During Sunday Evening Story-Time with the ‘teaching elder’ on August 29, 2010, he surprised me again with another change of doctrine! He said, ‘One day you will be walking in new Jerusalem .... and Obediah will come up to you and ask you what you thought of his book in the Bible.’ What?! Now, he’s sliding the ‘body of Christ’ saints INSIDE new Jerusalem?! He also said, ‘Hey, Moses, Aaron, Solomon, etc. You’re going to know them.’
Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles (Rom 11:13), taught the churches (Gal 1:2), that we all have new Jerusalem as our mother:
Gal 4:21-31 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (This truth was prophesied in the scriptures:)
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: (physical Israel under the OLD testament - the ministration of death and condemnation - 2 Cor 3:5-17) for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. (spiritual Israel made up of Jew and Gentile as ‘one body’ under the NEW testament - the ministration of the Spirit and righteousness, of which we are able ministers)
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Since my break away from the Cunning Royal Jester, I learned ALL God’s saints will be in new Jerusalem, but I never heard HIM admit it before.
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
I wanna be ready
To walk in Jerusalem just like John.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
5 Golden Mice and the Big Cheese
There is an account of 5 golden mice ....
but I’ve never seen any verses about ‘the Big Cheese’:
1 Sam 6:1-5 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
The reason I mentioned about ‘the Big Cheese’ .... is because that is what the IL ‘teaching elder’ called the Lord .... during this past Sunday Evening Story-Time on August 22, 2010. He said, "We’re going to go meet the Lord .... He’s the Big Cheese!" His comment was extremely disrespectful to our Saviour.
The IL ‘teaching elder’ also talked about "the bums at the rescue mission". Evidently, the Cunning Royal Jester doesn’t like to be called names .... but he sure doesn’t mind himself calling other people names! Would that be a hypocrite?
Mark 7:6-7 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
but I’ve never seen any verses about ‘the Big Cheese’:
1 Sam 6:1-5 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
The reason I mentioned about ‘the Big Cheese’ .... is because that is what the IL ‘teaching elder’ called the Lord .... during this past Sunday Evening Story-Time on August 22, 2010. He said, "We’re going to go meet the Lord .... He’s the Big Cheese!" His comment was extremely disrespectful to our Saviour.
The IL ‘teaching elder’ also talked about "the bums at the rescue mission". Evidently, the Cunning Royal Jester doesn’t like to be called names .... but he sure doesn’t mind himself calling other people names! Would that be a hypocrite?
Mark 7:6-7 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Sealed WITH, not BY?
On June 27, 2010, during the Sunday Evening Story-Time with the ‘teaching elder’ from Illinois, he made a point to say that, "We are sealed ‘WITH’ .... not ‘BY’ .... the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, which is the day of resurrection."
Eph 1:13 is the verse that says we were sealed ‘WITH’ the Holy Spirit, as the ‘teaching elder’ said. However, we will see that for him to exclude the word ‘BY’ was wrong.
We should be aware that in Eph 1:13, the Greek word [sphragizo] was translated into 4 English words, namely, "ye were sealed with".
There is NO problem with the translation, even though the word ‘with’ does not have an actual, separate Greek word from which it was translated. This reason, alone, is enough to NOT invent a teaching on it. But it is really no surprise that the ‘teaching elder’ does it, because he does the same thing with the English word ‘of’ in Gal 2:7. There, too, he creates 2 different gospels (one for Paul and a different one for Peter), based on the word ‘of’ that does not have a distinct word in the Greek.
The problem is with the ‘teaching elder’ .... building a doctrine .... making a statement, "We are sealed ‘WITH’ .... not ‘BY’ .... the Holy Spirit," when other scriptures contradict him:
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with [sphragizo] that holy Spirit of promise,
Later in Eph 4:30, in the same epistle, Paul (by inspiration of God) teaches we are sealed ‘BY’ the Holy Spirit. Let’s be aware of the Greek in that verse also.
The same Greek word [sphragizo] was translated into 3 English words, namely, "ye are sealed" (the word 'with' was not translated, although the Greek was the same as in Eph 1:13).
There are 2 Greek words [en] [hos] translated ‘whereby’. The preposition [en] is in the scriptures 2,800 times. It was translated ‘in’ 1,902 times, ‘BY’ 163 times, ‘WITH’ 140 times, ‘among’ 117 times, ‘at’ 113 times, ‘on’ 62 times, ‘through’ 39 times, and miscellaneous 264 times. It is unreasonable to manufacture a contrast, since the same Greek word was translated both 'by' and 'with'.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby [en] [hos]
ye are sealed [sphragizo] unto the day of redemption.
For the ‘teaching elder’ to create a big distinction between the English prepositions ‘with’ and ‘by’ .... about ‘how’ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, is yet another example of excessive DIVIDING.
PAUL wrote scripture that says God sealed those who are in Christ:
2 Cor 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ,
and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath [sphragizo] also sealed [sphragizo] us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Oh, no! JOHN also wrote scripture that quoted Jesus saying that God sealed those who have everlasting life:
John 6:26-27 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed [sphragizo].
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have 2 different ‘sealings’.
What will they divide next?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Eph 1:13 is the verse that says we were sealed ‘WITH’ the Holy Spirit, as the ‘teaching elder’ said. However, we will see that for him to exclude the word ‘BY’ was wrong.
We should be aware that in Eph 1:13, the Greek word [sphragizo] was translated into 4 English words, namely, "ye were sealed with".
There is NO problem with the translation, even though the word ‘with’ does not have an actual, separate Greek word from which it was translated. This reason, alone, is enough to NOT invent a teaching on it. But it is really no surprise that the ‘teaching elder’ does it, because he does the same thing with the English word ‘of’ in Gal 2:7. There, too, he creates 2 different gospels (one for Paul and a different one for Peter), based on the word ‘of’ that does not have a distinct word in the Greek.
The problem is with the ‘teaching elder’ .... building a doctrine .... making a statement, "We are sealed ‘WITH’ .... not ‘BY’ .... the Holy Spirit," when other scriptures contradict him:
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with [sphragizo] that holy Spirit of promise,
Later in Eph 4:30, in the same epistle, Paul (by inspiration of God) teaches we are sealed ‘BY’ the Holy Spirit. Let’s be aware of the Greek in that verse also.
The same Greek word [sphragizo] was translated into 3 English words, namely, "ye are sealed" (the word 'with' was not translated, although the Greek was the same as in Eph 1:13).
There are 2 Greek words [en] [hos] translated ‘whereby’. The preposition [en] is in the scriptures 2,800 times. It was translated ‘in’ 1,902 times, ‘BY’ 163 times, ‘WITH’ 140 times, ‘among’ 117 times, ‘at’ 113 times, ‘on’ 62 times, ‘through’ 39 times, and miscellaneous 264 times. It is unreasonable to manufacture a contrast, since the same Greek word was translated both 'by' and 'with'.
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby [en] [hos]
ye are sealed [sphragizo] unto the day of redemption.
For the ‘teaching elder’ to create a big distinction between the English prepositions ‘with’ and ‘by’ .... about ‘how’ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, is yet another example of excessive DIVIDING.
PAUL wrote scripture that says God sealed those who are in Christ:
2 Cor 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ,
and hath anointed us, is God;
22 Who hath [sphragizo] also sealed [sphragizo] us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Oh, no! JOHN also wrote scripture that quoted Jesus saying that God sealed those who have everlasting life:
John 6:26-27 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed [sphragizo].
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have 2 different ‘sealings’.
What will they divide next?
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
A Noisy Event Remains Secret?
