A Brief History of God

One commenter on yesterday's post wrote that the Bible may have been the work of ordinary humans with very human agendas.



It reminded me of a video I had watched sometime ago.

I remember reading in our kids' homeschool curriculum about a certain Pharaoh who tried monotheism. It didn't stick.


In a previous video the narrator talks about John Shelby Spong's Why Christianity Must Change or Die.  

What we see in this History of God is that religion, God, or at least our concept of god changes and those changes must come in order for the religion to survive.

Friday Fragments

Some random things in a random post:)

Truthergirl Sonya questions the radiation reports:

"When it comes from Japan, it gives you thyroid cancer, but when it comes from a hospital, it will somehow cure thyroid cancer." 

She thinks she may have failed "doublethink" back in high school:)We've been through this before like she says....swine flu, gulf oil, now this.



Secondly, last Sunday at church Arnold Fruchtenbaum  (I was so excited...I'm such a geek :P) gave a Passover Seder demonstration. It was really awesome to see how Jesus was showing how HE was the fulfillment of Passover. I wish I had some video or at least audio to share with you....but I don't. Our church's mp3 archive is a couple of months behind for some reason.  I'm still going through the Life of Messiah series...slowly. I kinda got sidetracked with other things that I found.  (so far really interesting) So much info!



My kids with help of the neighbor kid brought this home last night from the creek....He (the neighbor) said he's taking it back...I hope so.

Helloooooooo

Finally, more study tools. We have watched Les Feldick for years, and I just found that his lessons are being put on youtube. If you have never heard of him, check it out:

Bonus:
Was Paul the WORST of sinners?

Life of the Messiah Notes- The Unpardonable Sin

I'm still working my way through the Life of Messiah series.

This one is probably my favorite.

Having heard many many explanations of what the unpardonable sin is, I have to say that this one really makes the most sense.

Here's how Arnold Fruchtenbaum defines it:

The national rejection by Israel of the Messiah-ship of Yeshua while He was present here on Earth on the basis of being demon possessed.

He goes on to explain this as it relates to the context of the passage and how this sin is not unforgivable in a personal salvation way, but in a national punishment way.

He then sites examples of such a thing is Israel's past including the refusal of Israel to enter into the promised land and the Babylonian captivity.
 
It makes a great deal of sense when one notices how much Jesus uses the phrase "this generation" after this happens.

He explains that it is at this point that Jesus begins speaking in parables.

The parable of the leaven

The two reasons He does so is to keep the unbelieving portion of Israel blinded and to introduce the mystery kingdom (the church) to his disciples.

This particular session helped to clear up many things for me.

Even if you aren't interested in the entire series I highly highly recommend making time for this one.  

You can listen or download it here.

The Life of Messiah - A Jewish Perspective

The Life of Messiah From a Jewish Perspective

Is this an awesome picture or what? (source)

We did this study in our adult Sunday School class a couple of years ago. I wanted to post it here for anyone interested in the historical background of things during the time of Christ's earthly ministry.

This is a refreshing and well-studied look at the gospels in a way that I had never seen them before. Seeing some of these things through a Jewish lens adds a fullness to the gospel accounts.  Dr. Fruchtenbaum uses A. T. Robertson's A Harmony of the Gospels as a guide in this series.

I found the link to the free audio at Dean Bible Ministries. The DVDs are also for sale at Amazon, or at Ariel.org.

Dr Fruchtenbaum addresses such topics as:

• What "born of water" means.

• Why the Pharisees really should have known Jesus was the Messiah.

• What the giving of the keys to Peter meant and how he used them.

• What the unpardonable sin is. 

• Accounting for "three days and three nights" in the Friday crucifixion (I'm still undecided on this myself, but Dr. Fruchtenbaum defends the Friday position).

• Supposed contradictions in the gospel accounts are explained.

There are over twenty hours of audio here, but I think it is well worth it.

Since we're coming up on the Resurrection Day celebrations, this may be an excellent time to devote to such a study.

October 31

Being as this particular day  has a lot of pagan baggage, I thought I would focus on another October 31 event.

According to wikipedia:

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther wrote to Albrecht, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg, protesting the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The 95 Theses.

