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ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES ACCORDING TO THE BIBLEIn the BeginningAudio MP3With the theme of “Essential Doctrine according to the Bible” we endeavor to limit ourselves to those doctrines that the Bible declares are essential to be a Christian.? Will we be surprised to find that a clear majority of required doctrines are not intellectual but practical?Many of us will find that others exclude us for doctrines which the Bible has not made essential (whether those doctrines are true or false).? But will we be comfortable if we have used other non-essential doctrines to exclude others from the body of Christ??“He that cometh to God?must believe?that he is, and?that?he becomes a rewarder of them that seek after him” is discussed in?God Is, and He Rewards.? Further intellectual doctrines we are required to believe are considered in?Jesus Is, as well as some that are required by man but not by God.? But two intellectual doctrines we are required to reject are reviewed inThings Which We Must Not Think.Part 2 covers those things which we?must do?– the practical doctrines, which considerably outnumber the required intellectual doctrines.? These are covered in four articles:?Doctrines of the Heart,?He Must Provide for His Own,?Put Away Sins of the Head and Hand,?andBridle Thy Tongue.There are other useful teachings which are?not?absolutely required of all Christians, whether it is because they are less than essential for all, or because they apply only to portions of the Gospel Age.? These are?dealt?with in?Part?3,?Respect God’s Oaths, Helpful Doctrines,?andProphetic Teachings.A final short article,?Creeds vs. Bible Study, outlines the temptations to create enforced creeds, which – consciously or unconsciously – then take precedence over the Word of God.How shall we know a Christian??according to the Bible and not man?? “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God;”?and “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (1?John 4:15;?John 13:35).Part 1. The Bible's Required Intellectual DoctrinesGod Is, and He RewardsAudio MP3“He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.” – Hebrews 11:6 ASVGod rewards them who do His will, just as an employer today rewards those who serve him well. And just as an employer does not put on the payroll those who oppose him; so God lets the atheist and the religious wicked go their ways.Concerning the atheist Peter says, “In the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his presence? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and [1] an earth held together out of water and amidst water vapors, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2?Peter 3:3-6 RVIC?[2]).Concerning the religious wicked the Psalmist says, “unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, And that thou hast taken my covenant in thy mouth? ?Seeing thou hatest instruction, And castest my words behind thee” (Psalms 50:16-17).Astrophysics found FAITH waiting for it at the Finish Line“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the open sky showeth his handiwork… The testimony of Jehovah is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalms 19:1, 7 RVIC). God had created the heavens and the earth already before He began preparing the Earth with “And God said, Let there be light” (Genesis universe had no beginning. Now, from satellite measurements, there is rather general agreement that the universe began with a Big Bang nearly 14 billion years ago. Simple faith in the Bible is rewarded.The probability that by random chance a universe could sustain intelligent life, at even one planet within it, has been conservatively estimated to be less than one chance in 10217?– incredibly small.[3]What are the probabilities that human intelligent life could come into existence solely by random chance? Cellular biologist Dr. Michael Behe notes that for just one protein pair essential to the blood-clotting cascade, plasminogen and its activator t-PA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator), the chances of them forming together are less than one in 1018×1018= 1036. (The whole earth consists of only 1050?atoms.) Consider that these proteins are only two of more than twenty in the irreducibly-complex cascade, and that there are many additional subsystems: liver, kidneys, circulation, brain, etc., etc., and the improbabilities quickly multiply to incredibility. Behe concludes, [4] “The result of these cumulative efforts to investigate the cell – to investigate life at the molecular level – is a loud, clear, piercing cry of ‘design!’ The result is so unambiguous and so significant that it must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements in the history of science.” God has left abundant evidence that “He is.”I AM, I WILL BE, or I CAUSE TO BE? (Exodus 3:14)When the sons of Israel would ask Moses, What is God’s name, God replied (in Hebrew), “Ehyeh asher ehyeh.” This is often weakly translated, “I AM THAT I AM,” inexactly following the Greek Septuagint (Greek, Egō eimi ho ?n), “I am the Being” (Exodus 3:14).? However, the Hebrew original is in the future tense, [5] although some consider it to be causative. If causative (‘hiphil’), in English it would be, “I CAUSE TO BE WHATEVER?I CAUSE TO BE,” which could fit the context well. Otherwise, the kal (meaning, “all”) future tense means something like, “I WILL BE WHATEVER?I WILL BE.” The Hebrew Students Manual defines the verb (root “hayah”), “came to pass” and adds secondarily, “was, i.e., existed; never used as the logical copula, is, was” [for which case the verb is omitted]; and so it is used concerning the creative “days” in Genesis 1. Likely a better English translation is, “I?WILL?BECOME WHATEVER?I?WILL TO?BECOME.”[6] The evident meaning is an assurance to Israel that He can do, and will do, everything He wishes in order to deliver Israel from the oppression. Surely no man could have even imagined the ten plagues and the six-hour parting of the sea, but it was effective beyond any plan that man could have devised. And He who did that for the millions of Israelites then, is capable of doing so for Earth’s billions in the age to come!Educating an Honest Slave in PrisonThere was a young man whose brothers sold him to slave traders, and eventually he was falsely imprisoned in another country. But it was the king’s prison. Here he could learn more about government than he could have learned in the best universities! His name was Joseph, and early in the reign of a new Pharaoh [7] he was pardoned and made the vizier (prime minister) of Egypt (Genesis chapters 37-41). By God’s providence, his integrity was rewarded, and finally he could see the benefit of all the evils that had befallen him. During seven years of bumper crops he opened up 90 km2?(35 square miles) of new farmland in the Fayum district, provided farm price supports and stored up the excess produce. In the following seven years of famine Pharaoh’s treasury was more than replenished, as food was released for sale to feed Egypt and nearby nations from the Sudan to Lebanon. Thus was Joseph used to save the regional world then, and specially his brethren; and so he typified, or foreshadowed, the Savior of the whole world – Jesus Christ.Similarly, Daniel refused to violate the laws of God and was then protected by God, even as his mortal enemies lost their lives. Just as Joseph interpreted dreams and was elevated to the #2 position in the kingdom; so Daniel interpreted a dream and was elevated to the #3 position in the kingdom. While Joseph was a savior and typified Jesus, the #2 being in the universe; Daniel would appear to typify the faithful church, which is variously described as the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, and the under priests, who will receive the #3 position in the universe. For their faithfulness they will by grace be rewarded in joining with Jesus Christ to resurrect all the families of the earth and bless them.Faith has been rewarded for many others: The king of Canaan trusted in chariotry, but Deborah trusted God for the flash flood that immobilized those chariots. God rewarded three Hebrews by quenching the power of fire. Steven’s dying prayer benefited Saul of Tarsus (who changed his name to Paul). Space would fail for recounting them all.The SumWould a king reward a man who refuses to recognize him? Should he? God has been working out His plan for all since long before he created man. So of course we must believe that?He is God, and that?He will reward us according as we seek to serve Him.______________________1.?Or possibly, earth having been formed by the word of God up above the water and under cover of mist; Compare Genesis 1:6,7; 2:5,6.2.?RVIC:?Revised Version Improved and Corrected.?Text portion accessible at or at The Herald website, and click on RVIC, or go directly to . Dr. Hugh Ross [astronomer],?The Creator and the Cosmos?(1993, 2001), updated in subsequent seminars, considering 202 require ments. For comparison, there are fewer than 1080atoms in the universe.4.?Michael J. Behe,?Darwin’s Black Box, The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution; New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996, Chapter 4, and pp. 232-233.5. Hebrew has no present tense, only past (the common form) and future. The “past tense” is used of things?past, present, and/or future, while the “future tense” may be used for any thing more recent than the “past tense” is speaking of. The tenses might better be called “any time tense” and “subsequent tense.”6. A good summary of many scholarly opinions on the meaning of the NAME in Exodus 3:14 is given in Patrick Navas,?Divine Truth or Human Tradition??[re: Trinity]; Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2007. pp. 536-542.7. Ammenemes III (Amenemhet III; B.C. 1842-1797), was the greatest king of Egypt’s Middle Kingdom.? During his reign the stone quarries at Hamamat were shut down B.C. 1839-1825 (per R.A. Parker chronology), evidently to the benefit of agriculture until the fourteen years of plenty and famine were finished.Part 1. Essential Knowledge from the Apostle JohnJesus Is the ChristAudio MP3Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son. … Who so ever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and who so ever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.—1 John 2:22; 5:1, ASVOscar Elbert“Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God!” said Peter in response to Jesus’ question—“Who say ye that I am?”Our Lord replied, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven” (Mat thew 16:16,17,?ASV).Jesus’ statement is profound. He suggests that there is much more to knowing him as “the Christ” than a mere intellectual grasp of the matter. Beyond the ability of human, fleshly intelligence, we require divine assistance to enable our eyes to grasp by faith the full meaning of what Jesus Christ is to us and what he does for us.Further, to know him, to truly know him, was not merely our grasp of the fact that he is Christ when we accepted him as our Savior. It is not only the seasoned spirituality of a life spent as his devoted disciple. To know him, to fully know him, will be the work of eternity: “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).The essence of Christian faith is centered in Christ. Though intellectual understanding is needed, we must value what we understand. We must exercise faith and, with the heart, grasp hold of the riches of grace that are ours in him. Those gifts of grace are given to enable us to build the super struc ture of Christian character. Christ is the rock upon which the edifice of our faith is built. But the diligent efforts of a life time invested solely in character growth would crumble with out continuing faith in Jesus as the foundation of our acceptance with God. Jesus Christ is?the?basis for all that we have, are, and will become as Christians.Jesus said, “Who so ever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Mat thew 7:24-27).Paul echoes our Lord’s teaching: “Each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’swork will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he him self will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). With out doubt, there fore, the knowledge that Jesus is The Christ of God is?an essential!The word Christ in our English Bible is from the Greek?Christos. It is the Greek language equivalent of the Hebrew word?Messiah. Both words mean “anointed.” In the Scriptures we see that anointing was administered to those chosen to one of three offices: to be a prophet, a priest or a king. Jesus is truly the Christ of God, having been anointed to all three offices!Jesus is Come in the FleshIn his epistles, the apostle John dfends Jesus’ office as the Christ from the philosophies beginning to infiltrate from the Greeks. Some teachers in the church, relying on Grecian philosophies and science falsely so called (1 Timothy 6:20), began to promote various views of a philosophical Christ. Wittingly or unwittingly, their teachings corrupted the gospel.[1]These early corruptions and overreactions to them have taken hold of many believers and, over the centuries, have become the root of erroneous “doctrines of men” and a great falling away from the faith. “For … the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:22,23; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:3).Greek philosophy disdained the physical realm and taught that what really mattered was the “spiritual ideal of perfection of forms”— the material world being merely a flawed representation of truth. Under the influence of such thought, Greek-influenced converts began to rise to prominence in the Christian church. In time intellectual views dominated and became the accepted understanding of the nature of Christ.The cross, the sacrifice of the man Christ Jesus, was foolishness to them. What appealed to their minds was the spiritualized “ideal” of Christ’s sacrifice. It was foolish to them that any man’s death, shed blood, or sacrificed flesh could obtain forgiveness for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, they incorporated into Christian doctrine a rehashed philosophy of the Neo-Platonist Superman as the world’s redeemer. They introduced the idea that only a “God-Man” could effectively redeem the human race.Their efforts performed a great disservice. These teachers turned the church away from the clear statements of Scripture that it was the blood Jesus shed and his flesh that he sacrificed that had the power to make atonement between God and man. Though many today testify of and sing about “The Power of the Blood,” those errors introduced early in the Christian age rob the blood of its true power. The truth is simple and powerful. A topical study of the New Testament provides over whelming testimony to the true efficacy of Jesus’ sacrifice. Here are just a few:“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:24,25).“God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:8,9).“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto him self; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were some time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Colossians 1:20-22).Antichrist—Instead of Christ“Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:3).Today the predominant thought is that title, “Antichrist,” means against or opposed to Christ. The early Greek language may convey a slightly different thought. In the original language of the New Testament?antichristos?may mean “instead of Christ” (see?Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The Greek theories proposed that atonement was accomplished on another basis thanChrist’s shed blood and sacrificed flesh. They were presenting a theory which stood instead of the Christ we find in the Bible. He redeemed us with his blood. So we see, as John observed, that the spirit of antichrist (“instead of Christ”) was already at work in the world in his day.The moment church leaders embraced the idea that a God-man must stand in the sinner’s place, that the efficacy of the cross lies in divinity and not actually in the value of the shed blood, the noble teaching of Christ’s ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hosea 13:14) was virtually lost to believers: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7).The Bible view of Christ’s ransoming work is that of universal atone ment, based in God’s justice, as Jesus died for Adamic sin: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). The Bible’s teaching on the ransom is that its benefit will be received by every man, woman, and child descended from Adam: “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Romans 5:18).Because the new doctrine taught that the value of the sacriice was “philosophical,” the application of the benefit of that sacrifice became arbitrary. It was arbitrary in the sense that they could then apply Christ’s sacrifice only to those who accepted it, rather than to the ALL for whom he died. Not a single verse of Scripture tells us that the Cross was efficacious because Jehovah God died on it. (God can not die.) Rather than giving a helpful, “scientific” understanding of the atonement, the new theory weakened and debased it. Nowhere does any Scripture limit the application of Christ’s sacrifice, but several clearly state that he died for “all” and “every” one (see 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Hebrews 2:9).Human creeds progressively fell farther and farther away from the truth and, while so doing, became increasingly severe in their threats to those who did not fully accept them. The vile threatenings of the Athenasian Creed against those who can not agree, on the basis of Scripture, that Jesus is a third part of Jehovah God, and is “co-equal” and “co-eternal” with a holy “ghost” and the Father, are the evil consequences of gross error.The creedal prerequisites for acceptability as a Christian, as well as the threats, have no true basis in Scripture. “You must join us to be saved!” and “You must believe things exactly as we tell you!” are both motivated by the unholy spirit of antichrist.Part 1. Essential Knowledge from the Apostle JohnJesus Is the ChristAudio MP3Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son. … Who so ever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and who so ever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.—1 John 2:22; 5:1, ASVOscar Elbert“Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God!” said Peter in response to Jesus’ question—“Who say ye that I am?”Our Lord replied, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven” (Mat thew 16:16,17,?ASV).Jesus’ statement is profound. He suggests that there is much more to knowing him as “the Christ” than a mere intellectual grasp of the matter. Beyond the ability of human, fleshly intelligence, we require divine assistance to enable our eyes to grasp by faith the full meaning of what Jesus Christ is to us and what he does for us.Further, to know him, to truly know him, was not merely our grasp of the fact that he is Christ when we accepted him as our Savior. It is not only the seasoned spirituality of a life spent as his devoted disciple. To know him, to fully know him, will be the work of eternity: “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).The essence of Christian faith is centered in Christ. Though intellectual understanding is needed, we must value what we understand. We must exercise faith and, with the heart, grasp hold of the riches of grace that are ours in him. Those gifts of grace are given to enable us to build the super struc ture of Christian character. Christ is the rock upon which the edifice of our faith is built. But the diligent efforts of a life time invested solely in character growth would crumble with out continuing faith in Jesus as the foundation of our acceptance with God. Jesus Christ is?the?basis for all that we have, are, and will become as Christians.Jesus said, “Who so ever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Mat thew 7:24-27).Paul echoes our Lord’s teaching: “Each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’swork will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he him self will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). With out doubt, there fore, the knowledge that Jesus is The Christ of God is?an essential!The word Christ in our English Bible is from the Greek?Christos. It is the Greek language equivalent of the Hebrew word?Messiah. Both words mean “anointed.” In the Scriptures we see that anointing was administered to those chosen to one of three offices: to be a prophet, a priest or a king. Jesus is truly the Christ of God, having been anointed to all three offices!Jesus is Come in the FleshIn his epistles, the apostle John dfends Jesus’ office as the Christ from the philosophies beginning to infiltrate from the Greeks. Some teachers in the church, relying on Grecian philosophies and science falsely so called (1 Timothy 6:20), began to promote various views of a philosophical Christ. Wittingly or unwittingly, their teachings corrupted the gospel.[1]These early corruptions and overreactions to them have taken hold of many believers and, over the centuries, have become the root of erroneous “doctrines of men” and a great falling away from the faith. “For … the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:22,23; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:3).Greek philosophy disdained the physical realm and taught that what really mattered was the “spiritual ideal of perfection of forms”— the material world being merely a flawed representation of truth. Under the influence of such thought, Greek-influenced converts began to rise to prominence in the Christian church. In time intellectual views dominated and became the accepted understanding of the nature of Christ.The cross, the sacrifice of the man Christ Jesus, was foolishness to them. What appealed to their minds was the spiritualized “ideal” of Christ’s sacrifice. It was foolish to them that any man’s death, shed blood, or sacrificed flesh could obtain forgiveness for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, they incorporated into Christian doctrine a rehashed philosophy of the Neo-Platonist Superman as the world’s redeemer. They introduced the idea that only a “God-Man” could effectively redeem the human race.Their efforts performed a great disservice. These teachers turned the church away from the clear statements of Scripture that it was the blood Jesus shed and his flesh that he sacrificed that had the power to make atonement between God and man. Though many today testify of and sing about “The Power of the Blood,” those errors introduced early in the Christian age rob the blood of its true power. The truth is simple and powerful. A topical study of the New Testament provides over whelming testimony to the true efficacy of Jesus’ sacrifice. Here are just a few:“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:24,25).“God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:8,9).“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto him self; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were some time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” (Colossians 1:20-22).Antichrist—Instead of Christ“Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:3).Today the predominant thought is that title, “Antichrist,” means against or opposed to Christ. The early Greek language may convey a slightly different thought. In the original language of the New Testament?antichristos?may mean “instead of Christ” (see?Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The Greek theories proposed that atonement was accomplished on another basis thanChrist’s shed blood and sacrificed flesh. They were presenting a theory which stood instead of the Christ we find in the Bible. He redeemed us with his blood. So we see, as John observed, that the spirit of antichrist (“instead of Christ”) was already at work in the world in his day.The moment church leaders embraced the idea that a God-man must stand in the sinner’s place, that the efficacy of the cross lies in divinity and not actually in the value of the shed blood, the noble teaching of Christ’s ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hosea 13:14) was virtually lost to believers: “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7).The Bible view of Christ’s ransoming work is that of universal atone ment, based in God’s justice, as Jesus died for Adamic sin: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). The Bible’s teaching on the ransom is that its benefit will be received by every man, woman, and child descended from Adam: “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Romans 5:18).Because the new doctrine taught that the value of the sacriice was “philosophical,” the application of the benefit of that sacrifice became arbitrary. It was arbitrary in the sense that they could then apply Christ’s sacrifice only to those who accepted it, rather than to the ALL for whom he died. Not a single verse of Scripture tells us that the Cross was efficacious because Jehovah God died on it. (God can not die.) Rather than giving a helpful, “scientific” understanding of the atonement, the new theory weakened and debased it. Nowhere does any Scripture limit the application of Christ’s sacrifice, but several clearly state that he died for “all” and “every” one (see 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Hebrews 2:9).Human creeds progressively fell farther and farther away from the truth and, while so doing, became increasingly severe in their threats to those who did not fully accept them. The vile threatenings of the Athenasian Creed against those who can not agree, on the basis of Scripture, that Jesus is a third part of Jehovah God, and is “co-equal” and “co-eternal” with a holy “ghost” and the Father, are the evil consequences of gross error.The creedal prerequisites for acceptability as a Christian, as well as the threats, have no true basis in Scripture. “You must join us to be saved!” and “You must believe things exactly as we tell you!” are both motivated by the unholy spirit of antichrist.The Son Of GodJesus is the son of God, not God him self. The gesture of capitalizing the word “son” in many translations of the Bible is meant to imply that being a son means more than that, that it means Jesus is God. But if being the son of David does not make Jesus David, how would being the son of God make him God? There are no upper or lower case letters in the original manuscripts of the New Testament. Capitalizing any word is a purely human invention. Thankfully newer editions show more honesty as they acknowledge that Jesus is the “son” of God.If “son of God” is meant to infer that one is God, then the genealogy of Luke’s gospel presents a problem. Last on the list, as Jesus’ lineage is retraced, is Adam: “Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God” (Luke 3:38). If being called “the son of God” means that one is God, then father Adam was also God. Clearly, this is not the case.Confessing that Jesus Is the Son of God“We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the son to be the saviour of the world. Who soever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:14,15).The apostle John does not say that we must confess that Jesus is God, but that Jesus is God’s son. There is a significant difference. We are unmoved by the threats offered in the “Westminster Confession” (it being of human origin) but we are greatly moved by the simple, beautiful truth of the Bible: Jesus died for?all.Our faith is rooted in the universal atonement Jesus made when he offered up him self (even if not universal reconciliation). This Scriptural fact enables us to testify with a depth, peace, and joy unmatched by the influence of Christendom’s creeds. We do testify that the Father sent the son to be the saviour of the world. We do believe in a very special sense that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that who so ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16,17).The philosophical “God-man” of the creeds would so far, by most generous estimates, have benefitted perhaps one-tenth of the human race. We see that Jesus’ ransom will benefit ALL, either presently by the high calling of God in Christ, or in the future, in God’s kingdom, as a highway of holiness is there opened for the remainder of mankind, that they may come to God (see Isa iah 35:8 and Acts 15:17).We testify that Jesus is the Saviour of the world—not a small fraction of it. The prospects of future blessings for the remainder of mankind (those not called to the heavenly calling) lighten our hearts and nurture the love of God in us. It draws us so close to him that we may dwell in him and he in us by our faith!Further Confessing Christ“Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 4:2,3).In addition to the intellectual understanding of Christ’s sacrifice, there is also a duty of faith associated with it. We must confess Christ before men. This is for our own benefit. When we confess his holy name before men we are letting our allegiance to him be known. We are associating ourselves with his cause. We are denying iniquity and attesting that we love righteousness. Our fallen flesh, our sinful humanity, may blush to speak his name. This is all the more reason to make public confession of our faith in Christ Jesus who did actually come to this world in the flesh.We are well aware of the consequences if we do or do not confess Jesus since he told us what they are: “Who so ever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But who so ever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32,33). On another occasion, an even stronger statement: “Who so ever there fore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).How joyful it would be to have Jesus, on our behalf, confess our faithfulness to the Father—how sorrowful if he would have cause to be ashamed of us. The apostle Paul understood the principle of confessing Christ. He knew what Jesus meant: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9,10). Faith needs to be expressed to be alive, because faith with out works is dead (see James 2:14-20).Our life of faith is sweet and satisfying. It begins with our recognition of Jesus as the Christ of God. What joy we felt in the beginning of our Christian walk! That joy and appreciation is not static, nor is it stagnant. It grows deeper and stronger as each day reveals to us our need for him, our hunger for him, and our love for him—the true Christ, Jesus, the son of God!