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Monday, November 11, 2024

Acts 2:38 Is it Applied Right or Wrong?

 

a closer look. -rory moore

"Then Peter said to them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit".

In our old denomination where I was ordained, Acts 2:38 was our Flagship Verse.
 "OBEY ACTS 2:38!" we  ordered.

Tracts were passed out, there is countless re-quoting of it from countless pulpits, and even our children were constant re-affirming of what Peter told the crowd of Jewish people in Jerusalem that day, the Day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter two. "then Peter said...."

The point we always made using verse 38 was the need to repent, be baptized in Jesus' name, and receive Holy Spirit baptism.
Now there is no disputing what Peter said that day as he himself had been Spirit baptized just minutes before speaking to the gathered crowd.

What we "apostolics" completely overlooked.

As we quoted the verse and Peter saying "REPENT.. ", we did so without CONTEXT nor did we bother to ask what exactly the Jews in that passage were to "repent" of!

Our goal was simply get them into the water of baptism and Spirit baptized-speaking in tongues.
Once that was accomplished
, we did our best to conform them to our Pentecostal doctrines, tithing, and clothing styles. ALL of that done "in Jesus' name".
Ouch.

I did my part for 10 years. But years later, the Lord began nudging me to examine and question our "truth".
First it was our stance that it was sin for a woman to cut her hair. Oh wow did that one fall hard.
Then tithing. Oops, we were 100% wrong on that. And later we realized how utterly corrupt and deceiving it is.
We realized we did not know our Truth was not so true after all, but it did make us into good Pharisee rule keepers.

Back to Acts 2:38.
Just what were the Jews to repent of?
The scripture called them "DEVOUT MEN" who were there. They were keeping the law of Moses, the feasts, the sabbath, circumcision, the commandments. They were devout worshippers of God that were keeping the lawful requirement for all males to keep the Feast of Succoth in Jerusalem.
That was who Peter began preaching to in Acts 2.

But the crux of his message came in Acts 2:22-36, immediately before he spoke the words in vs. 38.

What was his message?
According to our "apostolic" faith, it was all about "Jesus is God", our #1 doctrine.

But Peter never said that. Ever.
The truth is he told them Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God, that God did signs and wonders through him, that they had participated in his death by crucifixion, and that GOD raised him from the  dead.

Peter went on to say God had raised and exalted him making Jesus "both lord and Christ".
Nothing about being made deity or being God.

By then the Holy Spirit was convicting the guilty hearts of 3,000 men and THEN those "devout men" cried out in horror realizing they were guilty of the blood of Christ, and said "MEN AND BRETHREN, WHAT SHALL WE DO!!??"

Can you now see the context?
Peter told them the truth who Jesus Christ really is
, and he did not use the common perversions used in countless pulpits today.
"God incarnate" "fully God fully man" "deity of Christ", "God robed in flesh" "Jesus is God".

If we believe what Peter DID preach repeatedly, and NOT what people say about Jesus Christ, we might be devoutly repenting also.
I did.

We Pentecostals would do well to review what Peter received as the "keys to the kingdom" back in Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
:17 
And Jesus answered and said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to thee, but My Father who is in Heaven.

And Peter preached repeatedly that same revelation but NOT the revelation "Jesus is God".
And those are the facts, in the Book of Acts.





Saturday, June 15, 2024

50 Reasons Christians are free from the Old Testament Laws




50 Reasons Christians are not bound to the Old Testament Laws of the Torah.
-rory moore


Are we are to keep, observe, and do the Law of the Old Testament Commandments, ordinances, and statutes? Some people think so. What did the apostles think and write?
We will see there are many, many new testament scriptures that should be our lens to read the old testament law. -And especially showing why Christ is the better way.

1. "done away" :
2Corinthians 3:14 ... for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed to them that it is *done away in Christ*.

