraham: Abraham talked with the Lord Himself.

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Genesis 18:16-19

The Lord knew that Abraham would command his household – that he would be a spiritual leader, a spiritual husband, father, and grandfather.

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Genesis 18:20-22

The WHO for Lot: The angels went on to Sodom to see Lot, but the Lord didn’t go in to fellowship with Lot in his sin – in his worldliness.

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:1

The WHAT for Abraham: The friend of God received the promise of the blessings.

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Genesis 18:14

The WHAT for Lot: Lot, the friend of the world, received the warning of condemnation with the world.

For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

Genesis 19:13

The WHERE: Abraham was in a tent. Lot was in a city.

The WHEN: Abraham was visited in the day. Lot was visited at night.

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:1, emphasis added

Abraham, the friend of God, walked in light; Lot, the friend of the world, walked in darkness.

This may surprise you: Lot was a saved man.

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

II Peter 2:6-8

The Bible tells us this plainly, because we might have trouble believing it otherwise – especially considering what happened next with Lot:

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Genesis 19:4-8

This is often explained away as the extreme “hospitality” required in ancient Eastern nomadic culture when Bible commentators try to help us understand, but we need to take a hard honest look and ask ourselves, “How did Lot get to such a state? How could he offer his own daughters to satisfy the lusts of the world?” And before we get too excited and critical, we must ask ourselves, “Are we offering our daughters to the world?”

I doubt that you would throw your daughter to a mob of Sodomites… but what happens when you send your daughter out into the world unprotected? Many fathers let total strangers come to their home and pick up their daughters. (Maybe a real “strict” father will insist on meeting a young man for 5 minutes.) Has God commanded you to protect your daughter and defend her honor? Do you trust the world to protect her and protect her honor? How many fathers just “go along” with what everyone else is doing?

Ephesians 6 tells us that when the devil attacks we need to stand. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil.

When the devil attacks we are to fight. Is there a scarier enemy than the devil? Yet when it comes to a choice between standing and fighting versus running away, the Bible to tells me to stand and fight the devil, not to flee from him. What the Bible tells me to flee from is fornication (I Corinthians 6:18) and youthful lusts (II Timothy 2:22).

I would not let my daughters play with a hand grenade. If I did, somebody should call child protective services on me. But letting my daughters go off with strangers unchaperoned is more dangerous than playing with a hand grenade. I know many Christian parents who pray that God will protect their daughter while she’s out on a date with their approval, and I’m all for praying. But would you pray for me if I asked you to pray that I would be filled with the Holy Spirit so I would have the ability to knock over a liquor store? That would be foolish! You don’t send someone off with an encouragement to sin while telling them that you will pray for them to get away with it!

I know that we don’t live in the culture of the ancient East, and that our society is different. But I’m not answerable to society! I’m a Christian – I’m answerable to God.

The WHY: Abraham chose to be a “Hebrew” – a stranger – a pilgrim passing through this world. Lot and the people of Sodom considered this world to be the end-all – their final home. And they denied the power of God to destroy with fire.

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy to turn away from those that have “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:” (II Timothy 3:5). The next Sodom will be worldwide. I don’t want my family to see that day. I want my family looking forward to Heaven – not looking back to the world like Lot’s wife.

In the Bible narrative, Lot passes off the scene. Abraham – and as far as we know, the Lord – never got “a Lot out of the world.” Lot argued all the way from Sodom. He had to be literally taken by the hand and dragged out by God’s grace. He wound up getting drunk in a cave and committing incest with his daughters. Only the grace of God can save us from this present world.

I have spoken with three pastors and one church member this past week, all who are dealing with different levels of trouble within the church they serve. Having been in the ministry for more than a couple of years, this is not my first go ’round with trouble in a church. But ask me, or any of these folks I talked to this past week,  if we want this to be the last time we hear about it, absolutely.