During a recent Sunday Evening Story-Time, the ‘teaching elder’ of Illinois described what-he-calls ‘the rapture’. He said, ‘It’s going to be a NOISY event.’
1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
(The ‘teaching elder’ said there’s this voice of a trumpet that God will sound.)
with a shout, (The ‘teaching elder’ said that during the dispensation of grace, the heavens are silent, and the shout is an audible voice that ENDS the dispensation of grace.)
with the voice of the archangel, (The ‘teaching elder’ said this is another voice coming from the archangel Michael .... and that this voice is the signal to restart the prophetic program and the restoration of Israel.)
and with the trump of God: (The ‘teaching elder’ said then you’re going to have God’s voice. He said the trump of God is the voice of God associated with resurrection.)
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The ‘teaching elder’ repeated, "So it’s going to be NOISY!" Now I’m wondering how the ‘teaching elder’ thinks no one in the world will notice the 3 loud sounds?! (He is constantly trying to protect his 'mystery' paradigm.) Even ‘the dead’ will hear. But .... at Christ’s supposed ‘mystery-secret-but-NOISY’ coming .... no one on earth will hear, except just those who have been saved through the writings of PAUL?!
The scripture even says that ALL the dead will hear His voice:
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,
in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The ‘teaching elder’ teaches that the ONLY dead that will hear and rise .... are those dead that were saved through PAUL’s ministry. But the scripture says ‘the dead in Christ will rise first’:
1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
What about those dead relatives of Paul .... who were in Christ BEFORE he was?
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 verse indicates there were OTHERS who 'also' were in Christ before Paul. But, according to the teaching of the 'teaching elder', they don’t get to rise then .... even though
1) they are dead and 2) they are in Christ.
It looks to me like they qualify.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
(The ‘teaching elder’ said there’s this voice of a trumpet that God will sound.)
with a shout, (The ‘teaching elder’ said that during the dispensation of grace, the heavens are silent, and the shout is an audible voice that ENDS the dispensation of grace.)
with the voice of the archangel, (The ‘teaching elder’ said this is another voice coming from the archangel Michael .... and that this voice is the signal to restart the prophetic program and the restoration of Israel.)
and with the trump of God: (The ‘teaching elder’ said then you’re going to have God’s voice. He said the trump of God is the voice of God associated with resurrection.)
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The ‘teaching elder’ repeated, "So it’s going to be NOISY!" Now I’m wondering how the ‘teaching elder’ thinks no one in the world will notice the 3 loud sounds?! (He is constantly trying to protect his 'mystery' paradigm.) Even ‘the dead’ will hear. But .... at Christ’s supposed ‘mystery-secret-but-NOISY’ coming .... no one on earth will hear, except just those who have been saved through the writings of PAUL?!
The scripture even says that ALL the dead will hear His voice:
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,
in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;
and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The ‘teaching elder’ teaches that the ONLY dead that will hear and rise .... are those dead that were saved through PAUL’s ministry. But the scripture says ‘the dead in Christ will rise first’:
1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
What about those dead relatives of Paul .... who were in Christ BEFORE he was?
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 verse indicates there were OTHERS who 'also' were in Christ before Paul. But, according to the teaching of the 'teaching elder', they don’t get to rise then .... even though
1) they are dead and 2) they are in Christ.
It looks to me like they qualify.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Sunday, August 22, 2010
2 Sets of Light?
Jesus taught that believers are the children of light:
John 12:35-36 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Paul, by inspiration of God, also taught that believers are the children of light:
1 Thess 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Oh, no! ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ will have to have 2 sets of the children of light to put those verses out!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
John 12:35-36 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Paul, by inspiration of God, also taught that believers are the children of light:
1 Thess 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Oh, no! ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ will have to have 2 sets of the children of light to put those verses out!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Have You Called on the Name of the Lord?
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have pre-assigned Romans chapters 9-11 as being about Israel .... so they boycott all those verses having to do with salvation, even though ‘their apostle’ Paul specifically said this was the message ‘we’ preach when he gave the details of the gospel. They won’t ‘use’ verses about ‘calling’ on the Lord’s name, or about ‘the mouth’. They attach them to Israel.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it (What saith ‘the righteousness which is of faith’ - from Rom 10:6)? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:
that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
The first of that verse came way back in the scriptures from Moses, so ‘mid-Acts-ers’ reject it:
Deut 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee,
in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Paul showed that ‘what Moses said’ is the SAME word of faith that he and others (we) preached, so the last part of Rom 10:8, presents a problem for ‘mid-Acts-ers’. Even though Paul also said there is ‘one faith’ (Eph 4:5), ‘mid-Acts-ers’ deny that Moses and Paul shared in the SAME faith.
Neither will ‘mid-Acts-ers’ preach the clear gospel from these next 2 verses in the Romans 10 passage. Even though Paul wrote it, and even though it has the SAME elements of trusting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ still ignore the gospel here, because of its ‘confession with the mouth’ factor:
Rom 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Then the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ separate themselves further by discarding the next verse since it quotes the OLD testament (even though it teaches simple faith in Christ):
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Paul used the same OLD testament reference in the previous chapter:
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:
and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
The prophets taught the saints to have a calm assurance and to patiently wait .... knowing that God would provide their deliverance .... not from physical pain and death .... but to eternal life.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation:
he that believeth shall not make haste.
Isa 49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:
for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Jer 17:7, 13 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
'Mid-Acts-ers' teach that the 'earthly' Jesus was 'another Jesus' from the 'risen, glorified Lord' that 'CALLED' Saul on the road to Damascus. What about the 'risen, glorified Lord' that appeared to His disciples after He rose from the grave? Were there 2 different 'risen, glorified LordS' (one that commissioned the disciples, and another that commissioned Saul)? No! The scriptures teach that it was the SAME Lord!
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ just choose one phrase out of this Romans 10 passage ("there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek"), and then they leave the rest for Israel:
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.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ opt themselves out of the ‘calling’ terminology, even though ‘their apostle’ Paul wrote it. Since it is located in Romans chapters 9-11, which they deem for Israel, they chuck it:
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ scorn PAUL’s use of the ‘calling’ because PETER taught it in Acts 2, and they say Paul and Peter preached 2 DIFFERENT gospels:
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Keep on backing up, and see that Peter brought the ‘calling’ forward from JOEL’s OLD testament prophecy:
Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
A lot of times ‘mid-Acts-ers’ try to squeak by .... explaining their ‘dividing Paul’ doctrine (dividing ‘early’ Paul from ‘late’ Paul) for an excuse. But that won’t work with this ‘calling’ issue either:
1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth,
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
2 Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
There are SO many verses that prove ‘mid-Acts’ doctrines wrong. It is personally embarrassing that I used to be in that mess. I respected a man with a chart and I accepted his paradigm. But, no more!
Psa 118:5, 8 I called upon the LORD in distress:
the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
I called on the Lord .... His word .... in my heart and in my mouth!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Rom 10:8 But what saith it (What saith ‘the righteousness which is of faith’ - from Rom 10:6)? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart:
that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
The first of that verse came way back in the scriptures from Moses, so ‘mid-Acts-ers’ reject it:
Deut 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee,
in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Paul showed that ‘what Moses said’ is the SAME word of faith that he and others (we) preached, so the last part of Rom 10:8, presents a problem for ‘mid-Acts-ers’. Even though Paul also said there is ‘one faith’ (Eph 4:5), ‘mid-Acts-ers’ deny that Moses and Paul shared in the SAME faith.