2. "if led by the Spirit, not under law":
Gal. 5:18 18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

3. If under law, faith is made void:
Romans 4:14 For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void

4. Made dead to the Law by Christ's body:
Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ

5. law made nothing perfect:
Hebrews 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect)

6. Law not made for a righteous man:
1Timothy 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

7. The carnal commandments disanulled:
Heb. 7:18
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

8. Jesus is guarantor of a better Covenant:
Heb 7:22 by so much also has Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

9. "discharged from the law"
Romans 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, ... that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

10. In Jesus commands and ordinances of Law abolished:
Eph. 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances

11. In Christ commands and ordinances blotted out and nailed to His cross:
Col. 2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;

12. weak and beggarly elements of the law are bondage:
Galatians 4:9 But now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, where ye desire to be in bondage over again?

13.  Servant girl Hagar was an allegory for bondage of the law:
Galatians 4:24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

14. Law entangles unto bondage:
Galatians 5:1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

15. Law does not bring promised inheritance in God's kingdom:
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

16. Law was temporary until Christ came:
Galatians 3:19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made

17. Faith justifies apart from law:
Romans 3:28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

18. Not under law, but under grace:
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.

19. Law of Spirit of Life makes free from law of sin and death:
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

20. Law fulfilled in those walking after the Spirit:
Romans 8:4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

21. Israel who followed law but did not become righteous:
Romans 9:31 But Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

22. love fulfills the law:
Romans 13:10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

23. no one is justified by works of law:

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus

24. Holy Spirit not received by works of the law, but by faith:
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

25. Living under works of the law brings curse:
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

26. No man justified by the law:
Gal. 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

27. Law makes grace void:
Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

28. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law:
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:

29. Galatians desired to go under law:
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

30. People desire to teach law in ignorance:
1 Timothy 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.

31. Striving over the law vain and unprofitable:
Titus 3:9 But shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

32. Priesthood changed, law was changed:
Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

33. Law was a shadow, does not perfect:
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year,... make perfect them that draw nigh.

34. Break one law, guilty of all:
James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.
35. Do the law requires do all laws:
Gal. 3:10 ...Cursed is every one who continues not IN ALLl that are written in the book of the law, to do them.

36. If law makes righteous, Christ died for nothing.

Gal. 2:21
I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

37. early church troubled by law observant Christians:
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

Acts 15:24 ...we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment

38. Grace plus law called another gospel:
Galatians 1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

39. Law hardens mind, veils spiritual vision, and not revealed to law keepers it is done away in Christ.
1Cor 3:4 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.

40. Old Covenant not faultless, New Covenant better:
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.

41. Old Covenant now Old, decayed, and vanishing away:
Hebrews 8:13 In that he said, A new covenant he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and aged is near to vanishing away.

42. New Covenant is eternal:
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,

43. Jesus mediator of New Covenant, New Covenant gives eternal life:
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

44. Old Covenant is of letter, new Covenant is Spirit of life:
2nd Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.

45. New Covenant brings remission of sins:
Matthew 26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.

46. Required Lawful Sacrifices and offerings from law no longer remit sins:
Hebrews 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

47. Ordinances of the law abolished:
abolished: Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace;

48. Lawful ordinances were nailed to the cross:
Colossians 2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he has taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;

49. Paul questions why Colossian Christians subject to ordinances:
Colossians 2:20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances

50. Ordinances have appearance of religiousness and of no value against fleshly nature:
Col. 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the gratification of the flesh.
NLT: 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

many many new testament scriptures should be our lens to read the old.

Look here:

Hebrews 8:13 In that he said, A new covenant he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxes aged is near to vanishing away.

and again, "for the law made nothing perfect <=== but the bringing in of a better hope"
and again, "IF righteousness came by the law, ===> THEN CHRIST DIED IN VAIN <==

Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, truly righteousness would have been of the law.

2 COR 3:7-11 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if that which is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious

Alan asked : The Law required to stone their children to death when they are rebellious??? Did GOD say that, or is it a MAN written law?

Here is the law: Deut:21:
20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall STONE HIM TO DEATH with stones: so shall you put away the evil from the among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

..................

Here is the death to Sabbath breakers law:

Exodus 35:2
Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to The LORD: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be PUT TO DEATH.

EXAMPLE: Numbers 15: a man stoned for picking up sticks.

34 And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
35 And GOD said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as GOD commanded Moses.
................. ===> DO ALL OR ELSE <=== > because it is sin not to obey "ALL" to do the above.


