Love, Christianity, Jesus and Salvation

Defeating Satan

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:26:00 +0000

The following is a quote from a book called "10 Things Satan Doesn't Want You To Know." This is one of the things we need to do to make Christ's victory, and Satan's defeat, applicable in our life.

"...be positive and consistent in our testimony for the Lord. It is a fatal mistake to believe that while faith in Christ is required, testimony for Christ is optional. No testimony by both life and mouth means no defeat for Satan."

You must put your faith into action and words.

UMC Vote On Homosexuality

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:54:00 +0000

I've written a lot in this blog about the United Methodist Church (UMC) and their worshipping of Progressive Christianity. However, all of my contact with the UMC has been with the extreme liberal version in Massachusetts. Fortunately there is more to the United Methodist Church than extreme liberalism.

The United Methodist Church is holding their national meeting in Texas this week. An issue that has been a hotly debated topic is that of homosexuality. This week, by a vote of 55% to 45% the United Methodist Church has reaffirmed their official position that homosexuality is not compatible with the teaching of the Bible. They got it right! Hallelujah!!

If a blind man is walking toward a cliff, we don't encourage him and tell him how wonderful he is and how he should be enjoying his walk. We WARN him. "Stop, blind man!! You are about to step off a cliff and die!" That is the loving thing to do... warn the blind man about the danger. That is what the United Methodist Church did this week. They took a courageous and loving step in saying to the spiritually blind, "Stop! You are heading for eternal death. You are going the wrong way." Turn from your sins, repent, and trust that Jesus has paid the penalty for all that you've done wrong!

I've Made Some Mistakes - God Forgives Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:40:00 +0000

When people realize they have disobeyed God (realize they are sinners) a common response is to say, "I've made some mistakes, but God forgives mistakes."

Is this true?

It is true that God forgives, but God is also just. This means there is justice. Justice means there are consequences resulting from our actions. The consequence of disobeying God is the death penalty. This is spiritual death or what we call hell.

Let's say someone has broken the law. It's a serious crime. This person has raped and murdered a small child. They are now standing before a judge. They say to the judge, "Yes, I did this crime. But you are a loving judge. You are a good judge. You are a forgiving judge. Because of this you will let me go free." What is the judge going to say?

He will say, "Yes, I am a loving judge and I hold no grudge against you. Yes, I am a good judge and that is why I am sentencing you to life in prison." The parents of the child may have forgiven this person. He still goes to prison. When you break the law there are consequences. For there to be justice there is a penalty that must be paid. That is true with civil law here on earth, and it is true with God.

"But", people then say, "I've never done anything as bad as that. After all, I've never murdered anyone. Sure I've made some mistakes, but God would never send anyone to hell for a few minor mistakes."

Have you ever been angry with someone? For example, when you are driving in traffic? Or when you are in a store and someone cuts in line in front of you? Or if someone says something really stupid? Jesus said that if you have been angry at another person, that is the same as murder.

God looks at your heart.

Have you ever looked at another person with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust, that is the same as committing adultery.

God looks at your heart.

Have you ever told a lie? The Bible says that all liars have a place in the lake of fire.

When you break God's law there are consequences. Yes, God is loving. Yes, God is forgiving. Yes, God is justice and justice demands that there be consequences for breaking the law. When you break God's law the consequence is that you deserve to go to the fires of hell. And we all have broken God's law.

Continued...

For help visit www.911christ.com

Oh, I'm Good Enough

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 01:47:00 +0000

In a comment to a previous post about Are Mormons Christians, a Mormon had this to say about being "good enough" to be acceptable to God.

"Oh, and yes I am good enough. I am not perfect, but I am working on it, and that is what my Heavenly Father wants for me."

"With that last comment, I now realize why you are so quick to disprove the doctrine of the LDS church. If in fact someone made you feel as though you were not good enough, they were wrong, and clearly did not understand LDS doctrine. The doctrine is perfect, the people are not."

I had asked this anonymous Mormon whether or not they were a good person. Then asked some questions based on the Ten Commandments. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever taken something that does not belong to you (that includes downloading music from the internet and fudging a little on your taxes)? Have you always honored your parents? Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust that is adultery in your heart.

The Ten Commandments are like a mirror showing us how God sees us. What He sees are law breakers... people who disobey Him.

What happens if you break a law, get caught and are standing in court before a judge? Can you say, 'Yes I'm not perfect. I've broken the law. But I'm basically a good person, judge. So you should let me go." Will the judge let you go? Not if he is a good judge. You've broken the law and must pay the penalty.

God, is a much better judge than any human judge. He is just, and He will always see that justice is done. You've broken the law, you must pay the penalty. The penalty for breaking God's law is death hell).

What can you do to avoid the death penalty? Nothing.

