Genesis 49:10 (King James Version)
10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Genesis 49:10 (New International Version)
10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs [a] and the obedience of the nations is his.
Footnotes:
Genesis 49:10 Or until Shiloh comes ; or until he comes to whom tribute belongs
Shiloh has come!
Christ has the sceptre and Christ has the staff . He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and his Kingdom is coming.
The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 10:7, 20:21,25:34, Mark 1:15, Luke 9:62 and Luke 21:31)
No it’s not way over there it’s at hand.
Look it’s coming now!
I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
This is The Christ we serve in all his glory. He is The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He has all power in Heaven and on Earth. He is The Faithful Husband and we The Church are his bride.
As his bride we reign with him.
As his bride we take his name. We have the right to use his name.
Jesus said "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
He didn’t say that just people with dog collars would do it did he?
Those who believe.
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Jesus is the same yesterday., today and forever so that wasn’t then. That was now. The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Jesus said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
As his bride we go in his name.
Jesus continued “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
We are not alone!
The one with the sceptre and staff, the king of kings and lord of lords who has all power in Heaven and on Earth his with us until the end of the age.
Some say he was speaking of the apostolic age but then they can’t say when it ended. Because we’re still in it.
He is with us because he is the faithful husband and we reign with him.
Jesus wants us to reign with him not by becoming something different but being who we are in him.
Religion makes The church seem powerless.
We have a blood covenant with God Almighty!
Psalm 68
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.
As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Denominations and Religous Control
John 17:20-22
Jesus Prays for All Believers "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
Jesus prayed that this Church would be one and it is but religous people don't want to be in his Church but in their own.
They love their doctrines and denominations more than Jesus and it is their doctrines and denominations that they serve.
In Acts chapter 3 peter and John Healed a Crippled Beggar A man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" so the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
This was an amazing miricle but the denominational religous people didn't like it at all.
The man jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Were the religous people pleased?
Far from it!
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
Religoin wants to lock people up. Religion is bondage.
What did they find disturbing?
Peter and John proclaimed Jesus instead of them!
If a miricle happens in a church that is not of a denominationalists denomination the denominationalist is disturbed greatly by it.
The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
Now if Peter had said that they were dioing it in the name of the priests they would probably be delighted and then tell them to ask for permission first and then not give them permission again. Like all religous people are, they were control freaks.
When they said "By what power or what name did you do this?" they meant "How dare you! We are in control round here and we say what God can do and not you." Religous people are such control freaks they actually try to control God himself.
But Peter didn't bottle out. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is " 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
They were most annoyed by this. Peter and john were not from their denomination and such an act was a threat to their denomination.
When God moves amongst his people in another Church that isn't a denominationalists denomination they get very annoyed. They may even claim it is of The Devil. Religous people are full of bitter envy and selfish ambition. They are men pleasers rather than God pleasers.
When The Charismatic move came, a lot of Penticostals were up in arms about it. "How dare God bless The Anglicans! How are we going to stop him?"
Eventually after much debate (Religous people love debate) To stop God doing anything and to stop the advancement of Gods Kingdom they warned them to speak no longer to anyone in the name of Jesus.
It didn't work!
But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
These people were expert politicians and so after further threats they let them go. Religous people love to use threats like "You are in great danger." and "Be like us or go to Hell" and "your soul could be lost if you don't turn around" quite often they will reel you in and make you feel secure and then they'll laty it on once they have you in their grasp. They are power crazy decievers out for themselves.
They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
In John chapter 9 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind.
The blind mans neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man." "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.
Were the denominationalist happy?
Of course not!
The Pharisees Investigated the Healing. how religous people love to investigate matters. They love to be busy doing nothing.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Isn't that naughty? Well nowadays the same type of people wouldn't want people healed any time but a sabbath!
This healing wasn't in a Church or a synagogue either! It needed investigating!
Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."
Religous people are always critical.
Were they interested in the miricle?
No they were interested in some religous legalism that they made into a long wiinded dogma.
What they meant was "He not of our denomination. We never sent hiim. He is wrong and were right."
But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.
Denominationalists quite often turn on each other. They love their stuopid pet doctrines to much to love other Christians.
Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. (The control freaks religous peoplem always are) That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God, they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
Hallaluyah!
I like asking denominationalists who ask lots of sstupid questions if they want to come to my Church too.
I get the same reply the blind man got.
Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
They told him that he was of the wrong denomination.
The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
What a glorious reply!
To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
They love to control.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Religous people are blind and denominationalist are the most blind of them all.
Jesus Prays for All Believers "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
Jesus prayed that this Church would be one and it is but religous people don't want to be in his Church but in their own.
They love their doctrines and denominations more than Jesus and it is their doctrines and denominations that they serve.
In Acts chapter 3 peter and John Healed a Crippled Beggar A man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" so the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
This was an amazing miricle but the denominational religous people didn't like it at all.
The man jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Were the religous people pleased?
Far from it!
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
Religoin wants to lock people up. Religion is bondage.
What did they find disturbing?
Peter and John proclaimed Jesus instead of them!
If a miricle happens in a church that is not of a denominationalists denomination the denominationalist is disturbed greatly by it.
The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
Now if Peter had said that they were dioing it in the name of the priests they would probably be delighted and then tell them to ask for permission first and then not give them permission again. Like all religous people are, they were control freaks.
When they said "By what power or what name did you do this?" they meant "How dare you! We are in control round here and we say what God can do and not you." Religous people are such control freaks they actually try to control God himself.
But Peter didn't bottle out. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is " 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
They were most annoyed by this. Peter and john were not from their denomination and such an act was a threat to their denomination.
When God moves amongst his people in another Church that isn't a denominationalists denomination they get very annoyed. They may even claim it is of The Devil. Religous people are full of bitter envy and selfish ambition. They are men pleasers rather than God pleasers.
When The Charismatic move came, a lot of Penticostals were up in arms about it. "How dare God bless The Anglicans! How are we going to stop him?"
Eventually after much debate (Religous people love debate) To stop God doing anything and to stop the advancement of Gods Kingdom they warned them to speak no longer to anyone in the name of Jesus.
It didn't work!