Neither will ‘mid-Acts-ers’ preach the clear gospel from these next 2 verses in the Romans 10 passage. Even though Paul wrote it, and even though it has the SAME elements of trusting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ still ignore the gospel here, because of its ‘confession with the mouth’ factor:
Rom 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Then the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ separate themselves further by discarding the next verse since it quotes the OLD testament (even though it teaches simple faith in Christ):
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Paul used the same OLD testament reference in the previous chapter:
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence:
and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
The prophets taught the saints to have a calm assurance and to patiently wait .... knowing that God would provide their deliverance .... not from physical pain and death .... but to eternal life.
Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation:
he that believeth shall not make haste.
Isa 49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:
for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Jer 17:7, 13 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
'Mid-Acts-ers' teach that the 'earthly' Jesus was 'another Jesus' from the 'risen, glorified Lord' that 'CALLED' Saul on the road to Damascus. What about the 'risen, glorified Lord' that appeared to His disciples after He rose from the grave? Were there 2 different 'risen, glorified LordS' (one that commissioned the disciples, and another that commissioned Saul)? No! The scriptures teach that it was the SAME Lord!
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ just choose one phrase out of this Romans 10 passage ("there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek"), and then they leave the rest for Israel:
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.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ opt themselves out of the ‘calling’ terminology, even though ‘their apostle’ Paul wrote it. Since it is located in Romans chapters 9-11, which they deem for Israel, they chuck it:
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ scorn PAUL’s use of the ‘calling’ because PETER taught it in Acts 2, and they say Paul and Peter preached 2 DIFFERENT gospels:
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Keep on backing up, and see that Peter brought the ‘calling’ forward from JOEL’s OLD testament prophecy:
Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
A lot of times ‘mid-Acts-ers’ try to squeak by .... explaining their ‘dividing Paul’ doctrine (dividing ‘early’ Paul from ‘late’ Paul) for an excuse. But that won’t work with this ‘calling’ issue either:
1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth,
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
2 Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
There are SO many verses that prove ‘mid-Acts’ doctrines wrong. It is personally embarrassing that I used to be in that mess. I respected a man with a chart and I accepted his paradigm. But, no more!
Psa 118:5, 8 I called upon the LORD in distress:
the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
I called on the Lord .... His word .... in my heart and in my mouth!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ Have Difficulty in Math
God repeated the promise He made to Abraham. Abraham’s seed would be multiplied, and every nation would be blessed through it:
Gen 22:15-18 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee,
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Paul showed that this time of Gentile salvation was prophesied.
Therefore, it could not have been a mystery:
Gal 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Peter also presentated the dispensation of grace, and the death and resurrection of Christ, as prophesied .... not mystery. (But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ wrongly divide grace .... to say that Paul preached a ‘mystery-grace’ but Peter had a different grace called ‘prophesied-grace’.)
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.
God also restated the promise He made to Abraham .... to Abraham’s son Isaac in Gen 26:1-5.
Paul demonstrated that, because of faith in Jesus Christ, WE are Abraham’s seed, and thus, also his heirs:
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.
Jesus taught on ‘division’:
Mark 3:24-25 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Ephesians 2 is one of ‘mid-Acts-ers’ frequent chapters, but they fail to listen to it because there God JOINS us believing Gentiles WITH believing Israel. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ invent an entire NEW entity, and discriminate against those ‘in Christ’ before Paul (Rom 16:7) by leaving them out, and assigning them to a different ‘program’ and a separate inheritance:
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:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Paul scolded the carnal saints for dividing because of which man’s message they believed. He named himself, Apollos, Peter, and Jesus. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are guilty of the same fleshly divisions because they reject anyone other than PAUL’s converts .... even and including saints who follow Jesus:
1 Cor 1:10-13 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
God said we are Christ’s house:
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ claim to rightly divide God’s word (2 Tim 2:15) .... but they don’t RIGHTLY divide it. Instead, they WRONGLY divide it.
They also divide God’s PEOPLE, instead of uniting them:
Eph 4:3-6 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have difficulty in math with the number 1. There is 1 people of God, not 2. Anyone who is ‘of faith’ is in God’s household:
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ don’t understand values .... like ‘greater than’ or ‘less than’ .... neither do they ‘multiply’ nor ‘divide’ correctly.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Gen 22:15-18 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee,
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Paul showed that this time of Gentile salvation was prophesied.
Therefore, it could not have been a mystery:
Gal 3:6-9 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Peter also presentated the dispensation of grace, and the death and resurrection of Christ, as prophesied .... not mystery. (But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ wrongly divide grace .... to say that Paul preached a ‘mystery-grace’ but Peter had a different grace called ‘prophesied-grace’.)
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.
God also restated the promise He made to Abraham .... to Abraham’s son Isaac in Gen 26:1-5.
Paul demonstrated that, because of faith in Jesus Christ, WE are Abraham’s seed, and thus, also his heirs:
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.
Jesus taught on ‘division’:
Mark 3:24-25 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Ephesians 2 is one of ‘mid-Acts-ers’ frequent chapters, but they fail to listen to it because there God JOINS us believing Gentiles WITH believing Israel. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ invent an entire NEW entity, and discriminate against those ‘in Christ’ before Paul (Rom 16:7) by leaving them out, and assigning them to a different ‘program’ and a separate inheritance:
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:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Paul scolded the carnal saints for dividing because of which man’s message they believed. He named himself, Apollos, Peter, and Jesus. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are guilty of the same fleshly divisions because they reject anyone other than PAUL’s converts .... even and including saints who follow Jesus:
1 Cor 1:10-13 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
God said we are Christ’s house:
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ claim to rightly divide God’s word (2 Tim 2:15) .... but they don’t RIGHTLY divide it. Instead, they WRONGLY divide it.
They also divide God’s PEOPLE, instead of uniting them:
Eph 4:3-6 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have difficulty in math with the number 1. There is 1 people of God, not 2. Anyone who is ‘of faith’ is in God’s household:
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ don’t understand values .... like ‘greater than’ or ‘less than’ .... neither do they ‘multiply’ nor ‘divide’ correctly.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Greater Than .... Less Than
Jesus is greater than:
Matt 12:38-42 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas;
and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Paul is less than:
Eph 3:1-8 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
John the Baptist had the proper understanding of Jesus:
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ claim to follow Paul, while they call Jesus Who came to earth ‘another Jesus’.
Jesus is greater than .... Paul is less than.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ need to learn
Jesus > Paul.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Matt 12:38-42 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas;
and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Paul is less than:
Eph 3:1-8 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
John the Baptist had the proper understanding of Jesus:
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ claim to follow Paul, while they call Jesus Who came to earth ‘another Jesus’.
Jesus is greater than .... Paul is less than.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ need to learn
Jesus > Paul.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sons of God that Overcome and Inherit
In the end, our mother, the heavenly city Jerusalem will come to earth with men:
Rev 21:2-4 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The heavenly city, new Jerusalem is our mother:
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
4 points to think about:
We will overcome ....
we will inherit all things ....
God will be our God ....
we will be His sons:
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh
shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son.
God, through Paul, wrote for us to overcome:
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;
as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,
and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
God, through Paul, wrote for us to inherit all things because we are in Christ:
Eph 1:10-11 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together
in one
all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
God, through Paul, wrote that He will be our God
and we will be His sons:
2 Cor 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; 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.
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.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ teach that we have nothing to do with any verse in the Revelation (the revealing) of Jesus Christ .... but the verses we just read where Paul taught 4 of the same things, proved 'mid-Acts-ers' wrong.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Rev 21:2-4 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The heavenly city, new Jerusalem is our mother:
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
4 points to think about:
We will overcome ....
we will inherit all things ....