Let's say you are in a human court. You are guilty. The penalty is $1,000,000 or prison for life. You don't have $1,000,000. But then someone you don't know walks into the courtroom, opens a briefcase, and it has $1,000,000 in cash! They offer to pay your fine. What happens to you now? Your penalty is paid you go free!!

That is what Jesus has done for you. He has died in your place, paying your fine so you can go free.

Let's say you a month later you walk into the same courtroom and say to the judge, "Let me tell you about all the good things I've been doing." Does that do you any good? No. What are you saying about the person who paid your fine for you? "I don't think what you did is good enough. I must add some of my "good works." What an insult to Jesus!

Besides, you can't do any works that are good compared with the goodness of God. Isaiah 64:6 says that the VERY BEST we can do, our most righteous deeds are like filthy rags to God. Ephesians 2:8,9 makes is clear that there is nothing we can do that is good enough to gain us credit. We will never be able to boast in heaven, saying "I did... " My dear Mormon, it's all about God and not a bit about you.

Ephesians 2:8,9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that NO ONE MAY BOAST."

Lying - A Foundation Of The Faith

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:41:00 +0000

What is one of the foundations of Christianity? It is truth.

"Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor..." - Ephesians 4:25

How can a church call itself Christian, if lies are regularly used as the best arguments to say this church is Christian?

I'm also reminded of 2 Timothy 2:25 which tells us to gently teach those who oppose the truth. So how do I gently tell Mormons they are believing in a lie? How do I tell Mormons to stop putting problems they see with the LDS church on a shelf, and recognize it is a lie? Plus when you point out something such as this, Mormons take it as persecution and they take it as further proof they are right. My question then is... what if the LDS church is wrong? What if God is trying to reach YOU? But you ignore Him, put the problem on a shelf, and call yourself persecuted?

What has got me started on this topic is the book 'The Mormon Faith." This book, as do many other Mormon apologetic books, supports the LDS belief that God's grace is not sufficient by quoting great Christian evangelists such as C.S. Lewis. I just happen to also be reading C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity right now.

Here is what is going on...

The LDS church teaches that in addition to grace, human works (obedience) is also necessary for "salvation". This a quote from the book "The Mormon Faith" (page 74):

"The theological debate over whether we are saved by grace or by works has continued for centuries. In reality, it is a fruitless argument that generates more heat than light. It is in the words of C.S. Lewis, 'like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.'" (the C.S. Lewis quote is from 'Mere Christianity').

It sounds like the C.S. Lewis believes, as the mormon church does, that both grace and works are necessary. So the Mormon church must be a Christian church since C.S. Lewis agrees with their doctrine!! But this is a lie in the great tradition of Michael Moore presenting real quote, but ripping it out of context so the quote says the opposite of its original meaning. Yes, C.S. Lewis did write those words. But here is the context...

In the previous paragraph in his book C.S. Lewis writes about the need for us to "throw in the sponge". What this means is that we need to know that there is NOTHING we can do to save our selves. in that paragraph C.S. Lewis writes, 'The difficulty is to reach the point of recognizing that all we have done and can do is nothing." Throwing in the sponge means that we give up trying to attain salvation through works, and we trust in God's grace... trust in Jesus Christ alone. The works C.S. Lewis refers to in the quoted used in the Mormon book are our vain and useless efforts to be good enough. Until we stop trying, we can not be saved. It is through our failure to be good that we come to recognize our need for a savior. (See the Good Person Test, which is one way we use to show people they are not good and they need a savior.)

My dear Mormon apologist you are trying to trick people into believing the LDS church is a Christian church. And by doing that you prove the LDS church is not a Christian church.

James 1:5 & 6

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:26:00 +0000

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without repoach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." - James 1;5 & 6

This verse seems very plain, if you ask God to give you wisdom, and you do so in faith that he will answer, God will give to you generously. But to understand a verse we must look at it in it's context. For example, is this a promise made to everyone? The answer is, no it is not.

Who is James writing to? Jewish Christians.

Verse 1: 1 says this letter is to "the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad". Those are Jews.

Verses 2 and 3 refers to them as "brethren" and how their faith has been tested. These are Jewish Christians who are living outside of Palestine, in Gentile communities.

That means verses 1:5 & 6 are telling Christians that they can pray for wisdom and God will answer their prayers. This is the same thing 1 John 5:14-15 says.

Proverbs 15:29 says: "The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous."

John 9:31 says, "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone isd God-fearing and does His will, He hears him."

James 1:5 & 6 is a promise for believers.

We also know that it is possible for demons to live within non-believers. Demons can speak to non-believers and as Satan's servants they speak lies. So a non-believer who prays for wisdom, for example praying to know which "religion" is true, if they get an answer it will most likely be an answer from a demon that will be a lie.