Some say that conflict is good for the church, but I would tend to disagree. We will dig into this in a minute, but dealing with sin in the church, purging out evil within the church, is not conflict or trouble, but a spiritual necessity.  However, dealing with personality conflicts, control issues, power struggles, resistance to change and things like it are trouble that hinder the churches ability to carry out its mission.

Now let’s lay some groundwork for this.

Philippians 1    ²⁷ Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Ephesians 4    1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

We will look at a couple of other Scriptures in a minute, but these two verses speak to a common theme when we talk about a body of believers working together instead of against one another.

The apostle Paul frames both of these passages with the concept that unity among believers has to do with valuing the gospel above ourselves.  The idea here is that we consider our conduct, our relationships against the standard of the gospel. To have our conduct worthy of the gospel is to reflect the truth of the gospel in all that we do. Paul encouraged the churches to live a life with one another that reflected the love, grace, peace and righteousness that the gospel requires.

The opposing view or way of conducting ourselves is to do as we please, regardless of what the gospel calls for. We just “do it our way”.  If we don’t like something, we have no problem running someone down, gossiping about a leader, embellishing a situation to get people to rally to your point of view– you get the idea. We also have no problem creating problems over things that really just don’t matter. How many church fights have been over carpet, paint, rooms, instruments or music styles?  Comparatively, very few church splits are over whether or not Jesus is Lord or whether or not we are to be about the Great Commission. I have heard, and been a part of, a church that fought over whether the church was winning too many people and the change that it was bringing.  That is an issue of control slipping away from the few who love to have their way with things.

So if in the end the carpet is the color you like, the music is the style you like and the people there are who you like… is your conduct worthy of the gospel?  Have we achieved and maintained conduct that is worthy of the sinless death, burial and resurrection of Jesus? 

The main problem comes, as has been shared with me this past week, when church members fail to care if they are conducting themselves as true followers of Christ. Their concern is not being a body of Christ living worthy of the gospel, but being a place that they can do what they want, when they want, how they want. Simply put, that is the height of pride, arrogance and selfishness. The church is no longer about Christ, about worship, about love, it merely becomes of wad of selfish people trying to be Lord of the body of Christ.

That may seem harsh, but I don’t think Jesus is impressed with people who try to take His spot as the head of the body. That includes church members and church leaders. There is only one head, that is Jesus, and His body is meant to reflect His character and the His sacrifice. We are to live worthy of the calling, worthy of the gospel, to set the bar high above ourselves.

That is the first step in handling trouble in the church, keep the bar high.  Often when conflict breaks out, everyone chooses up sides and the fighting begins. Look at Jesus’ character when he was falsely accused, arrested and tried. He never stooped to the level of His accusers, neither should we. As followers of Christ, we should never become “accusers of our brethren” (Rev 12:10).  This is a tough thing because every survival instinct in us tells us to dig in and put up our fists. But to truly handle difficulty in a worthy manner, we need to keep the standard of our conduct high. Don’t be intimidated into making rash statements or quick decisions.  Be very careful of your words and make your decisions carefully. No matter how loud they yell or threaten, keep your integrity. Don’t look to win the fight, seek to keep your Christ-likeness. This will greatly aggravate those who wish to fight, because you refuse to feed their anger. If they accuse you, they can only accuse you of following Christ.

Here is a practical tip- when someone comes to you with an accusation or a complaint against someone, don’t participate. Say, “you know, we really have a lot more important things to deal with than talking negatively about one another” or “I don’t repeat things that tear down others, why don’t you pray for them instead”. Whatever you have to do, let them know directly that you will not lower your standards, even to let them vent.