God will be our God ....
we will be His sons:
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh
shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son.
God, through Paul, wrote for us to overcome:
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;
as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,
and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
God, through Paul, wrote for us to inherit all things because we are in Christ:
Eph 1:10-11 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together
in one
all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
God, through Paul, wrote that He will be our God
and we will be His sons:
2 Cor 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; 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.
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.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ teach that we have nothing to do with any verse in the Revelation (the revealing) of Jesus Christ .... but the verses we just read where Paul taught 4 of the same things, proved 'mid-Acts-ers' wrong.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Earth in the Heavens?
During Sunday Evening Story-Time this past week, with the ‘teaching elder’ .... about 1 Thess 4:16-18, when he was talking about the transformed body we will have in the resurrection .... he referenced:
1 Cor 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
Then he went to Mary in the garden with Jesus after His resurrection, who was not allowed to touch Him .... and then he said that 2 hours later the women in the garden touched His feet. The ‘teaching elder’ related how Jesus appeared in the upper room with His disciples and let them touch His nail prints from the crucifixion. He ate food with them, and then He disappeared suddenly from their midst. Then the ‘teaching elder’ likened our resurrection body to a body like the Lord Jesus Christ. He said we were literally going to be reshaped, not connected with Adam, and that we would be a new kind of humanity.
Did the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ forget that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach that ‘earthly Jesus’ was ‘another Jesus’ from the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ that appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus? ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ make 2 different Jesus’: ‘one Jesus’ in His earthly ministry BEFORE His crucifixion, and ‘another Jesus’ AFTER His resurrection and ascension, they call ‘His heavenly ministry’ (which they teach is ‘unique’ to Paul). But in the end of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, it is the SAME ‘risen, glorified Lord’ Who appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and commissioned them .... as Who called Saul on the Damascus Road. Woops! That messes up the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... ‘Paul is unique’ paradigm!
The ‘teaching elder’ made some very surprising statments that I NEVER heard before during all my nearly 30 years of being a ‘mid-Acts-er’. I can’t help but wonder what caused the turn-around. He said,
‘When we talk about being in the heavens ....
the earth is in the heavens ....
the earth is the command center ....
earth will be in the realm of where we are.’
How odd! Could his comments be an intentional effort to BLEND what he has been teaching (for many years) as separate, distinct locations (heaven and earth) for separate, distinct entities (Israel and the body of Christ)?
A double dose of VERSES .... from both JOHN and PAUL .... would cure his divisions .... if he would swallow them:
John 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should
gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Paul showed that ‘those things in heaven’ .... will be UNITED together .... with ‘those things on earth’ in the end:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Further, Paul explained that the saints will be assembled together when the Lord comes (also see 2 Thess 1:4-10):
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 (what day? the day of Christ, the day Christ comes to gather us together in one) 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.
Jesus also taught the gathering at the harvest, which is the end of the world, at the trumpet sound:
Matt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matt 24:30-31 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Maybe the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ is beginning to peddle backwards. He certainly ought to. As of this week's Sunday Evening Story-Time, he now has the earth in the heavens! How convenient .... to adjust his 2 distinct places!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
1 Cor 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
Then he went to Mary in the garden with Jesus after His resurrection, who was not allowed to touch Him .... and then he said that 2 hours later the women in the garden touched His feet. The ‘teaching elder’ related how Jesus appeared in the upper room with His disciples and let them touch His nail prints from the crucifixion. He ate food with them, and then He disappeared suddenly from their midst. Then the ‘teaching elder’ likened our resurrection body to a body like the Lord Jesus Christ. He said we were literally going to be reshaped, not connected with Adam, and that we would be a new kind of humanity.
Did the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ forget that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach that ‘earthly Jesus’ was ‘another Jesus’ from the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ that appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus? ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ make 2 different Jesus’: ‘one Jesus’ in His earthly ministry BEFORE His crucifixion, and ‘another Jesus’ AFTER His resurrection and ascension, they call ‘His heavenly ministry’ (which they teach is ‘unique’ to Paul). But in the end of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, it is the SAME ‘risen, glorified Lord’ Who appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and commissioned them .... as Who called Saul on the Damascus Road. Woops! That messes up the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... ‘Paul is unique’ paradigm!
The ‘teaching elder’ made some very surprising statments that I NEVER heard before during all my nearly 30 years of being a ‘mid-Acts-er’. I can’t help but wonder what caused the turn-around. He said,
‘When we talk about being in the heavens ....
the earth is in the heavens ....
the earth is the command center ....
earth will be in the realm of where we are.’
How odd! Could his comments be an intentional effort to BLEND what he has been teaching (for many years) as separate, distinct locations (heaven and earth) for separate, distinct entities (Israel and the body of Christ)?
A double dose of VERSES .... from both JOHN and PAUL .... would cure his divisions .... if he would swallow them:
John 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should
gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Paul showed that ‘those things in heaven’ .... will be UNITED together .... with ‘those things on earth’ in the end:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Further, Paul explained that the saints will be assembled together when the Lord comes (also see 2 Thess 1:4-10):
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 (what day? the day of Christ, the day Christ comes to gather us together in one) 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.
Jesus also taught the gathering at the harvest, which is the end of the world, at the trumpet sound:
Matt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matt 24:30-31 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Maybe the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ is beginning to peddle backwards. He certainly ought to. As of this week's Sunday Evening Story-Time, he now has the earth in the heavens! How convenient .... to adjust his 2 distinct places!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Friday, August 13, 2010
WHEN The Conquering Hero Comes .... He Will Subdue All Things Unto Himself
During Sunday Evening Story-Time with the ‘teaching elder’ .... about 1 Thess 4:16-18, he talked about "the idea of a shout being a Conqueror shouting orders, to take up reign of His universe, and announce His presence." He referenced Exodus 32:18, Numbers 23:20, and Joshua 6:5. Then he said, ‘Paul is "using a term" .... a concept of a shout is often times of a conquering hero .... a shout of victory, a shout of joy.’
Question: WHY would PAUL be "using a term" if that term was not "applicable" to us?
Answer: He wouldn’t!
Yet ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim it had no relation. But if it were not relative, then Paul would not use it! But, the fact is, Paul DID use it, and it DOES apply! That’s WHY he used it! Also, that’s WHY Paul used SO MANY ‘OLD’ testament scriptures .... because he was applying them to the church, the body of Christ, yes, the ‘NEW’ testament saints.
On the subject of Christ returning, with a shout, as the Conquering Hero, to change our bodies (1 Thess 4:16-18, 1 Cor 15:51-52), the ‘teaching elder’ said that He will subdue all things unto Himself. Yes, He will:
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.
But, interestingly, the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ did not use these other verses about WHEN Christ will subdue all things unto Himself.
Was it because he did not want to mention that it will be at the END?
1 Cor 15:23-28 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.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet.
But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Clearly and simply, according to those verses written by inspiration of God through the apostle PAUL .... when Christ comes, then it will be the END. That is EXACTLY the SAME issue that Jesus’ disciples asked Him about:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Yet ‘mid-Acts-ers’ deny that it is the same thing. They teach that it is 2 different ‘comings’ separated by ‘more than 7 years’ of time (several years of what-they-call ‘a prophesied GAP’ and then the 70th week of Daniel).