But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
These people were expert politicians and so after further threats they let them go. Religous people love to use threats like "You are in great danger." and "Be like us or go to Hell" and "your soul could be lost if you don't turn around" quite often they will reel you in and make you feel secure and then they'll laty it on once they have you in their grasp. They are power crazy decievers out for themselves.
They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
In John chapter 9 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind.
The blind mans neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man." "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.
Were the denominationalist happy?
Of course not!
The Pharisees Investigated the Healing. how religous people love to investigate matters. They love to be busy doing nothing.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Isn't that naughty? Well nowadays the same type of people wouldn't want people healed any time but a sabbath!
This healing wasn't in a Church or a synagogue either! It needed investigating!
Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."
Religous people are always critical.
Were they interested in the miricle?
No they were interested in some religous legalism that they made into a long wiinded dogma.
What they meant was "He not of our denomination. We never sent hiim. He is wrong and were right."
But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.
Denominationalists quite often turn on each other. They love their stuopid pet doctrines to much to love other Christians.
Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. (The control freaks religous peoplem always are) That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God, they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
Hallaluyah!
I like asking denominationalists who ask lots of sstupid questions if they want to come to my Church too.
I get the same reply the blind man got.
Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
They told him that he was of the wrong denomination.
The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
What a glorious reply!
To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
They love to control.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Religous people are blind and denominationalist are the most blind of them all.
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Religion
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
These people are in the world today and they are called religious people.
They are lovers of themselves and their religious beliefs. They have massive egos. They are proud and conceited.
They are very pious. They go to Church early and leave late. They have a denominational mentality. They love their Churchianity more than Jesus. They deny the power of God and should be avoided.
Jesus had much to say to the likes of them.
Matthew 23
Seven Woes
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.[b] 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
But how religious people like their robes and fancy prayers. How they like being called ‘father’ or ‘reverend’ or ’spiritual’ and it is all for show.
13"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
They shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces!
They are a hindrance to the gospel
They make Christians depressed. They stop God being God . Religion wants you unmotivated it hates zeal. They make you ashamed of the gospel and wraps truth round untruths.
At one time these people wouldn’t read the bible in a language the people understood.
They shut the kingdom out!
They don’t enter the kingdom themselves and shut it out for others. It is religion that they serve and not God.
15"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
-
These religious people will do anything to make non-religious Christians like them. After all they are always right. The put God in a box and try to stop God being God. Religion is of Hell and their godless doctrines are of Hell.
1 Timothy 4
Instructions to Timothy
1The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving
Satan is a religious fanatic!
Religious demons preach doctrines that forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
Those filthy demons don’t stop there.
They have invented lots of weird doctrines and superstitions regarding the sacraments. They have made the Eucharist something that it isn’t and they deny some of it. Why? Because desecrating the covenant meal is as close as they can get to desecrating the covenant.
They also have invented much about baptism which is the sign of the covenant. They do not want Gods covenant people to know what And who they are in Christ.
16"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.'
19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
Such trifling matters matter much to religious people. The difference between Jesus being Gods eternal son and the Eternal son of God is a great matter to them. They could bore people for hours about such a trifling matter. How many angels can stand on the head of a pin or the colour of the holy virgins eyes are great matters for debate. The light of Christ is hidden from them by religious nonsense.
They confuse people with their mind numbing ’theology so they can make other Christians like them. People who are not Christians after being around these people tend to look into other religions instead. (Which is what the devil wants.)
23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
How religious people can be formulaic to the point of emptying their message of grace is astounding!
How everything religious has to be correct to the point where it takes up all their time so that secular society can rot in peace is even more astounding.
Then when society goes to hell they whinge and whine about it still not doing anything to stop the rot!
25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
Religion is just a show. It is worthless.
27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Religion kills people.
29"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
33"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
At this point religious people start screaming religious phrases like “That’s not in love.” and “Jesus gentle, meek and mild.”
I’d rather be like Jesus than be like them.
34Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
Religious people like being in control. They will cast you out of the synagogue to control. They will threaten with excommunication to control.
Religious people are total control freaks!
Everything has to be done according to their specification. They are obsessed with the detail. Yes you may share a prophecy but not during the Eucharist and you can speak in tongues but only at home if at all. Yes you can feed the homeless but first we must discuss this amongst the elders and then we‘ll decided who can do what. Religious people like to control what Gods does..
37"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
I am not ashamed of the gospel. Religion is ashamed of the gospel.
If you like what I’ve written here feel free to comment ‘Amen and if you don’t I pray you get free from religion in Jesus‘ name.
Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
These people are in the world today and they are called religious people.
They are lovers of themselves and their religious beliefs. They have massive egos. They are proud and conceited.
They are very pious. They go to Church early and leave late. They have a denominational mentality. They love their Churchianity more than Jesus. They deny the power of God and should be avoided.
Jesus had much to say to the likes of them.
Matthew 23
Seven Woes
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.[b] 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
But how religious people like their robes and fancy prayers. How they like being called ‘father’ or ‘reverend’ or ’spiritual’ and it is all for show.
13"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
They shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces!
They are a hindrance to the gospel
They make Christians depressed. They stop God being God . Religion wants you unmotivated it hates zeal. They make you ashamed of the gospel and wraps truth round untruths.
At one time these people wouldn’t read the bible in a language the people understood.
They shut the kingdom out!
They don’t enter the kingdom themselves and shut it out for others. It is religion that they serve and not God.
15"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
-
These religious people will do anything to make non-religious Christians like them. After all they are always right. The put God in a box and try to stop God being God. Religion is of Hell and their godless doctrines are of Hell.
1 Timothy 4
Instructions to Timothy
1The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving
Satan is a religious fanatic!
Religious demons preach doctrines that forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
Those filthy demons don’t stop there.
They have invented lots of weird doctrines and superstitions regarding the sacraments. They have made the Eucharist something that it isn’t and they deny some of it. Why? Because desecrating the covenant meal is as close as they can get to desecrating the covenant.
They also have invented much about baptism which is the sign of the covenant. They do not want Gods covenant people to know what And who they are in Christ.
16"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.'