Almost 500 years ago according to His plan, the Lord allowed the seeds of what would change the course of the history of the Church and of the world to be planted.  I do believe that for the entirety of the church age (even during the "Dark Ages") God has always had a remnant.





So whatever you are or are not doing or celebrating today:

One more thing :)  James White's latest podcast was especially good in my opinion. He talks to turretinfan and then does some reformation history. If anyone has a spare hour, it is well worth the listen.

Happy Reformation Day!

The Sacrifice of the Mass

Continuing in the James White Church history series, he discusses the idea of the Mass as a sacrifice:

The Sacrifice of the Mass
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

For those who are used to communion as the Lord's Supper with little plastic cups of grape juice and tiny specks of bread, the idea of the Roman Catholic mass will be quite foreign. The Catechism explains what it means to the Roman Catholic, but it is kind of difficult to understand.

In layman's terms the mass is a re-presentation (not re-sacrifice) of the body and blood of Jesus to the Father. Okay, that doesn't sound too bad, but it has evolved into the idea that participating in the mass can take away sins, release loved ones from purgatory, and infuse a believer with grace. All these are unbiblical and completely read into the texts that speak of the Lord's supper.

This topic has concerned me greatly. When I used to go to mass I always wondered why I just wasn't getting what all of this ceremony was supposed to mean. The whole purpose of the Catholic service is to take communion. They do sing and read (small, selected) parts of the Bible, but the main focus in on the body of Jesus that becomes physically present in the elements once the priest consecrates it.

One day while in line to take the bread and the cup, I prayed to God that He would make this ritual mean to me what the Church said it meant. If I was actually participating in such a grand and wonderful thing, why didn't it feel so?

After we left the Church, I wondered what does this ordinance mean? I can't say I'm still totally clear about that, but, I know that it is based in Old Testament practices.  Jesus was telling his disciples (all sons of Jacob) that he was about to institute the New Covenant spoken of in Jeremiah chapter 31.

31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

From this point forward, whenever they ate that bread and drank that cup (during Passover) to change their focus from remembering that God had delivered them from Egypt to the fact that God was now delivering them from their sins.

I will, Lord willing, elaborate more about this at an appropriate time.

Here is a small part of a debate about the mass between Dr. White and Robert Sungenis.  I like that White states that he is not an ex-anything, but just wants to represent the truth of God's word.

Purgatory and Indulgences

Next, in the church history series, Dr. White talks about the development of purgatory and some of the (non biblical) ideas that led up to it and still are with us today.

Purgatory
Purgatory to Indulgences
Decline of the Papacy and Indulgences

Back in the Catholic days, the whole concept of purgatory was never wholly accepted by me. Some of you may have never heard of such a thing, so in light of that, here's the scoop. If you are part of the Church and "born again" by the means of water (usually infant) baptism, unless you become entirely apostate or commit a mortal sin without confessing it to a priest or having perfect contrition for said mortal sin you will not have to fear of going to hell. You will most likely go to purgatory, a place to pay for any sins that were not paid for by you here on earth before death. In fact most all Catholics expect to go to purgatory. Only really really (like Mother Teresa) good people get to go right in to Heaven.

I was understandably disheartened to learn that there was no guarantee of a direct entrance into the presence of the Lord upon death. In fact, it was quite unlikely.

Recently, a book came across my path and I was able to read it online:



The Amazing Secrets of the Souls in Purgatory

It is an interview with a Catholic lady who regularly prayed for the souls in purgatory. Apparently, they would come to her and tell her what she could do to get them out. 

Some interesting excerpts from the book:

What exactly is Purgatory? I'd say that it's a marvelous invention of God.

It is the soul itself which wants to go to Purgatory, in order to be pure before going to Heaven. The souls in Purgatory adhere fully to God's will; they rejoice in the good, they desire our good and they love very much: they love God, and they love us too. They are perfectly united to the Spirit of God, the light of God.

2Cr 5:8      We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Hbr 10:14      For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Maria, can you tell us what the role of Our Lady is with the souls in Purgatory?
She comes often to console them and to tell them they have done many good things. She encourages them.

Are there any days in particular on which she delivers them?

