Kingdom Ready

Introduction

One of the previous articles on this site discusses the group of people called the “Nephilim”, who are first referenced in Genesis chapter 6. In particular, that article investigates the origins of that group.

That article puts forth the possibility that the Nephilim were the children of rebellious angels, who mated with human women. As a result, the Nephilim were essentially a race of “superhuman bullies”. Here is the link to that article:

Who were the “Nephilim” of Genesis 6?

As mentioned in that article, it appears that the rebellious angels were “imprisoned” in some way, after they committed the sin of mating with human women. In particular, 1 Peter 3:18-20, 2 Peter 2:4-5,9-10 and Jude 1:6-7 all state that God imprisoned those angels because of their sin.

Introduction

One of the intriguing items about Jesus‘ ministry is that during his time on the earth, his mission was to spread the gospel to Jews – http://www.texansjerseyschina.com not to Gentiles. In addition, Jesus also instructed his disciples to only preach to Jews – not to Gentiles. For example, consider the following passages:

Matthew 15:24 (ESV):

^24 He [Jesus] answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew 10:5-6 (ESV):

^5 These twelve [disciples] Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ^6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Introduction newyorkjetsclub

One of the common idioms in Scripture is that of symbolic references. Basically, many of the items listed in Scripture are not literally true – instead, they are figurative references to other items in Scripture.

One very well-known example of such a symbolic reference occurs in 1 Corinthians 5:7 – in which Paul tells us that “Christ is our Passover lamb”. Similarly, in John 1:29, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God”.

Introduction

In many places, the Bible states that it contains the information that we need to be saved. In other words, there is nothing “lacking” from the Bible, as far as our salvation is concerned. One of the more explicit examples of this can be found in Paul’s second letter to Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (ESV):

^14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it ^15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16 All Impotens Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ^17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Introduction

Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1, and Romans 9 are texts commonly used by Calvinists to support the doctrine of predestined, irresistible, unconditional election unto salvation – that God chooses ahead of time who will be saved.

In Romans 8:29-30, Paul writes that those whom God “foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…”

In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks of “the saints” (v. 1) as being chosen by God “before the foundation of the world” in order to be “holy and blameless before Him” (v. 4), and “predestined… to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself” (v. 5).

Red-letter Bibles can be both a blessing and a curse – a blessing because they highlight the important words of our Lord Jesus, but a curse to the uninformed reader because occasionally the words highlighted in red are not actually the words of Jesus! One influential example of this may be found in the book of Revelation. In the New American Standard Bible, Revelation 1:8 is highlighted in red, Cheap Jerseys free shipping suggesting that the following words are the words of Jesus. This verse reads “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” This red-letter emphasis conveys the idea that Jesus is the Lord God, the Almighty. However, a careful reader of the book of Revelation will question the accuracy of this red-letter emphasis, which is an editorial interpretation and not of the authoritative inspiration of God.

Sometimes Trinitarian apologists interpret Zechariah 12:10 as a reference to God being crucified. Here is the text as it appears in the New American Standard Bible (NASB):

Zechariah 12.10 (NASB)
I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

Recently we had a discussion about the reliability of the New Testament.  In past discussions also, the work of Bart Ehrman has been cited, especially his book, Misquoting Jesus.  In a recent episode of the radio program, Unbelievable, Bart Ehrman himself has a discussion/debate with Bible scholar Peter Williams, who questions the validity of some of Ehrman’s points.  You can listen to it HERE.

Ehrman’s book Misquoting Jesus has been on the best seller list and has been influencing the views of many people regarding the texts of the Bible, especially the New Testament.  But while it gives a good introduction to the field of textual criticism in the first four chapters, his conclusions in subsequent chapters are at best overstated and misleading, according to those who have critiqued it.  Peter Williams, who debated Ehrman on Unbelievable, also has a further analysis of the book, which you can listen to and read HERE.

[The following is a new article from my website]

The promise of land was made to Abraham, and confirmed to Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons. The land that was promised was a central feature in the identity of Israel as a nation, all throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The unfolding of God’s plan primarily involved His people and their inheritance of the land. But are the events recorded in the Old Testament the complete fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant?

To understand how God’s Covenant with Abraham forms the foundation for the rest of the Bible, we must first consider exactly what land God promised to Abraham. We saw in the previous article that God promised blessings, including land, to Abraham and his seed. God was very specific about what land He would give them.

By popular demand (2 requests!), here is the article from my website.

Introduction

One of the most hotly contested passages of Scripture is so well known that it has a name – the Comma Johanneum, or Johannine Comma. In this case, “comma” refers not to punctuation but to a clause. In the KJV, I John 5:7-8 reads as follows:

I John 5:
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.