19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
Such trifling matters matter much to religious people. The difference between Jesus being Gods eternal son and the Eternal son of God is a great matter to them. They could bore people for hours about such a trifling matter. How many angels can stand on the head of a pin or the colour of the holy virgins eyes are great matters for debate. The light of Christ is hidden from them by religious nonsense.
They confuse people with their mind numbing ’theology so they can make other Christians like them. People who are not Christians after being around these people tend to look into other religions instead. (Which is what the devil wants.)
23"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
How religious people can be formulaic to the point of emptying their message of grace is astounding!
How everything religious has to be correct to the point where it takes up all their time so that secular society can rot in peace is even more astounding.
Then when society goes to hell they whinge and whine about it still not doing anything to stop the rot!
25"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
Religion is just a show. It is worthless.
27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Religion kills people.
29"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
33"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
At this point religious people start screaming religious phrases like “That’s not in love.” and “Jesus gentle, meek and mild.”
I’d rather be like Jesus than be like them.
34Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
Religious people like being in control. They will cast you out of the synagogue to control. They will threaten with excommunication to control.
Religious people are total control freaks!
Everything has to be done according to their specification. They are obsessed with the detail. Yes you may share a prophecy but not during the Eucharist and you can speak in tongues but only at home if at all. Yes you can feed the homeless but first we must discuss this amongst the elders and then we‘ll decided who can do what. Religious people like to control what Gods does..
37"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
I am not ashamed of the gospel. Religion is ashamed of the gospel.
If you like what I’ve written here feel free to comment ‘Amen and if you don’t I pray you get free from religion in Jesus‘ name.
Monday, 26 January 2009
Applied Theology
Under The old Covenant preists were mediators between God and man.
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 8:6
6But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
Hebrews 9:15
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 12:24 24to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Jesus is our High priest and a priest is a mediater between God and man.
Ephesians 5:30-32
30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Christ and his Church are one.
As Christ and Twe The Church are one, because he is a preist we in The Church are priests.
I Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Hebrews 7:24
but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
Christs priesthood is eternal. As he is eternal so is his Cchurch for they are one.
As Christ is a priest we in his church are priieststs and a priest is a mediater between God and man.
How does The Church mediate between God and man?
James 1:26-27
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
This is applied theology. The New Covenant Priesthood mediates between God and man by applied theology.
This would trouble some evangelicals because of a split amongst them at the beginning of last century. The split was between those for social justice and those for getting people saved.
Go and preach the gospel and if you have to use words. :- Saint Francis of Assisi.
Evangelical 'conservatives' have forgotten how to live it while evangelical 'liberals' have forgotten how to preach it.
Applied theology comes by recognising a need within society, working out how to meet that need, meeting it and as a result multitudes come to Christ.
Therefore we as evangelical Christians must see the needs and meet them.
A prostitute doesn't know she needs Christ but she does know she needs to get off narcotics.
A homless person doesn't know he needs Christ or needs to get off the booze but he knows he need to get off the streets.
Somebody ruined with debtt knows they need to get out of debt.
Somebody so drunk they can't stand knows they need to sober up.
What we do to the least of these we do to Jesus himself.
Mark 1:40-45
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." 41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. 43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
No where in the torah does it say that lepers can not be touched. How were the priests going to examine them without touching them?
By touching the leper Jesus was coming against the religion of the day. He never broke the law but still did things that angered the Pharisees.
Because of his healing the leper told many of the good things God had done for him.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 8:6
6But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
Hebrews 9:15
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 12:24 24to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Jesus is our High priest and a priest is a mediater between God and man.
Ephesians 5:30-32
30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Christ and his Church are one.
As Christ and Twe The Church are one, because he is a preist we in The Church are priests.
I Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Hebrews 7:24
but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
Christs priesthood is eternal. As he is eternal so is his Cchurch for they are one.
As Christ is a priest we in his church are priieststs and a priest is a mediater between God and man.
How does The Church mediate between God and man?
James 1:26-27
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
This is applied theology. The New Covenant Priesthood mediates between God and man by applied theology.
This would trouble some evangelicals because of a split amongst them at the beginning of last century. The split was between those for social justice and those for getting people saved.
Go and preach the gospel and if you have to use words. :- Saint Francis of Assisi.
Evangelical 'conservatives' have forgotten how to live it while evangelical 'liberals' have forgotten how to preach it.
Applied theology comes by recognising a need within society, working out how to meet that need, meeting it and as a result multitudes come to Christ.
Therefore we as evangelical Christians must see the needs and meet them.
A prostitute doesn't know she needs Christ but she does know she needs to get off narcotics.
A homless person doesn't know he needs Christ or needs to get off the booze but he knows he need to get off the streets.
Somebody ruined with debtt knows they need to get out of debt.
Somebody so drunk they can't stand knows they need to sober up.
What we do to the least of these we do to Jesus himself.
Mark 1:40-45
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." 41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. 43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
No where in the torah does it say that lepers can not be touched. How were the priests going to examine them without touching them?
By touching the leper Jesus was coming against the religion of the day. He never broke the law but still did things that angered the Pharisees.
Because of his healing the leper told many of the good things God had done for him.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Some Good Blogs
The Sarcastic Lutheran
http://www.sarcasticlutheran.typepad.com/
I Could Be Wrong.
http://revjph.blogspot.com/
Emerge n see.
http://www.emergensee.blogspot.com/
http://www.sarcasticlutheran.typepad.com/
I Could Be Wrong.
http://revjph.blogspot.com/
Emerge n see.
http://www.emergensee.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 24 January 2009
The High Priest of a New Covenant
Hebrews 8
The High Priest of a New Covenant
1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
3Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."[a] 6But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
---
The New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant and Jesus is the mediator of it. Where under the Old Covenant there were many mediators between God and his covenant people, under the New Covenant there is one mediator - Christ our high priest.
---
The Blood of Christ
11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
---
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, dead works, useless rituals and the like so that we may serve the living God!
We no longer need sacrifices for our atonement. Christ’s sacrifice is enough.
---
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
--
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant. It is through Christ alone our eternal inheritance is obtained.