Nestled in Paul’s record in 1 Cor 15:23-28, at Christ’s coming, ‘then cometh the end’ .... is the issue that .... death (the last enemy) will be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26). That is the SAME point he made in a companion passage later in the SAME chapter about when Christ comes (at the SAME coming):
1 Cor 15:51-54 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Not only the prophet Paul, but other prophets also testified (see Hos 13:14), that death will be destroyed at the END:
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory;
and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Death (and hell) will be cast into the lake of fire at the 2nd death (Rev 20:14):
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
When Christ returns as the Conquering Hero .... He will raise the dead and subdue all things unto Himself. And that’s ‘The End’.
(Next time we will look at a 'new' teaching from the Cunning Royal Jester about "the earth is in the heavens".)
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Question: WHY would PAUL be "using a term" if that term was not "applicable" to us?
Answer: He wouldn’t!
Yet ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim it had no relation. But if it were not relative, then Paul would not use it! But, the fact is, Paul DID use it, and it DOES apply! That’s WHY he used it! Also, that’s WHY Paul used SO MANY ‘OLD’ testament scriptures .... because he was applying them to the church, the body of Christ, yes, the ‘NEW’ testament saints.
On the subject of Christ returning, with a shout, as the Conquering Hero, to change our bodies (1 Thess 4:16-18, 1 Cor 15:51-52), the ‘teaching elder’ said that He will subdue all things unto Himself. Yes, He will:
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.
But, interestingly, the ‘Cunning Royal Jester’ did not use these other verses about WHEN Christ will subdue all things unto Himself.
Was it because he did not want to mention that it will be at the END?
1 Cor 15:23-28 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.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet.
But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Clearly and simply, according to those verses written by inspiration of God through the apostle PAUL .... when Christ comes, then it will be the END. That is EXACTLY the SAME issue that Jesus’ disciples asked Him about:
Matt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Yet ‘mid-Acts-ers’ deny that it is the same thing. They teach that it is 2 different ‘comings’ separated by ‘more than 7 years’ of time (several years of what-they-call ‘a prophesied GAP’ and then the 70th week of Daniel).
Nestled in Paul’s record in 1 Cor 15:23-28, at Christ’s coming, ‘then cometh the end’ .... is the issue that .... death (the last enemy) will be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26). That is the SAME point he made in a companion passage later in the SAME chapter about when Christ comes (at the SAME coming):
1 Cor 15:51-54 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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Not only the prophet Paul, but other prophets also testified (see Hos 13:14), that death will be destroyed at the END:
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory;
and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Death (and hell) will be cast into the lake of fire at the 2nd death (Rev 20:14):
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
When Christ returns as the Conquering Hero .... He will raise the dead and subdue all things unto Himself. And that’s ‘The End’.
(Next time we will look at a 'new' teaching from the Cunning Royal Jester about "the earth is in the heavens".)
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Searching for The Lost Brethren?
During Sunday Evening Story-Time with the ‘teaching elder’ ....
he spoke of Christ being the firstborn .... from the dead:
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.
OK.
He also spoke of Christ being the firstborn .... among many brethren:
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
OK.
Then he said of these .... ‘They were a whole line of people that were going to come in resurrection .... That’s who the ‘body of Christ’ is .... God doesn’t need the ‘body of Christ’ to be in the earthly government .... He has the agency of Israel to do that.’
Not OK.
We must not allow the Cunning Royal Jester to define Christ’s brethren as who-he-calls the ‘body of Christ’ .... which-he-defines as ONLY those saints that have been saved through what-he-calls ‘Paul’s gospel’.
Jesus Himself identified His brethren:
Matt 12:46-50 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
For those who have Jesus as their Master, they are all brethren:
Matt 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi:
for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Jesus taught that ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Him’:
Matt 25:31-40 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Paul taught the same principle "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord," (1 Cor 1:2) that Jesus taught .... ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Him’.
1 Cor 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
God said Jesus and His brethren are all ONE. That’s how Jesus and Paul both taught ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Christ’. Everyone who is sanctified is 'brethren' with Christ:
Heb 2:11-12 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Here is that same verse in the old testament. Here the church is called the congregation:
Psa 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren:
in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
The apostles, elders, and the entire church at Jerusalem chose Judas and Silas from the brethren .... to accompany Paul and Barnabas to the church at Antioch .... and say hello to the Gentile brethren. Although ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach they are 2 SEPARATE sets of brethren .... in the scriptures, there is NO indication that ‘these brethren’ are DIFFERENT than ‘those brethren’:
Acts 15:22-23 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church (at Jerusalem), to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner;
The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
When Judas and Silas met with the Antioch church, they exhorted and confirmed the brethren there:
Acts 15:30-32 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
When Paul wrote to the brethren at Corinth, he made NO distinction between them and the brethren who saw Jesus after His resurrection. No matter who the brethren were .... they were ALL classified as ‘brethren’:
1 Cor 15:1-8,11 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:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time. .
11 Therefore whether it were I or they,
so we preach, and so ye believed.
Paul said that the brethren in the church in Thessalonica (who suffered of the Gentiles) followed the example of the brethren in the church in Judaea (who suffered of the Jews):
1 Thess 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Paul repeatedly called the Thessalonians ‘brethren’ when giving them information about the coming of the Lord (1 Thess 4:15) in the day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:2). There is NO hint, expression, nor signal .... that these events are DIVIDED by years of time, as the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach:
1 Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1 Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1 Thess 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The church of the firstborn are ‘written in heaven’. Who do you suppose ‘mid-Acts-ers’ think that is?
Heb 12:22-24 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (which is the mother of us all - Gal 4:26), and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all (also see John 12:48; Acts 17:31, 10:42; Rom 2:16; 2 Tim 4:1,8; 1 Pet 4:5), and to the spirits of just men made perfect (also see 1 Cor 2:6, Eph 4:13, 2 Tim 3:17, Heb 7:19),
24 And to Jesus the mediator (also see 1 Tim 2:5) of the new covenant (of which WE are able ministers - 2 Cor 3:6), and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Would ‘mid-Acts-ers’ say the ‘church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven’ is the ‘body of Christ’? Oh, no! They would not say that .... because this verse is in Hebrews. They deny that, yet they claim this:
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Don't forget that these (Col 1:18, Rom 8:29) are the 2 verses we began with .... and look how they matched up with so many other scriptures:
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The teaching elder is a Cunning Royal Jester, in that, he has convinced a group of people who identify themselves as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... that they have NO relation with any brethren "outside of PAUL" .... even though they are ONE in CHRIST. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have lost their brethren. They need to wake up and find them!
Come back for the next 2 thoughts of the day, when we consider 2 other issues the teaching elder brought up during Sunday Evening Story-Time.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
he spoke of Christ being the firstborn .... from the dead:
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.
OK.
He also spoke of Christ being the firstborn .... among many brethren:
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
OK.
Then he said of these .... ‘They were a whole line of people that were going to come in resurrection .... That’s who the ‘body of Christ’ is .... God doesn’t need the ‘body of Christ’ to be in the earthly government .... He has the agency of Israel to do that.’
Not OK.
We must not allow the Cunning Royal Jester to define Christ’s brethren as who-he-calls the ‘body of Christ’ .... which-he-defines as ONLY those saints that have been saved through what-he-calls ‘Paul’s gospel’.
Jesus Himself identified His brethren:
Matt 12:46-50 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
For those who have Jesus as their Master, they are all brethren:
Matt 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi:
for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Jesus taught that ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Him’:
Matt 25:31-40 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Paul taught the same principle "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord," (1 Cor 1:2) that Jesus taught .... ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Him’.
