I recently received a letter from a brother (who, BTW, "enjoys the website") that brought up another point about the ‘noble Bereans’ in response to my thought of the day about the ‘mid-Acts’ preacher who prayed for "that Berean spirit". Let’s revisit Acts 17:11, from where the conference speaker based his prayer request for "that Berean spirit".
In the CONTEXT, when you read on into verse 12,
you realize that the ‘noble Bereans’ in verse 11 were not yet saved!
They were NOT believers having a Bible study .... as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ imply!
They were JEWS,
of the synagogue,
who BECAME believers,
AFTER they VERIFIED what Paul was preaching in the OLD testament record.
Acts 17:10-13 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These (Jews in Berea) were more noble than those (Jews) in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them (Berean Jews) believed;
also of honourable women which were Greeks (honourable Greek women), and of men, not a few (many Greek men).
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
The Berean Jews (vs. 11)
were more noble than those Thessalonian Jews (vs. 11a, 13)
because every day they checked out Paul’s messages IN THE SCRIPTURES
to make sure that what he was preaching WAS IN ONE ACCORD
with what God’s word already said.
Luke recorded that by Paul’s own mouth, he declared that everything he said was in the Bible:
Acts 26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ought to be CAREFUL with the holy writ (for English speaking people -- the KJV), instead of picking out certain phrases and spinning them to make their own paradigm. (This only applies to those 'mid-Acts-ers' who claim to be KJV .... not those 'mid-Acts-ers' who do not claim to be KJV, nor to mainstream denominations who accept the verses that they are a flock of sheep with pastors, even though I do not agree with them. I am KJV, and I can see when someone AVOIDS the KJV words.)
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Anger Management Through Paul?
A teaching elder made a few comments in a message earlier this week about how he regretted making friends with an angry man (Prov 22:24). Wonder why a ‘mid-Acts-er’ would be applying a proverb not written by Paul? They tell YOU not to go 'outside of Paul' for instruction, but THEY do when THEY want to.
Paul did not instruct believers not to BE angry .... but not to sin with it, and not to mull in it:
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
A bishop was not told not to BE angry .... but not to be hasty in anger nor quick-tempered:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
We are not to hold on to anger or nurse it .... quite the contrary:
Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
We should make the choice to lay aside anger and not clothe ourselves with it:
Col 3:8-11 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
The same Greek word translated ‘anger’ 3 times, is also translated ‘wrath’ 31 times, and ‘vengeance’ 1 time, and ‘indignation’ 1 time. James wrote about anger like Paul. He did not teach that it is wrong to be angry .... but that anger ought not be thoughtless or speedy:
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
The same anger management principle shows throughout the scripture:
Ecc 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Jesus spoke of God’s judgment toward one who is angry with his brother ‘without a cause’ (Matt 5:22).
The teaching elder said, "If a brother is a railer -- someone that speaks harshly" .... that you should not eat with him .... then he admitted that he was guilty of not obeying that. Let’s compare what HE said with what THE VERSE actually says. He said, "If a brother IS a railer," .... but the scripture reads .... "if any man that is called a brother":
1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Well, I will also make a confession. I was guilty of putting ‘confidence in an unfaithful man’ (Prov 25:19).
Of himself, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), Paul wrote:
1 Cor 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us,
as of the ministers of Christ,
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
For preachers to make a big issue of being KJV .... and even further, ‘Pauline’ .... and then DENY the KJV word of the office they hold, which God through Paul said was ‘a good work’ .... I speak this to their shame:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Earlier we read to, ‘Be angry, and sin not,’ .... here we should ‘Awake to righteousness, and sin not.’ God spoke to the shame of saints:
1 Cor 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
God has reason and direction for His holy anger:
Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Paul did not instruct believers not to BE angry .... but not to sin with it, and not to mull in it:
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
A bishop was not told not to BE angry .... but not to be hasty in anger nor quick-tempered:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
We are not to hold on to anger or nurse it .... quite the contrary:
Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
We should make the choice to lay aside anger and not clothe ourselves with it:
Col 3:8-11 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
The same Greek word translated ‘anger’ 3 times, is also translated ‘wrath’ 31 times, and ‘vengeance’ 1 time, and ‘indignation’ 1 time. James wrote about anger like Paul. He did not teach that it is wrong to be angry .... but that anger ought not be thoughtless or speedy:
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
The same anger management principle shows throughout the scripture:
Ecc 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Jesus spoke of God’s judgment toward one who is angry with his brother ‘without a cause’ (Matt 5:22).
The teaching elder said, "If a brother is a railer -- someone that speaks harshly" .... that you should not eat with him .... then he admitted that he was guilty of not obeying that. Let’s compare what HE said with what THE VERSE actually says. He said, "If a brother IS a railer," .... but the scripture reads .... "if any man that is called a brother":
1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
Well, I will also make a confession. I was guilty of putting ‘confidence in an unfaithful man’ (Prov 25:19).
Of himself, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), Paul wrote:
1 Cor 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us,
as of the ministers of Christ,
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
For preachers to make a big issue of being KJV .... and even further, ‘Pauline’ .... and then DENY the KJV word of the office they hold, which God through Paul said was ‘a good work’ .... I speak this to their shame:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Earlier we read to, ‘Be angry, and sin not,’ .... here we should ‘Awake to righteousness, and sin not.’ God spoke to the shame of saints:
1 Cor 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
God has reason and direction for His holy anger:
Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Moses Led a BODY?
‘Moses’ seems to be the buzz of some ‘mid-Acts-ers’ lately. Wonder why all the Moses commotion? Could it be because of the various scriptures posted on this website that show how Moses wrote of Christ (John 5:46)? I heard several ‘Moses’ comments during the past week’s conference, such as, "I’m not in that church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). To be in that church you had to be baptized unto Moses." Last night a teaching elder referenced that they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and the sea: (I show the verse below, and, my note: the baptism is dry --- no wet water involved!)
1 Cor 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
.... and he said that ‘Moses led a BODY of people out of Egypt’. Now, how about that? .... using what-they-have-always-called PAUL’s ‘unique’ reference to a ‘BODY’ and applying it to MOSES’ followers!
That’s not all! He also stated that the voice of the archangel was recorded in scripture when he stood up for the ‘BODY’ of Moses in Jude 1:9: (I show the verse below.)
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Then the teaching elder asked the question, "What is the BODY of Moses?" He gave his personal opinion that he thinks his contending is with the nation of Israel. He also made reference to ‘the end of Deutronomy’ (I show the verse below.)
Deut 34:4-6 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
So now we have on tape/record, a ‘mid-Acts’ teaching elder stating that ‘Moses led a BODY of people out of Egypt’. Hummmm, wonder what will be admitted next?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
1 Cor 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
.... and he said that ‘Moses led a BODY of people out of Egypt’. Now, how about that? .... using what-they-have-always-called PAUL’s ‘unique’ reference to a ‘BODY’ and applying it to MOSES’ followers!
That’s not all! He also stated that the voice of the archangel was recorded in scripture when he stood up for the ‘BODY’ of Moses in Jude 1:9: (I show the verse below.)
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Then the teaching elder asked the question, "What is the BODY of Moses?" He gave his personal opinion that he thinks his contending is with the nation of Israel. He also made reference to ‘the end of Deutronomy’ (I show the verse below.)
Deut 34:4-6 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
So now we have on tape/record, a ‘mid-Acts’ teaching elder stating that ‘Moses led a BODY of people out of Egypt’. Hummmm, wonder what will be admitted next?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Is It Just My Imagination?
In his message tonight on 1 Thess 4:16, a teaching elder (who converted from being a pastor) just preached that "thinking ‘the last trump’ of 1 Cor 15:52 is the last trump of the 7 trumpets to blow in Revelation" is "a hallucination .... when the WISH is father to the THOUGHT." The dictionary defines hallucination as ‘the apparent perception of sights, sounds, etc. that are not actually present: it may occur in certain mental disorders.’ WHO would ever WISH to go through a world-wide day of slaughter for refusing to worship the beast? Not me! The THOUGHT of ‘the last trump’ really BEING ‘the last trump’ was certainly not my WISH! But I would rather believe the VERSES and be prepared, instead of turn a blind eye:
Jeremiah wrote:
Jer 12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
Paul wrote:
Rom 8:36 As it is written, (see Psa 44:22) For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
James wrote:
James 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
John wrote:
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Better to be ready for the day of slaughter .... than to be ashamed for not rightly dividing, thinking that the ‘rapture’ (?), actually, the RESURRECTION, had past already, and have one’s faith overthrown:
2 Tim 2:15-18 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
The phrase in question here is ‘the last trump’:
1 Cor 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The fabricated 3 toots (which has been the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ previous stand) must have been a real embarrassment, because the presentation has just changed, and now their teaching elder has instructed them that there are only 2 toots .... but they both come from the same trump! "One instrument that sounds twice! Why? Because there are 2 groups of people. The dead come up at the 1st trump, and the alive are changed at the 2nd (or last) trump."
The teaching elder’s explanation was to "first look in the CONTEXT of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 to find out what ‘last’ means." What a great idea! Watch how he did it.
He went to:
1 Cor 15:45 And so it is written (Paul referring to ‘prophecy’ in Gen 2:7),
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
.... and he used it with:
1 Cor 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy:
the second man is the Lord from heaven.
.... to say that the ‘last’ Adam is equivalent to the ‘second’ man .... which, to him, established that ‘last’ meant ‘second’. Therefore, he made 2 trumps .... which he said was "one instrument that sounds twice"!
He referenced the CHAPTER of 1 Corinthians 15, but he only backed up a few verses. What if we started at the beginning of the chapter "to find out what ‘last’ means"? What would happen then .... using HIS method?
1 Cor 15:1-8 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (Note: We will have to start counting in the next verse, because in verse 8, we get to the ‘last’ .... so count with me):
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, (Peter is the first 1)
then of the twelve: (1 + 12 = 13 so far)
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; (13 + over 500 = over 513)
of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; (over 513 + 1 = over 514)
then of all the apostles. (We don’t know how many apostles there were, and we know ‘the twelve’ were already counted in vs. 5b .... so we will just have to say that there were ‘more’ than 514.)