______________Editor’s note: While John in 1 John (and his gospel) defends against growing Gnosticism, this article applies the principles to later theologies. Gnosticism’s two main dogmas, 1) Salvation is by knowledge (“gnosis”), and 2) philosophy (theology) trumps Scripture, are retained in much of Trinitarianism, but full denial of Jesus’ human nature is not.Part 1. What Christians Must Deny?Things We Must Not ThinkAudio MP3As many as… know not the deep things of Satan…?I cast upon you none other burden. ― Revelation 2:24There are some things we must believe to be a Christian, but there are also things which we must disbelieve.God gave life to Adam and Eve, and he gave them a law (Genesis 2:16-17). By that man sin entered the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men (Romans 5:12). Yet, lest people should say, I am sinless; I die only on account to the sin of somebody else (Adam), God gave a Law to Moses to give to Israel. That law seemed to promise life to anyone as long as he could do the impossible – to anyone who could himself be sinless – to anyone under the Law who would keep the Law perfectly (Leviticus 18:5;?Galatians 3:12). By that, every Israelite could see that he himself was imperfect and not worthy of eternal life. A former ultraorthodox Pharisee,?Paul says,?“The commandment, which?was?unto life,?this I found?to be?unto death” (Romans 7:10). Hope of life through the Law was illusory.However, the Law had directed people to hope for unending life. That life was made possible by Christ?Jesus, who?gave?himself a?ransom for all; the?testimony?to be borne?in its own [due] times” (1?Timothy 2:3-6). Because eternal life is, and will be, possible only through Christ, and not through the Law, Paul further tells us one thing we must absolutely not believe:“Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4).A second thing we must absolutely not believe is that the resurrection is past:?“Their word will eat as doth a gangrene:?of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;?men who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some” (2?Timothy 2:17-18;?1?Timothy 1:19-20).Few today would say the resurrection is history – entirely past. Paul does not delineate how these two (and perhaps Alexander the coppersmith) had concluded the resurrection was past. One of several possibilities is as follows:?Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and there were more than five hundred witnesses who saw him then. When Stephen was killed, people did not see him come back from the dead. Therefore they might have concluded there would be no further?resurrection. Perhaps similarly?muddled?thinking prompted Paul’s logicalargument to?the contrary:?“If Christ is preached that he hath been raised from?the?dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of?the?dead? But if there is no resurrection of?the?dead, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, then?is?our preaching vain, your faith also?is?vain. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God;because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ:?whom he raised not up,?if so be thatthe?dead are not raised. For if?the?dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised: and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith?is?vain;?ye are yet in your sins” (1?Corinthians 15:12-17).Other Things Important to DenySome other things are almost as forcefully required to be denied. Jesus said,?the devil “was a murderer from the beginning… for he is a liar, and the father thereof” (John 8:44-45). The reference is to Satan’s original lie, spoken through the serpent in the garden of Eden,?“Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4;?Revelation 12:9). So it would seem evident that the Bible-believer must deny that there is no death, or that death is not a reality.Paul supports this thought:?“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial:?but the glory of the celestial is one, and the?glory?of the terrestrial is another… So also is the resurrection of the dead…?it is sown a natural body;?it is raised a spiritual body [Literally,?it is sown a body of the soul;?it is raised a body of the spirit]… and this mortal must put on immortality” (1Corinthians 15:40-53). Clearly, if a?soul puts on immortality, it can only mean that he did not previously have it. Incorruption and immortality are rewards for obedience;?so people are not born as, or with, immortal souls.Other Things Strongly Denied in the BibleOur resurrected Lord Jesus Christ said to an earlier period of church history, “As many as have not this doctrine [of the “Jezebel” church],?and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak;?I will put upon you none other burden” (Revelation?2:24?ASV). The doctrines and the deep things of Satan are not spelled out for us;?so we must do our best to deduce them and to reject them. Included among the deep things of Satan are likely the “doctrines of demons,” specified as “forbidding to marry,?and commanding?to abstain from meats” (1?Timothy?4:1-3?ASV). Yet, these are not so much intellectual false doctrines as practical ones. The majority of other doctrines which the Bible requires the Christian to reject are of the practical kind, as may be seen in eight of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:3-7, 13-17); the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:1921);?jealousy and cutting off one’s brother, teaching for profit, and spiritual pride (Cain, Balaam and Korah;?Jude 11,?1?John 3:12,2?Peter 2:15,?Revelation 2:14);Also,?“Flee youthful lusts,”?and?“Keep yourselves from idols” (2?Timothy 2:22;?1?John 5:21);such practical doctrines are dealt with in the next four articles.In summary, there are just a few intellectual errors that the Christian absolutely must reject. More than that we are not authorized to require of others, though we ourselves must reject every error.Part 2. The Bible's Required Practical Doctrines?Doctrines of the HeartAudio MP3?“The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.”? Acts 4:32Rick EvansIn order to understand doctrines of the heart, one must understand who the one true and living God is.? As one learns these doctrines, a person’s life changes.? “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the?heart?of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed?them?unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1?Corinthians 2:9-10).Looking at the doctrines of the heart we see that God is love (1?John 4:16) which is a foundation doctrine.? This love is seen in His son Jesus who is rejected by many (1?Corinthians 16:22).? By coming to know God’s love, one desires to be righteous, a righteousness that is more than the scribes exhibited at Jesus’ time (Matthew 5:20).? This love brings self control, especially when angry (Matthew 5:22).? Finally, one of the greatest facets of love is the ability to forgive when wronged in any way by another (Matthew 6:9-15?and 18:27-35).? These doctrines of the heart are developed when searching to understand the deep things of God.When considering doctrines of the heart, one of the first things that comes up is love.? In 1?Corinthians 16:22 from the Rotherham Translation, it states?“If anyone doth not dearly love the Lord, let him be anathema?that is, "accursed".”The Apostle Paul understood that the greatest expression of love was the example of Jesus Christ.? A well-known scripture even seen at sporting events is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”? God loved his human creation so much that he was willing to let “his only begotten Son” sacrifice himself to give mankind an opportunity for a resurrection and life.? This demonstrated what love really is.? “And walk in love, as Christ also hath?loved?us, and hath given?himself for?us, an?offering and a?sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2).Paul knew that to teach anything other than God’s love would be anathema (accursed).? Galatians 1:8,9 from Young’s Literal Translation, “but even if we or a messenger out of heaven may proclaim good news to you different from what we did proclaim to you—anathema let him be!?as we have said before, and now say again,?If any?one to you may proclaim good?news different from what ye did receive—anathema let him be!”Not loving Jesus would be a rejection of God’s love, the love that God wants us to understand.? God’s love is seen in 1?John 3:16, from the Phillips Translation,?We know what love is because Christ laid down his life for us.?We must in turn lay down our lives for our brothers.”? This expression of love is so important that Jesus makes it a commandment.?“This is my commandment,?That ye love one another, as I have loved you.?Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”? (John 15:12,13).?The principle that Jesus is teaching is the recognition of others in our lives and putting them above or before ourselves.? Our love for them is demonstrated in our actions and motivated by our heart.? “A good man out of the good treasure of his?heart?bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his?heart?bringeth forth that which is evil:?for of the abundance of the?heart?his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45)Matthew 6:20 and 21 shows what the desire of our heart should be, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:?For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”? The Greek word translated heart is Strong’s #2588 – kardia which means the heart, figuratively the thoughts or feelings.? Jesus put this simply in Mark 12:30,?“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy?heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:?this?is?the first commandment.”To develop this kind of love, one needs to study the word of God.? In it one can find the true meaning of what the love of God is.?“For the word of God?is?quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and?is?a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the?heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)It is What We Do,?Not How We LookUnderstanding love brings about the desire for righteousness.?Righteousness existed in Jesus’ lifetime, but in Matthew 5:20 he showed the difference between God’s righteousness and self-righteousness.? “For I say unto you,?That except your righteousness shall exceed?the righteousness?of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”The Apostle Paul explains in Romans 10:2-3 the righteousness the scribes were seeking.? “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.?For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto?the?righteousness of?God.”? Paul clarifies this in?Philippians 3:8-9,?“Yea doubtless, and I count all things?but?loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord … And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”Paul explains that God’s righteousness is developed through faith based in Jesus.? “For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith:?as it is written,?But the righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17?RVIC).Exercising faith helps us understand God’s righteousness and so apply it in our lives.? Romans 10:10 in the Williams Translation,?“For in their?hearts?people exercise the faith that leads to right standing, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment which means salvation.”Must Not Harbor Anger,?but Must ForgiveAs one understands God’s love, one realizes the need to develop self-control.? Jesus showed the importance of controlling anger: “But I say unto you,?That every?one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment: …”? (Matthew?5:22?RV).?Paul confirms this in Ephesians?4:26 (Wilson?Diaglott),?“When?angry, do not sin:?let not the sun set on your wrath.”? Paul knew we all get angry, but his advice was to not keep dwelling on it?because it would lead to sin.? He knew he could control anger through forgiveness.? Yet, when Paul decided to admonish, as he did for the Corinthian brethren, it was done in a loving, edifying way.?“Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you??we speak before God in Christ:but?we do?all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.”? (2?Corinthians 12:19)? Anger can be destructive and it would not exemplify our love one for another?so we must show self control.Additionally, Jesus says forgiveness is essential.? Matthew 6:9-15 describes the principle of forgiveness using the Lord’s Prayer and 18:23-35 shows its application in the parable of the unmerciful servant.? In Matthew 18:32,33, the servant did not learn from the forgiveness given to him,?“Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him,?O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:?Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?”? Jesus finished the story with an important lesson,?“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from yourhearts?forgive not every one his brother their trespasses”? (Matthew 18:35).Forgiveness needs?to?come from?the?heart.? “Take?heed to?yourselves:?If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him;?and if he repent, forgive him.?And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying,?I repent;?thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:3,4).?“Then came Peter to him, and said,?Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him??till seven times??Jesus saith unto him,?I say not unto thee,?Until seven times:?but,?Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22).Jesus taught that forgiveness requires patience from the person who is forgiving.? He showed that the person who is being forgiven may not change.? If he offends again, he should be admonished in a loving, edifying way and be forgiven.? Jesus showed that through a forgiving example change becomes possible for an individual.? If we come to understand the love of God and develop God’s righteousness then we will show self-control when we are wronged against.? We learn how to glorify God’s name by our?forgiving.? This example is found in Stephen,?“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,?Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,?And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60).Forgiveness also applies when we have wronged God and need to repent and ask?for His forgiveness.? “If we?confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us?our?sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1?John?1:9).? When we do something that is out of harmony with God, we need to go in prayer to God and ask for forgiveness.In his blessing of Israel at the dedication of the Temple, King Solomon showed the importance of recognizing sin, turning from it and asking for forgiveness.? He showed that through forgiveness?a teaching opportunity presents itself for those who would want to learn righteousness.? “When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee;?if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:?Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust,?or?if there be caterpiller;?if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities;?whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness?there be;?What prayer and supplication soever be?made?by any man,or?by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own?heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:?Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose?heart?thou knowest; (for thou,?even?thou only, knowest the?hearts?of all the children of men;)?That they may fear [reverence] thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.” (1?Kings 8:35-40)As Israel recognized their sins and changed their hearts, we also must recognize our sins.? This means a life of learning and doing God’s will.? Jesus explained this in Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”SummaryThese are practical doctrines?the Bible requires:·???“If any man loveth not the Lord, let him be anathema” (1?Corinthians 16:22?RV).·???“Whosoever doth not bear his cross…cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).·???“Except your righteousness shall exceed?the righteousness?of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).·???“Every?one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:22?RV).