The LAW OF "ALL":
Leviticus 19:37 Therefore shall ye observe *ALL* my statutes, and ALL my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 20:22 You shall therefore *KEEP ALL* my statutes, and *ALL* my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, not vomit you out.

Leviticus 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do *ALL* my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
16 ===> I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 ===> And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursues you.
18 ===>>> And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. <===

Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

ACTS 15 - But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” 6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Romans 8:2-3 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin

the law was a tutor to bring us to Christ. But Christ has come and we are no longer under a tutor but Christ Himself.

It is one word as summed up in Gal 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

TIM 1 :5-6 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

Here is Paul's advice on how to deal with those wanting to strive and contend over these matters of the OT Law.
Titus 3 - But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,
11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. These strivings over the torah are indeed foolish contentions that bear no fruit to God.


Wednesday, April 17, 2024

My 1GOD Testimony

 


Like most people who were not raised in a churched family, I was clueless about the Bible, although I believed in God from childhood.





Not all ONES are created equal. -religiously speaking.

The Lord was drawing me in my late 20's and when a trauma event happened to me, I realized how messed up my life was and I reached out in prayer with all my heart to call upon Jesus, not really knowing if He would answer. 

In the months that followed, I was drawn to read the Bible and suddenly, to the shock of many, I wanted to go to church.  So I called my mother and said I would go with her to her sleepy little Baptist church where I began to attend faithfully.

I remember my Baptist "new convert" class. Another lady and myself sat there while the pastor explained the trinity doctrine to us and said "do you understand? God is three persons."
We both nodded in dull ignorance.
2 years later I was introduced to the "Oneness" version by a friend and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. They showed me "One God and He is Jesus." Becoming a zealous advocate for that sect and reading scripture for myself, I learned our view thoroughly and became a hard-nosed militant Pharisee in the process.

Knowing about God, knowing theology, and knowing religious observances can never take the place of knowing the Lord, and will often become a substitute for knowing God. This can be a lifelong process and God may reveal things to us that our church experience cannot.

So I went from a trinitarian Baptist to Oneness (aka Modalist) Pentecostal/ non-denominational for the next 35 years. I was the guy that put tracts on the cars in other church parking lots, debated all comers. Zealous. Acts 2:38 or hell.
I followed the pulpit and the theology books and p
assing the District Board,  was ordained and on the path to the <professional> Ministry.

35+ years went by...and as we transitioned into a non-denominational, watered-down, luke warm assembly, doctrine was not important. Just "believe", come to church, pay tithes, and be involved in church life.
But I still held to my Oneness theology, just not as dogmatic as before.
THE QUESTION:
Then one day a friend who had attended a UPC church in Modesto, and who read the Bible, asked me about John 20:17,    "does Jesus have a God?"

It was a stunning question and the moment that grabbed my attention.
I started looking at the scriptures and there were 14 places referenced for Jesus and "MY GOD".
How could this be!!?? 
I did a Bible Word Search for the phrase that I had taught, believed, and contended for all those years, i.e. "JESUS IS GOD". Simple.
But to my shock, like the word "Trinity", it was not in any scripture or Bible translation.

𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰.
"Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them,
‘𝑰 𝒂𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑴𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑴𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑮𝒐𝒅.’
The Lord began pointing out to me many many scriptures I had not seen with seeing eyes.
One example was in Acts 2:34-35
 "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝑶𝑹𝑫 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒅...", which had always bothered me 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁.
-because it did not fit my theology and there was no coherent explanation from the Oneness view.

As I pondered Jesus as being a man, and wrestling with my former thinking "Jesus is God!", how could this be? I wanted Jesus to be God.
But as I began to see the man Jesus Christ from the gospels in a personal way, like the people that knew him and heard him did, the man I thought was GOD was a man. I still wanted Jesus to be GOD.

The assumptions, conflicts and "what about???" were many.

How the Lord led me.
He gave me a thought to do a Bible search for the words "I SAW" and see what the prophets saw IN HEAVEN and the throne. They said  "and I saw". I remembered Daniel 7, Ezekiel 1, Isaiah 6 and others, but now I wanted to look close and use some imagination to visualize what they saw.