Also because of the blood of the covenant the church mirrors him
1 John 4:17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
-
Because we are like him, as he is a priest we are priests
-
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
-
Hebrews 12:22-24 (New International Version)
22We have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. We have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel
The High Priest of a New Covenant
1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
3Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."[a] 6But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
---
The New Covenant is superior to the Old Covenant and Jesus is the mediator of it. Where under the Old Covenant there were many mediators between God and his covenant people, under the New Covenant there is one mediator - Christ our high priest.
---
The Blood of Christ
11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
---
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, dead works, useless rituals and the like so that we may serve the living God!
We no longer need sacrifices for our atonement. Christ’s sacrifice is enough.
---
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
--
Christ is the mediator of the new covenant. It is through Christ alone our eternal inheritance is obtained.
Also because of the blood of the covenant the church mirrors him
1 John 4:17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
-
Because we are like him, as he is a priest we are priests
-
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
-
Hebrews 12:22-24 (New International Version)
22We have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. We have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel
Ark of The Covenant 3
Hebrews 9
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
But we cannot discuss these things in detail now?
Just when we get interested the writer says “But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.”
Maybe they could not discuss those things in detail then but now we can
When the priests lifted The Ark they lifted what was inside the Ark. So they also lifted up the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. What were they lifting up?
Gold jar of manna = Bread of Heaven = Jesus Christ.
Aaron's staff that had budded = Authority of The High priest = Authority of Jesus Christ.
The stone tablets of the covenant = Word of The Father = Jesus Christ.
But they are not just shadows of Christ.
The Stone Tablets were of The Father, The Manna was of the Son, Christ The Bread of Heaven and Aarons staff was the staff that comforts, the comforter is The Holy Spirit.
6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance
The old Covenant Church served Christ.
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
But we cannot discuss these things in detail now?
Just when we get interested the writer says “But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.”
Maybe they could not discuss those things in detail then but now we can
When the priests lifted The Ark they lifted what was inside the Ark. So they also lifted up the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. What were they lifting up?
Gold jar of manna = Bread of Heaven = Jesus Christ.
Aaron's staff that had budded = Authority of The High priest = Authority of Jesus Christ.
The stone tablets of the covenant = Word of The Father = Jesus Christ.
But they are not just shadows of Christ.
The Stone Tablets were of The Father, The Manna was of the Son, Christ The Bread of Heaven and Aarons staff was the staff that comforts, the comforter is The Holy Spirit.
6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance
The old Covenant Church served Christ.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Meditation on the Ark and The Cup 2
Underneath the wings of the cherubim was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled.-
Our refuge is in Gods mercy which we have obtained through the blood of the covenant.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Shaddai).
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
He is our refuge and our fortress because of the blood of the covenant.
We can trust him because we are his covenant people and because of the covenant he is guaranteed to come to our aid.
Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will deliver us from the snares of the enemy and deliver us from the deadly pestilence because of the blood of the covenant.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Because of the blood of the covenant.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Because of the blood of the covenant
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
Because of the blood of the covenant. We have overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony and our testimony is that we have a blood covenant with God Almighty (El Shaddai).
Also the testimony was the tablets of the law which were kept in the Ark of The Covenant under the shadow of his wings.
"Because he loves (Hebrew for love here is ‘Chesid’ and ‘Chesid’ is ‘Covenant love.’) me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
The lord will deliver us because of the covenant.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Because of the blood of the Covenant.
Psalm 116:13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
Both high and low among men find refuge in the cup of salvation
We take refuge in the cup of salvation. We take refuge in the blood of the Covenant-
He is our refuge and our fortress, we can trust him because we are his covenant people and because of the covenant he is guaranteed to come to our aid. because of the blood of the covenant.
1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Our refuge is in Gods mercy which we have obtained through the blood of the covenant.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Shaddai).
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
He is our refuge and our fortress because of the blood of the covenant.
We can trust him because we are his covenant people and because of the covenant he is guaranteed to come to our aid.
Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will deliver us from the snares of the enemy and deliver us from the deadly pestilence because of the blood of the covenant.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Because of the blood of the covenant.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Because of the blood of the covenant
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
Because of the blood of the covenant. We have overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony and our testimony is that we have a blood covenant with God Almighty (El Shaddai).
Also the testimony was the tablets of the law which were kept in the Ark of The Covenant under the shadow of his wings.
"Because he loves (Hebrew for love here is ‘Chesid’ and ‘Chesid’ is ‘Covenant love.’) me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
The lord will deliver us because of the covenant.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Because of the blood of the Covenant.
Psalm 116:13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
Both high and low among men find refuge in the cup of salvation
We take refuge in the cup of salvation. We take refuge in the blood of the Covenant-
He is our refuge and our fortress, we can trust him because we are his covenant people and because of the covenant he is guaranteed to come to our aid. because of the blood of the covenant.
1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Meditation on the Ark and The Cup
There is something I'm not understanding.
Exodus 25:16-22
Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 17 "Make an atonement cover [c] of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. [d] 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
Underneath the wings of the cherubim was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled.
Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Psalm 36:7How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1[ For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam . When he had fled from Saul into the cave. ] Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Psalm 61:4I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah
Psalm 63:7Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Our refuge is in Gods mercy and the blood of the covenant.
Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
Luke 22:20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
1 Corinthians 11:25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
There's something glorious that I'm not seeing.
Exodus 25:16-22
Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 17 "Make an atonement cover [c] of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. [d] 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
Underneath the wings of the cherubim was the mercy seat where the blood was sprinkled.
Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Psalm 36:7How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1[ For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam . When he had fled from Saul into the cave. ] Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Psalm 61:4I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah
Psalm 63:7Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Our refuge is in Gods mercy and the blood of the covenant.
Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 14:24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
Luke 22:20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
1 Corinthians 11:25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
There's something glorious that I'm not seeing.
Old Covenant Re-Enactments (Dead Works)
Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood. He said that it was his blood of the covenant and then he cut covenant.
As the first Adam had a spear in his side and a bride was brought forth, so the second Adam had a spear in his siide and a bride was brought forth. The Bride of Christ was brought forth.
With the curtian torn the way was open into the holy of holys.