·???“If ye forgive not …, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15).Doctrines of the heart are built upon love.? By pursuing love, we learn about God’s righteousness and grow in faith and his character likeness, following the example given to us by Jesus.? Then we are to take up our cross daily and follow Him.? Jesus’ example will show us how to develop self-control, especially with anger.?It is here that we learn how to forgive.? As we develop these characteristics, we discover that there are other doctrines of the heart that need to be learned.? Through all of these lessons and experiences, we will come to understand the deep things of God.? “My son, give me thine?heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” (Proverbs 23:26)Part 2. Provide things honorable in the sight of all men?He Must Provide for His OwnAudio MP3But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.—1?Timothy 5:8 KJVRobin RiceThis text is rather startling in its expression of disapproval for Christians who fail to provide for members of their household. These words, therefore, command our attention and consideration, lest we find ourselves to be guilty of this neglect. Certainly, based upon the severity of the Apostle Paul’s language, this teaching meets the criteria to be Essential Doctrine for Christians.One would expect that any teaching that is absolutely vital for the Christian to understand and maintain would be easily grasped and apparent. Such is this case. The principal meaning in this text is that the Christian believer has a responsibility and duty to provide for the proper care and maintenance for every person who is dependent on him or her -- particularly and especially for their food, shelter, and clothing. This responsibility applies not only to young dependent children, but also to our aged parents or grandparents as the need becomes apparent.We can see from reading 1?Timothy 5:3-10 (RVIC), the context of our verse under consideration, that the topic was the temporal and material care and provision of widows in the Church. Apostle Paul in this passage makes a distinction between those “widows indeed” who are alone and desolate and are to be “honored” with the provision of care by the Church (verses 3 and 5), and other widows who have children or grandchildren that can care for them (verse 4). About the adult children and grandchildren of widows, he says “let them learn first to show piety towards their?own?family, and to requite their parents: for this is acceptable in the sight of God.” In verse 7, Paul strengthens this counsel into a command that must be followed, so “that they [the progeny] may be without reproach.” Verse 8 proceeds as a corollary when this “command” is not followed: “But if any provideth not for his?own[“family,” i.e., widowed parents or grandparents], and specially his own household [wife, children, servants], he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.” Even though the Apostle has been focused on the provision for widows, he includes here in verse 8 a special mention of?all?immediate members of the household who are dependent on the householder for their care, shelter, and sustenance. It is thus evident that, as in the entire passage of 1?Timothy 5:3-10, Paul is referring to the care of?temporal?and?material?needs exclusively, since the injunction to provide applies as well for the aged widowed parent(s) or grandparent(s) (who already would have attained advanced moral and/or spiritual development) as it does for the young children of the household.It will not do for the consecrated Christian to consider that because their all is devoted to God and to his service, that they can therefore abrogate their family responsibilities and obligations. An example of this type of neglect occurred when the Pharisees neglected their elderly parents because they claimed to have dedicated their funds to God, calling it “Corban” (Mark 7:9-13). Jesus plainly told them that they made the commandment “Honor thy father and thy mother” (Exod. 20:12) of no effect. In this manner they evaded their responsibility to their families. We are to exact utmost care that such hypocrisy does not occur in our Christian lives. Service to God includes service to our families.In many of the world’s present-day governments and economic systems, governmental institutions and policies are in place to provide a certain level of financial and health-care assistance to the aging population, such as Social Security and Medicare in the U.S. While such societal assistance is very helpful, it does not free the children of the aged from their responsibility to ensure that their parents and grandparents are properly cared for.Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus provide us good examples of tender care and provision for those dependent upon them. In the creation account of Genesis, we see God’s loving provision for our first parents in preparing this beautiful earth as a habitation for them and their posterity, where he provides sunlight, water, food, and shelter (Genesis 1 and 2; Psalm 104). When the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, God made special provision of manna for their sustenance, and also provided that their clothing and shoes would not wear out for the duration (Exodus 16:35, Joshua 5:12, Deuteronomy 29:5). When the multitudes followed Jesus for so long and so far that they were on the brink of collapsing from hunger, they essentially became his dependents for that time, and he took compassion on them and provided food for “four thousand, besides women and children” (Matthew 15:32, 38). In John’s vision of the revelation of Jesus Christ, he saw a representation of the glorified Jesus walking among seven golden candlesticks, signifying Jesus’ tender care and oversight for the Gospel Age church during the periods of the Seven Churches (Revelation 1:12).We see the teaching of 1?Timothy 5:4,8 particularly exemplified in Jesus as he provided for his mother, Mary. Even though in his own final agony on the cross, he was not hindered from thinking of his mother, and making provision for her. He spoke to John, his disciple, to behold his mother, and thus commended her to John’s care. From that time, John took Mary into his household and looked after her (John 19:26-27).Jesus, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, said “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Thus, we can readily see that the proper spirit would be to provide for the temporal needs of dependents and to also include their?spiritual?needs, especially and particularly the young children (Ephesians 6:4). As we are fed by the Heavenly Father with spiritual bread from heaven, so we should dispense to those under our charge the wonderful words of life as much as we are able. We should provide the young children with spiritual shelter from the world and from worldly thinking so as to provide time for spiritual activities and promote learning of Bible stories, promises, teachings, examples, lessons, and principles.In providing for the younger children, there must not be a neglect of those things necessary for the maintenance of this life and the avoidance of becoming a burden on either Christians or society in general. Advice from Bro. Russell (Reprints 2021), is pertinent: “If you have children, you brought them into the world and are responsible for them and to God accordingly: you owe them not only religious instruction but secular education and a business or trade preparation, to fit them for and start them in life. If unprepared or unwilling to give them this reasonable start, you should not have begotten them. Having begotten them, they are a first mortgage upon your time, influence, and means: and in providing for them you will be blest. Not even the gospel has a prior claim upon your time.”The lesson of providing for “our own house” also properly extends spiritually to providing for our brethren in Christ -- the elderly ones, our fellow Brothers and Sisters, and our spiritual children -- as Paul instructs us elsewhere to do good to all, especially the “household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). The Apostle Paul himself, though unattached and unfettered with the responsibility of earthly family, took the principle to heart in his provision of spiritual food and bounty to his spiritual family. As he said in 2 Corinthians 12:14,15 (NAS): “Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. And I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls.”Beyond necessities of food, shelter, and clothing; and provision of mental, moral, and spiritual education, it is for each of those with dependents to decide for ourselves how much more of the things of this world to provide for their children. We should avoid excess and be moderate in what we provide (Philippians 4:5); and exercise the spirit of a sound mind as pertains to the welfare and enjoyment of the family (2?Timothy 1:7). Our family may need ourtime?with them more than extra income to buy them more things. We need to make sure that we are not just pleasing our own flesh for possessions and things. Perhaps Lot, too, located his household into the lush green valley of the Jordan, at Sodom, thinking he was making the best provision for his family. They lost it all! (Genesis 19)Part 2. Dismiss the Thought and Sin Not?Putting Away Sins of the Head and HandsAudio MP3Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.—1 Corinthians 6:9,10, NASU?[1]Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.—Galatians 5:19-21, NASUDan WesolIn 1 Corinthians 6:9,10, the apostle Paul lists ten unjust types of individuals which will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul lists these because some of the brethren had previously been practicing these same types of sins, but they were “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). These types of sins were not to be named among the Corinthian brothers and sisters in Christ.An outline of fifteen works of our fallen and imperfect flesh is provided by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians in Galatia (chapter 5, verses 19-21). Paul tells us that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The word practice (Strongs #4238,prasso) has the meaning to “perform repeatedly or habitually.” The idea of the sin is put into action. This is not a slip or a mistake, but the mind has conceived the sin and then puts the unjust plan into action on a daily, hourly, or otherwise habitual basis under various conditions.The apostle Jude spoke of three individuals,Cain, Balaam, and Korah, who pursued an unjust plan of action to satisfy their own cravings (Jude 11).?Cain?craved God’s acceptance, not in God’s way, but in his own way.He perceived his brother as an obstacle that prevented his obtaining God’s acceptance. Even after God told him not to think in that direction and he knew it was wrong, he murdered his brother Abel.?Balaam?craved riches knowing that his counsel to Balak, king of Moab, was against God’s will, for the Israelites were not to take foreign women. To obtain these riches, he told King Balak to cause the men of Israel to sin and thence to receive punish ment from God.?Korah?craved power and position over God’s chosen representatives.Each of these knew their actions were in opposition to God’s favored ones: Abel, the children of Israel, and Moses and Aaron. The accounts of these individuals show their willful disobedience to God and the tragic results of putting their unjust plans into action. James describes this process: “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:14,15,?NASU)These three object lessons in Scripture are teaching followers of Christ what not to be, say, or do. The inspired apostles were moved to provide an early warning to the brethren about these sins of the head (thought) and hands (action), stating what can be done to put away such sins, before one is entangled in the practice of any one of them.Setting Your Mind on the SpiritSet your mind on the Spirit and not on the (fallen) flesh (Romans 8:5,6). In his letter to the Galatians, Paul takes a proactive approach in teach ing them not to carry out the works of the (fallen) flesh. He says: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16,?NASU). The word “walk” describes a repeated process, using one’s feet to advanceby steps.When walking by the Spirit we are repeatedly or habitually conducting our selves in the same way of sacrifice, righteousness,?agape?love and godliness. Remember, there are others following closely behind us, watching our steps, and they are counting on us to stay in the narrow way (Matthew 7:14). This way is described by Jesus: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glo rify your Father who is in heaven” (Mat thew 5:16,?NASU).Here are some of these good works in contrast to the works of the flesh:* Purity in thought and ac tion: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17,18,?NASU).* Faithfulness in one’s consecration to God, and in one’s marriage covenant if married (Romans 12:1,2; 1 Corinthians 7:10,11).* Putting trust and hope in God (2 Corinthians 1:9).* Generous and ready to share, giving to the poor (1 Timothy 6:18; Matthew 6:2-4).* Honest in word and deed (Colossians 3:9,10).* Putting on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).* Bearing with one another, and for giving each other (Colossians 3:13,?NASU).* Loving one another and one’s enemies (John 13:34; Luke 6:27).* Allowing the peace of Christ to rule in your heart Colossians 3:15,?NASU).* Being thankful (Colossians 3:15).* Teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns while the word of Christ richly dwells within you (Colossians 3:16).