(Here comes the word ‘last’ in the count of all the people that SAW Jesus Christ, beginning in vs. 5a. FYI, it is the SAME Greek word as used in 1 Cor 15:52 and 45 .... so, get ready):
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time.
So, using the teaching elder’s formula for finding out the correct number of the word ‘last’ by using the context, still in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 .... ‘last’ would be ‘some number’ that is MORE THAN 514!
Oh, but there’s yet another ‘last’ in the chapter! If we allowed the teaching elder to have his way .... to say that the ‘last’ means the ‘second’ .... then DEATH would only be the SECOND, but the 'last' of ALL His enemies?
1 Cor 15:22-26 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
The teaching elder’s recipe for counting the last ‘whatever’ would not even work in 1 Cor 15:25-26, because the verse does not say HOW MANY ENEMIES Christ has, so that we could know WHICH NUMBER of His enemies that ‘death’ is, and thereby assign the number of 'the last enemy'.
The point is, ‘the last trump’ is not talking about ‘the last MAN’ .... nor about ‘the last ENEMY’ .... it is ‘the last TRUMP’ .... so rather than wresting what the verse actually says .... let’s just let ‘the last trump’ be ‘the last TRUMP’. I thought ‘mid-Acts-ers’ preached to always allow the natural meaning of the verse! Evidently, they just SAY that and only DO it when they WISH to, for their paradigm!
Is it just my imagination or is the teaching elder WISHING? It seems to me that the people who are hallucinating .... when the WISH is father to the THOUGHT ... are those who WISH to escape from Planet Earth 7 + years before Daniel’s 70th week (which-they-call TRIBULATION) ever begins?!
Stay tuned to the daily thoughts for continued examinations of the teaching elder's messages in 1 Thessalonians 3-4.
This is David Dowell, (speaking Greek) saying, "Maranatha!" (1 Cor 16:22)
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Jeremiah wrote:
Jer 12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
Paul wrote:
Rom 8:36 As it is written, (see Psa 44:22) For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
James wrote:
James 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
John wrote:
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Better to be ready for the day of slaughter .... than to be ashamed for not rightly dividing, thinking that the ‘rapture’ (?), actually, the RESURRECTION, had past already, and have one’s faith overthrown:
2 Tim 2:15-18 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
The phrase in question here is ‘the last trump’:
1 Cor 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The fabricated 3 toots (which has been the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ previous stand) must have been a real embarrassment, because the presentation has just changed, and now their teaching elder has instructed them that there are only 2 toots .... but they both come from the same trump! "One instrument that sounds twice! Why? Because there are 2 groups of people. The dead come up at the 1st trump, and the alive are changed at the 2nd (or last) trump."
The teaching elder’s explanation was to "first look in the CONTEXT of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 to find out what ‘last’ means." What a great idea! Watch how he did it.
He went to:
1 Cor 15:45 And so it is written (Paul referring to ‘prophecy’ in Gen 2:7),
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
.... and he used it with:
1 Cor 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy:
the second man is the Lord from heaven.
.... to say that the ‘last’ Adam is equivalent to the ‘second’ man .... which, to him, established that ‘last’ meant ‘second’. Therefore, he made 2 trumps .... which he said was "one instrument that sounds twice"!
He referenced the CHAPTER of 1 Corinthians 15, but he only backed up a few verses. What if we started at the beginning of the chapter "to find out what ‘last’ means"? What would happen then .... using HIS method?
1 Cor 15:1-8 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (Note: We will have to start counting in the next verse, because in verse 8, we get to the ‘last’ .... so count with me):
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, (Peter is the first 1)
then of the twelve: (1 + 12 = 13 so far)
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; (13 + over 500 = over 513)
of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; (over 513 + 1 = over 514)
then of all the apostles. (We don’t know how many apostles there were, and we know ‘the twelve’ were already counted in vs. 5b .... so we will just have to say that there were ‘more’ than 514.)
(Here comes the word ‘last’ in the count of all the people that SAW Jesus Christ, beginning in vs. 5a. FYI, it is the SAME Greek word as used in 1 Cor 15:52 and 45 .... so, get ready):
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time.
So, using the teaching elder’s formula for finding out the correct number of the word ‘last’ by using the context, still in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 .... ‘last’ would be ‘some number’ that is MORE THAN 514!
Oh, but there’s yet another ‘last’ in the chapter! If we allowed the teaching elder to have his way .... to say that the ‘last’ means the ‘second’ .... then DEATH would only be the SECOND, but the 'last' of ALL His enemies?
1 Cor 15:22-26 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
The teaching elder’s recipe for counting the last ‘whatever’ would not even work in 1 Cor 15:25-26, because the verse does not say HOW MANY ENEMIES Christ has, so that we could know WHICH NUMBER of His enemies that ‘death’ is, and thereby assign the number of 'the last enemy'.
The point is, ‘the last trump’ is not talking about ‘the last MAN’ .... nor about ‘the last ENEMY’ .... it is ‘the last TRUMP’ .... so rather than wresting what the verse actually says .... let’s just let ‘the last trump’ be ‘the last TRUMP’. I thought ‘mid-Acts-ers’ preached to always allow the natural meaning of the verse! Evidently, they just SAY that and only DO it when they WISH to, for their paradigm!
Is it just my imagination or is the teaching elder WISHING? It seems to me that the people who are hallucinating .... when the WISH is father to the THOUGHT ... are those who WISH to escape from Planet Earth 7 + years before Daniel’s 70th week (which-they-call TRIBULATION) ever begins?!
Stay tuned to the daily thoughts for continued examinations of the teaching elder's messages in 1 Thessalonians 3-4.
This is David Dowell, (speaking Greek) saying, "Maranatha!" (1 Cor 16:22)
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
I, Me, and My
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ often focus on ‘who I am in Christ’ .... ‘what being in Christ did for ME’ .... and ‘MY identity in Christ’. Though we certainly need to understand these things, it seems that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ are concentrating their attention selfishly on themselves (or on PAUL, the least of the apostles, as 1 Cor 15:9), instead of giving Christ the first place. Our emphasis ought to be on HIM:
Col 1:16-18 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he (CHRIST .... not I, not Paul) might have the preeminence.
Even John the Baptist testified to the same:
John 3:30-31 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Have you ever noticed how many times a person says, "I, me, or my" in public speaking?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ recently had a conference with 3 seminars about "Why I am Not a ...." (this, that, or the other, of different doctrinal sects). It gave me the idea to make a presentation for next Sunday’s message about why ‘Mid-Acts-Hyper-Dispensationalists’ are wrong.
Col 1:16-18 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:
all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he (CHRIST .... not I, not Paul) might have the preeminence.
Even John the Baptist testified to the same:
John 3:30-31 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Have you ever noticed how many times a person says, "I, me, or my" in public speaking?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ recently had a conference with 3 seminars about "Why I am Not a ...." (this, that, or the other, of different doctrinal sects). It gave me the idea to make a presentation for next Sunday’s message about why ‘Mid-Acts-Hyper-Dispensationalists’ are wrong.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Conf. Thurs. Message # 5 on 7-22-10 Final
This was the final message of the conference. I had no internet reception for 3/4 of it, and therefore have no comments about it.
However, I will share a disappointment about the speaker’s unfaithfulness to the KJV he claims is the final authority. A few years ago, I talked to him about the over-sight among ‘mid-Acts-ers’ who called the leaders / main preachers in their churches by The Living Bible’s term ‘pastors’ .... rather than following PAUL’s word in the KJV of the office of a ‘bishop’. After I brought up the verses to his attention, he told me that he did not like titles of any kind, and that the scripture never referred to Paul as ‘the apostle Paul’ but as ‘Paul the apostle’. That afternoon, when he was called to the podium to give an updated report on the television ministry, I began counting after I heard him several times refer to the preacher as "Pastor ___". I counted over a dozen times in the few minutes of his presentation. Not only did he use ‘Pastor’ for a title repeatedly, but he also created several verb forms of pastor, like, "He pastors .... He was pastoring .... He pastored," etc. Are there no men among the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ that desire a GOOD WORK? They are ashamed of the word ‘bishop’ and they boycott it .... rather than defend it with rigor the way they do with the word ‘dispensation’!
I did not see the afternoon seminars, but their theme gave me an idea for a message entitled, "Why I am not a Mid-Acts-er."
The piano playing and the band were the good parts of the conference.
Since I was corrected for my incorrect spelling of the word ‘paradigm’ .... I felt obliged to return the favor. When you form a contraction from two words, the apostrophe goes in the place where the letters are left out. So the Southern slang for "you all" is y’all .... not ya’ll.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
However, I will share a disappointment about the speaker’s unfaithfulness to the KJV he claims is the final authority. A few years ago, I talked to him about the over-sight among ‘mid-Acts-ers’ who called the leaders / main preachers in their churches by The Living Bible’s term ‘pastors’ .... rather than following PAUL’s word in the KJV of the office of a ‘bishop’. After I brought up the verses to his attention, he told me that he did not like titles of any kind, and that the scripture never referred to Paul as ‘the apostle Paul’ but as ‘Paul the apostle’. That afternoon, when he was called to the podium to give an updated report on the television ministry, I began counting after I heard him several times refer to the preacher as "Pastor ___". I counted over a dozen times in the few minutes of his presentation. Not only did he use ‘Pastor’ for a title repeatedly, but he also created several verb forms of pastor, like, "He pastors .... He was pastoring .... He pastored," etc. Are there no men among the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ that desire a GOOD WORK? They are ashamed of the word ‘bishop’ and they boycott it .... rather than defend it with rigor the way they do with the word ‘dispensation’!
I did not see the afternoon seminars, but their theme gave me an idea for a message entitled, "Why I am not a Mid-Acts-er."
The piano playing and the band were the good parts of the conference.
Since I was corrected for my incorrect spelling of the word ‘paradigm’ .... I felt obliged to return the favor. When you form a contraction from two words, the apostrophe goes in the place where the letters are left out. So the Southern slang for "you all" is y’all .... not ya’ll.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Thurs. Message # 4 on 7-22-10
The message title made me think the speaker would discuss ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine about what-they-believe will be the activities of ‘the body of Christ’ (who they limit to be only Paul’s converts) for eternity in the heavens. He even began by stating that he was putting 20 years of study into one hour, about "what’s going to happen, the eternal glory we will have in the future." (Boy, were we in for a surprise!) Then he said something like, ".... and how John wrote his epistle about ‘that which was in the beginning’ and then John wrote about ‘the beginning’ again at the end." I have no idea what he meant by that. Next he told us that some of the verses he would be using would make us think that he was going down the wrong way, but his conclusion would clear it all up. During his message, he ran so many rabbit trails, it caused me to remember his warning.