Jesus our High Priest entered the heavenly holy of holys and offered his blood for us and because of this we are able to approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Because of what Christ has done we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. He is the one mediator between God and man. Christ has cut a better covenant for us.
But religion has watered down the message of the new covenant. They reinstated a deviding wall between God and his covenant people. They altered the eucharist into an historical re-enactment of that which was before. They replaced the one mediator between God and man with many mediators by re-inventing the Old Testement model of priesthood. They made it so that only a particular priest could enter the holy of holys and then they claimed that during the euchatrist a sacrifice occured that only the particular priest could do. By doing this they had made themselves into an old covenant re-enactment society.
Christ enabled us to approach Gods throne and they said we can''t go there without them doing something.
Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood. He said that it was his blood of the covenant and then he cut covenant and then he made it accessable for all his covenant people While religion would make it so sacred that some can only gaze at it from afar off.
But if you are one of Gods covenant flock you can feed on him through the eucharist and nobody can say you are not worthy because Christ has done everything to make you worthy.
Then there is the Christian Zionist re-enactment society.
They believe that all the Jews will be back in Israel and sacrifices will start again. What they do not grasp is that the last sacrifice under the old covenant is the ultimate sacrifice uneder the new covenant. The priests examined Christ and declared that he was worthy of death. By declaring him worthy of death they had made his sacrifice legal under the old covenant. Therefore there would be no poingt in re-instating temple worship. It would be another historical re-enactment.
The Church is The Bride of Christ and Christ is not a Bygamist. The state of Israel has nothing to do with any biblical covenant.
The Judizers within Chriastianity will try to bury the new covenant by their religion but the curtain is still torn, the way is open and we can appraoch God we are able to seek Gods face.
The New covenant is in force and we who are under it are Abrahams seed.
Therefore let us recieve from him wiith thanksgiving.
As the first Adam had a spear in his side and a bride was brought forth, so the second Adam had a spear in his siide and a bride was brought forth. The Bride of Christ was brought forth.
Though in fact The Chrurch is eternal as Christ is eternal because we were choosen in him before the beginning of tiime and what Christ diid was also an eternal sacrifice.
As Jesus died the curtain of the temple was torn in two.. The devision between God and his covenant people had been torn away.With the curtian torn the way was open into the holy of holys.
Jesus our High Priest entered the heavenly holy of holys and offered his blood for us and because of this we are able to approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Because of what Christ has done we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. He is the one mediator between God and man. Christ has cut a better covenant for us.
But religion has watered down the message of the new covenant. They reinstated a deviding wall between God and his covenant people. They altered the eucharist into an historical re-enactment of that which was before. They replaced the one mediator between God and man with many mediators by re-inventing the Old Testement model of priesthood. They made it so that only a particular priest could enter the holy of holys and then they claimed that during the euchatrist a sacrifice occured that only the particular priest could do. By doing this they had made themselves into an old covenant re-enactment society.
Christ enabled us to approach Gods throne and they said we can''t go there without them doing something.
Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood. He said that it was his blood of the covenant and then he cut covenant and then he made it accessable for all his covenant people While religion would make it so sacred that some can only gaze at it from afar off.
But if you are one of Gods covenant flock you can feed on him through the eucharist and nobody can say you are not worthy because Christ has done everything to make you worthy.
Then there is the Christian Zionist re-enactment society.
They believe that all the Jews will be back in Israel and sacrifices will start again. What they do not grasp is that the last sacrifice under the old covenant is the ultimate sacrifice uneder the new covenant. The priests examined Christ and declared that he was worthy of death. By declaring him worthy of death they had made his sacrifice legal under the old covenant. Therefore there would be no poingt in re-instating temple worship. It would be another historical re-enactment.
The Church is The Bride of Christ and Christ is not a Bygamist. The state of Israel has nothing to do with any biblical covenant.
The Judizers within Chriastianity will try to bury the new covenant by their religion but the curtain is still torn, the way is open and we can appraoch God we are able to seek Gods face.
The New covenant is in force and we who are under it are Abrahams seed.
Therefore let us recieve from him wiith thanksgiving.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Sweet Simplicity
My wife and I watched a programme on T.V about an Anglican Vicar exploring different faiths. This week he was in Africa.
He went through the animist faiths and some indigenous Christian groups.
It got very interesting when he got to Ethiopia.
There was a few Rastafarians in Addis and a few Muslims in the north who didn’t seem like Muslims at all.
Then he went to a 1000 year old Ethiopian Orthodox Church that had been literally hewn into a mountain.
They were doing what they had been doing for the last 1000 years.
What got us was the simplicity of it all.
The power of God was evident.
It was the message of Christ not watered down by intellectualism or vainglorious religion.
It's was what Jesus came to give us.
He went through the animist faiths and some indigenous Christian groups.
It got very interesting when he got to Ethiopia.
There was a few Rastafarians in Addis and a few Muslims in the north who didn’t seem like Muslims at all.
Then he went to a 1000 year old Ethiopian Orthodox Church that had been literally hewn into a mountain.
They were doing what they had been doing for the last 1000 years.
What got us was the simplicity of it all.
The power of God was evident.
It was the message of Christ not watered down by intellectualism or vainglorious religion.
It's was what Jesus came to give us.
The Cup of Salvation
Luke 22:20
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.-
Mark 14:24
"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.-
Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood. He said that it was his blood of the covenant.
The disciples understood what he was saying.
Their silence spoke volumes.
Jesus was saying that he was going to cut covenant with The Almighty as Abraham did.
The disciples were silent because they understood.
As Abraham had the mark of Covenant in his flesh (Circumcision) Christ (Who is God Almighty) has the marks of Covenant in his flesh (Slit wrists and feet etc.)
As Abraham was willing to offer his son for God, God was willing to offer his son for Abraham.
As Abraham sacrificed a lamb for God, God sacrificed a lamb for Abraham. Gods lamb was himself.
And now after Christ cut covenant by death on a cross and rose again he intercedes for us as Abraham, interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gods covenant with Abraham has both sides equal. It is a perfect covenant.