* Sharing the Gospel (Matthew 28:19,20).Practical Ways to Live in the SpiritWhat are some of the practical things that can be done to walk in the spirit and cast away sins of the head (in thought) before they be come sins of the hands (in action)?Upon awaking in the morning, a Christian’s mind should be focused on God. A prayer of thanks can be said silently or out loud. For instance, “Thank you, Father, for your love, the care of the night, and for allowing me to awaken to a new day.”Develop a personalized morning resolve. For instance: “I will this day try to live a life in trust to God and obedience to his righteous principles in all honesty and purity, repelling any negative or selfish thoughts; making a habit of prayer, speaking and reflecting God’s love as an ambassador of Christ’s kingdom.”In preparing the mind and attitude for the day, read the Scriptures, read the devotionalManna?book and pray to God, asking for his guidance before walking out the door. When listening to the radio on the way to work or other destination, conversing at work or reading the news, look at, listen to, and do thesethings, in accordance with your faith in God and your privilege to follow Jesus’ example inthe narrow way of sacrifice and love for righteousness and hatred of iniquity. (Matthew 7:14; Hebrews 1:9) The verses to the children’s hymn?Be Care ful Lit tle Eyes What YouSee?describe this process in beautiful simplicity: “O be care ful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, little hands what you do, little feet where you go, little mouth what you say, There’s a Father up above, and he’s looking down in love, so, be care ful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, little hands what you do, little feet here you go, little mouth what you say.”Pray often and watch for the LORD’s providences through out the day. When interacting with others, the Master’s words should guide our thoughts, words and conduct: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you”(Luke 6:31,?NASU). “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them” (Matthew 6:1,?NASU).Upon returning home, read and study the Bible; for topical and contextual study, supplement the Bible with?Studies in the Scriptures?and related helps. Take time to meditate on the Scriptures, pray alone and as a family. Share any gems of Truth you uncover from the Scriptures with your spouse, other family members, and friends. Keep in touch with brethren near and far. Call, visit, e-mail or write those that are isolated, sick, or going through a difficult experience spiritually, emotionally, or physically to encourage them in the race of faith set before us. Keep the Scriptural injunction to do good unto all men as we have opportunity, especially the house hold of faith (Galatians 6:10). Pray before going to sleep for the night to end the day in blessed communion with the LORD.Putting Away Sins When EntangledWhat does one do when entangled in the practice of any sins of the head and hands? Ask a prayer for deliverance and forgiveness, knowing that only our Father in heaven can deliver us from the evil we drove our selves into. Though, like a loving and gentle earthly father, no matter what hour of the night it is, no matter where his child is, when he receives the call from his child that s/he is in trouble and needs his help and is sorry for the current predicament s/he is in, our heavenly Father rushes to the aid of his child (1 Peter 5:7).After being delivered, stop and make a list of your spiritual strengths and weaknesses. Write them down, and if you know you are weak in an area where a temptation is too strong for you, then stay far away from that area (see 1 Tim o thy 6:8-11; 1 Corinthians 6:18). You know what roads and neighborhoods you have found to be trouble areas within your own character. Shine the lamp of God’s Word on your path and you won’t stumble or blindly walk into temptation, but will “be content with such things that you have” (Psalm 119:105; Hebrews 13:5).Another way to look at being entangled in sins is as a city besieged. The enemy army’s general studies the city’s defenses for any vulnerabilities. The Adversary does the same with each Christian’s heart (the mind and will). A Christian is to watch over his or her heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). The enemy finds where our defenses are strong and most powerfully fortified by sending small patrols of doubts or lesser fears that we quickly crush. He continues to scan our perimeter defenses, looking where our walls of faith are not as high or where the gates to our hearts do not have as many watchful sentries (1 Peter 5:8).When the attack is launched against our faith, using pride, selfishness, or the giant of fear, it is at a time we least expect and the sentries have been lulled to sleep. Temptation is allowed to walk right through the gates of our hearts. As soon as we realize our predica ment, we are to humbly call upon our God in repentance. In changing course, we follow the example of the nation of Israel when they would return to the LORD with all their heart and seek to apply his righteous principles in their lives. When they did, the out come was?always?the same. The LORD delivered them from their enemies (1 Sam uel 7:3). God sends the needed rein force ments through the memory portals of our minds in the form of sling stones, hard truths of Scripture to knock out the giant of fear and to pulverize any lofty and proud imaginations or ambitions we have created to lift ourselves up or think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (2 Corinthians 10:4,5; Romans 12:3).Still another way to view being entangled in these sins is as a sick patient. The sin-sick patient must call for the heavenly Physician, “who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases” and “heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 103:3; 147:3,NASU). The apostle James provides the prescription for spiritual sickness advising us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16). When we find our selves in unhealthy spiritual habits of thought, follow the apostle Paul’s prescription and change the pattern of thought: “What ever is true, whatever is honorable, what ever is right …dwell on these things,” and?put them into practice?(Philippians 4:8,9,?NASB).We are called to humbly walk the new and living way of life opened by our fore runner and master, Jesus. We are not to walk in our own way, but in thanksgiving, according to the Spirit. A faithful Christian is to have no sympathy for the practice of the deeds of the fallen flesh, but is to put away sins of the head and hands, encouraging our companions to do the same. The new creature is to be faithful to God, watch for his overruling, study the Scriptures, study the life and words of Christ and one’s own conduct, love one another and one’s enemies, bear with one another, for give one another, be thankful, be an example of the believers and pray, lest you (or: when you) enter into temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12).___________________1. The abbreviation?NASU?denotes the?New American Standard?(Updated) translation of the Bible.?11Part 2. A World of IniquityBridle Thy TongueAudio MP3“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.”? --James 1:26Homer MontagueThe above text relates to consecrated believers who covenant to follow the Master’s example – true Christians who have had their lives transformed by the influence of the holy spirit.After our consecration is accepted we will begin to put off characteristics such as anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, evil speaking and other works of the flesh. This cleansing involves not merely a mental appreciation of the scriptures, but also, the deep heart-searching self-examination to be guided by godly principles.Having the treasure of the new creature in an earthen vessel, we will be assailed from time to time with a transitory wrong thought. The new creature must put this thought away from consideration; so that it does not take root in his heart and choke out righteousness and proper sentiments.PaulThe apostle Paul gives sound counsel about regulating our thoughts and thus our tongues: “Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report – if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).The first consideration –the truth of a matter – excludes dwelling upon and speaking about idle speculations and exaggerations, which corrupt the mind and squander consecrated time that should be used for those things which edify.Next is the honesty of a matter. We are to promptly dismiss any inclination towards deceit, hypocrisy and intrigue. Sometimes, true but dishonorable thoughts come to our minds about weaknesses or idiosyncrasies, of neighbors, friends, and even brethren. Such thoughts must be dismissed promptly before we sin with our lips.Whatsoever things are just –We should think about righteous, just things and principles instead of meditating upon grievances, or injustices, real or imagined. We are living in “this present evil world.” Being evil spoken of, or misunderstood, for Christ’s sake, is to be gladly endured instead of complained against.Whatsoever things are pure – All around us impurity may be found – in the expressions of people, the smutty jest, advertisements in the newspapers, bumper stickers on cars, commercials or common television programming. Let us avoid giving utterance to such matters.? Jesus was the sublime example of purity. Bringing all of our thoughts into conformity with his character will help us avoid entertaining any impurities which are presented to us for consideration.Whatsoever things are lovely – We do well not to think continually on secular matters, especially after we leave our jobs or other necessary mortgages upon our spiritual lives. Rather, we are to think mainly upon the fruits and graces of the spirit, and how we can cultivate them to a greater degree in our lives and to the benefit of others. Keeping these things in mind and offering praise to God for His assistance in nurturing us in this way will be taking positive strides toward inculcating loveliness of character.Whatsoever things are of good report. This refers to those things that the Bible endorses as being proper. It includes anything that would be well thought of by reputable characters. Noble deeds and sentiments illustrate the kinds of things we may properly entertain to encourage the transformation we are undergoing.This text under consideration concludes with the words “if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” First and foremost, we should think upon those things, which God would praise, and those things which would enable us to praise him better as we seek to glorify his name, and fully meet with his approval. All of these efforts towards entertaining proper habits of thought will have a profound effect upon our utterances.JamesSeveral verses in James chapter 3 deal specifically with the tongue, as well as references to this instrument in James 1:18, 26; 2:12; 4:11 and 5:12.James introduces the subject with a caution against having a hasty desire to become a teacher of God’s word before carefully weighing the responsibility and privilege of such service. Beyond this, however, James considers a believer’s pattern of conversation, noting the tongue is the most difficult member of the body to control. However, the tongue is merely an instrument or index of the heart condition, for the Master declared “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Only Christ – who was perfect, free from the taint of sin through the Adamic condemnation –reflected truth, righteousness and holiness in all his utterances. Nevertheless, as new creatures under the influence of the holy spirit, we must increasingly gain ascendancy over our fallen tendencies and speak helpful, wholesome words that will be edifying and beneficial to those who hear them.In one illustration, James compares the responsibility of the new mind to control the power of the tongue to governing a horse’s motions by pulling the reins connected to a bit in the animal’s mouth. Though the bit is a very small piece of steel, it can be used to control the horse’s entire behavior. Without this restraint, an unruly horse could easily run away with, or overthrow, its rider. Similarly, without exerting watchfulness over our words, the believer’s spiritual growth can be seriously hampered.Another simile for the tongue is a fire. When insinuations or evil speaking are carelessly dropped into the minds of others, the effect is like dropping a lighted match into combustible material. It can result in a huge conflagration that leaves behind a charred mass of devastating ruins.Many savage beasts, winged creatures and reptiles of various types can be tamed or trained, given sufficient time and perseverance. However, man’s success in subduing wild animals does not extend to his control of his tongue. Because words can inject untold evil into the lives of others, the apostle also describes the tongue as an instrument full of deadly poison (James 3:8). Character assassination and gossip concerning others, involving such phrases as “Keep this to yourself, but…,” “Did you know…,” or “I wouldn’t tell you this but I know it will go no further…,” have a poisonous effect upon the hearts and minds of both those who utter these phrases and those who receive and entertain them. Perhaps the greatest rationalization for such an evil propensity is the statement, “I am telling you this so that you can pray about it.”It is inconsistent to use the tongue for both good and evil. “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh” (James?3:912).It would be an act of hypocrisy to render praise to the heavenly Father while in worship with the Lord’s people, but, outside of that setting, to vilify the character of someone else with slanderous words. If someone claims to love the Lord, yet spews forth words that tear down another, that bitter speech certainly challenges the genuineness of his profession to being a believer who is earnestly striving to manifest a Christ-like character. The contradictions James alludes to – a fountain yielding both fresh and salt water, or fig trees bringing forth olive berries or the reverse – simply do not exist in nature. Better they don’t exist in our character.If daily we render up our accounts to God and seek his grace for greaterovercoming power?with each succeeding day, we shall be acquitted in judgment and stand approved before God, through Christ, having the testimony of his holy spirit with our spirits that we are pleasing and acceptable to him. So, dear brethren, let us "take heed to our ways, that we sin not with our tongues" (Psalms. 39:1). “There is nothing that is of so powerful an influence as the tongue. The influence of a good word, a good thought, may become world-wide; an evil thought, an evil word, may also extend?its?influence to the end of the world.”Reprints, p. 4805.?11Part 3. Some Other Useful DoctrinesRespect God's OathsAudio MP3“When God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater,?he sware by himself” Hebrews 6:13?RV.While other useful doctrines are not specifically stated to be absolute requirements to be a Christian, some come close to it.? It would be foolish – even faithless – to contradict whatever God has sworn to?do.? God promised Abraham,?“in?thee shall all?the?families of theland be?blessed,”?and later He swore that,?“in thy seed shall all?the?nations of the?earth bless themselves” (Genesis 12:3, 22:18?RVIC).*15*If we disbelieve that God and Christ will bless all families,?and that under Christ all nations will cooperatively bless themselves,?do we not demonstrate lack of faith?? If we teach that?allmeans only the?few, do we not call God a?liar?? If we deny Him,?will He not also deny us? (2?Timothy 2:12).Consider the logical consequences of what we believe regarding God’s sworn promise to Abraham.? If we teach that God will torture the?multitudes for?ever and ever,?do we not say to the?hearers that it hardly matters what they do to?people they do not like,?because it would pale compared to their eternal suffering at the hands of God?*16*Contrariwise,?if God will oversee the reforming of the vast majority of the human race,?then there is a?reason to learn to love our enemies (Matthew?5:44).? Unless we learn to be kind even to our enemies now,?we will not be part of the seed of Abraham to bless all the families of the earth in Christ’s kingdom.Defeat through DistractionSatan has often beaten down a?truth, not by confronting it head-on, but by creating a side-issue and homing?in on it.? In A.D.?313, when Arius pleaded for a restoration of primitive purity in an Alexandrian church gone worldly, Athanasius responded – not by accusing Arius of being too pious,?of course – but by accusing him of heresy:?teaching that Jesus had been a created being (even though created before all time).? The struggle between the two sides was not resolved by alternate banishments and recalls,?but by Arius being poisoned to death.? Immorality and violence thusly became entrenched in the organized church.Modern DangersThe apostle John writes,?“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God,?God abideth in him, and he in God” (1?John?4:15?RV).? Nowadays many seem to?think John should have said,?