The speaker made this statement, "If you disagree with me -- bring me a verse -- or don’t tell me I’m wrong." The longer I listened to his sermon, the more I thought he set us up. HE is the one who needed verses to make his points .... which MANY times, he did not have. Thus, when the scripture said nothing of the sort, there are no verses to prove him wrong, and he evidently thinks he is right. That is not a good way to ‘come up’ with doctrine.
He read
Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
.... and said, "If you have an open firmament, then you have to have a closed firmament of heaven." What?!
He read
Rom 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
.... and said, "Can you see the government? It is a piece of paper. The government is a person, it’s people. There are governments in His creation." What?!
He referenced Job 38:1-7, and said, "Job knew these 3 men as his friends, so he would be in the center. If Job is the one we think he is, Moses would have been 55 years of age - he’s in the land of promise." What?!
The speaker read Ezek 1:27 and said, "God told Ezekiel what heaven looked like.
He saw someone seated on a throne in heaven surrounded by a rainbow, like the glory of God. That made Lucifer, in his original state, like a rainbow. He wanted to overthrow God." What?!
The speaker asked this question about Lucifer, "What did he cover?" Then he answered, "He covered all of creation. He covered the heavens and the earth." Here are the verses that tell that he covered, but they do not say WHAT he covered:
Ezek 28:14-16 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
So the speaker was wrong, because HE had NO verses to make his claim in the first place.
He had a whopper of a story about 1/3 of the stars in the sky being cast out (Rev 12:4) and when Moses came, the heavens could not be ‘read’ anymore .... like if you took every third word out of the Bible, you can’t read it. They could not read the word of God because it was gone. Angels didn’t take care of it. 1/3 left and it couldn’t be read anymore. What?!
He read Romans 16:25-26, and said that prophecy was fulfilled in those stars and they could see how it was going to work out from Adam to the cross. But what was "kept secret" meant that nothing was written in the stars about that. What?!
When he said, "I’ve taken out all the verses that I can," I just shook my head.
The internet connection was later lost and I did not hear his entire message. But by then, I had already heard way too much.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker made this statement, "If you disagree with me -- bring me a verse -- or don’t tell me I’m wrong." The longer I listened to his sermon, the more I thought he set us up. HE is the one who needed verses to make his points .... which MANY times, he did not have. Thus, when the scripture said nothing of the sort, there are no verses to prove him wrong, and he evidently thinks he is right. That is not a good way to ‘come up’ with doctrine.
He read
Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
.... and said, "If you have an open firmament, then you have to have a closed firmament of heaven." What?!
He read
Rom 1:19-20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
.... and said, "Can you see the government? It is a piece of paper. The government is a person, it’s people. There are governments in His creation." What?!
He referenced Job 38:1-7, and said, "Job knew these 3 men as his friends, so he would be in the center. If Job is the one we think he is, Moses would have been 55 years of age - he’s in the land of promise." What?!
The speaker read Ezek 1:27 and said, "God told Ezekiel what heaven looked like.
He saw someone seated on a throne in heaven surrounded by a rainbow, like the glory of God. That made Lucifer, in his original state, like a rainbow. He wanted to overthrow God." What?!
The speaker asked this question about Lucifer, "What did he cover?" Then he answered, "He covered all of creation. He covered the heavens and the earth." Here are the verses that tell that he covered, but they do not say WHAT he covered:
Ezek 28:14-16 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
So the speaker was wrong, because HE had NO verses to make his claim in the first place.
He had a whopper of a story about 1/3 of the stars in the sky being cast out (Rev 12:4) and when Moses came, the heavens could not be ‘read’ anymore .... like if you took every third word out of the Bible, you can’t read it. They could not read the word of God because it was gone. Angels didn’t take care of it. 1/3 left and it couldn’t be read anymore. What?!
He read Romans 16:25-26, and said that prophecy was fulfilled in those stars and they could see how it was going to work out from Adam to the cross. But what was "kept secret" meant that nothing was written in the stars about that. What?!
When he said, "I’ve taken out all the verses that I can," I just shook my head.
The internet connection was later lost and I did not hear his entire message. But by then, I had already heard way too much.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Thurs. Message # 3 on 7-22-10
I was surprised when the speaker brought a water bottle and set it right up front on the podium. I don’t have a problem with that, but his ‘teaching elder’ made an issue about it bothering him during the IL meeting this past April.
In his first verse, the speaker quoted "Satan hindered us" and said "not physically" .... but "the Jews were." So he made ‘Satan’ be ‘the Jews’. He said it’s the spirit of disobedience:
1 Thess 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
By what standard does the speaker take the liberty to CHANGE who Satan is in a verse? Wonder why he didn’t equate Satan with the Jews in this next passage?
2 Cor 2:10-11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The speaker indicated that Jesus Christ would not be accepted in most churches today. Even though many of their doctrines are not correct, they are worshipping the true God and Jesus Christ, His Son, Who died on the cross and rose again. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are negative toward and very judgmental of other saints in the body of Christ who-they-think do not what-they-call ‘rightly divide’:
Phil 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker spoke way too fast for me to write many notes. Then internet lost connection and I was unable to listen to the rest of his message.
In his first verse, the speaker quoted "Satan hindered us" and said "not physically" .... but "the Jews were." So he made ‘Satan’ be ‘the Jews’. He said it’s the spirit of disobedience:
1 Thess 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
By what standard does the speaker take the liberty to CHANGE who Satan is in a verse? Wonder why he didn’t equate Satan with the Jews in this next passage?
2 Cor 2:10-11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The speaker indicated that Jesus Christ would not be accepted in most churches today. Even though many of their doctrines are not correct, they are worshipping the true God and Jesus Christ, His Son, Who died on the cross and rose again. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are negative toward and very judgmental of other saints in the body of Christ who-they-think do not what-they-call ‘rightly divide’:
Phil 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker spoke way too fast for me to write many notes. Then internet lost connection and I was unable to listen to the rest of his message.
Conf. Thurs. Message # 2 on 7-22-10
The speaker began by saying, if you need a verse about your heavenly home, to prove you’ll be there for eternity, it is 2 Cor 5:1. We will look at that, but let’s back up to get the context of resurrection:
2 Cor 4:14-18 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; (our earthly house)
but the things which are not seen are eternal. (our heavenly house)
2 Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Actually, the verse does NOT say that we will live eternally in the heavens (as the speaker said). The word ‘eternal’ describes the KIND of house we have, which, until the resurrection, is stored in the heavens. We have ‘an eternal house’ that is waiting for us in the heavens .... as can be further seen by the next verse:
2 Cor 5:2 For in this (our temporal house) we groan (also see Rom 8:23), earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our (eternal) house which is from heaven:
When Jesus comes FROM heaven (1 Thess 1:10, 4:16-17; 2 Thess 1:10), He will bring ‘our eternal house’ to us, when we meet Him in the air .... and He changes our mortal bodies .... to be eternal, immortal bodies .... like His:
Phil 3:20-21 For our conversation (a commonwealth of citizens) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The souls of ALL the dead saints in Christ are in heaven (Rev 6:9) ‘unclad’, without a garment of a body .... waiting for the resurrection .... when they will get an eternal body, that is incorruptible. Then, also, saints that are still alive will be clothed immortal:
2 Cor 5:3-9 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this (temporal) tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed (soul without a body house), but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (also see 1 Cor 15:49-54)
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (".... to die is gain" Phil 1:21)
9 Wherefore we labour (work is going on in heaven, as well as on earth), that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
The speaker called Christ, in His earthly ministry, "another Jesus" (which is ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine). We sing we are saved by the blood of The Crucified One .... and the SCRIPTURES testify that He was the SAME Jesus -- the risen, glorified Lord -- that God raised and took up to heaven:
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
He is the SAME Jesus (NOT another Jesus) that Saul (Paul) preached just after his Damascus road encounter with Him:
Acts 9:20-22 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
The other apostles did not preach ‘another Jesus’ than Paul preached. Paul himself repeatedly made the point clear, there is only ONE TRUE Lord Jesus -- not 2:
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
The speaker said, "We got people preaching they’re in the church in the wilderness. I’m not in that church." Well, that ‘wilderness church’ (Acts 7:38) drank of the SAME Jesus Christ, the Rock, OUR foundation stone (1 Cor 3:11, Eph 2:20):
1 Cor 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The speaker’s message title was about our greatest treasure, but he didn’t mention that Moses (Heb 11:24-25), the leader of the wilderness church (Acts 7:37), chose the reproach of the SAME Christ over Egypt’s treasures?
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
The speaker’s topic was supposed to be about treasure, but he made no reference to when ‘another’ Jesus (not really!) spoke to the little flock (also see Acts 20:28-29), whose treasure and heart is in the heavens:
Luke 12:32-34 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. (also see Matt 5:12, 6:20)
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The speaker also failed to show where Peter wrote about the eternal inheritance .... stored in heaven .... for those who believe (1 Pet 1:21) in the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:19) and His resurrection (1 Pet 1:21).
If the speaker handled 1 Pet 1:4 the same way he did 2 Cor 5:1, then he would have to say that Peter also wrote of an eternal inheritance in heaven. He sure would not want to say that .... because he makes the eternal inheritance PETER wrote about .... be a DIFFERENT inheritance than PAUL wrote about (Eph 1:3) .... even though BOTH writers said they were IN HEAVEN. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ DIVIDE everything, but not ‘rightly’ as they claim:
1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope (also see Rom 8:24-25) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
The speaker said we are members of the church, the body of Christ, and that is the church today. The church that is called out ‘a new creature’:
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What about those Jewish saints that were ‘in Christ’ BEFORE Paul?