As the first covenant mentioned in The Bible (The marriage of Adam to Eve) is a mirror image (Flesh of my flesh bone of my bones) Gods covenant with Abraham is a mirror image.
The cup is the new covenant in Christ’s blood, it is his blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The whole of Gods plan for the redemption of the human race through covenant was coming to it’s ultimate climax within time. -
Psalm 116:13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
King David foresaw this day.
The cup of salvation is the new covenant in Christ’s blood, it is his blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Yet religion belittles it by dogmatic vanities.
Transubstantiation, consubstantiation, sacremantarianism, symbolism
What worthless vanity!
Psalm 116:12-14
12 How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
14 I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.-
Mark 14:24
"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.-
Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood. He said that it was his blood of the covenant.
The disciples understood what he was saying.
Their silence spoke volumes.
Jesus was saying that he was going to cut covenant with The Almighty as Abraham did.
The disciples were silent because they understood.
As Abraham had the mark of Covenant in his flesh (Circumcision) Christ (Who is God Almighty) has the marks of Covenant in his flesh (Slit wrists and feet etc.)
As Abraham was willing to offer his son for God, God was willing to offer his son for Abraham.
As Abraham sacrificed a lamb for God, God sacrificed a lamb for Abraham. Gods lamb was himself.
And now after Christ cut covenant by death on a cross and rose again he intercedes for us as Abraham, interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gods covenant with Abraham has both sides equal. It is a perfect covenant.
As the first covenant mentioned in The Bible (The marriage of Adam to Eve) is a mirror image (Flesh of my flesh bone of my bones) Gods covenant with Abraham is a mirror image.
The cup is the new covenant in Christ’s blood, it is his blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
The whole of Gods plan for the redemption of the human race through covenant was coming to it’s ultimate climax within time. -
Psalm 116:13
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
King David foresaw this day.
The cup of salvation is the new covenant in Christ’s blood, it is his blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Yet religion belittles it by dogmatic vanities.
Transubstantiation, consubstantiation, sacremantarianism, symbolism
What worthless vanity!
Psalm 116:12-14
12 How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
14 I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Children And The Eucharist
The three pillars of Anglicanism when setting doctrine are scripture, tradition and reason. I shall now use these three pillars to explain my position.
By Scripture.
First of all Jesus said that the Eucharist was for all.
Matthew 26:27
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you.
Also many theologians say that the feeding of the four thousand and the feeding of the five thousand are miracles that point to the Eucharist.
Matthew 14:21
The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.-
Matthew 15:38
The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children.
Besides The Kingdom belongs to such as children.
Matthew 18:2-4
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Furthermore it is not for us to stop them receiving from him.
Matthew 19:14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
Matthew 19:14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Mark 10:14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Finally, to refuse a child is to refuse Christ.
Mark 9:37"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
By Tradition
First of all The Eastern Church has always allowed children to partake of the Eucharist. The Western Church hasn’t always disallowed children to partake of it either.
To start with individual parishes in The Western Church choose to refuse children communion until eventually an emphasis was put on confirmation to the point where one was deemed a second class citizen of Heaven and not worthy to receive it without being confirmed..
There also appears to be a complete lack of rules about who can receive and who can’t receive in the early church.
The early church was more community based then institutionalised and children were part of the Christian community. Christian children received the Eucharist as Christian children were fed to lions
By Reason.
Simply put, to say that a child can receive the sign of the covenant (baptism) and then say they can not partake of the covenant meal is ridiculous.
Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me” to say children can except Christ but can’t partake in remembrance of what he has done is also ridiculous.
Also to say that the Kingdom belongs to a little child and then say they don’t understand the Eucharist is also ridiculous.
Reason takes precedence over superstition. Children are not superstitious as a rule and therefore do not adhere to superstitious ideas concerning what the Eucharist is. This means their understanding can be greater than that of many adults.
By Scripture.
First of all Jesus said that the Eucharist was for all.
Matthew 26:27
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you.
Also many theologians say that the feeding of the four thousand and the feeding of the five thousand are miracles that point to the Eucharist.
Matthew 14:21
The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.-
Matthew 15:38
The number of those who ate was four thousand, besides women and children.
Besides The Kingdom belongs to such as children.
Matthew 18:2-4
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Furthermore it is not for us to stop them receiving from him.
Matthew 19:14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
Matthew 19:14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Mark 10:14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Finally, to refuse a child is to refuse Christ.
Mark 9:37"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
By Tradition
First of all The Eastern Church has always allowed children to partake of the Eucharist. The Western Church hasn’t always disallowed children to partake of it either.
To start with individual parishes in The Western Church choose to refuse children communion until eventually an emphasis was put on confirmation to the point where one was deemed a second class citizen of Heaven and not worthy to receive it without being confirmed..
There also appears to be a complete lack of rules about who can receive and who can’t receive in the early church.
The early church was more community based then institutionalised and children were part of the Christian community. Christian children received the Eucharist as Christian children were fed to lions
By Reason.
Simply put, to say that a child can receive the sign of the covenant (baptism) and then say they can not partake of the covenant meal is ridiculous.
Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me” to say children can except Christ but can’t partake in remembrance of what he has done is also ridiculous.
Also to say that the Kingdom belongs to a little child and then say they don’t understand the Eucharist is also ridiculous.
Reason takes precedence over superstition. Children are not superstitious as a rule and therefore do not adhere to superstitious ideas concerning what the Eucharist is. This means their understanding can be greater than that of many adults.
Gods Covenant versus Christian Zionism
Abraham’s seed is Christ.
Galatians 3:15-17
15Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise
The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established.
Galatians 3:28-29
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
If you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed. If you do not belong to Christ you are not Abraham’s seed. It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed and if you do not belong to Christ you are not Abraham’s seed.
Romans 8:2
2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 5:22-24
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
We are not under law but grace.
Abraham’s seed is Christ and those who belong to Christ. They are The people of God, a a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
The Church is Israel. The Church isn’t ‘spiritual’ Israel. The Church is Israel. The church is the people of Israel. The church wrestles with God. The scribes and Pharisees wrestled against God and not with God. Israel was The Church and The Church is Israel. Israel is Abraham’s seed and Abraham’s seed is Christ and those who belong to him. We have come to Zion.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ all the blessings of Abraham are yours.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ as Abraham was Gods friend you are Gods friend.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you can minister for Christ.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are of Israel.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are among Gods chosen.