1 Cor 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
God said Jesus and His brethren are all ONE. That’s how Jesus and Paul both taught ‘whatever is done to the brethren, is done to Christ’. Everyone who is sanctified is 'brethren' with Christ:
Heb 2:11-12 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Here is that same verse in the old testament. Here the church is called the congregation:
Psa 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren:
in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
The apostles, elders, and the entire church at Jerusalem chose Judas and Silas from the brethren .... to accompany Paul and Barnabas to the church at Antioch .... and say hello to the Gentile brethren. Although ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach they are 2 SEPARATE sets of brethren .... in the scriptures, there is NO indication that ‘these brethren’ are DIFFERENT than ‘those brethren’:
Acts 15:22-23 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church (at Jerusalem), to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner;
The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
When Judas and Silas met with the Antioch church, they exhorted and confirmed the brethren there:
Acts 15:30-32 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
When Paul wrote to the brethren at Corinth, he made NO distinction between them and the brethren who saw Jesus after His resurrection. No matter who the brethren were .... they were ALL classified as ‘brethren’:
1 Cor 15:1-8,11 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:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time. .
11 Therefore whether it were I or they,
so we preach, and so ye believed.
Paul said that the brethren in the church in Thessalonica (who suffered of the Gentiles) followed the example of the brethren in the church in Judaea (who suffered of the Jews):
1 Thess 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
Paul repeatedly called the Thessalonians ‘brethren’ when giving them information about the coming of the Lord (1 Thess 4:15) in the day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:2). There is NO hint, expression, nor signal .... that these events are DIVIDED by years of time, as the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach:
1 Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1 Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1 Thess 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The church of the firstborn are ‘written in heaven’. Who do you suppose ‘mid-Acts-ers’ think that is?
Heb 12:22-24 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (which is the mother of us all - Gal 4:26), and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all (also see John 12:48; Acts 17:31, 10:42; Rom 2:16; 2 Tim 4:1,8; 1 Pet 4:5), and to the spirits of just men made perfect (also see 1 Cor 2:6, Eph 4:13, 2 Tim 3:17, Heb 7:19),
24 And to Jesus the mediator (also see 1 Tim 2:5) of the new covenant (of which WE are able ministers - 2 Cor 3:6), and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Would ‘mid-Acts-ers’ say the ‘church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven’ is the ‘body of Christ’? Oh, no! They would not say that .... because this verse is in Hebrews. They deny that, yet they claim this:
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Don't forget that these (Col 1:18, Rom 8:29) are the 2 verses we began with .... and look how they matched up with so many other scriptures:
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The teaching elder is a Cunning Royal Jester, in that, he has convinced a group of people who identify themselves as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... that they have NO relation with any brethren "outside of PAUL" .... even though they are ONE in CHRIST. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ have lost their brethren. They need to wake up and find them!
Come back for the next 2 thoughts of the day, when we consider 2 other issues the teaching elder brought up during Sunday Evening Story-Time.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Monday, August 9, 2010
Searching for The Lost Trump?
During Sunday Evening Story-Time with the ‘teaching elder’ .... he told the tale of 2 trump blasts. For the past several years, the ‘teaching elder’ preached that ‘the last trump’ was the 3rd trump. He taught that God established ‘patterns of 3’ such as, ‘body, soul, and spirit’, ‘solid, liquid, and gas’, ‘space, time, and matter’, ‘past, present, and future’, etc. He said we even play a game with 3 strikes, then you’re out! Thus, the 3 (invented) trumps! According to the ‘teaching elder’
.... the 1st trump would sound when the Lord descended,
.... the 2nd trump would sound when the dead are raised,
and the 3rd - the last - trump would sound when the alive are changed.
He preached this and went, "Toot, toot, toot .... peanut butter!"
Well, that was then .... this is now! Here lately, at least as of July 26, 2010, and again August 8, 2010, when I heard his message, he’s changed to only 2 trumps! What happened to 3 trumps? What about the groups of 3? Where’s the LOST trump? Maybe his ‘invented’ 3 trumps became so embarrassing (since they are not in scripture), that he’s dropped off one of them. Now he’s preaching only 2 trumps .... 2 separate blasts!
He said "the term ‘last’ is determined as ‘2nd’ .... and there are 2 sounds of the trump .... the trump will sound twice .... 1 trump has 2 blasts that ROAR." Here’s how he lost the 3rd trump and derived his recent ‘2 blasts’ doctrine, claiming the ‘last’ means the ‘2nd’. He manufactured it from another use of ‘last’ in the same chapter:
1 Cor 15:45-47 And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy:
the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Here is the problem with his rationale. If we stay in the context, and stay in the same chapter, a few verses earlier .... will he apply his ‘last means 2nd’ theory here?
1 Cor 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Is death just the 2nd enemy? Oh, no!
We could still keep in the context, and remain in the same chapter, but back up several more verses .... will the ‘teaching elder’ apply his ‘last means 2nd’ scheme here?
1 Cor 15:3-4 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:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, (Peter is named 1st)
then of the twelve: (1 + 12 = 13)
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (13 + over 500 = 513+ so far)
7 After that, he was seen of James; (513+? + 1 more = 514+)
then of all the apostles. (514 plus ? + at least 12 apostles = 526+)
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time.
Was Paul only the 2nd person to see the Lord? No, being the last in the verses .... Paul was more than 527 in the list. So ‘last’ here means ‘above 527’.
The word ‘last’ was used 4 times in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Because ‘last’ was ‘2nd’ 1 of those 4 times .... does not warrant assuming that ‘last’ is ‘2nd’ EVERY time.
The Cunning Royal Jester should just admit, "Got me!" and let it go.
The last trump is the 7th trump, when the mystery of God (also see Col 2:2, 1 Cor 4:1, and Luke 8:10 with Acts 28:25-28, Rom 11:5-11) will be finished, and He will resurrect ALL His saints, and bring His kingdom to earth:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Saul/Paul was a prophet - Acts 13:1, "saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come" - Acts 26:22, and "he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets" - Acts 28:23.)
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
More to come about Sunday Story-Time on the next Thought of the Day.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.... the 1st trump would sound when the Lord descended,
.... the 2nd trump would sound when the dead are raised,
and the 3rd - the last - trump would sound when the alive are changed.
He preached this and went, "Toot, toot, toot .... peanut butter!"
Well, that was then .... this is now! Here lately, at least as of July 26, 2010, and again August 8, 2010, when I heard his message, he’s changed to only 2 trumps! What happened to 3 trumps? What about the groups of 3? Where’s the LOST trump? Maybe his ‘invented’ 3 trumps became so embarrassing (since they are not in scripture), that he’s dropped off one of them. Now he’s preaching only 2 trumps .... 2 separate blasts!
He said "the term ‘last’ is determined as ‘2nd’ .... and there are 2 sounds of the trump .... the trump will sound twice .... 1 trump has 2 blasts that ROAR." Here’s how he lost the 3rd trump and derived his recent ‘2 blasts’ doctrine, claiming the ‘last’ means the ‘2nd’. He manufactured it from another use of ‘last’ in the same chapter:
1 Cor 15:45-47 And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy:
the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Here is the problem with his rationale. If we stay in the context, and stay in the same chapter, a few verses earlier .... will he apply his ‘last means 2nd’ theory here?
1 Cor 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Is death just the 2nd enemy? Oh, no!
We could still keep in the context, and remain in the same chapter, but back up several more verses .... will the ‘teaching elder’ apply his ‘last means 2nd’ scheme here?
1 Cor 15:3-4 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:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, (Peter is named 1st)
then of the twelve: (1 + 12 = 13)
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. (13 + over 500 = 513+ so far)
7 After that, he was seen of James; (513+? + 1 more = 514+)
then of all the apostles. (514 plus ? + at least 12 apostles = 526+)
8 And last of all he was seen of me (Paul) also, as of one born out of due time.
Was Paul only the 2nd person to see the Lord? No, being the last in the verses .... Paul was more than 527 in the list. So ‘last’ here means ‘above 527’.