They were new creatures, too:
Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
The speaker read
2 Cor 6:1-2 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith (Isa 49:8), I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
.... but the speaker did not get the CONNECTION between the GRACE of God AND the PROPHECY of the day of salvation that was LINKED to it from the OLD testament.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
2 Cor 4:14-18 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; (our earthly house)
but the things which are not seen are eternal. (our heavenly house)
2 Cor 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
Actually, the verse does NOT say that we will live eternally in the heavens (as the speaker said). The word ‘eternal’ describes the KIND of house we have, which, until the resurrection, is stored in the heavens. We have ‘an eternal house’ that is waiting for us in the heavens .... as can be further seen by the next verse:
2 Cor 5:2 For in this (our temporal house) we groan (also see Rom 8:23), earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our (eternal) house which is from heaven:
When Jesus comes FROM heaven (1 Thess 1:10, 4:16-17; 2 Thess 1:10), He will bring ‘our eternal house’ to us, when we meet Him in the air .... and He changes our mortal bodies .... to be eternal, immortal bodies .... like His:
Phil 3:20-21 For our conversation (a commonwealth of citizens) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
The souls of ALL the dead saints in Christ are in heaven (Rev 6:9) ‘unclad’, without a garment of a body .... waiting for the resurrection .... when they will get an eternal body, that is incorruptible. Then, also, saints that are still alive will be clothed immortal:
2 Cor 5:3-9 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this (temporal) tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed (soul without a body house), but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. (also see 1 Cor 15:49-54)
5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (".... to die is gain" Phil 1:21)
9 Wherefore we labour (work is going on in heaven, as well as on earth), that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
The speaker called Christ, in His earthly ministry, "another Jesus" (which is ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine). We sing we are saved by the blood of The Crucified One .... and the SCRIPTURES testify that He was the SAME Jesus -- the risen, glorified Lord -- that God raised and took up to heaven:
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
He is the SAME Jesus (NOT another Jesus) that Saul (Paul) preached just after his Damascus road encounter with Him:
Acts 9:20-22 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
The other apostles did not preach ‘another Jesus’ than Paul preached. Paul himself repeatedly made the point clear, there is only ONE TRUE Lord Jesus -- not 2:
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
The speaker said, "We got people preaching they’re in the church in the wilderness. I’m not in that church." Well, that ‘wilderness church’ (Acts 7:38) drank of the SAME Jesus Christ, the Rock, OUR foundation stone (1 Cor 3:11, Eph 2:20):
1 Cor 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
The speaker’s message title was about our greatest treasure, but he didn’t mention that Moses (Heb 11:24-25), the leader of the wilderness church (Acts 7:37), chose the reproach of the SAME Christ over Egypt’s treasures?
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
The speaker’s topic was supposed to be about treasure, but he made no reference to when ‘another’ Jesus (not really!) spoke to the little flock (also see Acts 20:28-29), whose treasure and heart is in the heavens:
Luke 12:32-34 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. (also see Matt 5:12, 6:20)
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The speaker also failed to show where Peter wrote about the eternal inheritance .... stored in heaven .... for those who believe (1 Pet 1:21) in the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet 1:19) and His resurrection (1 Pet 1:21).
If the speaker handled 1 Pet 1:4 the same way he did 2 Cor 5:1, then he would have to say that Peter also wrote of an eternal inheritance in heaven. He sure would not want to say that .... because he makes the eternal inheritance PETER wrote about .... be a DIFFERENT inheritance than PAUL wrote about (Eph 1:3) .... even though BOTH writers said they were IN HEAVEN. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ DIVIDE everything, but not ‘rightly’ as they claim:
1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope (also see Rom 8:24-25) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
The speaker said we are members of the church, the body of Christ, and that is the church today. The church that is called out ‘a new creature’:
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
What about those Jewish saints that were ‘in Christ’ BEFORE Paul?
They were new creatures, too:
Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
The speaker read
2 Cor 6:1-2 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2 (For he saith (Isa 49:8), I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
.... but the speaker did not get the CONNECTION between the GRACE of God AND the PROPHECY of the day of salvation that was LINKED to it from the OLD testament.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Conf. Thurs. Message # 1 on 7-22-10
The speaker said he was happy to share the platform with men of God who understand the word of God rightly divided and are not ashamed to preach it. He presented a ‘generic’ message, which was okay, except for the expected remarks about right division peppered through it. It was classic ‘mid-Acts’ preaching, using mostly all PAUL’s writings, but selecting other scriptures to use or disregard at will.
He used Adam (Gen 2:9,15) and Cain (Gen 4:1) and Able (Heb 11:4) for examples.
He read
Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
.... and commented, “Only what’s done for Christ will last.” I agree with that, but are ‘mid-Acts-ers’ allowed to go ‘outside of Paul’ for application? They preach that you can’t, but then they do, when they want to!
The speaker quoted James for “life is a vapour”:
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Then later, he read but dismissed this next verse in James, saying that it “doesn’t work today”, because James was written to the 12 tribes (James 1:1):
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
He took one verse and rejected another from the same epistle. Then he asked, “Where’s your wisdom at?” He said we needed to be obedient to the body of information that’s written to us today, which ‘mid-Acts-dispensationalists’ believe is only in the epistles of Paul, regardless that PAUL wrote:
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
This is David Dowell, saying, “Think about it!”
He used Adam (Gen 2:9,15) and Cain (Gen 4:1) and Able (Heb 11:4) for examples.
He read
Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
.... and commented, “Only what’s done for Christ will last.” I agree with that, but are ‘mid-Acts-ers’ allowed to go ‘outside of Paul’ for application? They preach that you can’t, but then they do, when they want to!
The speaker quoted James for “life is a vapour”:
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Then later, he read but dismissed this next verse in James, saying that it “doesn’t work today”, because James was written to the 12 tribes (James 1:1):
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
He took one verse and rejected another from the same epistle. Then he asked, “Where’s your wisdom at?” He said we needed to be obedient to the body of information that’s written to us today, which ‘mid-Acts-dispensationalists’ believe is only in the epistles of Paul, regardless that PAUL wrote:
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
This is David Dowell, saying, “Think about it!”
Conf. Wed. Message # 5 on 7-21-10
The speaker said that "A person is justified based upon the faith of Jesus Christ, that Jesus Christ trusted the Father." This is a common ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine, built upon the preposition ‘of’ which does not even appear in the Greek text. The KJV is not wrong. The KJV is right, as the word is needed to make a complete sentence. However, for ‘mid-Acts-ers’ to build a doctrine about ‘the faith OF Christ’ in this verse, is not correct. I am not educated in Greek, neither was I a good student in English class, but I do know how to look at words and compare them. I am certainly NOT trying to change the English, nor the meaning of anything. When I was a ‘mid-Acts-er’ I was taught I never needed to "go to the Greek", but now that I am no longer a ‘mid-Acts-er’, I find it interesting to observe it.
Shown below is Gal 2:16, with the Greek words directly AFTER the English translation.
Notice that the 2 places the word ‘OF’ appears directly in front of ‘Jesus’, only His name is in the Greek.
Also notice that when the verse is talking about our ‘belief’ (faith) ‘IN’ Jesus Christ, there IS a Greek word for the preposition ‘in’.
Also notice the 5 times the Greek word [dikaioo] appears and how it was translated:
Gal 2:16 Knowing [eido] that [hoti] a man [anthropos] is [dikaioo] not [ou] justified [dikaioo] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos], but [ean me] by [dia] the faith [pistis] of Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], even [kai] we [hemeis] have believed [pisteuo] in [eis] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], that [hina] we might be justified [dikaioo] by [ek] the faith [pistis] of Christ [Christos], and [kai] not [ou] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos]: for [dioti] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos] shall [dikaioo] no [ou] [pas] flesh [sarx] be justified [dikaioo].
I thought it was unusual for the speaker to use an example from Jer 2:11-13, to show that Christ is our life.
If I heard the speaker correctly, I think he said that "Jesus Christ didn’t see the records in heaven. Jesus Christ went to the cross trusting the Father, that He would accept His sacrifice and would raise Him from the dead. He trusted -- but He didn’t know for sure -- IF there was a mark (sin) against Him." The Son of God being unsure of His pure, sinless life, that guaranteed His resurrection? This could not possibly be true! Jesus absolutely knew that He would rise again:
John 2:19-22 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
I expect this concept the speaker presented goes along with their doctrine that Jesus -- while He was on earth -- was "another Jesus" (2 Cor 11:4) from the "risen, glorified Lord" that appeared to Saul in Acts 9. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ DIVIDING Jesus into 2 Jesus’. THAT is also outrageous!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Shown below is Gal 2:16, with the Greek words directly AFTER the English translation.
Notice that the 2 places the word ‘OF’ appears directly in front of ‘Jesus’, only His name is in the Greek.
Also notice that when the verse is talking about our ‘belief’ (faith) ‘IN’ Jesus Christ, there IS a Greek word for the preposition ‘in’.
Also notice the 5 times the Greek word [dikaioo] appears and how it was translated:
Gal 2:16 Knowing [eido] that [hoti] a man [anthropos] is [dikaioo] not [ou] justified [dikaioo] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos], but [ean me] by [dia] the faith [pistis] of Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], even [kai] we [hemeis] have believed [pisteuo] in [eis] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], that [hina] we might be justified [dikaioo] by [ek] the faith [pistis] of Christ [Christos], and [kai] not [ou] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos]: for [dioti] by [ek] the works [ergon] of the law [nomos] shall [dikaioo] no [ou] [pas] flesh [sarx] be justified [dikaioo].
I thought it was unusual for the speaker to use an example from Jer 2:11-13, to show that Christ is our life.
If I heard the speaker correctly, I think he said that "Jesus Christ didn’t see the records in heaven. Jesus Christ went to the cross trusting the Father, that He would accept His sacrifice and would raise Him from the dead. He trusted -- but He didn’t know for sure -- IF there was a mark (sin) against Him." The Son of God being unsure of His pure, sinless life, that guaranteed His resurrection? This could not possibly be true! Jesus absolutely knew that He would rise again:
John 2:19-22 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
I expect this concept the speaker presented goes along with their doctrine that Jesus -- while He was on earth -- was "another Jesus" (2 Cor 11:4) from the "risen, glorified Lord" that appeared to Saul in Acts 9. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ DIVIDING Jesus into 2 Jesus’. THAT is also outrageous!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Wed. Message # 4 on 7-21-10
The speaker said that "because of the world we live in, being a Christian comes with great cost." I suppose it does in other parts of the world, but in the country in which we live, we enjoy ‘freedom of religion’ (dare I call it that?), and we are not persecuted with physical harm for our faith. Surely the prophets predicted that there will come a time when believers will be put to death for their faith.