This is how the Mormon religion got started. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon religion, did not know which denomination to believe (he was a non-believer). Based on James 1:5 &6 he prayed asking God for wisdom so he would know which denomination was true. But as a non-believer he could not call on the promise of James 1:5 &6. So the answer he got was that none of them were true. An answer from a demon that has since lead millions away from the salvation that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

How Can You Know The Bible Is The Word of God?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:01:00 +0000

To determine the truth of something we need to use a higher standard than what we are evaluating. For example, if I look at a stack of books and I say, "Those books weight 25 pounds." what is the higher standard that can be used to determine whether or not that is true? A scale. If we put the books on a scale we can measure the weight and determine the truth of my statement.

What is the higher authority for the Bible?

To evaluate the Bible using human standards or philosophy or moral judgment is using a lower authority. We are lower than God. The only standard we can use is the Bible itself. This applies to all books that claim to be from God, such as the Quran and The Book of Mormon. This is not circular reasoning. We do not accept the Bible as being the word of God just because it claims to be the word of God--although it does that over 3,000 times. Any book can claim make that claim, but that does not make it true.

However, there are four characteristics of the Bible, and any other book that claims to be the word of God, that we can look at to determine whether or not it is the word of God. They are prophecy, history, science and unity.

Prophecy

The Bible includes about 3,000 prophecies about the future. About half of those have come true. The other half concern things, such as the end times, that have not happened yet. There are 300 prophecies about Jesus. Every one came true. The odds of just 8 of those prophecies being full filled in one person is 1 in 10 to the 17th power. The odds of just 48 of those prophecies being full filled in one person is 1 in 10 to the 157th power. In other words, only someone who perfectly knew what would happen in the future could have made 48 correct prophecies about Jesus. Remember there are 300 prophecies about Jesus, all of which came true. No prophecy in the Bible has been wrong. No detail of a Bible prophecy has been wrong. No one but God could do that.

History

A major portion of the Bible describes historical places, people and events. Archeology and other historical research shows that the history in the Bible is perfectly accurate. Archaeologist used to claim that the Bible was filled with stories, but it was not necessarily accurate history. Some still do claim this. But, what they have found is that if they use the Bible as their guide, they will uncover the cities, battles, and places described in the Bible. Neither archeology nor historical research has discovered anything that contradicts the Bible. The history in the Bible is completely true. Only God can do that.

Science

The Bible is not intended as a science textbook, but it does mention scientific facts that were not discovered until thousands of years after they were written in the Bible. Here are some examples:

Roundness of the earth (Isaiah 40:22)
Almost infinite extent of the starry universe (Isaiah 55:9)
The universe is being stretched out (by God’s hand)
Law of conservation of mass and energy (II Peter 3:7)
Law of increasing entropy (Psalm 102:25-27)

Science has never shown any scientific fact, stated in the Bible, to be wrong. Science has disagreed with the Bible many times, but science has always been shown to be wrong. The Bible has described scientific truth long before man "discovered" that truth. Only God can do that.

The Unity of the Bible

The Bible was written over a period of 2,000 years, by forty different authors who came from tremendously different backgrounds. But it is clearly one book, perfect in unity and consistency. It has never needed to be corrected. Most of the books I read are written by one author, over a period of a year or two... and they are not consistent, they have errors and problems. Man is not perfect. We can not write a perfect book, let alone have 40 writers, each writing their own book, spread over a time period of two thousand years, and them combine them together into one unified whole that reads just like all 66 books are chapters in one book. Only God can do that.

There is no doubt. The Bible is the word of God. The Bible is true.

Do Mormons Believe The Bible?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:56:00 +0000

The answer is yes, but...

LDS teaching makes two statements about the Bible.

The Mormon scripture says in The Pearl Of Great Price, The Articles of Faith 1:8 - "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly;"

That's a good statement. This is a christian doctrine also. God's word was given to us perfect and flawless. Translation is done by humans who are not perfect. That's why Bible translations are done by a group of scholars, and the translation work is checked and verified multiple times. Then once a translation is published it is subject to public examination and critique. The result is that we have a number of English translations that are accepted as accurate translations such as the Kings James (KJV), NASB and NIV.

But the LDS church does not stop there. The LDS scripture, includes three books plus the the Bible. These are: The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Convenants (D&C), and Pearl of Great Price) . These three are considered to be the greater among four equals. Why? Because it appears what Joseph Smith* intended to convey with the word translated is more like what the word transmitted means, because how we got the Bible involved more than just translation.** The book "Teachings Of The Prophet Joseph Smith", by Joseph Field Smith (Deseret Book, 1976, page 56) quotes Joseph Smith as explaining: "I believe the Bible as it read when it came fom the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors."

A foundational part of Mormom belief is that Christianity was corrupted in the first century. The result being that the Christianity we have now is not the true Christianity. The LDS church believes they are the source of the "correct" doctrine that restores Christianity to what it was originally. In other words, the Bible we have now can not be trusted. For example, it is missing information that is supplied by Mormon scripture.