Reading every one of those passages with a desire to "see" what they "saw", I found they all saw the Father, translated variously as "the LORD".  "Yahweh. aka Jehovah. "GOD ALMIGHTY". "LORD GOD" "HaShem".. depending on translations whiich I searched through to compare.
But there was no doubt, HE is ONE GOD alone.

The seers:
Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Macaiah, John, Stephen. They all saw YeHoVaH GOD. Of whom it is written: The Father. GOD alone. "I AM HE". "I AM GOD". "ME". The jealous GOD.

The seers, prophets,  all saw One. The Creator. Glorious.
"He" was not the "son of God" and none saw Jesus with HIM.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 "𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓???  -you know the verses, I knew them too.
Even though I had been a Bible reader, and taught ACTS for many years,
𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 this 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 and
The Lord directed me to focus on Jesus 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 *𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝* 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐬.
HOW SIMPLE!!
Just read WHAT THEY PREACHED and what they told people who Jesus is.

Boom.
 Jesus is THE MAIN subject of the preaching of the gospel after Jesus had departed to the Father!

How in the name of remnant Christianity could we have missed THAT?
𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧 in the Book of Acts 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬!

I had NEVER heard anyone approach Acts to see what the preachers told the Jews, pagans, Samaritans, Greeks, Kings, High Priest and Sanhedrin who Jesus is.

So I compiled their "sermons" the major ones and the minor ones, and even where Jesus answered Saul's question "WHO ARE YOU LORD?"
When I read and re-read their words,
I saw who Jesus is. It was The simple Truth as *they* preached Jesus in Acts.

The revelation that Peter received in Mat. 16:"18 was now mine.
It was there all the time but veiled.
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God".

So they preached Jesus Christ according to the "great commission" as:
"𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒅" Acts 2:22,

- forgiveness of sins through that man. Acts 13:38.
- The man that died and who GOD raised from the dead.
- The man by whom God would judge the world. Acts 17:31
- "This same Jesus is whom they crucified, God has made both Lord and Christ".

THEY SAID THOSE things 𝐛𝐮𝐭 *𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫* 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, "deity of Christ", 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚 "𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐝"..
and once again we realized we were taught wrong by the churched majority.
We searched the scriptures and began to repent.
👉𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕.
2Cor 11:31
.. and one by one, all the "WHAT ABOUTS'S!!??" were cleared up.
But there was a new dilemma. 
I did not know a single person that believed what I was seeing in scripture.
Later, God would bring them into my life.....

Monday, April 15, 2024

Speaking Of Tongues

 




About tongues, The Scripture for tongues, the foundation, early mention, Jesus referring to them, the disciples experiencing them in multiple places, Paul distinguishing their use in the assembly.
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Isaiah prophesied of a spiritual "rest" and tongues:
Isa. 28:11 by [men of] strange lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people;
12 to whom he said, This is the rest, give you rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
-Joel prophesied of the coming of the Spirit in Joel 2:28 Peter referred to Joel when he explained to a crowd what the believers had just experienced.
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Jesus said it was a sign of "them that believe. Mark 16:18
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When the Spirit came in Acts 2, ALL the disciples and apostles spoke in tongues.
When a crowd saw and heard the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, Peter said "THIS IS THAT spoken by the prophet Joel, in Acts 2:17
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In Acts 10:44-48, the Jewish disciples knew the gentiles were converted and Spirit-filled "for they heard them speak with tongues.
((note: the gentiles there were of a family and friends, Romans. There was no crowd, nobody came to see what was happening like Acts 2.
Yet in Acts 11, Peter told the church at Jerusalem the gentiles received the Holy Spirit in "like manner" as the Jews on Pentecost.
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In Acts 19 a group of Ephesian proselytes of John the Baptist, to whom was preached that "He that comes after me... shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.."
This group of converts met Paul and Paul laid hands on them and the 12 men received Spirit baptism speaking in tongues and prophesying.
PRAYING IN TONGUES
I would point out that it is possible to learn other languages apart from God. I am bi-lingual having learned Spanish in my work life..
But when I pray and speak in tongues, it is not in Spanish. My prayer tongues is not understood by me as Paul said "when I pray in tongues my understanding is unfruitful".

