All Bible fights in Christianity can boil down to these four items:
Components, Reliability, Interpretation, Translation.
Components
What books to be included in the Bible.
Reliability
Extraordinary: Miracles (e.g. Virgin Birth, Bodily Resurrection) or fairy tales;
Past: History (Did Abraham, Moses etc exists? Was Israel really a kingdom in Middle East? Who wrote the Gospels? etc);
Current: Science vs Bible;
Future: Prophecies (Fulfilled prophecies or people writing history but pretending to be prophecies).
Interpretation
Salvation (Faith, Works);
God, Jesus Rituals (Sacraments, Baptism Mode, Child Baptism, Lord's Supper);
Church Government (Pope, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Brethen).
Translation
Mainly English - KJV controversy
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Secret of Elijah's power
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)
Note well that we must hear Jesus speak if we expect Him to hear us speak. If we have no ear for Christ, He will have no ear for us. In proportion as we hear we shall be heard.
Moreover, what is heard must remain, must live in us, and must abide in our character as a force and a power. We must receive the truths which Jesus taught, the precepts which He issued, and the movements of His Spirit within us; or we shall have no power at the Mercy Seat. ... Thus are Elijahs trained to handle the keys of heaven and lock or loose the clouds. ... He has need to "hearken diligently" who would pray effectually. (C. H. Spurgeon, Faith's Check Book, February 24)
Note well that we must hear Jesus speak if we expect Him to hear us speak. If we have no ear for Christ, He will have no ear for us. In proportion as we hear we shall be heard.
Moreover, what is heard must remain, must live in us, and must abide in our character as a force and a power. We must receive the truths which Jesus taught, the precepts which He issued, and the movements of His Spirit within us; or we shall have no power at the Mercy Seat. ... Thus are Elijahs trained to handle the keys of heaven and lock or loose the clouds. ... He has need to "hearken diligently" who would pray effectually. (C. H. Spurgeon, Faith's Check Book, February 24)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Jews during the days of Christ (A. W. Pink)
The following quote is extracted from the book "Profiting From The Word", Chapter 2 "The Scriptures and God" by A. W. Pink. It describe the Jews during the days of Christ. could it also describe the Christian Fundamentalist today?
QUOTE
It was so when Christ was here upon earth. The Jews were very orthodox. At that time they were free from idolatry. The temple stood at Jerusalem, the Law was expounded, Jehovah was worshipped. And yet Christ said to them, "He that sent me is true, whom ye know not." (John 7:28). "Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also" (John 8:19). "It is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. Yet ye have not known him" (John 8:54,55). And mark it well, this is said to a people who had the Scriptures, searched them diligently, and venerated them as God’s Word! They were well acquainted with God theoretically, but a spiritual knowledge of Him they had not.
UNQUOTE
QUOTE
It was so when Christ was here upon earth. The Jews were very orthodox. At that time they were free from idolatry. The temple stood at Jerusalem, the Law was expounded, Jehovah was worshipped. And yet Christ said to them, "He that sent me is true, whom ye know not." (John 7:28). "Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also" (John 8:19). "It is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God. Yet ye have not known him" (John 8:54,55). And mark it well, this is said to a people who had the Scriptures, searched them diligently, and venerated them as God’s Word! They were well acquainted with God theoretically, but a spiritual knowledge of Him they had not.
UNQUOTE
Monday, February 23, 2009
Two sins
There were 2 sins which God condemn severely, but look so minor to us.
When Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6), the whole world fell into sin. What a punishment for eating the wrong fruit.
When Esau came home hungry, he sold his birthright for one morsel of meat (Genesis 25:29-34). For that, God declares that "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13, Malachi 1:2-3). What a bargain Jacob got, and what a curse Esau got himself into.
The course of history changed, all because of food.
When Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6), the whole world fell into sin. What a punishment for eating the wrong fruit.
When Esau came home hungry, he sold his birthright for one morsel of meat (Genesis 25:29-34). For that, God declares that "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13, Malachi 1:2-3). What a bargain Jacob got, and what a curse Esau got himself into.