Above all, Christmas Day, All Saints Day, Good Friday, the Feast of the Assumption, and the Ascension of Jesus.

Luke 16:26             And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.

 

"My children, a good priest had the unhappiness to lose a friend he cherished tenderly, and so he prayed very much for the repose of his soul. One day, God made known to him that his friend was in Purgatory and suffered terribly. The holy priest believed that he could not do better than to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for his dear friend who had died. At the moment of the consecration, he took the host between his fingers and said 'Holy Eternal Father, let us make an exchange. You hold the soul of my friend who is in Purgatory, and I hold the Body of Your Son in my hands. Well good and merciful Father; deliver my friend and I offer you your Son with all the merits of his death and Passion."

Hbr 10:12    But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

 
Maria, I'd like to ask you: have people from other religions -- for example, Jews -- come to visit you?

Yes, they are happy. Anyone who lives his faith well is happy. But it is through the Catholic faith that we gain the most for Heaven.

Mat 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

This particular book does not have the imprimatur of the Catholic Church on it, meaning that it is not considered to be official. However, other books that I have read do, and even if they are not encouraged by the magesterium, I haven't found them to be discouraged either.

If you've been reading here at all, you may be thinking what ax does this lady have to grind with the Roman Catholic Church? Why doesn't she talk about something else?

I was not just a nominal Catholic. We went to mass on every Sunday and all holy days.  I did all the things that they said I had to do and read the catechism, asked the priests for advice and tried to apply the teachings of the RCC to every aspect of my life. I was serious about it. After all, they were the one true church, right?

The problem was that when I was saved several years before joining the RCC, I had a relationship with the Lord. I read the bible and thought that I understood it. Going into Catholicism changed all that. They told me I was wrong. The relationship I had with Jesus by faith and faith alone wasn't that simple. They took my Lord away from me and replaced Him with rites and rituals and fear.

That many sound a little melodramatic, but that is how it felt to me. I missed the old way, before everything was so complicated and the freedom that is in Christ.  


So what about indulgences? What are they and how does that work?  It's pretty complicated, but according to the Catechism of the Catholic church:

"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints."

"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin." The faithful can gain indulgences for themselves or apply them to the dead.

Since Rome's view of the Atonement of the cross is that is makes everyone savable and doesn't save anyone (the elect in particular) then there must be some effort on our part to apply the work of the cross in order to obtain and keep our salvation.

If we live without sin after our baptism, we get are ushered right into Heaven after death. But since that isn't going to happen, there has to be a way so that we can apply our merits (or other people's merits) as crazy as that sounds, to lessen our time in purgatory, to finally expiate our sins and gain Heaven.

Wait a minute, you say, I thought Jesus did all that.  He DID. And when that realization was gloriously granted to the head of this household, we soon left the "Church".  That was a glorious day!

Of course, most of us know that the selling of indulgences was what put Martin Luther over the edge, but he will be addressed in more detail later on in the series.

Many people think that indulgences were a medieval practice and no longer in effect. Well, they are not allowed to be sold anymore but indulgences are still given today by saying rosaries, certain devotional prayers, visits to shrines and other religious practices.  In fact Pope Benedict XVI gave a plenary indulgence (which is a remission for all punishment due to sin) for the 150th anniversary of a Marian apparition at Lourdes, France.  So this affront to the Holy and complete sacrifice of our Lord is still alive and well.

The Holy Roman Empire and the Rise of Islam

Back to the James White Church History series. These two still have pretty bad sound quality but I am managing to catch most of it.

The Rise of Islam

HRE (Holy Roman Empire) and Monasticism

Since all things Muslim are so prevalent these days, I've posted these for anyone unfamiliar with where this religion came from. The kiddos and I have done some world history recently, so much of this I already knew. The way it started is very interesting. Mohammed received a vision from someone who called himself (or itself) Gabriel the angel.


  
Interestingly,  Joseph Smith of Mormon fame was also supposedly visited by an angel. I thought it was also called Gabriel but have since found it was named Moroni. Nevertheless, it reminds me of these:

2Cr 11:14 -15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Gal 1:8 -9     But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Islam and Mormonism are certainly different gospels. The conspiracy theorist in me just cannot pass up the opportunity to mention the claims by Alberto Rivera that Islam was invented by the Roman Catholic Church in order to regain control of the Holy Land.