1cor 14:2 For he that speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but unto God; for no man understands; but in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also

The GIFT of tongues in the assembly:
Talking to a born-again assembly, not evangelizing the lost:
NOTE 1Cor 11:18 ====> For first of all, WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER IN THE CHURCH,<===== I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it............
SEE THE CONTEXT???

now we understand better what he is saying to the established saints:
1cor 12: 1 Now CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS <in the church assembly!>,
I would not have you ignorant. "given THROUGH THE SPIRIT", is not a learned language.
For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:
9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.
There in 1Cor 12 is the GIFT OF HEALING< MIRACLES, TONGUES, INTERPRETATION, .... "WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER"
If a church is not manifesting the least of those they have fallen short of the common experience of believers in the Bible, and word "THAT YOU COME BEHIND IN **NO GIFT*** until the coming of the Lord".
Now we can understand the "administration" for those "good and perfect gifts coming down from the Father.." (perfect meaning mature in Christ).
SPIRITUAL GIFTS, as functioning together as a body.:
1Cor 12:27 Now ye are THE BODY of Christ, and severally members thereof.
28 And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [divers] kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all [workers of] miracles?
30 have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 ==> But desire earnestly the greater gifts. <====
AND DO NOT FORBID TO SPEAK IN TONGUES. (1Cor 14:28
They can be imitated and parroted, but when a person is Spirit-baptized or renewed, they will usually speak with other tongues.
*warning:

There are churches and pastors that deny them and speak against that which God has given. Others will relegate them to human languages only. This is quickly disproved and overcome by believing the words Paul wrote as we believe the apostles and not those that reject the Word. 

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

1God Acts 4 Prayer to GOD Through the Name of Jesus

 


There is so much church-instigated confusion regarding a simple thing like prayer.
Some churches pray repetitious phrases and mindless words.
Some use the time clock method, 2 minutes/ 15 minutes/ 1 hour etc.
Some pray hoping if they ask enough times that will get through.
Some depend on how many people they can enlist to help and agree in hope God will here somebody.
Some depend on the Pastor's prayer, others not so much.
Many don't know who to pray to, GOD, Jesus, saints, Mary, Mecca, Yahweh, Jehovah, I AM, Yeshua, Yahwuah, and a dozen more variants.

But in the Book of Acts, immediately following the four gospels, Jesus had ascended up, in his words, 
 to "MY GOD AND YOUR GOD
" Jn 20:17/ Acts 1:10, and they watched as he went up.

WHO did the disciples pray to, as they continued together in prayer as the narrative continued?

This is why we may learn from them and so I defer to ACTS for the facts.
Here the first prayer in Acts is:
And they prayed and said, “Thou, Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, show us which of these two Thou has chosen..
Peter went on in Acts 2 to preach that "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, a MAN approved of God..... " was  

They knew Jesus is not God, and this is shown by their prayer in Acts 4 as they prayed:

Acts 4: 24 And when they heard this, they lifted up their voice
𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, “𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 and the sea and all that is in them,

25 who by the mouth of Thy servant David had said, ‘Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?  26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together
👉against the Lord <i.e. GOD, vs. 24>,

🎯AND against HIS Christ.’
 27 For truly against Thy holy child Jesus, whom YOU have anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, had gathered together 28 to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.

29 And now, Lord, behold their threatening's, and grant to Thy servants that with all boldness they may speak Thy Word, 30 by stretching forth Thine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of 🎯Thy holy child Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together;
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.

Peter had days before preached CHRIST to the Jews, that Jesus was "a MAN approved of God". Acts 2:22. In Acts 13:38 and 17:31 they were still declaring Jesus to be a "man",  and this was after his ascension TO God.

Does this sound like a prophecy of a man that is GOD?

Psalm 22:15-17  My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue cleaves to My jaws; and 🎯YOU have brought  🎯Me into the dust of death.
  16 For dogs have surrounded Me; the assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me; they pierced My hands and My feet. 17 I can count all My bones; they look and stare upon Me.

Isaiah 53 is also quoted as a direct Messianic passage.
The subject of that prophecy is about "a MAN of sorrows" who would be the sacrifice for sin.
There is nothing in Isaiah 53 to indicate the man is God, in fact, the passage shows the man and his relationship to his GOD.