The course of history changed, all because of food.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Unwilling to part with $1000 but happy to part with $10000
Is it possible that a person is happy to part with $10000 but unwilling to part with $1000? Let say someone approach Mr. X to donate $1000 for some charity. Mr. X felt that this is too much money to waste and he said no. Mr. X also invest $100000 in some financial instrument, something like Lehman Mini-bonds. Then he was told that he would lose all his money. After many years, he was finally told that he can get back 90% of his investment, losing only $10000. He was overjoyed that he only lose $10000. So it is always possible for a person to be happy when losing a big sum of money in hope of making more money, but unwilling to give small sum of money for charity.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
1 John 1:8,9,10
I was puzzled by 1 John 1:8 and 1 John 1:10. Verse 8 says "we have no sin" and verse 10 says "we have not sinned". I was wondering why we need two different verses, and why is verse 9 in the middle. Then I come across this imaginary conversation in article after a google search:
QUOTE
To get at the true meaning of the verse in question, let us suppose a conversation between a Christian depending, as all must, on the blood of Christ for salvation, and a self-righteous sinner, who thinks he is good enough and has no sin, consequently no need of the cleansing blood.
Christian: My friend, did you know that “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin?” I have proved this to be true, and if you will come to Him as I did you may prove it for yourself, and be cleansed from all sin.
Self-Righteous: But I have no sin to be cleansed away; I have no need of the blood of Jesus.
Christian: What? You say you have no sin? “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Surely you are wrong and self-deceived. You should repent, confess your sins, and be saved, for we read in I John 1 :9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Self-Righteous: But I have never sinned, and do not feel that I have anything to confess or repent of. I pay my honest debts, and treat my neighbors well, and support my family, and I believe I am just as good as anyone. I am not a sinner, and have never done anything wrong.
Christian: Surely, in saving that, you are making God a liar, for in I John 1:10 it says: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him. liar, and His word is not in us.”
Thus we get at the meaning of the last four verses of I John 1. The text in question, then, does not have any reference whatever to one who has been cleansed from all sin, but to one who says he has no sin to be cleansed from, when he really has sin in his heart. It is also just as applicable to the unsanctified Christian who denies the further need of cleansing.
UNQUOTE
Disclaimer:
The fact that I quote the website does mean that I endorse its stand. In the first place, I have not idea about its stand on Christianity because I have not really checked it.
QUOTE
To get at the true meaning of the verse in question, let us suppose a conversation between a Christian depending, as all must, on the blood of Christ for salvation, and a self-righteous sinner, who thinks he is good enough and has no sin, consequently no need of the cleansing blood.
Christian: My friend, did you know that “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin?” I have proved this to be true, and if you will come to Him as I did you may prove it for yourself, and be cleansed from all sin.
Self-Righteous: But I have no sin to be cleansed away; I have no need of the blood of Jesus.
Christian: What? You say you have no sin? “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Surely you are wrong and self-deceived. You should repent, confess your sins, and be saved, for we read in I John 1 :9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Self-Righteous: But I have never sinned, and do not feel that I have anything to confess or repent of. I pay my honest debts, and treat my neighbors well, and support my family, and I believe I am just as good as anyone. I am not a sinner, and have never done anything wrong.
Christian: Surely, in saving that, you are making God a liar, for in I John 1:10 it says: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him. liar, and His word is not in us.”
Thus we get at the meaning of the last four verses of I John 1. The text in question, then, does not have any reference whatever to one who has been cleansed from all sin, but to one who says he has no sin to be cleansed from, when he really has sin in his heart. It is also just as applicable to the unsanctified Christian who denies the further need of cleansing.
UNQUOTE
Disclaimer:
The fact that I quote the website does mean that I endorse its stand. In the first place, I have not idea about its stand on Christianity because I have not really checked it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
World and Bible
The world teaches us to be self-sufficient and be interdependent. The Bible teaches us to be God-dependent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)