Proverbs 19   1  Better is the poor who walks in his integrity,  Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Psalm 25   21   Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,  For I wait for You

Second step is to define the problem in light of the gospel. When we keep our standards high, we will look at an issue not from the light of how loud someone yells or how harshly they accuse or how ridiculous their position.  I pastored a church in Ohio where we were rebuilding the church facilities after they had been destroyed by a tornado. In a meeting with our leaders I told them not to be surprised when, after giving over a year of their lives to this project and spending over $1.8 million dollars, there would be people unhappy with the colors, layout, etc.. There were, and it hurt these wonderful servants of God who had sacrificed so much to make this happen. Why did we not spend hours trying to placate and satisfy those who complained?  Because the church wasn’t built for the comfort of those in it. It was built as a tool for us to reach people for Christ. And that we did. When we started seeing people come to faith in Christ, rededicate their lives to Christ and people getting involved in ministry, those little arguments seemed petty and small…which is what they are. And now years later, those arguements and complaints that seemed so important are but a faint memory, yet the people that have been and continue to be reached by this wonderful church are growing the Kindgom of God. Keep your framework the work of the gospel. Don’t allow arguing and fighting about preferences or whining about comfort or fussing about someone’s need not being met to change the framework of the mission of the church. Keep defining the problem in light of the gospel and don’t allow anyone to steal your focus by emptying the church of its’ meaning.  

Colossians 2   ⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.  ⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Thirdly, fill yourself with grace and forgiveness. This does not mean become a doormat, it does mean that you overcome evil with good and that you stand strong on the side of good. You don’t have to be evil to be strong. Jesus vigorously stood up to the Pharisees to defend prostitutes, sinners, fishermen and the lame. He kept His focus on God’s love and extended grace to those in need, even to the ones who were crucifying Him.

Romans 12   ⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

When we do this we keep ourselves serving God rather than serving the fussing and feuding ones. What do I mean?  Look at the passage below from 2 Peter…

2 Peter 2     19….  for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

When we fail to live in grace and forgiveness and rather live in their world of complaining and accusing, then we have become enslaved to conflict. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to be enslaved by anything except Jesus Christ. Like the three Hebrew children who refused to bow before the King’s statue, we should not be enslaved by anyone or any issue.  When it is time to speak up, speak up for what is right, but “let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Col 4:6- the verse is specifically written to instruct us to deal with those outside the faith, but does pertain to each other as well) Stand strong in your faith, in your integrity, not just in heat of the moment.

I was in a deacons meeting many years ago where we were talking about an issue in the church. One of the deacons was particularly aggravated at the person who brought up the issue and said that they would be speaking in the business meeting against the person. I gently reminded him that if he wished, he could speak against their proposal, but not against the person, for they had committed no sin. His anger burned and said, “I’ll say whatever I want to, whenever I want to.”  I not so gently reminded him that if he was the Christian that he professed to be, then he needed to follow the commands of Scripture which tell us “not to speak evil against a brother” (James 4:11). Again he tried to tell the deacon body that he was free to say anything he wanted. At that point I told him that if he spoke in the business meeting in the manner he was talking about here, that I would let the body know that he was making a personal and public accusation against a brother in Christ,  and would either ask him to repent or produce proof of sin.  Business meeting came and went, he never said a word.

Pray to keep yourself filled with grace and forgiveness, pray to overcome disunity with forgiveness and remember that the ultimate goal is to bring back the unity we have in the Holy Spirit, it is to restore those who are not following Christ according to His ways. Pray to continue to serve Christ and not just the trouble at hand.

This is in no way exhaustive. Large, hard to read books have been written on conflict resolution in the church. Unfortunately, they have been needed as the church loses its’ spiritual edge and becomes more of a human organization. But if we can follow some simple principles, we can conquer the trouble and move forward with the task at hand.

One last point. Unity and harmony is particularly needed today as we seek to reach our up and coming generations. Our oldest generations came from stable backgrounds, stable homes, stable jobs and dealt with conflict by sticking together no matter what. Husband and wife would stay together despite difficulty. A job was your job and the company kept you on so you could get your full pension. Our youngest generations did not grow up in this kind of world. They are children of conflict- broken families (sometimes two or three times over); violence in movies, games; TV shows that glorify backbiting, cheating, manipulation and hatred (see most reality TV shows).  When they come to the church, they don’t want to nor need to see conflict. Their tolerance level for conflict is very low. Rather than stick together through conflict, they just walk away. Who needs another place to experience conflict and fighting?