Yes, Mormons believe the Bible, but only after it has been filtered through Mormon scripture which:

Changes the meaning of words (salvation does not mean salvation, nor does atonement mean what Christians think of as atonement, plus many other changes)

Changes Christian doctrine

Adds to what the Bible has said

Is that really believing in the Bible?

Here is a thought: Joseph Smith is right when he expresses concern about the Bible being translated correctly. One aspect of correct translation is that it must be translated into the language the reader understands. Since the LDS church has created their own version of the English language, in which words mean something different than what they used to mean, when a Mormon reads the Bible they are not reading a book that has been correctly translated. It has been translated into standard English, when instead it needs to be translated into Mormon English.

Yes Mormons believe the Bible. But they don't understand it, because they are not reading the Bible in a language they understand. Believing something does not make what you believe true.

Ask a Mormon this question: If someone read only the Bible (no Mormon scripture), would that person have a correct understanding of God, our purpose in life, salvation and eternity? The answer will be "No". Mormons believe the Bible, but they believe the Bible is limited and is not sufficient on its own. That is not Christianity. Christians believe in a God who is strong enough to preserve His word accurately and completely for all generations.

* Joseph Smith is the founder of the Mormon religion, the translator of Mormon scripture, and according to the LDS church the first modern day prophet of God.
** This is stated exactly this way in the book "The Mormon Faith" by Robert L. Millet, page 17

Are Mormons Christians? - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:02:00 +0000

I've was having a discussion with a Mormon in the comments section of a previous post titled Are Mormons Christians? I've decided that instead of continuing writing in the comments, I'd instead write new posts. As the discussion is covering several topics, this will make it easier to discuss each topic.

I will update this post to provide links to the addition posts related to this original post. If you are a Mormon reading any of these posts, please give us a correction if you notice anything that is not correct. All of my information comes from Mormon scripture, books the LDS church uses for teaching, and the writings and proclamations of Mormon prophets. I will identify my sources so they can be verified.

My main purpose in discussing this topic is so that those who are seeking God will know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is not a church in which they will find God. You will find many good people (based on earthly standards), you will find a god (small "g"), you will find obedience, you will find family... but you will not find the true Jesus Christ, the God who created the universe. And without Jesus Christ you have nothing.

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Links To Additional Posts

Do Mormons Believe The Bible?

James 1:5 & 6

I'm Good Enough
==================

In looking to learn more about the Mormon faith I was reading a book called "The Mormon Faith - A New Look At Christianity." From the title you can see that the writer considers Mormons to be Christians. But in the first paragraph of the book he reveals that Mormons do not believe what Christians believe. It states:

"They [Mormons] believe there is purpose in life, and that happiness is the object of our existence and the product of a well-lived life." (page 1, paragraph 1)

Notice the for Mormons the purpose of life is focused on themselves. It is all about people... people being happy. That is a sign of a cult*. Cults are focused on people. With Christianity the focus is ALWAYS on God.

What is our purpose in life? Why are we here? The gives us the answer. Our purpose is to glorify God. It is all about God, not about us. Here is why God created us:

"whom I created for my glory" - Isaiah 43:7

I wonder whether Christians who were physically tortured because of their faith would agree that their purpose was to be happy. On the contrary, when we are not happy and still praise God, that is when God is glorified. Read the Psalms. There are many times when David was not happy at all... but he still praised God.

In addition to glorifying God our purpose is to enjoy God and for God to rejoice in us. But, nowhere in the Bible does it say that our purpose is to be happy, as the LDS church teaches.

*Cults are generally focused on people. That is typically seen in doctrines that put the focus on people instead of God. An example is the LDS church saying that the purpose of life is for us to be happy. This focus on people is also seen in the need of works (good deeds) as a part of "salvation" or in order to reach the best heaven. The Bible teaches that it (everything) is all about God. God created us to glorify Himself. God saves us by His grace alone, and there is nothing we can do to earn any merit. It's about God, not us.

Get Rid Of Genesis 3

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:57:00 +0000

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden?'

The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'

'You will surely not die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'"

We all know what happens next. Eve ate some of the fruit, offered to Adam and he also ate the fruit. They disobeyed God. For the first time disobedience of God entered the world... sin.

What if God never told us about the events recorded in Genesis 3? Let's say the history recorded in Genesis 3 was not included in the Bible. It's not very long. Only 24 verses. Would the Bible still make sense?

No.

If God had not told us that sin entered the world, we would not understand the need for Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin. What sin? I'm a good person! that's what you'd hear. Actually that is what you do hear today. When I ask people why they think they'll go to heaven, and most people think they are going to heaven, the #1 answer is "because I'm a good person."

What about Genesis 3? People don't know about sin. They don't understand they are sinners, heading for the just consequences of their sin, the firey pit of hell. It's just as though Genesis 3 did not exist. And that is why we must tell people about sin when we are witnessing. No in a mean or angry way, but in a loving way. People need to understand their situation. That's why God gave us Genesis 3. So we would understand our situation.