Jesus said:
John 16:1-4 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
The speaker said that "most preaching and teaching is all over the word of God." He said that only Paul says there is a single standard, the gospel of grace, the due-time gospel that has not always been preached or taught.
The speaker said that "a common problem is their prayer life, when one comes to the gospel of Christ. They stop praying." Does that give you any indication of the damage ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine causes? They even admit it on the issue of prayer! Then speaker said, "You’re to pray consistent with right division."
The speaker read
Lev 11:44-45 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
.... and used it as an example for us, by saying that "One thing the gospel does is separate you out to God."
The speaker, talking about Paul’s "in me first" statement, said, "Paul is saying I am the first to be saved. He is a prototype of a pattern. The only context is that God concluded the world in unbelief and by that act alone He was signaling a new program, dispensation."
1 Tim 1:15-16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Talking about what God said to Paul, the speaker said, "Clearly the preaching of Christ is fundamentally different than before." But what does the SCRIPTURE say about that?
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I (Paul) continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
The speaker said to set your affection on things above, prize those things, treasure them. Then he used Jesus for an example from the gospels (Matt 6:19-21). He said this is what we call "grace motivation". Then he used the example of Moses from Heb 11:24-26. What was a ‘mid-Acts-er’ doing using Jesus and Moses for examples of "grace motivation"? Unheard of!
Several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Jesus said:
John 16:1-4 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
The speaker said that "most preaching and teaching is all over the word of God." He said that only Paul says there is a single standard, the gospel of grace, the due-time gospel that has not always been preached or taught.
The speaker said that "a common problem is their prayer life, when one comes to the gospel of Christ. They stop praying." Does that give you any indication of the damage ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine causes? They even admit it on the issue of prayer! Then speaker said, "You’re to pray consistent with right division."
The speaker read
Lev 11:44-45 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
.... and used it as an example for us, by saying that "One thing the gospel does is separate you out to God."
The speaker, talking about Paul’s "in me first" statement, said, "Paul is saying I am the first to be saved. He is a prototype of a pattern. The only context is that God concluded the world in unbelief and by that act alone He was signaling a new program, dispensation."
1 Tim 1:15-16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Talking about what God said to Paul, the speaker said, "Clearly the preaching of Christ is fundamentally different than before." But what does the SCRIPTURE say about that?
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I (Paul) continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
The speaker said to set your affection on things above, prize those things, treasure them. Then he used Jesus for an example from the gospels (Matt 6:19-21). He said this is what we call "grace motivation". Then he used the example of Moses from Heb 11:24-26. What was a ‘mid-Acts-er’ doing using Jesus and Moses for examples of "grace motivation"? Unheard of!
Several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Wed. Message # 3 on 7-21-10
The speaker opened by saying that Romans is the foundational truth of the new testament books, and that Romans is the first new testament epistle found in the Bible. He also made another statement about when we get to the new testament and find grace and the love of God, that separation is not extinct there. For him to make these references to the new testament is odd, because, generally, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ do not believe that ‘the church, the body of Christ’ has anything to do with the new testament. They believe it is strictly for Israel (Jer 31:31).
The speaker’s text was:
Rom 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
This speaker (as the one before him) also made ‘the religious system’ be the problem .... and focused on explaining about "carnal," "erring brethren within a local assembly" as those who should be marked and visibly identified for "departing from following Paul and the grace of God." He also taught that "things of the world" were also a source of attack. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ consider anyone who does not agree with them to be teaching false doctrine.
Several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker’s text was:
Rom 16:17-18 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
This speaker (as the one before him) also made ‘the religious system’ be the problem .... and focused on explaining about "carnal," "erring brethren within a local assembly" as those who should be marked and visibly identified for "departing from following Paul and the grace of God." He also taught that "things of the world" were also a source of attack. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ consider anyone who does not agree with them to be teaching false doctrine.
Several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Conf. Wed. Message # 2 on 7-21-10
Before the speaker began his message, he held up ‘the school’ as "the pinnacle of truth on the planet." Since he regards the school with such high esteem, don’t you think his message will adhere to that school’s doctrines?
The speaker made the statement, "I don’t need a verse to tell me not to marry unbelievers. You don’t need a verse to tell you cigarettes are not good for you. If you need verses, I’ve got them .... but you should not need a verse if you have the mind of Christ." He never gave any explanation of how a person would discern if the thoughts in his mind were coming from 1) the mind of Christ, or 2) his own fleshly mind (Col 2:18), or 3) the fiery darts of the wicked (Eph 6:16). I will tell you how to know the source of your thoughts .... YOU NEED A VERSE!
Since the speaker believes "you don’t need a verse" .... don’t you think his message will reflect that notion?
His text was 2 Cor 6:14-7:1. He said, "The context of the chapter is not about Christians marrying unbelievers. It is about the religious system." Even though his premise is that "you don’t need a verse" .... let’s go ahead and read them anyway, just for the sake of it being God’s word.
The context begins with a contrast between believers and unbelievers .... not with a difference between ‘grace believers’ and ‘the religious system’:
2 Cor 6:14-7:1 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
The same comparison made yet again, following the colon (which is a mark of punctuation used before an extended quotation, explanation, example, or series):
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
We are made righteous (Rom 5:19).
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9).
and what communion hath light with darkness?
We were darkness, but now are children of light (Eph 5:8, 1 Thes 5:5, Acts 26:18, John 12:48).
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
Belial is another name for Satan.
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
An infidel is one who is unfaithful and unbelieving.
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
We are to guard ourselves from all manner of fellowship with heathen worship, including any image of any false god.
We should be separate from unbelievers, the unrighteous, darkness, Belial, an
infidel, and idols? Why? Because we are God’s building (1 Cor 3:9, Eph 2:22):
for ye are the temple of the living God; (also see Acts 7:48, 17:24)
Then Paul quoted the OLD testament and APPLIED it to saints in the dispensation of grace:
as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (MANY references)
This passage is not teaching us to be separated ‘from Adam into Christ’. The text says nothing about separating ourselves unto the grace of God:
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The speaker said we should be "learning ‘the grace message’ and not going back into the religious system. That’s what we’re saved from."
The speaker was intent upon forcing a separation between the saints who attend churches where they are not ‘mid-Acts, rightly-dividing, grace believers.’ He said, "Sometimes they may be justified, but it gets cloudy after that."
The speaker read
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
The speaker said, "Paul was separated from his mother’s womb." He also said Paul was separated from the commonwealth of Israel and from the law.
The speaker said, "When anyone goes to the Greek to try to explain a verse, 99.9" of the time they’re trying to get around what it says." Since the KJV was translated from the Greek, why would the speaker make such a rash judgment on a person who sought a fuller, composite understanding?
The speaker also said, "God thinks less of the religious person who goes to church. It’s more dangerous." He said, "God gave the only religion. What we’re into isn’t a religion. We’re not religious. God hates religion. It’s not okay to be in the religious system." Verses, please? Oh yeah, he doesn’t need them! Well, how about this one anyway?
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
I think the speaker’s life experiences were amusing. It is just sad that he is so captivated and blinded by ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine .... and that he thinks he doesn’t need a verse.
FYI, several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
A couple of years ago, I talked with the speaker about being faithful to the KJV, and Pauline authority, about office of a ‘bishop’, and he agreed with the verse. Last year, he showed me his new business cards with the correct ‘office’ title printed on them:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Today, he repeatedly used the term ‘pastor’ instead, which is The Living Bible’s substitute word for ‘bishop’. Maybe he has been influenced by the ‘mid-Acts’ bishops who refuse to be called such, who don’t ‘follow Paul’, and who claim to be KJV but are not true to it on this issue.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker made the statement, "I don’t need a verse to tell me not to marry unbelievers. You don’t need a verse to tell you cigarettes are not good for you. If you need verses, I’ve got them .... but you should not need a verse if you have the mind of Christ." He never gave any explanation of how a person would discern if the thoughts in his mind were coming from 1) the mind of Christ, or 2) his own fleshly mind (Col 2:18), or 3) the fiery darts of the wicked (Eph 6:16). I will tell you how to know the source of your thoughts .... YOU NEED A VERSE!
Since the speaker believes "you don’t need a verse" .... don’t you think his message will reflect that notion?
His text was 2 Cor 6:14-7:1. He said, "The context of the chapter is not about Christians marrying unbelievers. It is about the religious system." Even though his premise is that "you don’t need a verse" .... let’s go ahead and read them anyway, just for the sake of it being God’s word.
The context begins with a contrast between believers and unbelievers .... not with a difference between ‘grace believers’ and ‘the religious system’:
2 Cor 6:14-7:1 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
The same comparison made yet again, following the colon (which is a mark of punctuation used before an extended quotation, explanation, example, or series):
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
We are made righteous (Rom 5:19).
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9).
and what communion hath light with darkness?
We were darkness, but now are children of light (Eph 5:8, 1 Thes 5:5, Acts 26:18, John 12:48).
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
Belial is another name for Satan.
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
An infidel is one who is unfaithful and unbelieving.
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
We are to guard ourselves from all manner of fellowship with heathen worship, including any image of any false god.
We should be separate from unbelievers, the unrighteous, darkness, Belial, an
infidel, and idols? Why? Because we are God’s building (1 Cor 3:9, Eph 2:22):
for ye are the temple of the living God; (also see Acts 7:48, 17:24)
Then Paul quoted the OLD testament and APPLIED it to saints in the dispensation of grace:
as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (MANY references)
This passage is not teaching us to be separated ‘from Adam into Christ’. The text says nothing about separating ourselves unto the grace of God:
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The speaker said we should be "learning ‘the grace message’ and not going back into the religious system. That’s what we’re saved from."
The speaker was intent upon forcing a separation between the saints who attend churches where they are not ‘mid-Acts, rightly-dividing, grace believers.’ He said, "Sometimes they may be justified, but it gets cloudy after that."