If we want to get serious about accomplishing the Great Commission, we need to get serious about truly loving one another within the church. That starts with a commitment to be a people who demonstrate the love of Jesus to one another rather than just tolerating one another until we don’t get our way. Eventually every church and every church member and every church leader has to ask themselves…

 ”Is this issue, is this fight, more important than conducting ourselves like Christ?”

“Is this problem worth losing ground in our mission to reach the world that Christ gave His life for?”

John 17    ²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 13   ³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

There is even a sort of Christian urban legend. I hear it fairly often when I speak about the doctrine of eternal security. “I just know a Christian can lose his salvation,” someone will tell me, “because my cousin’s uncle’s great aunt’s stepfather was saved when he was nine, and he grew up to be an alcoholic and a big jerk, and he even killed a guy one time.”

This sort of experiential tale might make for an interesting story, but it carries no weight whatsoever when he held up to inerrant Scripture.

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

John 10:28-30

So, what do we do with the person who claims to be a Christian, but lives like a devil? I don’t know about you, but I would hope for the opportunity to give him the Gospel message. There are two possibilities. One, this person is a child of God, saved by grace through faith, and is under the chastening hand of His loving and omniscient Father, Who knows things we can never know – including whether someone is really saved or not. Two, this person is only a “professing Christian,” and has never really been saved to begin with.

The true Christian’s job is not to help other Christians figure out who’s really saved and who’s not, and it is certainly not to help God figure out who really belongs to Him, and who doesn’t.

Whether the person who claims the name of Christ but lives in egregious sin is a prodigal son or a false professor, the proverb of the pigs and the dogs is no urban legend.

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

II Peter 2:20-22

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Genesis 6:1-2

When the Godly line of Seth intermingled with the ungodly line of Cain, which side influenced the other? The Godly did not influence the ungodly for good. The ungodly dragged the Godly down into sin. This happens even today whenever Christians become participants with, instead of witnesses to, the lost.

The majority of commentators disagree with me, but I believe that the “sons of God” in these Verses were men, not fallen angels. Angels do not procreate.

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 4:25-26

There is a clear distinction between men who called upon the Lord – and were known for doing so – and those who began to be “mighty” in their own eyes, and began to make light of their need to call upon the Lord. Lamech is a good example. Their was a “Seth-Lamech” and a “Cain-Lamech.” Seth’s Lamech called his son Noah, and believed in the promise of God that a redeemer would come and reverse the curse. But look at Cain’s Lamech:

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

Genesis 4:23

He was the first bigamist, and possibly the author and performer of the first sinful poem or song. The “and” in Genesis 4:23 does not denote two separate killings. It is an example of Hebrew parallelism. A modern English example would be: “I went to the store, and I went with my shoes on.” That does not mean I went to the store twice. The “and” in Genesis 4:23 is the same kind of “and” that connects Genesis 1:1 and 1:2: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Emphasis added.) There has only been one world-wide flood (Noah’s). There was not a “flood of Lucifer” during a “gap” between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

Lamech not only celebrated his killing with a little ditty, but he made a mockery of God’s mercy to Cain:

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

Genesis 4:24

Several centuries later Jesus would make a mockery of Lamech, though, when He said that we are not to avenge seventy times seven; we are to forgive seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21-22)

So, in Genesis 6 the sons of God mixed with the daughters of men, and the remnant of Godly descendants of Seth started becoming corrupted. The devil wins converts by forming relationships.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5

In just a few generations man became completely deteriorated. (See Romans 1 and II Corinthians 10:5.)

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Genesis 6:6

God does not repent from sin, because He can not sin, but He has feelings, including grief and the excitement of fellowship with His creatures.

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Genesis 6:7-8

We do not praise Noah for being found righteous. We praise God for making Noah righteous.