What if God had not given us Genesis 3? We'd be in the same situation as the people I witness to. We would not know our need for a Savior.

God Is Love, But What Is Love?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:47:00 +0000

Here is an interesting verse. "But now the Lord declares, 'Those who honor me I will honor, those who despise Me will be disdainded.'" (1 Samuel 2:30) This verse palinly says there are some people whom God disdains.

Talking about God Psalm 5:5 says that God does "hate all who do wrong." This verse plainly says that God hates some people.

But the Bible also says that God is love (1 John 4:8) and "his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Is the Bible contradictory? Is God schizophrenic? No. We need to understand what love is. Love is not a feeling. Love is an action. 1 John 4:19 says: "We love because He [God] first loved us."

Romans 5:8 tells us what love is: "God demonstrated His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

God sacrificed His only Son so that we could live. Love is an action, not a feeling. God tells to do the same thing: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27)

He is telling us to do the same thing He did for us. We were enemies of God. We did wrong. We despised God. That means God disdained and hated us. But, He also loved us. He loved His enemies and that love is His giving His only Son to die, paying on our behalf the penalty we owe for disobeying God and being an enemy of God.

In our culture we tend to think of love as a feeling. But in the Bible love is an action, not a feeling. We are not called by God to like everyone, but we are called by God to put aside our feelings and act in a loving manner toward everyone.

Are Mormon Christians?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:16:00 +0000

It has become very important for Mormons to think of themselves as Christian... as just another denomination of Christianity. They don't understand why the rest of Christianity considers the LDS church to be a cult. One of the tools they have created to use in the battle for recognition as Christians is a book by Stephen Robinson called "Are Mormons Christians."

I decided to read this book. It is not very long. Only 114 pages. It is written in simple language that is easy to understand. But I had a tough time getting through it. A part of the foundation of Christianity is truth. Jesus Christ said he was the truth (John 14:16). Not that he told the truth, but the he is truth. I had a tough time getting through this book because Robinson has little regard for the truth. He yanks quotes out of their context, twisting their meaning. He changes quotes. Or, in some cases, just makes them up. But what is really disturbing is that he entirely misses the definition of Christianity.

Over and over he questions why some parts of Christianity accept other parts as being Christian, even though they have differences of doctrine. For example, evangelicals for the most part accept Catholics as Christian. Why then, can not evangelicals accept Mormons as Christian? Sure there are some differences, but there are differences between Catholics and evangelicals.

He totally misses the point that to be a Christian you must believe in Jesus Christ. Using the name of Jesus Christ is not enough. An example I frequently use is a group of guys who are getting a basketball team together to play in a tournament. I'm on their team and that makes them real happy because I'm Michael Jordan. How can they lose? Yes, I'm tall. But I'm white. I'm slow. And I don't play basketball. They can call me Michael Jordon, but I'm not really Michael Jordon.

That is what the LDS church does. They believe in Jesus Christ, but it is a Jesus Christ they have created. A total fiction. Just like I am tall, some of the characteristics of the Mormon Jesus are true. But, just as I won't win the basketball game for you, neither will their Jesus save them. (See Mormon Jesus Christ.)

Evangelicals believe in the true Jesus Christ, Mormons do not. That is the difference.

Catholics believe in the true Jesus Christ, the LDS church does not. That is the difference.

Jesus asked his disciples, "But whom say ye that I am?" Who is the Jesus you believe in? Is he truly Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), who has existed eternally, who is and always has been fully God?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Continuing with the response to the commenter who claims that God is described as killing babies in the Bible. (See the "Jews Kill Children" post.)

The claim is that Psalm 137:9 says that God kills babies. So let's look at Psalm 137 verse 8 and 9:

"O Daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, how blessed will be the one who repays you with the recompense with which you have repaid us. How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones [infants] against the rock."

The question is, do these verses indicate that God kills babies?

This Psalm was written after Israel’s return from Babylon. It is describing what happened when Babylon was conquered by the Medes. This was predicted in a prophecy is Isaiah 13:16:

"Their little children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished."

This prophecy is repeated in Isaiah 13:18 where it states that the conquerors of Babylon "will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb."

The prophecy talks more about the destruction of Babylon than just the killing of infants, but the question about these verses has to do with whether or not they say that God kills babies. That is why I’ve just quoted the parts of scripture that mention this.

No, this scripture does not say that God kills babies. It says that the Medes killed Babylonian infants. It is describing what actually happened… the brutality of the Medes as they conquered Babylon. There is nothing more brutal than the killing of infants, and that is mentioned here to show how merciless the Medes were.

Why does the Psalmist say the Medes are blessed? Is it because they kill babies? No. It is because they are the destroyers of Babylon. That is the context for these verses, and that is what these verses are all about. There is nothing here that says God kills babies or approves of the killing of babies. It is purely descriptive of the depravity of mankind.