The speaker read
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
The speaker said, "Paul was separated from his mother’s womb." He also said Paul was separated from the commonwealth of Israel and from the law.
The speaker said, "When anyone goes to the Greek to try to explain a verse, 99.9" of the time they’re trying to get around what it says." Since the KJV was translated from the Greek, why would the speaker make such a rash judgment on a person who sought a fuller, composite understanding?
The speaker also said, "God thinks less of the religious person who goes to church. It’s more dangerous." He said, "God gave the only religion. What we’re into isn’t a religion. We’re not religious. God hates religion. It’s not okay to be in the religious system." Verses, please? Oh yeah, he doesn’t need them! Well, how about this one anyway?
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
I think the speaker’s life experiences were amusing. It is just sad that he is so captivated and blinded by ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine .... and that he thinks he doesn’t need a verse.
FYI, several weeks ago I preached a message on Separation, which is posted both audio and text (available to download) on my website.
A couple of years ago, I talked with the speaker about being faithful to the KJV, and Pauline authority, about office of a ‘bishop’, and he agreed with the verse. Last year, he showed me his new business cards with the correct ‘office’ title printed on them:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Today, he repeatedly used the term ‘pastor’ instead, which is The Living Bible’s substitute word for ‘bishop’. Maybe he has been influenced by the ‘mid-Acts’ bishops who refuse to be called such, who don’t ‘follow Paul’, and who claim to be KJV but are not true to it on this issue.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Tuesday Message # 5 on 7-20-10
It is quite odd, that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ boldly claim PAUL, PAUL, PAUL, preached the cross in a unique way and that PAUL had ‘new information, never before revealed’ .... yet when 3 of the evening preachers have had message titles focused on the cross, they have all 3 preached the cross almost entirely OUTSIDE of PAUL. Again tonight, I was astonished to see yet another ‘mid-Acts-er’ venture so far away from Paul.
The speaker made the statement (without a verse) that "Satan lost the title deed to the universe." Then he proceeded to divide the saints of Israel from the saints of the Gentiles. Thus, in regular ‘mid-Acts’ tradition, he divided to create separate destinies for the 2 different groups of saints .... even though the apostle PAUL put them TOGETHER:
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
God did not start an entire NEW TREE comprised of both Jew and Gentile. He MERGED the Gentiles into ISRAEL’s tree:
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
That is what the mystery was, that Jew and Gentiles would be ONE, not 2:
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Gentiles used to be excluded in time past .... but now, we are included WITH Israel, who were already ‘in Christ before Paul’ (Rom 16:7):
Eph 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (also see 2 Cor 6:16)
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Gal 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
A few years ago, when I talked with this speaker about using the KJV word 'bishop', instead of using The Living Bible's word 'pastor' .... he gave me the lame excuse that he did not want to be called a 'bishop' because he did not want to be associated with a certain other religious group in his local area. I know of no other KJV word that 'mid-Acts-ers' boycott with such stubbornness. They firmly defend the KJV word 'dispensation' and often preach about preserving it, and not changing it.
The speaker followed the leader, the ‘mid-Acts’ paradigm, the school, and the chart .... saying what they say. The problem is that there are many verses that prove they are wrong.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker made the statement (without a verse) that "Satan lost the title deed to the universe." Then he proceeded to divide the saints of Israel from the saints of the Gentiles. Thus, in regular ‘mid-Acts’ tradition, he divided to create separate destinies for the 2 different groups of saints .... even though the apostle PAUL put them TOGETHER:
Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
God did not start an entire NEW TREE comprised of both Jew and Gentile. He MERGED the Gentiles into ISRAEL’s tree:
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
That is what the mystery was, that Jew and Gentiles would be ONE, not 2:
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Gentiles used to be excluded in time past .... but now, we are included WITH Israel, who were already ‘in Christ before Paul’ (Rom 16:7):
Eph 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (also see 2 Cor 6:16)
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Gal 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
A few years ago, when I talked with this speaker about using the KJV word 'bishop', instead of using The Living Bible's word 'pastor' .... he gave me the lame excuse that he did not want to be called a 'bishop' because he did not want to be associated with a certain other religious group in his local area. I know of no other KJV word that 'mid-Acts-ers' boycott with such stubbornness. They firmly defend the KJV word 'dispensation' and often preach about preserving it, and not changing it.
The speaker followed the leader, the ‘mid-Acts’ paradigm, the school, and the chart .... saying what they say. The problem is that there are many verses that prove they are wrong.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Tuesday Message # 4 on 7-20-10
The speaker belabored a point by saying that Paul was giving out ‘new revelation’ which could not be found in the scriptures, so they had to take his word for it, based on his conduct and behavior among them. The speaker kept repeating that Paul was preaching "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8) that were not able to be verified in the old testament.
I researched the word ‘unsearchable’ and found the definition was, ‘that cannot be traced out, that cannot be comprehended’. I do not take that to mean that ‘knowledge of it was not recorded’, as the speaker taught. The LORD’s greatness WAS written in the old testament scriptures, but it is unsearchable, in that, one could search their lifetime and never exhaust the greatness of the LORD, nor come to its end:
Psa 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
Job 5:8-9 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Regarding what the speaker insisted, that Paul’s message was ‘unsearchable’ (meaning, not able to be found in the scriptures) .... let’s compare that to what the verses say about the message Paul preached:
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
It was BEFORE Acts 26, that Paul testified the gospel of the grace of God in Acts 20. Thus, the gospel of grace MUST BE in prophecy, since Paul said "none other things" than the prophets prophesied:
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Peter actually shows that the prophets realized they were writing about a future time, which began to be experienced during the time of Christ and the apostles:
1 Peter 1:9-12 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The speaker referred several times to Paul’s "pastorial epistles" that he studied. There is NO Bible verse that even mentions any such thing. Paul gave Timothy instructions about the office of a bishop and the office of a deacon --- but never the office of a pastor:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:10,13 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul also wrote to Titus about the characteristics of a bishop --- but not a pastor. The Living Bible uses the word ‘pastor’ in all these verses (in Timothy and Titus), but not the KJV. The KJV, which ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim is the very words of God in the English language, always says a ‘bishop’:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Paul addressed NO pastors at Philippi .... but he did write to the saints, bishops, and deacons:
Phil 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
I wish I had counted how many times the speaker said the phrase, "in the Pauline grace message". I can’t find it in the Bible either.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
I researched the word ‘unsearchable’ and found the definition was, ‘that cannot be traced out, that cannot be comprehended’. I do not take that to mean that ‘knowledge of it was not recorded’, as the speaker taught. The LORD’s greatness WAS written in the old testament scriptures, but it is unsearchable, in that, one could search their lifetime and never exhaust the greatness of the LORD, nor come to its end:
Psa 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
Job 5:8-9 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Regarding what the speaker insisted, that Paul’s message was ‘unsearchable’ (meaning, not able to be found in the scriptures) .... let’s compare that to what the verses say about the message Paul preached:
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
It was BEFORE Acts 26, that Paul testified the gospel of the grace of God in Acts 20. Thus, the gospel of grace MUST BE in prophecy, since Paul said "none other things" than the prophets prophesied:
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Peter actually shows that the prophets realized they were writing about a future time, which began to be experienced during the time of Christ and the apostles:
1 Peter 1:9-12 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The speaker referred several times to Paul’s "pastorial epistles" that he studied. There is NO Bible verse that even mentions any such thing. Paul gave Timothy instructions about the office of a bishop and the office of a deacon --- but never the office of a pastor:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:10,13 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul also wrote to Titus about the characteristics of a bishop --- but not a pastor. The Living Bible uses the word ‘pastor’ in all these verses (in Timothy and Titus), but not the KJV. The KJV, which ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim is the very words of God in the English language, always says a ‘bishop’:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Paul addressed NO pastors at Philippi .... but he did write to the saints, bishops, and deacons:
Phil 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
I wish I had counted how many times the speaker said the phrase, "in the Pauline grace message". I can’t find it in the Bible either.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Tuesday Messages # 3 on 7-20-10
I missed the first 15 minutes of this message.
The speaker said, "If no one has accused you of saying God doesn’t care how you live, then it’s likely you’re not preaching grace." It would be better said, "If someone HAS accused you of saying God doesn’t care how you live, then it’s likely you’re not preaching grace the RIGHT way!" Where did ‘mid-Acts-ers’ get the idea that in order to preach grace, you cannot identify sin or say anything about it? Is their philosophy, ‘Don’t name or mention any sins, lest you offend someone’? Jesus spoke the truth, and ‘let the chips fall where they may’:
Matt 15:10-14 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Knowing God’s judgment to come at the end of the world on those that obey NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess 1:8-10), it would be worth the risk of insult to warn the wicked (Ezek 3:18-19, 33:8-9), instead of feeling like we are trying to run their life because we opened our mouth:
Matt 13:40-42 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
We ought not be insensitive, but discerning, on how to really ‘help’ others.
It is not being bossy to give instruction from the scriptures:
Jude 1:22-23 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
The speaker expressed a typical ‘mid-Acts’ viewpoint, that being in a church is worse than being in a bar, because people in church think they are okay, and people in bars know they’re not. That kind of perspective is an arrogant attitude over other Christians that love the Lord and seek to please Him, even though they have some incorrect theology.
Overall, the speaker filled his time reiterating ‘mid-Acts’ doctrinal points. But there are no verses for statements, such as, ‘The distinctive ministry of Paul was that he preached a unique gospel,’ and ‘The body of Christ does not start in Acts 2, but in Acts 9.’
I agree that liberty can be misinterpreted, but I believe that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ are the ones who abuse it.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
The speaker said, "If no one has accused you of saying God doesn’t care how you live, then it’s likely you’re not preaching grace." It would be better said, "If someone HAS accused you of saying God doesn’t care how you live, then it’s likely you’re not preaching grace the RIGHT way!" Where did ‘mid-Acts-ers’ get the idea that in order to preach grace, you cannot identify sin or say anything about it? Is their philosophy, ‘Don’t name or mention any sins, lest you offend someone’? Jesus spoke the truth, and ‘let the chips fall where they may’:
Matt 15:10-14 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Knowing God’s judgment to come at the end of the world on those that obey NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess 1:8-10), it would be worth the risk of insult to warn the wicked (Ezek 3:18-19, 33:8-9), instead of feeling like we are trying to run their life because we opened our mouth:
Matt 13:40-42 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
We ought not be insensitive, but discerning, on how to really ‘help’ others.