Israel as a nation is not lost. Israel is The Church and The Church is Israel.
Christian Zionists claim that The Church is spiritual Israel stuff, I don’t know where they get that idea from.
Israel was The Church and The Church is Israel.
The Church is Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise.
The Church is the bride of Christ. Christ is the bishop of our souls. The Bible says that a bishop must be a man of but one wife because Christ is a man of but one wife The Church. The Church is called The Bride of Christ, not A bride but THE bride.
The covenant is with Abraham and Abraham’s seed which is Christ. We belong to Christ because of Covenant.
God is The Faithful Husband.
Some Dispensationalists speak against Covenant Theology and obviously are clueless about what they speak against because they then have a wedding feast in the middle of their eschatology.
My wife and I just have a contract apparently.
Hebrews 8:13By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.-
Because the old covenant is obsolete The church is Israel and Israel was The Church
Because the old Covenant is obsolete we are no longer under law but grace.
The problem is, some people either don’t understand covenant or they would rather exchange grace for legalistic nonsense.
Galatians 3:15-17
15Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise
The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established.
Galatians 3:28-29
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
If you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed. If you do not belong to Christ you are not Abraham’s seed. It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed and if you do not belong to Christ you are not Abraham’s seed.
Romans 8:2
2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Galatians 5:22-24
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
We are not under law but grace.
Abraham’s seed is Christ and those who belong to Christ. They are The people of God, a a royal priesthood and a holy nation.
The Church is Israel. The Church isn’t ‘spiritual’ Israel. The Church is Israel. The church is the people of Israel. The church wrestles with God. The scribes and Pharisees wrestled against God and not with God. Israel was The Church and The Church is Israel. Israel is Abraham’s seed and Abraham’s seed is Christ and those who belong to him. We have come to Zion.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ all the blessings of Abraham are yours.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ as Abraham was Gods friend you are Gods friend.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you can minister for Christ.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are of Israel.
It doesn’t matter, if you are Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, if you belong to Christ you are among Gods chosen.
Israel as a nation is not lost. Israel is The Church and The Church is Israel.
Christian Zionists claim that The Church is spiritual Israel stuff, I don’t know where they get that idea from.
Israel was The Church and The Church is Israel.
The Church is Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise.
The Church is the bride of Christ. Christ is the bishop of our souls. The Bible says that a bishop must be a man of but one wife because Christ is a man of but one wife The Church. The Church is called The Bride of Christ, not A bride but THE bride.
The covenant is with Abraham and Abraham’s seed which is Christ. We belong to Christ because of Covenant.
God is The Faithful Husband.
Some Dispensationalists speak against Covenant Theology and obviously are clueless about what they speak against because they then have a wedding feast in the middle of their eschatology.
My wife and I just have a contract apparently.
Hebrews 8:13By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.-
Because the old covenant is obsolete The church is Israel and Israel was The Church
Because the old Covenant is obsolete we are no longer under law but grace.
The problem is, some people either don’t understand covenant or they would rather exchange grace for legalistic nonsense.
The Seven Signs of Covenant.
In Ancient times men made blood covenants with each other and there were seven signs of a covenant. Just three of the signs would make the covenant legal.
The Seven Signs of Covenant.
1.
Each man handed his outer garment to the other, symbolizing that everything belonging to one also belonged to the other.
Jesus gave us His robes of righteousness and clothed Himself in our garment of sin.
2.
Exchanging sword, bow, and other weapons indicated that each was pledging himself to the other’s defence; placing his power, as it were, at the other’s disposal.
Jesus pledged His sword (the Word of His mouth) to our defence.
3.
They each cut themselves in the wrist to make their blood flow and then joined their right hands and forearms together in a gesture from which we get the modern handshake. The idea here was that the blood from one was now mixed with the blood from the other. The two had become one. In some cultures a bride and groom still cut themselves and mingle
their blood this way, and the American Indian notion of becoming “blood brothers” is also derived from this. (The Hebrew word translated covenant literally means to cut so that blood flows. It could apply to the animals, the men, or both.)
We use the phrase, “blood is thicker than water.” It usually refers to the strength of family relationships, but its original intent was different. It meant that the blood of the covenant surpassed the birth waters. Covenant relationships exceeded family ties in strength and durability.
Jesus had His wrists cut, and healed so as to leave scars as evidence of the covenant.
4.
They let the cut heal in such a way as to leave a visible scar on their wrist. This was to alert people that they were stronger than they appeared to be, since others stood behind them pledged to their defence.
Jesus allowed His blood to flow into and over us, cleansing us of all our impurities.
5.
They shared a ceremonial meal, usually of bread and wine. It was another way of uniting them since to this day middle-Easterners believe that sharing from the same loaf of bread or the same flask of wine binds the participants together. Melchizedek and Abraham shared such a meal.
Jesus shared a covenant meal with us and asked that we do this with each other as a memorial to Him. It is also bread and wine.
6.
Still another way was for each to take a portion of the other’s name, similar to the way the bride takes the name of the groom in Western culture. (When God entered into a covenant with Abram He changed his name to Abraham, requiring us to exhale when we speak his name. The exhaled breath symbolizes the Ruach Elohim or Spirit of God that the Lord breathed into Adam upon his creation.)
Jesus gave us the right to use his name.
7.
And finally they built a monument or memorial to the ceremony. This could be something as simple as a pile of stones or as complex as a forest or a flock of animals, such as when Jacob and Laban formed their covenant.
They went through such ceremony because their lives depended on their covenant partners. There could be no doubt in their minds as to each other’s reliability.
Jesus built a monument, His covenant flock, and said the gates of Hell would not prevail against it.
And as in Abraham’s case, all we have to do is receive it. It’s unconditional and perpetual.
The Seven Signs of Covenant.
1.
Each man handed his outer garment to the other, symbolizing that everything belonging to one also belonged to the other.
Jesus gave us His robes of righteousness and clothed Himself in our garment of sin.
