Safe Sex?

  

How well protected is a military camp in a war zone if it is protected by a wall or fence with numerous unguarded and unsecured holes or openings that are ten to fifty times larger than an enemy combatant? 

 For decades the FDA would not approve condoms because of the high rate of failure, which is primarily due to the microscopic pinholes, and then a few years ago the FDA approved condoms. Recently I did a web search to learn why and learned that the FDA approved condoms because condoms passed important tests. This was disturbing,  as none of the tests mentioned detect microscopic pinholes.

Unrealistic Expectations

 

Along with warnings about pornography there is need for warnings about romance novels and soap operas; pornography, romance novels, and soap operas have negative effects on both sexes, and romance novels and soap operas have the same effect on women that pornography has on men. Of course, these are not the only culprits in the media. The heart is influenced and molded by what is fed into the mind, and, along with inciting lust, pornography, romance novels, soap operas, and numerous movies and TV shows fill minds and hearts with extremely unrealistic expectations.

Here are a few examples of unrealistic expectations promoted in entertainment media that ruin lives and destroy relationships:

• Your spouse is supposed to be perfect.

• You can change someone into your ideal. (Brace yourself for a rude awakening. You can only expect to change someone if he wears a diaper. If you feel you must justify a relationship by insisting that you can change someone, you should consider whether you are in love with this person or in love with what you expect him to be after your remodeling efforts.)

• A man of bad character or extreme immaturity just needs the love of a good woman to reform him, convert him, or make him whole.

• Your spouse is responsible for your happiness. (Guaranteed recipe for unhappiness.)

• Your spouse should always agree with you and like the same things. (This is not suggesting that, if you are single, you should enter a relationship in which you are unequally yoked or ignore practical considerations. This is just a reminder that it is not possible to find someone that always agrees on every point or always likes the same things.)

• Compatibility in everything is essential and incompatibility is a ground for divorce. (Ironically, several extensive secular studies concluded that the differences usually blamed for incompatibility are not problems for married couples that share the same religious and moral values.)

• Emotions are grounds for divorce. (“I’m not happy,” “I’m not in love anymore,” etc. Love is a choice: You choose to love or not love someone.)

• A rebellious son or daughter can be expected to be an ideal mate and happily married if they just marry the right person. (You must be a good follower before you can be a good leader; how can a young lad that does not honour his parents be expected to honour his wife and be a good family head when he marries? How can a young lass that does not respect her parents, especially her father, be expected to respect her husband when she marries? -1 Peter 3:7; Ephesians 5:22-25, 33)

• Your spouse is supposed to perform sexually like a porn movie character. (Comparing your spouse to people that only exist in someone’s imagination and wishful thinking instead of seeking to please your spouse is a guaranteed recipe for discouragement and unhappiness.)

• Good looks and good sex indicate or replace good character and good communication.

• Premarital sex and illicit cohabitation are good preparation for marriage. (Think about it: How meaningful and secure is a relationship based on freedom to leave? Premarital sex normally leads to selfishness, disrespect, and distrust after a couple marries, and couples that live together before marriage usually end up divorced.)

• Imitating the sexual attitudes and aggressiveness of men, and being immodest, immoral, and promiscuous empowers women. (This merely fulfills male fantasies, accommodates the baser instincts of men, and lowers the regard of men for women.)

• Women should be masculine, and men should be either effeminate or adopt a macho facade. (Each extreme is contrary to God's design for the male as the Lord's representative and the female as an helpmeet.)

• Egalitarian partnership and matriarchy are preferable to patriarchy. (In nature the only thing with two heads is a freak, and matriarchy and egalitarianism are destructive to marriage for the same reason that you should not put two roosters in the same pen. Equals do not complement, they compete. Yes, some women are wiser and more intelligent than their husbands, but the issue is not who qualifies, the issue is obedience to the Lord’s arrangement. God's design for communities, organizations, and the family is hierarchy with a balance between equality of being and functional subordination.)

• A husband will or should do whatever his wife tells him to do.

• The wife is supposed to be in charge, but the husband is responsible if her decisions turn out to be wrong or disastrous.