When Does Abortion Become Murder? - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:43:00 +0000

We are looking at this question in response to a comment in another of our blogs called "The Jews Sacrifice Children". Part one of this response is at: When Does Abortion Become Murder?

In this post we'll be talking about two passages of scripture. Jeremiah 1:5 and Exodus 21:22-25.

The anonymous commenter wrote:

"Jeremiah 1:5. Which, when taken out of context, seem to support the claim that God recognizes a fetus as a person. But, for instance, if we read the entire passage of Jeremiah 1:4-10 it gives that one verse another meaning...and what is true for Jeremiah is not necessarily true for us. We are not prophets."

Here is what Jeremiah 1:5 says: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

This verse says God did four things: formed, knew, consecrated and appointed. Is there anything in this passage, or ANYWHERE ELSE in the Bible that indicates God only does these things for prophets? What about doing this for apostles? What about pastors and teachers? What about evangelists? And let's not leave out worship leaders, prayer warriors and those with the gift of serving. Today the Holy Spirit is indwelling all believers, and all believers are consecrated and appointed to have spiritual gifts used to worship, serve and glorify God. So does that mean God only formed prophets in the womb before Christ died, but after He forms all Christians in the womb, but not other people? That does not make sense.

There is no support, anywhere in the Bible, for interpreting Jeremiah as limiting God to forming just Jeremiah, or just prophets, in a woman's womb.

Are there any indications elsewhere in the Bible that God forms all people in the womb? That we all are a creation of God?

Yes, Scripture such as Psalm 139:13-16 clearly says this... nothing more is needed.

But there is more. We read throughout the Bible that God knows us before we were born. He is control and involved in everything. He is the creator of all things. He holds the universe together (Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3), which means He is actively involved in everything that happens. What we call "natural laws" are in fact God acting in the present to hold the universe together. What Bible scholars call "the flow of Scripture" all favors the understanding of Jeremiah 1:5 as saying Jeremiah, like all other humans, was formed in the womb by God.

The anonymous commenter then writes:

"God does give examples that seem to support the view that He doesn’t consider us a person until we are at least a month old and, in Exodus 21:22-25, clearly states that causing an abortion is not a capital offense. No, the baby in that passage did not survive. When this passage is properly translated it is a miscarriage, not a premature birth."

Here is what Exodus 21:22-25 says (NIV), "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is a serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."

===== The following is updated from the original post =====

The problem seems to be that the text is not being read for what it says. There is an assumption that the baby dies and the "serious" injury being discussed her is to the woman. But that's not what the text says.

It says that if the woman gives birth prematurely and there is no serious injury... if there is no serious injury then neither the mother nor the baby have been seriously injured and compensation must be paid.

If there is a serious injury, to either the mother or the baby, then there is a just penalty that is appropriate for the injury.

Both the NIV and NASB says "give birth prematurely", they do not say "miscarry". The Hebrew word used here is "yalad" and it means to give birth (alternate translations: born, children, give delivery, bring forth). The Hebrew word for miscarriage is "nephel" and that is not used here. There is no translation problem here.

Exodus 21:14 plainly says that abortion is murder andthe penalty is the death penalty.

When does abortion become murder?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 04:28:00 +0000

When does a person become a person? When does abortion become murder? The answers: at conception and it is almost always is murder. Let's look at scripture.

There are a number of passages in Scripture that deal with the concept of when life becomes life, and the point at which God created that life. Let's look at these and the objections someone who favors killing babies has raised.

Medical science has long known, and clearly demonstrated, that a baby in the womb is a living person that feels pain, reacts to stimulus, and is completely unique person. The Bible also shows this:

"When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb..." - Luke 1:41

"For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my eyes, the baby leaped in my womb for joy." - Luke 1:44

By the way, the Bible always refers to an unborn child as a baby. The term "fetus" is never used. Whether the person is inside or outside of the womb, the same term is used, "baby".

Of course, someone might say this was a very special baby. This was Jesus. This is a special case, it is not something that applies to everyone. I'd then have to ask, what makes it a special case? Could it be that Jesus, as a baby in the womb, understood Mary's words because he is God?

A verse that tells us God formed us in the womb is Jeremiah 1:5.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5

Galatians says the same thing about Paul, "But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb..." - Galatians 1:15

The objection is that this is a special case. That Jeremiah was created to be a prophet and so he received God's special attention and was formed in the womb by God. However, this does not apply to everyone else. We are not prophets like Jeremiah and Paul.

Yes, that one statement is true. We are not all prophets. The verse goes on to say God consecrated Jeremiah before he was born and appointed him to be a prophet. That certainly is very special. But, does it negate the first part of this verse? Does God only form prophets in the womb, or does He form everyone in the womb?