“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is God…”? It has become a?watchword in much of“mainstream Christianity”?that one must believe that God is a Trinity or one is not Christian.? Apart from the thesis being false,?the Christian world is thus led to believe that it is relatively unimportant whether God will bless ALL the?families of the land – whether the glad tidings announced by the angel at Jesus’ birth shall be to ALL the people – or whether God even meant what He swore!?Could we become so preoccupied with whether the thousand years of Christ’s kingdom begins at Christ’s return,?or when the church is complete,?that we forget to tell the world what Christ’s thousand-year kingdom will do for them and how it will fulfill God’s oath to Abraham?? Let us believe God’s oath?and live according to it.?11Part 3. Cause and EffectHelpful DoctrinesAudio MP3If ye know these things,?blessed are ye?if ye do them.?? John?13:17?RVJames ParkinsonNot all useful teachings of the Bible are declared mandatory by the Bible (although man sometimes declares?them mandatory).? Though the?Christian should not try to?make?these atest of fellowship, his walk should be guided by their light, and he should commend that light to others.? Three examples are:* Jesus Christ’s ransom sacrifice and the consequent restoration of the bulk of Adam’s race to human perfection gives us a new and hopeful outlook on even the more degraded souls we meet.* Acknowledging that immortality is a reward, conditional upon obedience,?takes the unholy fear out of life.* The concept of two sacrifices during the Day of Atonement intensifies our attention on the personal responsibility for self-sacrifice.Doctrines which apply particularly to only portions of church history cannot be mandatory for the church throughout the entire Gospel Age.? The doctrine of the Antichrist would not have been essential in the first period of the church, nor could it have been essential any time before the Antichrist became established (1?John?2:18).? The practical significance of Christ’s second presence also would not have been essential before its time (Matthew?13:30?versusRevelation?18:1-5).? Yet, while someone who does not see something in its proper time is disadvantaged,?he should not be regarded as an enemy.Restoration/RestitutionIf by the will of God “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews?10:10?RV),?should not all benefit?? “And if any man sin,?we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:?and he is the propitiation for our sins:?and not for ours only,?but also for?the sins of?the whole world” (1?John?2:1-2).? It is to Jesus Christ that our gratitude is due for his “ransom for all,”?and no less to God who sent him. [1]If Jesus Christ died once for all,?then there will be one full and complete opportunity for every man, woman, and child that has ever lived.? “The hour cometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;?they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;?and they that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgement” (John 5:28-29?RV).? Those who are on trial for life in the Gospel Age – and prove faithful (“have done good”) – are to receive the resurrection of life.? The rest of the world (“have done ill”) will be resurrected in the thousand-year kingdom of Christ and the church, for training in righteousness, and they will then be judged worthy or unworthy of life at the end of that thousand years.When God swore to Abraham that “in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves,” he also promised, “I will multiply thy [heavenly] seed as the stars of the heavens, and [thy earthly seed] as the sand which is upon the seashore” (Genesis 22:16-18?ASVmg).? At the end of the thousand-year kingdom of Christ, the nations that will be delivered from Satan are also described as, “the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8).? Those who will follow Satan are described, “if any?was not found written in the book of life,” from which we logically infer that these incorrigible will be relatively few (Revelation 20:15?RV).? Evidently Christ will be the great victor, not Satan.? So if Christ and the faithful church are to succeed in bringing back to perfection the vast majority of mankind, so they will live forever, we should view them all today in a much more favorable light.The consequence of what we believe should be:?It is for each Christian to view others not as they are now, in various stages of degradation,?but as we can expect most of them to be at the?end of Christ’s thousand-year kingdom,?finally brought back to the?perfection lost in Eden.? That is why we are commanded,?“Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44).Conditional ImmortalityDeath has always been an enemy.? So it should not be surprising that man fears death.? But what is death?Before Adam had witnessed death,?God had told him,?“Of every tree of the garden thou shalt surely?begin to?eat:? but of?the?tree of the knowledge of good and evil,?thou shalt not eat of it:?for in?the?day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely?begin to?die” (Genesis?3:16-17RVIC).? When Jesus awakened his friend Lazarus from the sleep of death, Lazarus left no account of anything happening during the four days he was dead.? Nor did Jesus of the (parts of) three days he was dead.? Paul says simply,?“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).None of these references to death implies any conscious existence, much less any discomfort.? Solomon in his wisdom says,?“The living know that they shall die:?but the dead know not anything… there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,?in the grave, whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).What does the Bible say about immortality?? The Greek word (athanasia) properly translated “immortality” appears only three times in the Bible,?and only in the epistles of Paul.? 1?Timothy 6:13-16 (RV) tells us that out of all who have ever lived,?it was “our Lord Jesus Christ… who only hath immortality,?dwelling in [God’s] light…” [2]? Twice this word is used concerning faithful Christians in 1?Corinthians 15:53-54, “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal?must?put on immortality.? So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,?then shall be brought to pass the saying that is?written,?Death is swallowed?up in victory.”? If the Christian is to “put?on immortality,”?he cannot have already possessed it – he cannot have had an immortal soul.? In over eight?hundred times the Bible uses the?word “soul,” it is not even once said to?be immortal.“King-James-only” people have three more verses to contend with (where?aphtharsia?andaphthartos?are translated?immortality?and?immortal,?though they should more properly be translated?incorruptibility?and?incorruptible).?In 1?Timothy 1:17,?God Himself is praised,?“unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,?be?honour and glory for?ever and ever.”?Readers will generally assent to this.? But 2?Timothy 1:10 says it is?“our Saviour Jesus Christ,?who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”? Did Jesus Christ bring to light “immortal souls,”?which heathen religions had been teaching for two thousand years?? Evidently not!?The Christian hope of immortality was simply not revealed by God before Christ paid the price.? Romans 2:6-7 says,?God “will render to every?man according to his deeds:? To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality,?eternal life.”? So eternal life is a?reward for well?doing.? And for?anyone to?seek for immortality (just?as for?glory) it can only mean that he does not already have?it,?for who will seek for that which he already has?? Thus, the hope of immortality is conditional upon obedience.However, fallen?man too?frequently allows fear to?overpower faith.??Because imperfecthumanity fears to?go out?of existence,?Satan drugs them with his first lie,?“Thou shalt not surely die” (Genesis 3:4),?professing that God created immortal human souls which even He Himself could not destroy.? By consequence, if good people will receive bliss in heaven, the rest would then have to blister in hell – forever!? By threats of eternal torture,?Satan obscures the Word of God and deceives the religious world.“God gave us not a?spirit of fearfulness;?but of power and love and [self-]discipline” (2?Timothy?1:7?RV).? If a?doctrine generates dread and fear in our hearts,?we should lookcarefully to see if it is not from the eternal God, but from the god of this world – Satan.The consequence of what we believe should be:?If eternal torture were true,?then the Christian’s emphasis should be to?save everyone we can now, let character development be secondary,?and think about who gets what glory later.? But if the?dead are asleep until theresurrection,?then the?emphasis needs to?be on character?development now,?so that we may become fit to join with Christ to?resurrect and bless all the?families of the?earth in Christ’s Kingdom.? Our emphasis now needs to?be on doing good to our enemies,?not fearing them.Christian SacrificeDoes the consecrated Christian have an obligation to sacrifice self?? Yes.? But he takes this obligation upon?himself voluntarily.? “If any?man?will come after me,?let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,?and follow me” (Luke 9:23).? On the Day of Atonement, three animals were presented before the LORD (though one was rejected for sacrifice).? The high priest apparently provided the young bullock, but the two goats were to be taken from the flocks of the sons of Israel (Leviticus 16:3, 5).? By common consent, the young bullock foreshadows Jesus Christ,?“holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners,”?without whose sacrifice no one else could become acceptable (Hebrews 7:26?RV).? The goats, coming from a different source, and scrawny compared to a bullock, must represent something else – the church, many of whom compromise their covenant before proving faithful unto death, but others will become accounted worthy to join with Christ in applying His merit to benefit the whole rest of the world.? Paul confirms this in Hebrews 13:10-13 (RVIC),?“We have an altar [on the Day of Atonement],?whereof they have no right to?eat which serve the tabernacle.? For the?bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Holies by the high?priest for sin-offerings,?are burned outside the?camp.? Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through?his?own blood,?suffered outside the gate [of Jerusalem].? Let us therefore go forth unto him outside the camp,?bearing his reproach.”? Though both goats would ultimately die,?the sacrificed goat is reckoned as having a?part in cancelling sin.If the?church – the Bride of Christ – has a part in the sin-offering,?can it add any atoning merit to the?sacrifice of Jesus Christ?? Absolutely not!? For two reasons:?1. Jesus Christ died once for all (Hebrews 7:27?RV).?Once the ransom price is fully paid, who can add anything to it?? 2. Of ourselves, we have no merit to offer;?“all our righteousnesses?are?as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).The church has no part in Jesus Christ’s ransom sacrifice for Adam (covering all his descendants),?but they join with Christ in the?offering of that ransom for the?cancellation of sin.? The church’s part in the sin-offering may be likened to a?king who marries a pauper’s daughter:?she brings no money to the marriage,?but after the wedding she joins with him in bestowing the benefits of the royal treasury on the?people of the kingdom.? Thus will the Bride of Christ join with Jesus Christ in applying His merit to?resurrect?Adam and all his race from the?dead.The consequence of what we believe should be:?Each Christian has obligated himself to sacrifice his own will in favor of?“Thy will be?done.”? So?“Be thou faithful unto death,”?lest any of us be pictured in the?goat that was sent away and rejected for sacrifice.ConclusionBelief in the?teachings of the?restoration of mankind to perfection and everlasting life,?of conditional immortality,?and of Christian sacrifice,?should impel us to view others favorably,to be driven by kindness and not fear,?and to desire to sacrifice self for the Lord and for others.??We should test our understandings against scripture, revising as necessary;?so that we may distinguish practical doctrine from merely intellectual concepts?and put the former into practice._______________1.?Some will consider that the requirement to believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22, 5:1; see also the second article in this issue) incorporates believing Jesus is a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:5,6). That is conservatively not assumed here, although it might be true.2.?One editor’s note:?I think Paul is speaking of God as the one who symbolically dwells in the Shekinah light over the ark, and the one whom “no man hath seen” consistent with John 1:18. Paul introduces this one as “the blessed” and in 1Timothy 1:11, “the blessed God.” In 1Timothy 1:17 he is “the only God,” reminis cent of 1Corinthians 8:6, connecting to 1 Timothy 6:15 “only Potentate.” He is described in 1Timothy 1:17 as “invisible” which connects to “no man can see” in 1 Timothy 6:16.?11Part 3. Still Other Useful DoctrinesProphetic TeachingsAudio MP3“We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (2?Peter?1:19,?NASB).Prophetic teachings are important when they tell us the right things to do, which we might otherwise not know, or in some cases even think we should do quite the opposite.? Here we consider some prophetic teachings that were not required for the faithful church in all ages?but nevertheless help us to?do what is right.? Four prophetic insights are selected here:?Antichrist,Christ’s return,?the Last?Day,?and Israel’s return.?The AntichristCatholic and Protestant theologians have different views on the prophesied Antichrist (not infrequently identifying it with the other).? During the Reformation Protestants of every faction agreed that the Antichrist was Rome, especially Papal Rome [Historical view].? Jesuit priests later came up with two counter arguments:?that the Antichrist was Pagan Rome and therefore in the past [Preterist view], or that a Jewish Antichrist would someday literally rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and?therefore it must?be?future [Futurist?view]. Both views avoided identifying the?Antichrist with Papal Rome.? Since the nineteenth century most of liberal Protestantism has adopted the Preterist view,?while most of evangelical Protestantism has adopted the Futurist view.More important is what the scriptures say.? A better translation than the KJVof some of Paul’s words on the Antichrist is,?“And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.? For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now, until he cometh to be out of its midst.? And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the [1] breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the appearing of his presence;? even he, whose presence is according to a working of Satan with all power and signs and wonders of a lie” (2?Thessalonians 2:6-9).? And Papacy came out of the midst of Rome.To grasp the meaning of these prophecies was not imperative to the saints for a?standing in Christ.?But it was very helpful in their practical life.?Thus the?words of Revelation?13:18 (RV):“Here is wisdom.?He that hath understanding [in spiritual things], let him count the number of the beast [Papacy,?Papal?Rome as a civil ruling?power]; ... six?hundred and sixty and six.”?In other words, recognize in this system the?mark of sin, apostasy, infidelity, corruption – denoted by the triple six. [2]Notice also the words of our Lord in Matthew 24:15 about recognizing this desolating system – “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet ... whoso readeth, let him understand.”Note a related warning of Proverbs?5:1-5,?