The word ‘last’ was used 4 times in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Because ‘last’ was ‘2nd’ 1 of those 4 times .... does not warrant assuming that ‘last’ is ‘2nd’ EVERY time.
The Cunning Royal Jester should just admit, "Got me!" and let it go.
The last trump is the 7th trump, when the mystery of God (also see Col 2:2, 1 Cor 4:1, and Luke 8:10 with Acts 28:25-28, Rom 11:5-11) will be finished, and He will resurrect ALL His saints, and bring His kingdom to earth:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Saul/Paul was a prophet - Acts 13:1, "saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come" - Acts 26:22, and "he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets" - Acts 28:23.)
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
More to come about Sunday Story-Time on the next Thought of the Day.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sunday Evening Story-Time With the Teaching Elder
It was the old, familiar path .... understanding the plot .... getting "the story-line of the Bible" .... tracking some chart-spun trails .... but, for the most part, being careful to stay on the same Cunning tracks with the Royal Jester. Story-telling is the conveying of events in words, images, and sounds often by improvisation or embellishment. It includes plot, characters, and the narrative point of view.
Just read an introduction passage like 1 Thes 4:15-17, and take off! "We’re told to rightly divide. That begins in the first verse in the Bible, with heaven and earth. Now that we have two places, we need two entities. Gen 1:2 through Acts 9 is identified as prophecy about Christ coming back to earth invested in Israel. In Acts 9, through Paul’s ministry another agency is invented .... a different group of people, with a different destiny, a heavenly hope. The dispensation of grace began with an appearing of Christ, and the event that concludes the dispensation of grace will be the rapture. When the rapture takes place, there will be a re-ordering." On and on and on .... tip-toe through the verses, picking out phrases along the way. The Brother Jokers and the naive follow each leap of the Cunning Royal Jester through the garden with unquestioning loyalty, as they scramble in the maze of false, pre-tribulation rapture-hope. At the end of their course, for the unsuspecting and unprepared, awaits bewilderment and shame.
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.
Traditionally, oral story-telling was committed to memory and then passed from generation to generation. KJV scripture verses convinced me to back-track out of the ‘mid-Acts’ position and earnestly try to prevent the transfer of their divisional myths.
2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Tune in for the next few days, as we run down four rabbit trails from the Sunday Evening Story-Time with the Teaching Elder. We will search for The Lost Trump, The Lost Brethren, The Conquering Hero, and The Earth in the Heavens.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Just read an introduction passage like 1 Thes 4:15-17, and take off! "We’re told to rightly divide. That begins in the first verse in the Bible, with heaven and earth. Now that we have two places, we need two entities. Gen 1:2 through Acts 9 is identified as prophecy about Christ coming back to earth invested in Israel. In Acts 9, through Paul’s ministry another agency is invented .... a different group of people, with a different destiny, a heavenly hope. The dispensation of grace began with an appearing of Christ, and the event that concludes the dispensation of grace will be the rapture. When the rapture takes place, there will be a re-ordering." On and on and on .... tip-toe through the verses, picking out phrases along the way. The Brother Jokers and the naive follow each leap of the Cunning Royal Jester through the garden with unquestioning loyalty, as they scramble in the maze of false, pre-tribulation rapture-hope. At the end of their course, for the unsuspecting and unprepared, awaits bewilderment and shame.
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.
Traditionally, oral story-telling was committed to memory and then passed from generation to generation. KJV scripture verses convinced me to back-track out of the ‘mid-Acts’ position and earnestly try to prevent the transfer of their divisional myths.
2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Tune in for the next few days, as we run down four rabbit trails from the Sunday Evening Story-Time with the Teaching Elder. We will search for The Lost Trump, The Lost Brethren, The Conquering Hero, and The Earth in the Heavens.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Friday, August 6, 2010
A Family Turned by the Word of the Lord
I’ve never heard any ‘mid-Acts-er’ comment on Paul and Silas ministering the gospel to the entire household of the prison keeper:
Acts 16:25-34 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Since ‘mid-Acts-ers’ don’t refer to it, they must not like the salvation message contained in the verses:
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ make a big issue out of Paul’s words "by the word of the Lord" in
1 Thess 4:15. They say that phrase, proved that it was Paul’s ‘mystery’ message given only and directly to him by the Lord. Well, wonder why they don’t apply that same principle to what Paul (and Silas) spoke to the jailer and his relatives? Would ‘mid-Acts-ers’ call THIS ‘word of the Lord’ part of Paul’s special revelation? No, they don’t!
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ decide which ‘word of the Lord’ they want from Paul and which ‘word of the Lord’ they don’t want from Paul. They pick-and-choose.
When you come out from all that ‘mid-Acts’ mess, then you can appreciate the joy when a whole family hears the truth and believes it together!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Acts 16:25-34 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Since ‘mid-Acts-ers’ don’t refer to it, they must not like the salvation message contained in the verses:
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ make a big issue out of Paul’s words "by the word of the Lord" in
1 Thess 4:15. They say that phrase, proved that it was Paul’s ‘mystery’ message given only and directly to him by the Lord. Well, wonder why they don’t apply that same principle to what Paul (and Silas) spoke to the jailer and his relatives? Would ‘mid-Acts-ers’ call THIS ‘word of the Lord’ part of Paul’s special revelation? No, they don’t!
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ decide which ‘word of the Lord’ they want from Paul and which ‘word of the Lord’ they don’t want from Paul. They pick-and-choose.
When you come out from all that ‘mid-Acts’ mess, then you can appreciate the joy when a whole family hears the truth and believes it together!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
All Thunder, No Rain .... All Hearsay, No Brain?
Sadly, it is common error for ‘mid-Acts-ers’ to HEAR each other SAY something ....
and then REPEAT it, without a questioning thought in their brain ....
especially if it comes from the Cunning Royal Jester, the ‘teaching elder’!
I just heard a typical example of ‘mid-Acts’ trashing of the word of God -- outside of Paul. A ‘mid-Acts’ preacher said tonight, speaking of a funeral bulletin .... that if John 14:2-3, or John 3:16, or Psalms 23, was printed "on the back of my card", he would (his words:) "throw it in the garbage can." He wants 1 Thess 4:16-18 printed on his card.
We should NOT treat God’s holy word -- outside of Paul --
as REFUSE!
Psa 119:140 Thy word is very pure:
therefore thy servant loveth it.
Prov 30:5 Every word of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
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:
NONE of the word of God is for the dumpster ....
but ‘mid-Acts’ heresy is!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
and then REPEAT it, without a questioning thought in their brain ....
especially if it comes from the Cunning Royal Jester, the ‘teaching elder’!
I just heard a typical example of ‘mid-Acts’ trashing of the word of God -- outside of Paul. A ‘mid-Acts’ preacher said tonight, speaking of a funeral bulletin .... that if John 14:2-3, or John 3:16, or Psalms 23, was printed "on the back of my card", he would (his words:) "throw it in the garbage can." He wants 1 Thess 4:16-18 printed on his card.
We should NOT treat God’s holy word -- outside of Paul --
as REFUSE!
Psa 119:140 Thy word is very pure:
therefore thy servant loveth it.
Prov 30:5 Every word of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
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:
NONE of the word of God is for the dumpster ....
but ‘mid-Acts’ heresy is!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
‘Verse Testing’ Jesus Christ, the Man
Did you know that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ DIVIDE Jesus and make 2 of Him?