From a plain, straightforward reading of the text it is so obvious that God forms everyone in the womb, that I can not find one commentary that questions this or even discusses it.

Let's go to Psalm 139:13

"For You [God] formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb."

This verse clearly says David was formed by God in his mother's womb, and the person defending child murder says nothing about this verse, other than claiming it will be used to support life.

What is the context of this verse?

The previous paragraphs are talking about how God is everywhere. Starting in 139:13 scripture talks about God's power and skill, and it uses the beginning of life as an example. Not only do these verses say God made us in the womb, they praise God for His skill.

What is also interesting is Psalm 51:5 - "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me."

What is the context? In the previous verses David is talking about his sin and how evil he is in God's sight. These verses are all about David being a sinner, from the moment he was conceived.

Can a blob of tissue sin? No. Can an animal sin? No. Only a person, created by God, can sin. Only a living being created in the image of God can sin against God. Psalm 51:5 clearly states that from the moment of conception a baby is a person... we all know that killing a person is murder.

Tomorrow I'll continue discussing Jeremiah 1:5 and we'll look at Exodus 21:22-25.

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:55:00 +0000

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned---" - Romans 5:12

Would you consider yourself to be a good person?

Okay, maybe not a perfect person, but at least good enough to get into heaven?

How good do you have to be to get into heaven? That's a question we answer on our web site. I've asked people around the world this question, and the answer is same everywhere. "I am a good person... at least good enough to get into heaven."

How good is good enough?

It is perfect. If you disobey God just once, that's it. You're headed for hell. But we don't disobey God just once. You and I regularly disobey God... every day. As Romans 5:12 says, we have all sinned. And that means we have earned the penalty for breaking God's law. Hell. Death.

But, God so loved the world... God loves us so much, how could He send us to hell? I though God was forgiving.

God does love us. He loves you. Imagine you have committed a serious crime and are standing before a judge in a courtroom, and you are obviously guilty. The judge is a good judge. The judge really cares about you. What does the judge do? Does he let you go free? No. You must pay the penalty for breaking the law.

God loves you. But you've broken His law and the penalty must be paid. That penalty is death, what we call hell. But God loves you so much that He did something very special. He paid you penalty in your place. He paid the death penalty so you can go free.

Do you want to go free? Do you want to be free of the penalty for sin? Turn from sin and trust that Jesus Christ did die to pay the penalty you owe for disobeying God.

Jesus Is God

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:33:00 +0000

If you were introduced to a tall, bald, black man wearing a jersey that said "Bulls 24" on it, and he was introduced as "Michael Jordan" would you expect him to say, "Hi, I'm a basketball player?" Or could you tell from his name and what you've seen him do that he was a basketball player?

Michael Jordan demonstrated on the court that he was a basketball player. There is no doubt about it. Watch him in action on the court for a few minutes and you knew that he could play basketball.

It's the same with Jesus Christ. He didn't need to proclaim that he is God by saying "I am God.", he did it through his actions.

Read Matthew 9:1-8

"Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.'"

"'Blasphemy! This man talks like he is God!' some of the teachers of religious law said among themselves."

"Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, 'Why are you thinking such evil thoughts? Is it easier to say, Your sins are forgiven or Get up and walk? I will prove to you that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins.' Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 'Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!.'"

"And the man jumped up and went home! Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen right before their eyes."

The teachers of religious law knew that only God can forgive sin. Sin is an offense against God, and only the one who has been offended can forgive that offense. Thus only God can forgive sin, and here Jesus was acting as though he could forgive sin... he was acting like God because He is God.

That's why it says that "Jesus knew what they were thinking." This happens numerous times in the Bible, where Jesus knows the thoughts of people. He knows what a disciple is thinking even before he meets him. He knows about the Samaritan woman's life without her telling him. These are things only God can do.

What Is Marriage?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:56:00 +0000

God talks about marriage and what He expects from marriage in Malachi 2:14-15.

"The LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made to each other on your wedding day when you were young. But you have been disloyal to her, though she remained your faithful companion. Didn't the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. So guard yourself; remain loyal to the wife of your youth."

Homosexual marriage does not fit into this picture of marriage at all. It is a picture of one man, one woman, remaining loyal to each other and doing what God wants... making Godly children.

Marriage is also a picture of God's relationship with Israel, and a picture of God's relationship with His church. In every case we are to reproduce... the church is to be involved in evangelism, leading people to Christ so that they become children of God.

How Terrible It Will Be For Those Who Rest In Luxury

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:36:00 +0000

Listen to these words from God in the Book of Joel:

"How terrible it will be for you who lounge in luxury and think you are secure."

"You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer."

I hate all your show and pretense--the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. Away with your hymns of praise! They are only noise in my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry.

This is what the Lord says: The people have sinned again and again., and I will not forget it. I will not let them go unpunished any longer! They have rejected the laws of the Lord, refusing to obey Him. They have been lead astray by the same lies that deceived their ancestors.