“My son, attend unto my wisdom ... That thou mayest regard discretion ... For the lips of a strange woman [the harlot of Revelation?17,?the ecclesiastical system] drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:?but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.?Her feet go down to death:?her steps take hold on hell [sheol].”? The sins of the Dark Ages were so bad that many nations have proclaimed separation of Church and State in modern times.The lesson for us is that not everything that professes to be Christian is really?Christian.? Even when professedly-Christian groups differ from the Bible, we should obey the Bible.? After all, the Bible is the word of God,?not merely the?word of man.Christ’s Return and the Gospel Age HarvestOur Lord’s words concerning the wheat and the tares were,?“Let both grow together until the harvest:?and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,?Gather up first the?tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:?but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matthew 13:30RV).? While he does not say the bundles of tares are to be burned before the wheat are gathered, he does say,?Let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest of the Gospel Age.However, at Christ’s return a new command is given:?“I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.? And he cried with a mighty voice, saying,?Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird…? And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,?Come forth, my people, out of her,?that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:? for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities (Revelation 18:1-5ASV.”In practical terms, the faithful are not commanded to come out of sectarianism before Christ’s return, but during his second presence they are.? Some Christians were given no choice about separation:?Arius was banished, and then on his recall from banishment he was poisoned to death.?Martin Luther was excommunicated.?They had little choice but either to deny their faith or to work outside the establishments.? As recently as the nineteenth century, the Second?Advent?movement leaders encouraged their followers to?remain within their sects.If we believe Christ’s return is yet future, we should be working for interdenominational cooperation;?if we believe Christ has returned – that we are in the harvest of the Gospel Age–?then we should voluntarily withdraw from sectarianism.? If we find that we can successfully strive for interdenominational cooperation without compromising our beliefs and conscience, that could logically be taken as a?sign that Christ has not yet returned.? If we find that interdenominational cooperation is not possible without real Christian compromise, that could logically be taken as a?sign that Christ has returned already and that we are now being called to come out of sectarianism.Many have observed in Catholicism and Evangelicalism that theology trumps Christian conduct.? Nor is this limited to large denominations, but dogmatism and pontification has become the norm in many smaller groups.? Thus, it is important to determine if Christ has returned invisibly, to?know whether we?should – or should?not – depart from?sectarianism,even though we should not decline fellowship with some who conclude differently.?The Last DayThere are several scriptures concerning the last days and the last day (the expressions are not interchangeable).? Their foundation is seen in the last days of Jericho, where Joshua and the Israelites with the seven priests and their trumpets circle around Jericho for seven?days, once?each on the?first six?days, and seven times on the last?day.? The seven last days of Jericho typify the “seven days” of the Gospel Age.?They help us to understand that the seven angels/messengers with the seven trumpets in Revelation are a prophecy spanning the Gospel Age, and the seven messengers’ letters are to the seven periods of the church.? Similarly, the seven times around Jericho on the last day show us that the “last day” of the Gospel Age is divided up into the seven last plagues.The “last days” refer to some or all of the seven periods into which the Gospel Age is divided (James 5:3, 2?Peter 3:3), as when 2?Timothy 3:1-5 (RV) says,?“in the last days grievous times shall come…”? The “last days” can also extend into the Millennial Age, as Acts 2:18 spans the Gospel Age but 2:17 is in the Millennial Age – the thousand-year kingdom of Christ.The “last day” is associated with the resurrection of the faithful church, “I will raise him up at the last day” (John?6:39-40, 44, 54).? This “last day” may also extend into the kingdom of Christ, as shown by?“he [Lazarus] shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day,” and?“the word that I have spoken… shall judge him in the last day” (John 11:24, 12:48).? Thus, “the last day” encompasses the last day – or last episode – of the Gospel Age.Of interest to us is that the last day is divided into seven major world?events (some lasting longer than others).? Here we would suggest for natural Israel:?(1) the Zionist movement, (2) World War I and the Balfour declaration, (3) the Depression and Nazi oppression, (4) World War II and exodus from Central Europe, (5) the Soviet rise and fall, and with it the exodus from Eastern Europe.? There is concern that (6) may?be Depression, with a forced Jewish exodus from the West.? That would leave only Ezekiel 38-39 (Armageddon) to come before Christ’s Kingdom.? Each major world event in this “last day” has brought about another step towards the prophesied restoration of Israel to their land – in preparation for the resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel and the other ancient worthies, and then the resurrection of Israel and the rest of the world.At the same time, these world events have each been destructive to the forces of sectarianism.? Fewer?denominations?today still?say,?“You must?join?us to?be?saved.”? That is a good?change,?in?that Jesus?Christ sacrificed himself “once?for?all” (Hebrews?7:27?RV).If we can see how God is using the modern chaos to systematically accomplish His purposes, our faith is strengthened, and we can better see how to do the Lord’s will.? It is easier to follow the Lord?when we know where He is going.?The Return of IsraelIt is claimed that the only prophecies more numerous than those of Messiah (Christ) are those of the return of Israel to the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.? Moses said to Israel that for disobedience,?“ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest in to possess it.? And Jehovah will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth...? And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot”.? But Moses further promised,“then Jehovah thy God will [3] turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the peoples, whither Jehovah thy God hath scattered thee?… ?and Jehovah thy God will bring thee into the?land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it;?and he will do thee good” (Deuteronomy 28:63-65,?30:3-5?ASV).The Lord?further assures,?“In that day… I will bring back the?captivity of my people Israel,and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the?wine thereof;?they shall also make gardens, and eat the?fruit of them.? And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them,?saith Jehovah thy God.” (Amos 9:11-15?ASV).? From the?founding of thecity of Petach Tiqvah (Door of Hope) in 1878,?we are assured that the Israelis are back in their land, and no one will be able to?drive them out again.Therefore,?as we see world opinion turning against the?Jews and against Israel,?we should have no part in that.? We should instead encourage our Jewish friends to learn Hebrew,?and encourage their youth to?emigrate to Israel while the?times are still favorable to?do so.? It will be safer in Israel?than it will be in the?nations that hate Israel.? Moreover,?return to the promised land is the Lord’s expressed will for them.One should not suppose that a person who does not recognize prophecies of the restoration of Israel is necessarily anti-Israel or anti-Jewish.? But understanding the?prophecies makes it much easier to?know?and to?do?what is right in the face of growing world animosity.Not Imperative Teachings – But Evidently Helpful“If ye know these things,?blessed are ye?if ye do them” (John 13:17).Prophecies of Antichrist should teach us that there may be a?difference between professing Christ and practicing Christian faith.? Christ’s return is the signal to come out of sectarianism instead of forever trying to reform it.? “Last day” prophecies show us where the Lord is?goingand help us to follow Him.? The prophesied restoration of Israel helps us avoid anti-Jewish sentiments and encourage our Jewish friends to “make aliyah” to Israel.It is wise to attend to these various words of warning – as so many elect have done for centuries.__________________1. Or,? spirit???or,? wind2.?An annotated edition of Rotherham, Emphasized Bible notes that the Greek alphabetic numerics for 666 is χξ?, which is composed of the Greek symbol of the serpent, ξ, inserted into χ?, the abbreviation for χριστο?, Christ.? This form is shown in the oldest known manuscript of Revelation 13:18, P46?of the early 3rd?century.? It would imply Satan’s entry into the Christian church.3.?Or,? repeal???or,? return toThe Herald and Its MissionTo Us the Scriptures Clearly TeachAudio MP3For over ninety years this journal has proclaimed, “To Us the Scriptures Clearly Teach.” It is our continuing faith and mission. While in the spirit of tolerance and good will toward all, we do not propose to make any creed to be enforced upon others, we present our hope for the faithful church and for all the rest of the world.This issue of?The Herald?discusses those beliefs that the Bible requires to be recognized as a Christian. Many other things are true which are not made fundamental by the Bible (including those which do not apply before “the last day”). The foremost purpose of this journal is to aid the last members of the predestinated number of the true Church—the body of Christ. And then we are glad to present the Bible hope for the rest of the world.??The Church is the “temple of the living God,” whose construction has been the main purpose throughout the Gospel age. When this priesthood is complete, Jesus Christ and his church will begin the blessing of Israel??and all the other families of the earth.??The character development of the Church—consecrated believers in Christ’s atonement for sin—must continue until the last member has been fully trained and faithful. Developing character is least pleasant but most rewarding.??The hope for both the church and the world is that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself and thereby “tasted death for every man.” Jesus is “a ransom for all,” of whom the world will learn well in the king dom of Christ.??The hope of the church is to be like her Lord, to be “a partaker of the divine nature,” with “a celestial body.”??The perfecting of the saints is not for an eternal retirement, but for the great work benefitting the whole rest of the world in the kingdom of Christ on earth. (In preparation, the world’s Jews are already being brought back to Israel, to the land God had promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and then to Jacob.)??The hope for the whole world of mankind lies in the resurrection in Christ’s thousand year kingdom, in their retraining into righteousness and human perfection. Thereafter, Satan will be no more; God, Jesus Christ, and his church, the rest of the heavenly host, and the whole world of mankind will be in complete harmony through out all the perfect ages of eternity.The priest hood has two functions: 1) sacrifice, and 2) teaching and blessing. Leviticus 9 shows us that sacrifice comes first, and the blessings afterwards. That was the sequence for the Levitical priesthood, and it is to be also for the priesthood of Christ and the church.Jesus Christ alone could offer an accept able sacrifice for the sin of Adam, under which we are all born. “As through one trespass condemnation cometh unto all men; even so through one act of righteousness justification of life cometh unto all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous” (Romans 5:18,19,?RVIC; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22).But the sacrifice would be vain unless the priesthood afterward will bless the people. Every Christian must therefore learn now to have love even for his enemies, if he is later to join with Christ in that priesthood for the blessing of the whole world in the ages to come.11?Pastoral Bible Institute NewsAudio MP3World NewsReligiousThe World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council have agreed to be merged into the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The union was approved by about 400 delegates gathered at Calvin College in Grand Rapids and represents about 80 million Christians from108 countries in nearly 230 denominations.—Associated Press, 6/23/2010Uzbekistan has continued short-term jailing of religious minorities, with three Protestant Christians from a registered church being given 15-day jail terms. Three other Protestants—arrested after a raid on the Tashkent church—were each fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage, and two other Protestants were fined five times the minimum monthly wage. Among other recent punishments for “illegal” religious literature, one Baptist has been fined 20 times the monthly minimum wage and his religious literature—including the New Testament—was ordered to be destroyed.—Forum 18 News Service, 5/18/2010Pope Benedict XVI, 83, begged for forgiveness from abuse victims for the sins of his priests. The pope also promised that he would do every thing possible to make sure that nothing like this would happen again in the future. This year has been a tough one for the Vatican, which has been criticized for the way it handled the hundreds of new cases of clerical abuse that surfaced. According to a poll taken two months ago in Germany, “about a quarter of the country’s Catholics are considering quitting” the church, Reuters reported.—Associated Press, 6/11/2010The Church of England is expected to pave the way for the consecration of women bishops when it publishes final proposals. The legislation, to be debated by the General Synod in July, will trigger a departure of some traditionalists to the Roman Catholic Church.—The Times, 5/3/2010A new poll from USA To day/Gallup found that 92 percent of Americans believe in a God and 83 percent believe that he answers prayers.—USA To day, 5/2/2010LifeWay Christian Resources surveyed 1,200 18-to 29-year-olds and found that almost three-quarters describe themselves as “more spiritual than religious.” Even among the 65 per cent who call them selves Christians, most of them say they rarely or never pray, go to worship services, or read the Bible. Thom Rainer, the president of LifeWay, describes them as “mushy Christians, or Christians in name only.” Only about 15 per cent of self-identified Christians reported regular prayer, study, or worship.