Blood circulation pumped by the heart keeps the body alive. Money circulation pumped by faith (exactly like religion, which is why Jesus said you either serve God or Mammon) keeps the economy going. Actually it is not faith, but the object of faith, which in today’s economy, are the financial institutions.
When a person is greedy and eats a lot of fat food, he gets cardiac arrest and the heart needs operation. The mouth, which enjoyed the food, is not punished. Instead, it is the innocent skin that has to be cut to reach the heart.
When the financial institutions are greedy and faith in them drops, money supply drop and the economy suffer cardiac arrest. The innocent people suffer when the economy goes into depression.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil
God saw all that He had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:31 HCSB). The LORD God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the midst of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9 HCSB).
We note that in the beginning, everything was very good. There was no evil, and no knowledge of evil. Everyone knew what good is. But no one knew what evil is.
But in the Garden of Eden, there was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If anyone eats of the tree, they will know evil, they will know imperfection, they will know suffering.
Adam and Eve know what good is, but they know not evil. So they ate the fruit and they found out what evil is. Since then, every human have the knowledge of good and evil.
We note that in the beginning, everything was very good. There was no evil, and no knowledge of evil. Everyone knew what good is. But no one knew what evil is.
But in the Garden of Eden, there was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If anyone eats of the tree, they will know evil, they will know imperfection, they will know suffering.
Adam and Eve know what good is, but they know not evil. So they ate the fruit and they found out what evil is. Since then, every human have the knowledge of good and evil.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Restitution
Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering (Leviticus 6:5 KJV).
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24 KJV).
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep (Exodus 22:1 KJV).
One must restore to the offended brother full restitution and add to it one-fifth more before offering the trespass offering to God. In Luke 19, Zaccheus is willing to give half of his possessions to the poor and pay four-fold restitution to those he has defrauded.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24 KJV).
If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep (Exodus 22:1 KJV).
One must restore to the offended brother full restitution and add to it one-fifth more before offering the trespass offering to God. In Luke 19, Zaccheus is willing to give half of his possessions to the poor and pay four-fold restitution to those he has defrauded.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Pharisee, the Sadducee and the Herodian
Found at this site remarks about the Pharisee and the Sadducee:
The mark of the Pharisee - the ritualist - is that he is always ADDING TO. He is not content with the written Word of God, and with the plain truth of the Gospel. He must start adding his own ideas and ordinances, until religion and salvation are a highly complicated matter.
The mark of the Sadducee - the rationalist - is that he is always TAKING FROM. He cannot accept the written Word of God in its entirety, nor the truth of the Gospel as it stands without drastic deletions. Everything must be tried at the bar of human reason. This, that, and the other thing must be cut out to make faith reasonable and tenable.
The mark of the Herodian - the secularist - he cared neither for adding to nor taking away from. Like the careless Gallio, he "cared for none of these things." The written Word of God, the message of the Gospel were far from his first concern. His prime consideration was the life that now is. What does it matter that a heathen Herod reigns on a throne made crimson with crime so long as material interests are furthered? While the ritualist Pharisee was busy adding to, and the rationalist Sadducee was skeptically taking away from, the secularist Herodian was heedlessly passing by.
The mark of the Pharisee - the ritualist - is that he is always ADDING TO. He is not content with the written Word of God, and with the plain truth of the Gospel. He must start adding his own ideas and ordinances, until religion and salvation are a highly complicated matter.
The mark of the Sadducee - the rationalist - is that he is always TAKING FROM. He cannot accept the written Word of God in its entirety, nor the truth of the Gospel as it stands without drastic deletions. Everything must be tried at the bar of human reason. This, that, and the other thing must be cut out to make faith reasonable and tenable.
The mark of the Herodian - the secularist - he cared neither for adding to nor taking away from. Like the careless Gallio, he "cared for none of these things." The written Word of God, the message of the Gospel were far from his first concern. His prime consideration was the life that now is. What does it matter that a heathen Herod reigns on a throne made crimson with crime so long as material interests are furthered? While the ritualist Pharisee was busy adding to, and the rationalist Sadducee was skeptically taking away from, the secularist Herodian was heedlessly passing by.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Technology makes life more difficult
A friend explained to me why technology makes life more difficult. He gave the example of an accounts clerk. In the good old days, she might only have to do the mundane task of balance the books. When technology replaced her task, she was forced to work at a higher level, and she might not be able to perform.
That reminds me of horses being replaced by cars, painters by photographers. It is actually a very ancient problem. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Maybe the pace may get faster. But then hastening pace of progress is also not new.
That reminds me of horses being replaced by cars, painters by photographers. It is actually a very ancient problem. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Maybe the pace may get faster. But then hastening pace of progress is also not new.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sex in the Bible and Sex in the City
Sex in the Bible is very simple and very clear. It can only be conducted by a man and a woman who are married. Any other types of sex is sin.
Sex in the City is complicated. It is usually considered as right if it is between consenting adults. Then complications set in when one or both of the consenting adults are married to other parties. And the consenting adults need not to be of different sex.
What happen if one of the adult is not an adult? Woe to the adult! He or she will be considered a paedophile and will be shamed and persecuted by a lot of righteous sinners, though they are adulterers and fornicators, but not paedophiles.
But in other cultures, such as Arabs, it is okay to be a paedophile. Mohammed married Aisha when she was six and consummate the marriage when she was nine.
Many years ago, sex outside marriage was considered a sin in European culture. Now it is okay for consent adults, but no paedophiles allowed, even if the child gives consent. But what of the future? Maybe what is sin today will be the norm again in future.
Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will. (Proverbs 14:9 NASB)
Sex in the City is complicated. It is usually considered as right if it is between consenting adults. Then complications set in when one or both of the consenting adults are married to other parties. And the consenting adults need not to be of different sex.
What happen if one of the adult is not an adult? Woe to the adult! He or she will be considered a paedophile and will be shamed and persecuted by a lot of righteous sinners, though they are adulterers and fornicators, but not paedophiles.
But in other cultures, such as Arabs, it is okay to be a paedophile. Mohammed married Aisha when she was six and consummate the marriage when she was nine.
Many years ago, sex outside marriage was considered a sin in European culture. Now it is okay for consent adults, but no paedophiles allowed, even if the child gives consent. But what of the future? Maybe what is sin today will be the norm again in future.
Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will. (Proverbs 14:9 NASB)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saved through faith only
Those who thought that their works would save them will plea with Christ on the basis of their works.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23 KJV)
Those who accept salvation by faith are not even aware of their good works.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (Matthew 25:37-39 KJV)
We have nothing to boast because God had determined that Christ should get all the credit. Our works are the fruits of our justification, created by God for us.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Inspired by a sermon on Ephesians preached by Dr Mark Minnick in 1998.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23 KJV)
Those who accept salvation by faith are not even aware of their good works.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (Matthew 25:37-39 KJV)
We have nothing to boast because God had determined that Christ should get all the credit. Our works are the fruits of our justification, created by God for us.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)
Inspired by a sermon on Ephesians preached by Dr Mark Minnick in 1998.
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