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9

Noah was not perfectly sinless, but he was without blame in his complete devotion to God, in comparison with everyone else. Noah lived his life in the awareness of being in God’s presence.

And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Genesis 6:10-13

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

II Peter 2:5

For 120 years Noah and his sons built and preached. They preached righteousness: Get right with God. And they preached truth. The devil’s way is to defile by forming relationships, but God’s way is to cleanse by preaching righteousness and truth.

1. Noah built: He built the ark.
2. Noah believed: He believed the Word of God.
3. Noah brought: He brought his family into the Ark.

Jesus did the same with His redeemed family, and we are to do likewise:

1. We are to build His church.
2. We are to believe His Word.
3. We are to bring a spiritual family into the safety of the Body of Christ.

We can be sure that the flood of Noah’s time was indeed a world-wide flood.

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Genesis 6:17 (emphasis added)

That is God’s Word – not Noah’s or Moses’s viewpoint. It was God’s Word then – and it is His Word now.

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Genesis 7:21-23 (emphasis added)

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

Genesis 7:11 (emphasis added)

This was more than just rain. It was an event of cataclysmic, geological changes – changes like the formation of the Grand Canyon. Possibly a water or vapor canopy fell from around the Earth – which would help to explain why men and animals lived so long prior to the flood. God really shook the whole earth. If not for God’s mercy, no one would be alive today to make up false “scientific” theories to refute it.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

II Peter 3:3-10

Talk about a “big bang!” Men have a problem with a God who destroyed the earth, but Heaven has a problem with a God who would save one man and his family – knowing that his descendants would later mock and deny the event. Heaven solved this problem in the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I do not want to be caught in destructive division. I want to speak truth, always. I do not want to say what people want to hear or exploit a situation by speaking the words that will manipulate.

I do not want to do fake. I do not want to be fake.

My measure is constant, check before I speak.

*One small mistake can cause a disastrous outcome.  (ex: train tracks 1″ off course) Likewise, false teachers don’t normally start way off course, but slightly off course, leading to a disastrous outcome.
*ch. 1:16-21- Peter establishes his authority and lets his readers know he is telling the truth.
*Their Sphere (comes from within; Acts 20:28-35)
*How do you identify false teachers?  Notice how they stray from the truth of the Gospel and know why you believe what you believe.
*2 Timothy 4:1-3- People let falsities infiltrate the church because they don’t like to hear that they’re sinners.
*False teachers promote themselves.
*Best way to spot false teachers: Study God’s Word for yourself.  (Am I accountable to God even if I’ve been taught wrong?  Yes, because you are judged by His Word.  So, study it!)

Morning Worship | 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’ And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”  -Acts 18:9-11

-The church at Corinth was the most troubled church Paul wrote to.  Their main problem?  Division.
-Corinth was a major city and was part of a major trade route where pleasure and entertainment were emphasized.  They had a temple dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite (the goddess of sex).  They emphasized sensual philosophy and sensual wisdom, which contributed to the creation of a morally corrupt culture.  The city was so vile that if you were called a “Corinthian,” it was degrading.  (ch. 6:9)
-Start of the Church at Corinth> Acts 18:1-11- God said He had a lot of people in Corinth.  A church was started in the midst of all that corruption.  Paul stayed there approximately 1-1/2 years.
-The church had problems.  (vs. 11; Fix them by setting sights on Christ…vs. 13)
-Some believers still clung to worldly pleasures.  They wanted to be just a little bit more moral than Corinth, but still wanted the ways of the world.  They wanted “The Best of Both Worlds.”
*We don’t draw the world into the church.  The church is to go out into the world.
-vs. 1- Paul was called to be an apostle, not by his own will, but through the will of God.  Paul established his authority before addressing problems (ch. 9:2).  He came with a message of salvation through Christ alone to the Gentiles.
-Sosthenes (Acts 18:12)- chief ruler of synagogue; Like Paul, he persecuted Christians and later became a believer
vs. 2- This letter was written primarily to the church at Corinth.  (church=assembly=local, visible body of baptized believers)  SANCTIFIED=set apart; we’re saints!!!!  Went out to all believers.  It was passed around to Thessolanica, Galatia, etc. and eventually to NLBC in Lexington, KY.
-2 Peter 1:3-4- saints escape corruption through world.
Live up to your name as “saint.”
vs. 3-Greeting: grace to sanctified saints at Corinth
Grace comes through peace in knowing Jesus Christ; be aware of God’s grace manifested in your life.  (Isaiah 26:3)