They say that the ‘earthly’ Jesus (in His earthly ministry)
was ‘another Jesus’ (2 Cor 11:4)
than the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ Jesus (in His heavenly ministry)
that appeared to Paul (Saul) on the road to Damascus:
The woman of Samaria (John 4:9) realized the supernatural knowledge the Messiah would have and give:
John 4:25-26 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
She believed Jesus, the MAN with Whom she spoke, was the Messiah (Hebrew), the Christ (Greek):
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ acknowledge that Peter identified the MAN, Jesus Christ OF NAZARETH, the One that was crucified and resurrected, that is the head of the corner .... as the only way of salvation .... but they think He was ‘another Jesus’ for ‘Israel’s prophecy program’:
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead,
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Paul also showed Jesus Christ as the MAN Who brought the free gift of God’s grace:
Rom 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Paul also named Jesus Christ the MAN as the sole intervener:
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;
Do ‘mid-Acts-ers’ think Paul was writing about the ‘earthly’ Jesus by calling Him ‘the MAN’? They say Paul taught about the ‘risen, glorified’ Lord Jesus .... not the ‘earthly’ One. If they were rational, they would realize that their ‘2 Jesus’ heresy does not meet ‘the verse test’!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
They say that the ‘earthly’ Jesus (in His earthly ministry)
was ‘another Jesus’ (2 Cor 11:4)
than the ‘risen, glorified Lord’ Jesus (in His heavenly ministry)
that appeared to Paul (Saul) on the road to Damascus:
The woman of Samaria (John 4:9) realized the supernatural knowledge the Messiah would have and give:
John 4:25-26 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
She believed Jesus, the MAN with Whom she spoke, was the Messiah (Hebrew), the Christ (Greek):
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ acknowledge that Peter identified the MAN, Jesus Christ OF NAZARETH, the One that was crucified and resurrected, that is the head of the corner .... as the only way of salvation .... but they think He was ‘another Jesus’ for ‘Israel’s prophecy program’:
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom ye crucified,
whom God raised from the dead,
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Paul also showed Jesus Christ as the MAN Who brought the free gift of God’s grace:
Rom 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Paul also named Jesus Christ the MAN as the sole intervener:
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus;
Do ‘mid-Acts-ers’ think Paul was writing about the ‘earthly’ Jesus by calling Him ‘the MAN’? They say Paul taught about the ‘risen, glorified’ Lord Jesus .... not the ‘earthly’ One. If they were rational, they would realize that their ‘2 Jesus’ heresy does not meet ‘the verse test’!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
The Thread of the Head
We can see the thread running through the scriptures.
David said that the LORD is HEAD above ALL:
1 Chron 29:10-11 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD,
and thou art exalted as head above all.
The psalmist wrote that the LORD is HEAD of the CORNER:
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke - all 3 - record Jesus quoting that verse in Psalms:
Matt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,
The stone which the builders rejected,
the same [houtos] is become [ginomai] [eis] the head of the corner:
this [houtos] is [para] the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mark 12:10-11 And have ye not read this scripture;
The stone which the builders rejected is [houtos] [ginomai] become [eis] the head of the corner:
11 This [houtos] was [ginomai] the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Luke 20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written,
The stone which the builders rejected,
the same [houtos] is become [ginomai] the head of the corner?
Peter referred to the same place in the Psalms, PERSONIFIED and NAMED that CHRIST is the HEAD:
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become [ginomai] the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Paul wrote that CHRIST is the HEAD of ALL men:
1 Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that
the head of every [pas] man is Christ;
and the head of the woman is the man;
and the head of Christ is God.
Paul wrote that CHRIST (from Eph 1:20) is HEAD over ALL:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all [pas] things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all [pas] things to the church,
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him
in all things [pas], which is the head, even Christ:
Paul wrote that CHRIST is HEAD of the CHURCH:
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife,
even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all [pas] things he might have the preeminence.
Paul wrote that CHRIST is HEAD of ALL principality and power:
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him,
which is the head of all [pas] principality and power:
Paul was not the only one who taught that CHRIST was the HEAD.
Pull the thread and see what happens.
Notice if a doctrine unravels or weaves all through the scriptures.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
David said that the LORD is HEAD above ALL:
1 Chron 29:10-11 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD,
and thou art exalted as head above all.
The psalmist wrote that the LORD is HEAD of the CORNER:
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke - all 3 - record Jesus quoting that verse in Psalms:
Matt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,
The stone which the builders rejected,
the same [houtos] is become [ginomai] [eis] the head of the corner:
this [houtos] is [para] the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mark 12:10-11 And have ye not read this scripture;
The stone which the builders rejected is [houtos] [ginomai] become [eis] the head of the corner:
11 This [houtos] was [ginomai] the Lord's doing,
and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Luke 20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written,
The stone which the builders rejected,
the same [houtos] is become [ginomai] the head of the corner?
Peter referred to the same place in the Psalms, PERSONIFIED and NAMED that CHRIST is the HEAD:
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become [ginomai] the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Paul wrote that CHRIST is the HEAD of ALL men:
1 Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that
the head of every [pas] man is Christ;
and the head of the woman is the man;
and the head of Christ is God.
Paul wrote that CHRIST (from Eph 1:20) is HEAD over ALL:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all [pas] things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all [pas] things to the church,
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him
in all things [pas], which is the head, even Christ:
Paul wrote that CHRIST is HEAD of the CHURCH:
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife,
even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church:
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all [pas] things he might have the preeminence.
Paul wrote that CHRIST is HEAD of ALL principality and power:
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him,
which is the head of all [pas] principality and power:
Paul was not the only one who taught that CHRIST was the HEAD.
Pull the thread and see what happens.
Notice if a doctrine unravels or weaves all through the scriptures.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
One Thing?
The one thing the psalmist desired .... was to live in God’s house forever ....
and that, he will:
Psa 27:4-5 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The one thing lacking in a man’s life .... was to sell out for God.
Jesus called him to leave it all behind:
Mark 10:17-23 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,
One thing [heis] thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Mary made the good choice .... for the one thing.
She dropped everything to make time to sit at Jesus’ feet:
Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing [heis] is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Just one thing of breaking God’s law .... makes you guilty of the whole thing:
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point [heis], he is guilty of all.
Those of us who have experienced the forgiveness of God .... should be focused on one thing: Don’t look back, and look forward to the goal:
Phil 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing [heis] I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
You are either 100% guilty (the natural state of man) .... OR ....
you are 100% righteous (a free gift to us .... from Christ, who gave His life.
Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Leave the past in the past .... and work for the future in the present!
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one [heis] thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Get busy doing as much as we can for Christ, because the time is short:
1 Cor 7:29-31 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
and that, he will:
Psa 27:4-5 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The one thing lacking in a man’s life .... was to sell out for God.
Jesus called him to leave it all behind:
Mark 10:17-23 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,
One thing [heis] thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Mary made the good choice .... for the one thing.
She dropped everything to make time to sit at Jesus’ feet:
Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing [heis] is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Just one thing of breaking God’s law .... makes you guilty of the whole thing:
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point [heis], he is guilty of all.
Those of us who have experienced the forgiveness of God .... should be focused on one thing: Don’t look back, and look forward to the goal:
Phil 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing [heis] I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
You are either 100% guilty (the natural state of man) .... OR ....
you are 100% righteous (a free gift to us .... from Christ, who gave His life.
Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Leave the past in the past .... and work for the future in the present!
2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one [heis] thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Get busy doing as much as we can for Christ, because the time is short:
1 Cor 7:29-31 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
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