2.
Exchanging sword, bow, and other weapons indicated that each was pledging himself to the other’s defence; placing his power, as it were, at the other’s disposal.
Jesus pledged His sword (the Word of His mouth) to our defence.
3.
They each cut themselves in the wrist to make their blood flow and then joined their right hands and forearms together in a gesture from which we get the modern handshake. The idea here was that the blood from one was now mixed with the blood from the other. The two had become one. In some cultures a bride and groom still cut themselves and mingle
their blood this way, and the American Indian notion of becoming “blood brothers” is also derived from this. (The Hebrew word translated covenant literally means to cut so that blood flows. It could apply to the animals, the men, or both.)
We use the phrase, “blood is thicker than water.” It usually refers to the strength of family relationships, but its original intent was different. It meant that the blood of the covenant surpassed the birth waters. Covenant relationships exceeded family ties in strength and durability.
Jesus had His wrists cut, and healed so as to leave scars as evidence of the covenant.
4.
They let the cut heal in such a way as to leave a visible scar on their wrist. This was to alert people that they were stronger than they appeared to be, since others stood behind them pledged to their defence.
Jesus allowed His blood to flow into and over us, cleansing us of all our impurities.
5.
They shared a ceremonial meal, usually of bread and wine. It was another way of uniting them since to this day middle-Easterners believe that sharing from the same loaf of bread or the same flask of wine binds the participants together. Melchizedek and Abraham shared such a meal.
Jesus shared a covenant meal with us and asked that we do this with each other as a memorial to Him. It is also bread and wine.
6.
Still another way was for each to take a portion of the other’s name, similar to the way the bride takes the name of the groom in Western culture. (When God entered into a covenant with Abram He changed his name to Abraham, requiring us to exhale when we speak his name. The exhaled breath symbolizes the Ruach Elohim or Spirit of God that the Lord breathed into Adam upon his creation.)
Jesus gave us the right to use his name.
7.
And finally they built a monument or memorial to the ceremony. This could be something as simple as a pile of stones or as complex as a forest or a flock of animals, such as when Jacob and Laban formed their covenant.
They went through such ceremony because their lives depended on their covenant partners. There could be no doubt in their minds as to each other’s reliability.
Jesus built a monument, His covenant flock, and said the gates of Hell would not prevail against it.
And as in Abraham’s case, all we have to do is receive it. It’s unconditional and perpetual.
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Marriage and The Great Commission.
Ephesians 5:22-32
Wives and Husbands
22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
-----
This has often been interpreted in a very legalistic way. But this is in fact the great commission in other words. The key to this passage is verse 32 where Paul says that he is talking about Christ and The Church.
He is therefore not talking about wives submitting to their husbands and Husbands loving their wives but about The Church submitting to Christ and Christ loving The Church.
The relationship between a husband and wife within Christian marriage mirrors the relationship between Christ and The Church. Therefore when Husbands love their wives the world can see how Christ loves The Church and when wives submit to their husbands the world can see how The Church submits to Christ.
Submission is not the same as subjection. Wives are not subjected to their husbands. The submission is by choice as The Church submits to Christ by choice. It is not a case of one having dominion over another.
As a husband is united with his wife Christ is united with his church and as a husband and wife are one Christ and The Church are one.
So when husbands love their wives the world can see how Christ loves The Church and when wives submit to their husbands the world can see how The Church submits to Christ. Paul is speaking of a way we can do what Saint Francis of Assisi said.
Go and preach the gospel and if you have to, use words.
Wives and Husbands
22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.
-----
This has often been interpreted in a very legalistic way. But this is in fact the great commission in other words. The key to this passage is verse 32 where Paul says that he is talking about Christ and The Church.
He is therefore not talking about wives submitting to their husbands and Husbands loving their wives but about The Church submitting to Christ and Christ loving The Church.
The relationship between a husband and wife within Christian marriage mirrors the relationship between Christ and The Church. Therefore when Husbands love their wives the world can see how Christ loves The Church and when wives submit to their husbands the world can see how The Church submits to Christ.
Submission is not the same as subjection. Wives are not subjected to their husbands. The submission is by choice as The Church submits to Christ by choice. It is not a case of one having dominion over another.
As a husband is united with his wife Christ is united with his church and as a husband and wife are one Christ and The Church are one.
So when husbands love their wives the world can see how Christ loves The Church and when wives submit to their husbands the world can see how The Church submits to Christ. Paul is speaking of a way we can do what Saint Francis of Assisi said.
Go and preach the gospel and if you have to, use words.
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
The Truth Within The Creation Myth
Day 1 speaks of us being delivered from darkness. "Let there be light,"
Day 2 speaks of us being separated from the world "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."
Day 3 speaks of the good shepherd bringing us to himself "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." and us being Abraham’s seed. "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds."
Day 4 speaks of the children of Abraham being like stars serving as signs to the world. "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." and day 4 also speaks of the old covenant and the new covenant. The lesser light with it’s new moon feasts and the greater light with the sun of righteousness risen with healing in his wings. The two lights govern because Israel governed and Israel was The Church and The Church governs and The Church was Israel. The source of the light being Christ who is Abraham’s seed.
Day 5 speaks of God making us fruitful and us multiplying in number. "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."
Day 6 speaks of God making us produce of our own kind and having dominion over The Earth.
Day 7 speaks of us being forever in Gods eternal rest.
Day 2 speaks of us being separated from the world "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."
Day 3 speaks of the good shepherd bringing us to himself "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." and us being Abraham’s seed. "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds."
Day 4 speaks of the children of Abraham being like stars serving as signs to the world. "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." and day 4 also speaks of the old covenant and the new covenant. The lesser light with it’s new moon feasts and the greater light with the sun of righteousness risen with healing in his wings. The two lights govern because Israel governed and Israel was The Church and The Church governs and The Church was Israel. The source of the light being Christ who is Abraham’s seed.
Day 5 speaks of God making us fruitful and us multiplying in number. "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."
Day 6 speaks of God making us produce of our own kind and having dominion over The Earth.
Day 7 speaks of us being forever in Gods eternal rest.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
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