Evening Worship | Exodus 38:1-31 | Pastor Steve Wainright
“But as it is, He [Christ] has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”  -Hebrews 9:26b

-Some call Christianity a bloody religion.  It is.  (1 Chronicles 29:21; 1 Kings 8:63)  Because of sin, life must pay the sin debt.  All the blood that flowed through sacrifices in the OT pointed to the blood of the Lamb of God.
-vs. 9…- The Tabernacle was something very costly in the middle of the wilderness.  They used approximately 1 ton of gold, 3 tons of silver and 2 tons of bronze.  All these materials were offerings given to the Lord because the Lord had given to them.
*What made them so joyful to give?  They thought about their salvation.  A thankful heart creates a giving heart.  You can’t help but give when you realize how much the Lord has given you.
-vs. 18- There was only one way into the Courtyard, through the gate.  It was made out of the same colors as the entrance to the Holy of Holies, representing there is only one way to God.  (John 10:9- Jesus is the only way to God.)
-vs. 1- The first thing you would see when you entered the courtyard would be the altar, an 8-foot-wide by 5-foot-tall grill where burnt offerings were offered every morning and evening and fellowship and sin offerings were offered regularly, in addition to all the sacrifices made on the Day of Atonement.  There were numerous bloody sacrifices that took place right at the entrance.  Think of all the blood that was spilt.
-During a sacrifice, the one performing it would place their hands on the head of the animal to identify with it, symbolizing the transfer of sin.
-So, when you first walk in the Courtyard, you are reminded that you are a sinner who needs a sacrifice to appease the wrath of a holy and just God.  (Hebrews 10:4, 9:26- All these pointed to Christ.  Only He can take away sin.)
-vs. 8- The second item you would see when you entered the Courtyard would be the basin.  (ch. 30:20-21- If you approach the altar without washing, you would die.)
-John 13- Once you’ve been born again, you’ve been born again.  However, you need to confess your sins as daily cleansing.
-vs. 8- Women who were formerly servants and did not have much had been given gifts by Egyptian women when they left Egypt.  They were given precious items such as mirrors, which they ended up giving as a sacrifice to the Lord.
*They realized that the greater part of womanhood was inner beauty.  That’s what glorifies God.
*What do you see when you look in the mirror?  What beauty do you desire?  Inner or outer?
*Do others see Jesus in you?  If Christ lives within us, let Him glow through us.
*Go through this week smiling!
*What are you willing to give?  Are you willing to give your all to spread God’s glory and give Him the glory?

 March 30  – Deliverance

Be calm, be true, be quiet. I watch over you.

Rest in My Love. Joy in the very Beauty of Holiness. You are Mine. Deliverance is here for you, but Thankfulness and Joy open the gates.

Try in all things to be very glad, very happy, very thankful. It is not to quiet resignation I give My blessings, but to joyful acceptance and anticipation.

Laughter is the outward expression of joy. That is why I urge upon you Love and Laughter.

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” – 2 Peter 2:9

What is it that’s keeping you from TOTAL obedience in your life?

*Due to a request, I will be posting pictures of my notes from last week’s sermons sometime this week.

“And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.”  -2 Peter 2:2

Remember, Mondays on the blog are a time to reflect on what you heard Sunday.

The point that really stuck with me from yesterday morning was that you identify error best by getting a grasp on the truth.  But…there was so much more.  So I leave you with my notes.  I hope they’re somewhat legible and a nice reminder of what you heard yesterday.