It is not being bossy to give instruction from the scriptures:
Jude 1:22-23 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
The speaker expressed a typical ‘mid-Acts’ viewpoint, that being in a church is worse than being in a bar, because people in church think they are okay, and people in bars know they’re not. That kind of perspective is an arrogant attitude over other Christians that love the Lord and seek to please Him, even though they have some incorrect theology.
Overall, the speaker filled his time reiterating ‘mid-Acts’ doctrinal points. But there are no verses for statements, such as, ‘The distinctive ministry of Paul was that he preached a unique gospel,’ and ‘The body of Christ does not start in Acts 2, but in Acts 9.’
I agree that liberty can be misinterpreted, but I believe that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ are the ones who abuse it.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Tuesday Messages # 1 and 2 on 7-20-10
I was working and unable to listen to either of these messages.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Conf. Monday Message # 5 on 7-19-10
The speaker did not use this passage, but his message was about the blood of the new testament (also Heb 9:14-15):
1 Cor 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ believe the new testament was for Israel (Jer 31:31). They do not want to admit we have anything to do with the new testament, though Paul recorded that it is our ministry:
2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
As I was shocked on Saturday evening, by the opening message having SO MANY VERSES OUTSIDE of PAUL .... so it was again with this speaker. Something seems to have had a positive effect on them, to cause them to SPREAD OUT in the WHOLE word of God, rather than CONFINE their verses in typical ‘mid-Acts’ fashion to only those of PAUL. Maybe they noticed how many times PAUL referenced the old testament passages! Maybe someone called their attention and pointed out all the, "It is written," verses of PAUL! I was both surprised and refreshed by their adventures where no ‘mid-Acts-er’ has gone before! Though I am no longer a 'mid-Acts-er', I never heard such use of ‘all’ scripture during all my nearly 30 years at their conferences combined. It was definitely a big step in the right direction:
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The speaker’s detailed description of Christ’s sacrifice was comprehensive, grave, and sobering.
I am just sorry that he is unwilling to accept the title of his office of a bishop, and in so doing, he discredits the KJV. He and his ‘co-pastor’ ‘ministry associate’ prefer to be known as ‘teaching elders,’ rather than the bishops they truly are. Thus, they are neither KJV, nor Pauline, but unfaithful to God’s word. Being a bishop is a good work, why avoid GOD’s name for who you are? This day’s messages were focused on one’s "Identity in Christ" .... it is quite sad that the bishops want to teach you what ‘your identity’ is, but refuse ‘their own identity’ GOD gave them:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
1 Cor 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ believe the new testament was for Israel (Jer 31:31). They do not want to admit we have anything to do with the new testament, though Paul recorded that it is our ministry:
2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
As I was shocked on Saturday evening, by the opening message having SO MANY VERSES OUTSIDE of PAUL .... so it was again with this speaker. Something seems to have had a positive effect on them, to cause them to SPREAD OUT in the WHOLE word of God, rather than CONFINE their verses in typical ‘mid-Acts’ fashion to only those of PAUL. Maybe they noticed how many times PAUL referenced the old testament passages! Maybe someone called their attention and pointed out all the, "It is written," verses of PAUL! I was both surprised and refreshed by their adventures where no ‘mid-Acts-er’ has gone before! Though I am no longer a 'mid-Acts-er', I never heard such use of ‘all’ scripture during all my nearly 30 years at their conferences combined. It was definitely a big step in the right direction:
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The speaker’s detailed description of Christ’s sacrifice was comprehensive, grave, and sobering.
I am just sorry that he is unwilling to accept the title of his office of a bishop, and in so doing, he discredits the KJV. He and his ‘co-pastor’ ‘ministry associate’ prefer to be known as ‘teaching elders,’ rather than the bishops they truly are. Thus, they are neither KJV, nor Pauline, but unfaithful to God’s word. Being a bishop is a good work, why avoid GOD’s name for who you are? This day’s messages were focused on one’s "Identity in Christ" .... it is quite sad that the bishops want to teach you what ‘your identity’ is, but refuse ‘their own identity’ GOD gave them:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Monday Message # 4 on 7-19-10
I was unable to listen to much of the speaker’s sermon, as I had business to attend during the time of his message. Therefore, I have no comments on it.
Conf. Monday Message # 3 on 7-19-10
The speaker was very difficult for me to listen to for the following 2 reasons:
1) He wrote a book about the authority and inerrancy of the King James Version of the Bible, but he does not honor God’s word regarding the office he holds:
1 Tim 3:1 (KJV) This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Evidently, he does not believe being a bishop is a good work, since he substitutes The Living Bible’s title instead of using the KJV:
1 Tim 3:1 (TLB) It is a true saying that if a man wants to be a pastor he has a good ambition.
The Living Bible replaces the KJV’s ‘bishop’ with ‘pastor’ every time (1 Tim 3:1 and 2; Titus 1:7, and Phil 1:1).
2) Although the speaker is a teacher by profession, his repetitive speech pattern was extremely distracting. I do not think he was actually inviting the congregation to audibly respond to his questions. But each time he asked, “What?” .... I made a tally mark. I did NOT count ANY time that those words were used in a normal interrogative sentence. Here is an example of how he ‘preached’ his sermon, “The law of _what?_ hath made me _what?_ from the _what?_ of _what?_.” He asked, “What?” 102 times; “How?” 2 times; “Who?” 13 times; and “Where?” 12 times.
Other than those two very high hurdles, the content of his message and his thoughtfulness of its subject were good.
1) He wrote a book about the authority and inerrancy of the King James Version of the Bible, but he does not honor God’s word regarding the office he holds:
1 Tim 3:1 (KJV) This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Evidently, he does not believe being a bishop is a good work, since he substitutes The Living Bible’s title instead of using the KJV:
1 Tim 3:1 (TLB) It is a true saying that if a man wants to be a pastor he has a good ambition.
The Living Bible replaces the KJV’s ‘bishop’ with ‘pastor’ every time (1 Tim 3:1 and 2; Titus 1:7, and Phil 1:1).
2) Although the speaker is a teacher by profession, his repetitive speech pattern was extremely distracting. I do not think he was actually inviting the congregation to audibly respond to his questions. But each time he asked, “What?” .... I made a tally mark. I did NOT count ANY time that those words were used in a normal interrogative sentence. Here is an example of how he ‘preached’ his sermon, “The law of _what?_ hath made me _what?_ from the _what?_ of _what?_.” He asked, “What?” 102 times; “How?” 2 times; “Who?” 13 times; and “Where?” 12 times.
Other than those two very high hurdles, the content of his message and his thoughtfulness of its subject were good.
Conf. Monday Message # 2 on 7-19-10
The speaker said, "Welcome to reality, where the word of God is rightly divided. For us today, the Bible begins in Romans."
Shouldn’t he at least back up to WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS is the BEGINNING of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Oh, no! He won’t do that because he is a ‘mid-Acts-er’ who believes PAUL preached a DIFFERENT gospel of Jesus Christ .... for the speaker, "the Bible BEGINS in ROMANS!"
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Well now, since the speaker thinks the Bible begins in Romans .... he must believe ‘the gospel of GOD concerning His Son Jesus Christ’ (Rom 1:1-3) .... instead of ‘the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ (Mark 1:1) .... which, to a ‘mid-Acts-er’, are DIFFERENT gospels:
Rom 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The speaker put himself in a Catch 22 because PAUL wrote that ‘the gospel of God’ (which he was separated unto) was promised afore by God’s prophets in the Bible .... which the speaker just said didn’t BEGIN until Romans.
The speaker would have another problem with PAUL’s (beginning in Romans) ‘gospel of God’ because PETER also wrote about ‘the gospel of God’ (1 Pet 4:17), and ‘mid-Acts-er’ don’t allow Paul and Peter to have the same gospel .... even though Paul was quite clear about the penalty for that:
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
In Gal 2:7-9, there is a specific Greek word for the words ‘to’ and ‘toward’ showing Peter and Paul went different directions, but they did not have different gospels. If Peter was preaching a different gospel than Paul preached, he would be accursed.
The scriptures show Peter and Paul preached the SAME gospel in 1 Cor 15:1-11.
1 Cor 15:11 Therefore whether it were I (Paul) or they (including Peter from 1 Cor 15:5), so we preach (the gospel from 1 Cor 15:3-4), and so ye believed.
1 Cor 3:22-23 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
1 Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us (Paul, Apollos, Peter), as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
The speaker said Romans chapters 9-11 introduced the concept of ‘right division’ and ‘who is Israel, where is Israel, and you’re not Israel’.
Shouldn’t he at least back up (beginning in Romans) to WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS about who is the Jew?
Rom 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Maybe Paul could ‘rephrase’ that. Who is Israel?
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Shouldn’t the speaker at least back up to see Who CHRIST is in us, rather than concentrate on who WE are in Him? The center of attention ought to be CHRIST FIRST, not us:
Col 1:25-27 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
The speaker said, "You know how I know I’m saved? The word of God says I am." Book, chapter, and verse, please!
The speaker said, "If you want to see Jesus Christ, just go look in the mirror." When Jesus dwelt among men, people were able to see Him, in the physical:
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Jesus can be seen now only with the eyes of faith when we believe that He died for us .... but not in a mirror:
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
We look for Him to come from heaven and change our bodies to be like His:
Phil 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
2 Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
When Jesus returns in glory (Matt 24:30), everyone will see Him then (2 Thess 1:7-10). The world will know:
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The speaker said, "Abortions - they’re His. Modern genocide works out to the glory of God. It’s done in His good pleasure. He gets them - they’re His." I was deeply troubled by the speaker’s flippant words and insensitivity about abortion.
The speaker said, "The first thing you do when you learn the grace message is to go back and tell everybody they’re wrong." What does that tell you about ‘the grace message’? GOD's grace does not produce that attitude, but 'mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalism' does.
The speaker said, "Romans 6 has a great infamous history." The dictionary defines ‘infamous’ as having a very bad reputation; notorious; in disgrace or dishonor causing or deserving a bad reputation; scandalous; outrageous.
