Christian Study

Several people posted a picture to Facebook that declared a few things that do not match actual scripture. So I modified it a bit.

“We need teachers who preach that hell is the grave, heaven is the abode of God, that sin in scripture has never changed, some things churches teach as sin never were and some things churches teach as righteous are sin, that the whole Bible is God’s word, but the English translations do not always faithfully show it or its unity, and that Jesus is the only way of salvation even though many churches teach another path for some people. We need preachers who preach what the Bible actually teaches rather political correctness or church doctrine.”

It is not as nice and concise and clever, but it is more truthful than the original post.

So hell is not hot. We are not going to spend eternity in heaven, but rather on a new or renewed earth. Yes sin is still sin. Unfortunately the churches threw away God’s Law and added a few of their own laws. They did get it right with the Bible being God’s word and Jesus as the only way to salvation.

Ezekiel 34 is about shepherds (preachers) and is very valid today.

Many of today’s preachers are hirelings. They are paid professionals who’s job it is to get up and speak for a time Sunday, teach a class on Wednesday and visit a few of the elderly members. They are usually trained to start and grow a business, in this case a church. Their religious training is in church doctrine. Their training is rather minimal in scripture. Psychology is considered more helpful. For many, their main priority is to provide an income for their own family. So they feed themselves. I don’t have a problem with a man providing for his own as 1 Timothy 5:8 requires.

The problem is what they do to protect that income. Many times in order to protect the job they must deal with “problem members”. I have seen preachers encourage members to leave if the members were better equipped with scriptural knowledge. If the encouragement does not work they may get help from loyal members or even an eldership. Eventually the problem members either leave or are forced out. So they run the problem members off, they kill the fatlings.

One way to make sure members do not become a problem is to refuse to feed the sheep with the truth. Most lessons are very limited in scripture. Lessons will include plenty of fluff material, such as sports stories and references. Many preachers realize it is beneficial to make the members feel good about themselves and comfortable in their doctrine. The goal is to never feed the sheep. One such preacher told the congregation that Christian spiritual growth was optional unlike 2 Peter 3:18.

Of course the paid professional permanent employee preacher is never found in scripture. Members are happy to pay someone to do what members are supposed to do.

Ezekiel 34:2-3ff “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don’t feed the sheep.”

Have you ever wondered what was going on in Daniel 10:13 when the messenger came to Daniel in a vision and said,

“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.”

It sounds like God’s messengers actively working to influence for God’s own purpose. I have to imagine that continues today. I have to say that this is very encouraging to me, to think that Yahweh God has his messengers actively protecting those who do good and fighting against the evil of today.

The politics of today are the part of it we see, but are secondary to the real struggle of good vs evil, the children of Jacob vs the children of Esau.

Scripture does not mince words.

People are called swine and vipers. Heathen, fools and dogs are used many times. Christ himself called a Canaanite woman’s child a little dog thus implying that she was a dog, which she accepted.

There is always a lesson to be learned from scripture. Being wise as a serpent while gentle as doves includes the ability to discriminate between your neighbor and an enemy. The misused phrase “All men are created equal” is in the Declaration of the Constitution, not scripture. Equality is found only under Christ. It is an impossible goal any where else.

Read Romans 9:1-23

Unfortunately even your neighbor can sometimes behave poorly.

Matthew 7:6 “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6 is not being taught for all that it means.

Many churches teach the nonsense that Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, was harsh and angry, but Jesus, Yahshua, of the New Testament is all Love. We have only one God.

Isaiah 43:11 “I, I am Yahweh; and beside me there is no savior.”

This is evident even in the name. The Hebrew name Yahshua is transliterated through the Greek Iesous to the English Jesus. Yahshua means Yahh saves.

People who believe we have two diverse Gods should consider the many statements of love in the Old Testament including God’s marriage to Israel. They should also consider the Jesus who turned over tables and chased people with a whip from His temple. Those who’s money was scattered likely didn’t leave without feeling the snap from the whip.

John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”

Heb 13:8b ..”the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Proverbs 3:1 “My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments”.

God has always wanted our love. We are also told

Proverbs 3:3 “Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.”

How do we show our love to God?

Deuteronomy 10:16 “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.”

John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

Now God writes His Law on your hearts, Hebrews 10:16. That is the new covenant.

Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'”

“If you do not keep my commandments, you do not love me.”

Islam’s sharia is Anti-Christ.

Judaism’s Talmud is Anti-Christ and filth.

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Understanding the nature of Yahweh God includes understanding His morals and His Law are a part of Him. Having another “religion’s” law in the land is a violation of the First Commandment.

Diversity is to divide and conquer, it is not strength.

We went to a church where the “preacher” taught that Christian growth was optional.

2 Peter 3:18a “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Why?

Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children.”

Yahweh God forgetting our children is a pretty bad punishment.

I have wondered about that “preacher’s” children. Later I found out that he ran off anyone who did exhibit any Christian growth. His scriptural knowledge was very weak and he intended to raise his family in a nice cushy job where his Eldership was several states away.