Ok I'll admit that I haven't watched all of this video, but I did download the mp3s here and plan to listen to them eventually, so I'll report back.

Jack Chick has done some interesting comics with the story, though.



Dr. White also talks a bit about monasticism and how that got started.  I did learn that we do owe a great debt to the monks of the middle ages for transcribing and keeping the Scriptures and most other literature.

There was some teaching about  the Inquisitions, but the sound was so bad that I couldn't really catch most of it. That will have to wait for later, I guess. It probably deserves to be studied on its own.

Next, we're going into the development of purgatory and indulgences, the sacrifice of the mass and transubstantiation.  I'll have plenty to comment on about that.

Cultural Christianity

I'm still making my way through the James White church history series and in the part I recently listened to, he discusses the transition from the persecuted church to the state church.  After the Council of Nicaea, or round about, the switch from Christians being true believers to being just what one was culturally really took hold.

(Anyone notice that floor looks a little Masonic?)

Many people don't really seem to know the Lord, but they are very proud of their culture and religion. Of course, I don't know all these people's hearts, so I can not speak in a broad way, but how many of our churches, Catholic or Protestant, are full of bodies who don't know Jesus? They are in church because that's just what you do.

Anyway, this seems to be one of the turning points from when the simplicity of the gospel was inundated with all kinds of "baggage" as Dr. White puts it, from those who were unregenerate, but included under the umbrella of Christendom. This baggage is still with us today in many ways, but I will address this at another time as tis not the season.



Later in this file he discusses the Nestorian controversy and the real original meaning of the title "Mother of God" for Mary. It seems that the title given to her was meant to be about Christ and not about her. It's too bad that something that was meant to define Jesus's nature in history turned that great woman of faith from this:

To this:

He then gets into early teachings about what was really accomplished on the cross and how the early church viewed the nature of our atonement as well as the surprising lack of discussion about it in the very early period. All in all a very informative 45 minutes or so if one can handle the very poor sound quality in some spots.

Ma's Blog

I'm finally joining the wonderful world of blogging. The main purpose for this blog is to provide links and commentary on some great Bible studies, doctrinal issues and current and end-time events.

I will mainly be compiling links and information from other sites, but my hope is that like-minded sisters (and brothers) in the LORD will be edified and encouraged.

So first up....

I ran across a 49 part teaching on the history of the church by James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries on Lane Chaplan's blog.

You can find Lane's original post here.

I have become a huge fan of his apologetic work since being introduced to reformed theology last year. His eschatology is not premillenial, usually deal breaker for me, but he is so good at what he does, I've decided to let it slide;)

The study is about ten years old give or take and the sound quality is HORRIBLE, but I am finding it worthwhile to trudge through.


He is also going through a bit of early church history in his most recent Dividing Line podcasts. It seems that he is getting ready to debate Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis in the fall. The program that aired on the 13th was very good.

This is my first foray into early church history since coming out of the Roman Catholic Church. White says that the early church fathers weren't necessarily Reformed Baptists (which he is) but they certainly weren't Roman Catholics either! I am really trying to listen to these with a fresh perspective and of course with the Holy Scriptures as the sole rule of faith.

What I think is important to remember, and what I am learning so far in this study is that the same issues that were of debate in the early years of the Christian faith are still very much in debate to this day. Those who walked and talked with our Lord didn't always get it:

Luke 18:
³¹Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
³²For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
³³And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
³⁴And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Now many would argue that this was before Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, but we find in that even in the God chosen Apostles themselves that there was not always absolute unity:

Galatians 2:
¹¹But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
¹²For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
¹³And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
¹⁴But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
¹⁵We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
¹⁶Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
¹⁷But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
¹⁸For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
¹⁹For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
²¹I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

So can we trust eyewitnesses or hand picked Apostles or tradition or visions or good feelings? NO. Here is a famous 3:16 passage, and it is not the one everyone thinks of first:

2Timothy 3:16:
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (17)That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

All that being said, I do think it is a worthwhile pursuit to have some familiarity with the high points of Church history and I'm finally ready to go there.