I thought the speaker’s ‘big picture’ and ‘heavenly view’ lacked focus. He did excessive story-telling instead of Biblical exposition.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Shouldn’t he at least back up to WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS is the BEGINNING of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Oh, no! He won’t do that because he is a ‘mid-Acts-er’ who believes PAUL preached a DIFFERENT gospel of Jesus Christ .... for the speaker, "the Bible BEGINS in ROMANS!"
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Well now, since the speaker thinks the Bible begins in Romans .... he must believe ‘the gospel of GOD concerning His Son Jesus Christ’ (Rom 1:1-3) .... instead of ‘the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ (Mark 1:1) .... which, to a ‘mid-Acts-er’, are DIFFERENT gospels:
Rom 1:1-4 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The speaker put himself in a Catch 22 because PAUL wrote that ‘the gospel of God’ (which he was separated unto) was promised afore by God’s prophets in the Bible .... which the speaker just said didn’t BEGIN until Romans.
The speaker would have another problem with PAUL’s (beginning in Romans) ‘gospel of God’ because PETER also wrote about ‘the gospel of God’ (1 Pet 4:17), and ‘mid-Acts-er’ don’t allow Paul and Peter to have the same gospel .... even though Paul was quite clear about the penalty for that:
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
In Gal 2:7-9, there is a specific Greek word for the words ‘to’ and ‘toward’ showing Peter and Paul went different directions, but they did not have different gospels. If Peter was preaching a different gospel than Paul preached, he would be accursed.
The scriptures show Peter and Paul preached the SAME gospel in 1 Cor 15:1-11.
1 Cor 15:11 Therefore whether it were I (Paul) or they (including Peter from 1 Cor 15:5), so we preach (the gospel from 1 Cor 15:3-4), and so ye believed.
1 Cor 3:22-23 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
1 Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us (Paul, Apollos, Peter), as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
The speaker said Romans chapters 9-11 introduced the concept of ‘right division’ and ‘who is Israel, where is Israel, and you’re not Israel’.
Shouldn’t he at least back up (beginning in Romans) to WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS about who is the Jew?
Rom 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Maybe Paul could ‘rephrase’ that. Who is Israel?
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Shouldn’t the speaker at least back up to see Who CHRIST is in us, rather than concentrate on who WE are in Him? The center of attention ought to be CHRIST FIRST, not us:
Col 1:25-27 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
The speaker said, "You know how I know I’m saved? The word of God says I am." Book, chapter, and verse, please!
The speaker said, "If you want to see Jesus Christ, just go look in the mirror." When Jesus dwelt among men, people were able to see Him, in the physical:
John 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Jesus can be seen now only with the eyes of faith when we believe that He died for us .... but not in a mirror:
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
We look for Him to come from heaven and change our bodies to be like His:
Phil 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that,
when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
2 Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
When Jesus returns in glory (Matt 24:30), everyone will see Him then (2 Thess 1:7-10). The world will know:
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The speaker said, "Abortions - they’re His. Modern genocide works out to the glory of God. It’s done in His good pleasure. He gets them - they’re His." I was deeply troubled by the speaker’s flippant words and insensitivity about abortion.
The speaker said, "The first thing you do when you learn the grace message is to go back and tell everybody they’re wrong." What does that tell you about ‘the grace message’? GOD's grace does not produce that attitude, but 'mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalism' does.
The speaker said, "Romans 6 has a great infamous history." The dictionary defines ‘infamous’ as having a very bad reputation; notorious; in disgrace or dishonor causing or deserving a bad reputation; scandalous; outrageous.
I thought the speaker’s ‘big picture’ and ‘heavenly view’ lacked focus. He did excessive story-telling instead of Biblical exposition.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Conf. Monday Message # 1 on 7-19-10
The speaker used a popular ‘mid-Acts’ phrase, ‘a saint of the Most High God’. Ever wonder where that came from? Did PAUL use that term? Or did the speaker go OUTSIDE of PAUL to get that 'title'? Oh, no! ‘Mid-Acts’ horror! It is in DANIEL .... 4 times .... and worse yet, it is in the CONTEXT of the LAST DAYS and the END of the WORLD and the COMING / APPEARING / RETURN of the LORD back to EARTH (also see Matt 24:3):
Dan 7:13-28 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (WHICH saints? The saints of the most High? from vs. 18?)
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Could these be the saints who will judge the WORLD, of whom PAUL wrote?
1 Cor 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Let’s continue in Daniel:
(Dan 7:) 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
It was JUDGMENTAL of the speaker to find it "funny and interesting" "to go to a mall and watch people" or "sit in a room" .... so he could "pick out saved - or - not saved" (assuming by outward appearance and behavior, since he did not mention talking to any of them).
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
The speaker equated ‘departing from the faith’ with "not living in the doctrine laid out by Paul" .... and .... "to start teaching other things OUTSIDE of Paul’s epistles as doctrines for today."
FYI, the same Greek word that is translated "shall depart from" in 1 Tim 4:1 is also used about withdrawing from GOD in Heb 3:12:
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Departing from ‘the faith’ and from ‘the living God’ .... are NOT AT ALL the same as what the speaker indicated was departing from ‘MID-ACTS DOCTRINE’! Again, his JUDGMENTAL attitude was offensive.
May I ‘step outside of Paul’ to call to remembrance 2 verses from Matthew?
Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
FYI, also, the same Greek word in 1 Tim 4:1 and Heb 3:12, is the same word that is translated ‘fall away’ in connection to ‘time of temptation’:
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root (also see Rom 11:17), which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Jesus warned of falling away from the faith, from God .... denying Him .... because of the threat of one’s physical life being taken:
Matt 10:28, 33 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
PAUL gave the same warning as Jesus did .... if ‘we’ deny Him:
2 Tim 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:
if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Oh, speaker .... if we find a verse that is OUTSIDE of PAUL .... may we still use it .... if we can find a verse INSIDE of PAUL that teaches the same thing? Or do they have to be DIFFERENT things .... even though they are the SAME WORDS .... since ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine teaches ‘the last days’ of PAUL are ‘DIFFERENT last days’ than ‘the last days’ of PETER .... and the ‘coming/appearing of the Lord’ in PAUL is ‘a DIFFERENT coming/appearing of the Lord’ than in PETER?
PAUL PROPHESIED a falling away .... a forsaking .... an apostasy .... a departing from the faith, from God .... combined with the son of perdition being revealed. In that context, PAUL told the saints not to be deceived (also see Matt 24:4,11 and Luke 21:8):
2 Thess 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
It will be a world-wide tempting time:
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
The temptation and tribulation will be great .... to save one’s own physical life (even though just for 3-1/2 years), to be able to do any business or buy groceries, to deny the faith and the Lord, to worship the image of the beast, and to receive his mark:
Rev 13:15-17 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Jesus encouraged people to endure affliction and persecution: (also see Mark 4:17, 2 Thess 1:4-10, 1 Pet 2:19-23):
Mark 8:35-38 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore 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.
The speaker’s topic was to ‘Walk Intelligently’ .... well, it is better to be prepared by rightly dividing the word of truth with a correct understanding about the resurrection and coming of the Lord .... than to have one’s faith subverted or destroyed:
2 Tim 2:15-18 Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Dan 7:13-28 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (WHICH saints? The saints of the most High? from vs. 18?)
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Could these be the saints who will judge the WORLD, of whom PAUL wrote?
1 Cor 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Let’s continue in Daniel:
(Dan 7:) 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
It was JUDGMENTAL of the speaker to find it "funny and interesting" "to go to a mall and watch people" or "sit in a room" .... so he could "pick out saved - or - not saved" (assuming by outward appearance and behavior, since he did not mention talking to any of them).
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
The speaker equated ‘departing from the faith’ with "not living in the doctrine laid out by Paul" .... and .... "to start teaching other things OUTSIDE of Paul’s epistles as doctrines for today."
FYI, the same Greek word that is translated "shall depart from" in 1 Tim 4:1 is also used about withdrawing from GOD in Heb 3:12:
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Departing from ‘the faith’ and from ‘the living God’ .... are NOT AT ALL the same as what the speaker indicated was departing from ‘MID-ACTS DOCTRINE’! Again, his JUDGMENTAL attitude was offensive.
May I ‘step outside of Paul’ to call to remembrance 2 verses from Matthew?
Matt 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
FYI, also, the same Greek word in 1 Tim 4:1 and Heb 3:12, is the same word that is translated ‘fall away’ in connection to ‘time of temptation’:
Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root (also see Rom 11:17), which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Jesus warned of falling away from the faith, from God .... denying Him .... because of the threat of one’s physical life being taken:
Matt 10:28, 33 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
PAUL gave the same warning as Jesus did .... if ‘we’ deny Him:
2 Tim 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:
if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Oh, speaker .... if we find a verse that is OUTSIDE of PAUL .... may we still use it .... if we can find a verse INSIDE of PAUL that teaches the same thing? Or do they have to be DIFFERENT things .... even though they are the SAME WORDS .... since ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine teaches ‘the last days’ of PAUL are ‘DIFFERENT last days’ than ‘the last days’ of PETER .... and the ‘coming/appearing of the Lord’ in PAUL is ‘a DIFFERENT coming/appearing of the Lord’ than in PETER?
PAUL PROPHESIED a falling away .... a forsaking .... an apostasy .... a departing from the faith, from God .... combined with the son of perdition being revealed. In that context, PAUL told the saints not to be deceived (also see Matt 24:4,11 and Luke 21:8):
2 Thess 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
It will be a world-wide tempting time:
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
The temptation and tribulation will be great .... to save one’s own physical life (even though just for 3-1/2 years), to be able to do any business or buy groceries, to deny the faith and the Lord, to worship the image of the beast, and to receive his mark:
Rev 13:15-17 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Jesus encouraged people to endure affliction and persecution: (also see Mark 4:17, 2 Thess 1:4-10, 1 Pet 2:19-23):
Mark 8:35-38 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore 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.
The speaker’s topic was to ‘Walk Intelligently’ .... well, it is better to be prepared by rightly dividing the word of truth with a correct understanding about the resurrection and coming of the Lord .... than to have one’s faith subverted or destroyed:
2 Tim 2:15-18 Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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