God is not saying that, because some people are rich they face judgment. He is saying that people are taking comfort in their riches instead of living a righteous life in obedience to God. Wealth does not keep someone out of heaven. It is sin and sin alone that sends people to hell. But if you are trusting in yourself in any way... trusting in your wealth to save you... then you are headed for the destruction of hell. If a nation is trusting in itself... trusting in it's strength and wealth, instead of living in obedience to God, then that nation is headed for destruction.

Which way is America heading?

What Is Peace On Earth?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 15:52:00 +0000

It's the Christmas season and a common theme is peace on earth. What does the Bible mean when it talks about peace?

For a long time I found this to be a confusing question. On the one hand, peace... the end of all war... seemed like a good thing. Yet Jesus said: "Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

We think of Jesus as being all about peace and love, but that does not appear to be true.

In Luke 22:36 Jesus tells his followers that to have a sword is so important that they should sell their clothes to buy one. The Book of Revelation describes a future time filled with war and death. Romans 13 tells us one purpose of government is to oppose evil with the sword (war). This all seems at odds with our general understanding that Jesus brings peace. Yet, the truth is Jesus does bring peace. We're just not thinking about the right war.

What is the greatest war? What war has been going on continuously for 6,000 years? Romans 5:10 tells us that before we are saved we are enemies of God. The greatest war is our opposition to God. That is the war Jesus came to end. Jesus came to bring peace between us and God. Through His death on the cross He brings peace between us and God, for all those who accept this gift He has given us.

This is what the Bible means by peace on earth. It is peace between mankind and God. This is the peace we are to work for, by our sharing the gospel with others. Until there is peace between mankind and God, there can be no peace among mankind... in fact Jesus makes it clear that as He brings peace between man and God, He brings war even within families.

What can you do to help bring peace on earth? The Bible tells us what we are supposed to do.

Go out and share the gospel. Tell people about their need for a savior. Share the good news that Jesus died to pay the penalty they owe for disobeying God. Tell them how on the third day He rose from the dead, showing us that we too will live. That is the way, the only way to true peace.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt - Free MP3

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 22:42:00 +0000

Ten Shekels and a Shirt - by Paris Reidhead. This could be the most eye-opening message about evangelism you've heard. The challenge and blessings of this message from Judges 17 illustrates the ever-present danger of "evangelical" humanism. The longer you listen, the better it gets.

This is a must listen to message. Use the link above and go to the bottom of the page.

Saturday TV - Curb Your Evangelism

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:34:00 +0000

There is very little that is good on TV. So whenever I find a good video I'll post it here. Enjoy some good, Christian entertainment.

Today's video is called: Curb Your Evangelism

Scientist and What They Believe

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:36:00 +0000

We are very pleased to now have a free MP3 podcast available from Dr. Donal Chittick.

Dr. Chittick is a well-known lecturer on the subject of creation. He is witty, knowledgeable and an engaging speaker. In this message, from his 2007 lectures at Ecoloa Bible College, answers the questions:

What are the belief options for origins?

Why is there so much disagreement?

Which side, creationism or evolutionism, has more evidence?

Is the idea of creation against science?

After you listen to this message, please feel free to leave a comment on this blog post.

Use this link to listen to the podcast or download the MP3 file: Scientists and What They Believe (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

John Wesley's Holy Club Daily Questions

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:49:00 +0000

John Wesley lived almost 300 years ago. In 1729 John Wesley, his brother Charles and other students formed the "Holy Club" at Oxford University. This was the beginning of the Methodist Church. These are 22 questions members of John Wesley's Holy Club asked themselves every day in their private devotions.

Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I relly am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
Can I be trusted?
Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
Did the Bible live in me today?
Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
Am I enjoying prayer?
When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
Do I pray about the money I spend?
Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
Do I disobey God in anything?
Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
Am I defeated in any part of my life?
Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
How do I spend my spare time?
Am I proud?
Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
Do I grumble or complain constantly?
Is Christ real to me?

How Did Paul Share The Gospel?

noreply@blogger.com (BrickBalloon) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:52:00 +0000

The book of Romans is essentially a record of what Paul was preaching. It starts with a presentation of the gospel.

Where does Paul start? God has a wonderful plan for your life? No. You have a God-shaped hole in soul? No. Paul starts with sin and God's anger at sin.

Verses 1:1 through 1:15 are greetings and an introduction. In verse 1:16 Paul states that he is not ashamed of the Good News (gospel).

Starting in verse 1:18 Paul talks about sin. He continues through verse 3:20. Only after he has completely discussed sin does he give the Good News about Jesus Christ in verses 3:21 through 3:28. That's 64 verses on sin and and 7 verses on salvation.

People don't know they are in need of a Saviour, until they know they are sinners; and know what sin is; and know how serious sin is.