—USA To day, 4/27/201 0SocialFor the fourth year in a row, more than a third of colonies of honey bees in the United States have failed to survive the winter. The decline of the country’s estimated 2.4 million beehives began in 2006, when a phenomenon dubbed colony collapse disorder led to the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of colonies. Since then more than three million colonies in the US and billions of honeybees world wide have died. The number of managed honey bee colonies in the US fell by 33.8% last winter, according to the annual survey by the Apiary Inspectors of America and the US government’s Agricultural Research Service. The collapse in the global honeybee population is a major threat to crops. It is estimated that a third of every thing we eat depends upon honeybee pollination.—The Observer, 5/2/2010At least 39 people have been killed in north eastern Brazil in floods across the region. An other 1,000 are missing, according to authorities. The floodwaters destroyed more than 40,000 homes, streets, bridges, and rail lines in 22 towns.—AFP, 6/22/2010India over took China to top the world in road fatalities in 2006 and has continued to pull steadily ahead. Fatalities are skyrocketing—up 40 per cent in five years to more than 118,000 in 2008. Poor road planning, inadequate law enforcement, a surge in trucks and cars, and a flood of untrained drivers have made India the world’s road death capital.—New York Times, 6/7/2010To day more video is up loaded to YouTube in 60 days than all three U.S. television net works have created in 60 years. Twenty-four hours of video are up loaded every minute.—TIME, 5/31/201020 per cent—the amount of licensed drivers who would not pass a written driver’s exam if administered today, according to GMAC Insurance, which conducts an annual driver’s test to see if people remember the rules of the road. New Jersey drivers ranked low est.—Consumerist, 5/31/2010New Zealand, Iceland, Japan, Austria, and Norway are the most peaceful places to live in the world [according to the Global Peace Index compiled by ]. New Zealand gets top honors for the second year in a row [thanks to] a low homicide rate, a tiny military budget, and a healthy respect for human rights. Iraq came in last in the ranking of 150 countries.—The , 6/8/2010Researchers at the Pew Research Center report that nearly one out of seven new marriages in the U.S. is interracial or interethnic. “This is the highest it has ever been,” said Jeffrey Passel, a senior demographer for the Pew Research Center. Today’s growing acceptance of interracial marriages is a contrast to the over whelming attitudes 50 years ago that such marriage was wrong—and even illegal. During most of U.S. history, interracial marriages have been banned or considered taboo, sociologists say.—, 6/4/2010The nation’s minority population is steadily rising and now makes up 35 percent of the United States, advancing an unmistakable trend that could render them the new American majority by midcentury. New Census estimates for 2009 show minorities added 2.5 per cent, or 107.2 million people, boosted by a surge in Hispanic births and more people who described themselves as multiracial. During this time, the white population remained flat, making up roughly 199.9 million, or 65 per cent, of the country. In 2000, whites comprised 79 per cent of the total population and minorities 21 per cent.—, 6/10/2010New research published in the scientific journal Sleep found that abnormal sleeping patterns—sleeping consistently too little or too much—are tied to premature death. The study, conducted by a joint team from the Unversity of Warwick and the Federico II University medical school in Naples, determined that getting between six and eight hours of sleep each night is optimal. Individuals who regularly sleep less than six hours each night are 12 percent more likely to experience premature death. The research team analyzed data from 16 different studies that covered more than 1.3 million people across Europe, the United States, and Asia.—The Guardian, 5/5/2010Workers who put in 10 or more hours a day have a 60 percent greater risk of heart attack, angina, and death from cardiovascular disease than those with no overtime work. A study of more than 10,000 British civil servants found that those with the highest risk of heart disease claimed to work 11 to 12 hours per day.—Bloomberg, 5/11/2010With temperatures well above 100 degrees across northern India for the past two months, hospitals have been packed with people suffering from heatstroke. Hundreds of people have been reported dead, but officials are unable to put together a country-wide estimate, acknowledging that most of the casualties have been in remote villages. Temperatures are expected to continue climbing in coming weeks—pushing 122 degrees Fahrenheit—even though this summer is already the hottest on record for northern India since records began over 100 years ago.—The Guardian, 5/31/2010In a 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that bosses are within their rights to read employee text messages if they have reason to believe that work rules are being broken.—Los Angeles Times, 6/17/2010About 1,000 women die as a result of breast cancer every month and, in 2007, more than 45,000 women were diagnosed. Dr. Vincent Tuohy, of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, has developed a vaccine that he believes may be able to wipe out the disease completely. “We truly believe that a preventive breast cancer vaccine will do to breast cancer what the polio vaccine has done to polio,” he said. If successful, researchers say that general practitioners would be able to offer the vaccine to women before they reach their mid-40s, the age at which the risk of breast cancer rises steeply.—Daily Telegraph, 5/31/201012 million—the number of people around the world who are victims of human trafficking, according to a new report released this afternoon by the State Department.—Yahoo! News, 6/14/2010PoliticalIndia has success fully test-fired an intermediate range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear payload of 1,000 kilograms. The Agni (literally “fire” in Hindi and Sanskrit) missile family is believed to be the cornerstone of India’s missile based nuclear deterrent. The Agni-II, a surface-to-surface missile, can travel up to 1,250 miles and is the country’s most sophisticated weapon.—BBC, 5/17/2010A seven-year-old boy was murdered by the Taliban in an apparent act of retribution. Afghan officials said that the child was accused of spying for US and NATO forces and hanged from a tree.—The Times, 6/11/2010Belarus is expected to experience transit shortages and other problems as Russia’s state-controlled natural gas monopoly Gazprom continues to cut supplies until the ex-Soviet neighbor makes good on an unpaid debt of nearly $200 million. Belarus officials refuse to pay, insisting that Russia owes their country $260 million in transit fees. Russia has cut gas supplies to both Belarus and Ukraine in the past over unpaid debt, causing many to suffer in freezing winter temperatures.—The Guardian, 6/23/2010Thousands of public sector employees took to the streets of Athens to protest austerity measures designed to help curb Greece’s massive debt. Under the austerity plan, the Greek government would be forced to cut bonuses for public sector employees, increase taxes on gas, alcohol, and cigarettes by 10 per cent, and implement salary freezes for civil servants. In exchange, the country would receive a $146 billion package over the next 10 years and try to escape defaulting on its debt.—Bloomberg, 5/4/2010Iran announced it has agreed to send the bulk of its nuclear material to Turkey in exchange for enriched uranium fuel. Despite the announcement, an Iranian foreign ministry of official reiterated that Iran would continue enriching its own uranium to 20%, a move experts feared would put it closer to making nuclear weapons. It remains to be seen if this change in Iranian policy will ease international concerns over Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons and US-led efforts to impose sanctions on Tehran.The Media Line, 5/17 /2010The world’s developed countries have built extensive public health systems, promised citizens a paycheck for life and erected a welter of protections around some industries and types of jobs. Now their leaders are conferring in Toronto over a singular dilemma: how to take some of it back with out undermining the economies they are trying to sustain. Deep cuts are under way in Greece and Spain, have been proposed in Britain and recommended for the United States to begin by 2011. Public retirement and health programs are singled out. Much of the projected increase in future public spending in developed countries is related to the aging of their populations.—Washington Post, 6/27/20101,000—the number of U.S. service members who have been killed fighting in the war in Afghanistan. The first U.S. service member to be killed in the conflict was on January 4, 2002.—Associated Press, 5/28/2010Thousands of French workers took to the streets of Paris to fight a measure that would raise the age of retirement from 60—one of the lowest in Europe— to 61 or 62. President Sarkozy proposed the increase before the debt crisis hit, but with the rest of Europe tightening its belt, government officials say that the French welfare system is simply unable to provide for the growing number of retirees. The French age of retirement was reduced from 65 to 60 in 1984, and unions say that they won’t give up the luxury with out a fight.—Associated Press, 5/27/201FinancialThe economic implications of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster are potentially mammoth—but highly uncertain. The annual commercial seafood harvest in the gulf is $661 million, recreational fishing contributes $757 million and nearly 8,000 jobs, and tourism related to wild life adds $517 million, according to the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies. It remained unclear Monday how much damage those industries will incur from the oil spill, and how long that damage will last. The research group estimates that $1.6 billion in annual economic activity is tied to the wetlands directly exposed to the spill.—Washington Post, 5/4/2010Bill Gates and Warren Buffet launched a campaign to get American billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to charity. Forbes estimates that there are approximately 400 billionaires in the United States, with a net worth of about $1.2 trillion. Buffett pledged to donate 99 per cent of his fortune. So far, four couples have agreed to partic ipate.—Seattle Times, 6/16/2010More home owners are simply refusing to pay their mortgages. With many lenders unwilling to renegotiate payments that were determined before the bubble popped, some home owners argue that ignoring payments is their only option. Additionally, because free riders say that bad loans got them into trouble in the first place, many feel justified in cutting off banks. There are currently 1.7 million homes in foreclosure, and estimates suggest that more than 650,000 of these house holds have not made a payment in a year and a half.—New York Times, 6/1/2010According to the 14th Merrill Lynch Capgemini World Wealth Report, the number of millionaires in the world rose in 2009 by 17.1%, to some 10 million, despite the economic down turn. The number of millionaires in Israel increased by 42.7%, to 8,419. Israel takes third place in the increase of millionaires after Hong Kong and India. The report defines a millionaire as any one with at least $1 million in liquid funds, not including invested capital, and after all debts are deducted. In 2009, the world’s million aires held a total of US$39 trillion—an increase of 18.9% compared to the previous year.—Ynetnews, 6/25/2010IsraelDespite growing strains in Turkey’s relationship with Israel, which reached a nadir [lowest point] following the deadly commando raid on a Gazabound flotilla, a delegation of more than 20 Turkish officers and soldiers landed in the Jewish state for a two-week visit, during which they will be trained to operate the Heron drone. Turkey has purchased 10 Heron drones for an estimated US$190 mil lion. Six of them have al ready been delivered. The drones are manufactured by the Israel Aero space Industries and are used by the Turkish military to gather intelligence in the on going conflict with Kurdish insurgents.—Ynet news, 6/23/2010The state ceremony marking 43 years since the reunification of Jerusalem [by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War] was held May 12 on Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill, as international voices are increasingly calling for territorial concessions to be made in the capital. “We will never divide Jerusalem,” declared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We will never let Jerusalem again be a divided, gloomy, and halved city.”—Ynet news, 5/12/2010Russia’s energy minister said his country is considering helping Syria build a nuclear reactor for producing energy. The minister made the statements as he accompanied Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on his land mark visit to Damascus. “Cooperation on atomic energy might gain new momentum,” Medvedev said in a joint press conference he held with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The curious move came as the Russian leader called for a nuclear-weapons free Middle East.—The Media Line, 5/12/2010Israel was invited along with Slovenia and Estonia to join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Developent (OECD), an exclusive economic group now set to consist of 34 members ranging from Sweden to Mexico. The decision culminated a nearly three-year negotiation process with a unanimous vote from the 31 other OECD members.—Israel Mosaic Radio, 5/10/2010Israel was singled out by name in the resolution that ended the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, calling for them, along with India and Pakistan, to join the NPT, a move that could force Israel to give up their purported nuclear weapons. The 189 NPT nations also agreed to call for a conference by 2012 on ridding the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction. Israel, which neither confirms nor denies nuclear weapons capability, slammed the resolution.—New York Times, 5/31/2010Following a record number of tourists for the month of May, Israel has now set records for individual months for six straight months. The Central Bureau of Statistics reported that 309,000 tourists visited Is rael in May 2010. That set an all-time record for the month, besting last year by 33% and an improvement of 4% on May 2008. Currently 2008 holds the record for most tourists in a year, but that record could be topped in 2010.—Israel Tourism Ministry, 6/15/2010New research has found Jews share a genetic bond with Cypriots and Druze and confirms the Jewish Diaspora maintained a strong DNA continuity despite its long separation from the Middle East, scientists said. The work, published in the British journal Nature, is part of a wider exploration into human migration based on clusters of tiny differences in genetic code. The study confirmed the Middle Eastern, or Levantine, origins of Jews as documented in ancient Hebrew Scriptures.—AFP, 6/10/2010The ultra-Orthodox, a community of 700,000 who live in isolated enclaves across the country of around 7 million, are Israel’s poorest sector. About 60 per cent of the men do not work, in stead pursuing state-subsidized religious studies. In keeping with the religious injunction to “be fruitful and multiply,” ultra-Orthodox families are large, with an average of seven children. Some 60 per cent of the community lives be low the poverty line.—Associated Press, 6/9/2010 ................
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