• A husband is supposed to make as much money as his wife wants to spend.

• Sex is the most important part of marriage. (While sex in marriage is important, sex is a small part of marriage, and it is the everyday getting along with each other that ultimately makes or breaks a marriage.)

• Male and female think and feel the same about sex. The myth about male and female sexual equality makes both sexes more vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. While each gender has just as strong a libido as the other, and both sexes desire sex and affection, their responses and priorities tend to differ. Generally, men trade affection for sex and women trade sex for affection. While neither gender is immune to lust, and both genders can be verbally and visually stimulated, women tend to be more verbally stimulated and men tend to be more visually stimulated (men tend to fall in love with, or lust for, what they see, and women tend to fall in love with what they hear).

The list could continue but these should suffice to illustrate the point.

The silent killer of marriages is unrealistic expectations, not unmet expectations. Unrealistic expectations impede healthy communication and diminish the ability to enjoy reality, and when unrealistic expectations meet reality, this often results in abuse, infidelity, and a perpetual state of disappointment, along with other severe problems.

While it is important to be selective about choice of entertainment and amusements, it is even more important to fill your mind, and thus influence your heart, with the word of God. Among other benefits, regular personal Bible study helps you look at things realistically. (Proverbs 2:3-16)

 

Term Limits?

 

Looking to term limits to reduce corruption is focusing on a symptom more than addressing the problem. The problem is lack of accountability. Due to the corrupting influence of power, whether a public official serves in the same office for one year or fifty years, corruption can be expected if a public official is not held accountable. For example, if States don't hold US Congressmen representing their State accountable we shouldn't be surprised if those delegates act contrary to the interests and welfare of their States, if the US Congress assumes powers not delegated to the US Congress by the US Constitution, if massive amounts of money go toward departments, agencies, and programs that are not constitutionally mandated, or if the US Congress fails to impeach public officials that commit crimes or violate the US Constitution.

A term limit merely limits how long we will trust a public official, and the first problem with that is we should not trust public officials, we should be holding them accountable.

The several States should be exercising the constitutional right of recall. Article 5 of the Articles of Confederation gave each State the right to recall and replace its congressmen at any time. The right of recall is not denied in the US Constitution, which means the Tenth Amendment protects the right of each State to recall and replace its congressmen.

Dinah's Mistake

“And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.” (Genesis 34:1) Dinah was likely in her early teens at this time. It does not appear that Dinah sought or obtained her parents permission or that her family was aware of what she was doing, and she put herself out of their care and protection and exposed herslf to temptations. The care of parents, especially pious parents, is an important protection for young people, especially females. Even if they have shown themselves to be responsible young adults, ignorance and inexperience can make them especially vulnerable to temptation, flattery, and seduction.

It is often assumed that Shechem abducted and raped Dinah, but the wording and context of Genesis 34:2 indicates that this was consensual fornication and not rape (E.g., consider verse 31; also note that ancient writings say there was a festival in the town of Shechem at that time. ).

Read chapter 34 of Genesis and consider a few questions: What made Shechem assume that Dinah was available to him for sexual immorality? Why did Shechem assume that Dinah would yield to his advances and why wasn't Dinah offended or resistant to Shechem's advances ("Took" in verse 2 implies that he petted or fondled her)? What made Shechem assume that Dinah's family would not be offended by his actions? Why did Hamor assume that Dinah's family would not be offended by Shechem's actions? What made Shechem assume that Dinah's family would willingly consent to let him marry her? “And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.” (Genesis 34:1) The problem was the company she kept. (Proverbs 13:20; I Corinthians 15:33)

 

Remembering Lot

 

Why did Abraham stop pleading with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah after God agreed to spare them if there be ten righteous found there? (Genesis 18:32-33) Lot lived in Sodom, and his wife and his unmarried daughters lived with him in his house. Lot also had at least two sons, at least two married daughters, and at least two sons in law living in Sodom; this amounted to at least ten people. (Genesis 19:12,14,15) But Lot was worldly and materialistic and kept close company (or fellowship) with wicked and ungodly associations. (Genesis 13:10-13; II Peter 2:7-8) What effect did this have? In a crisis Lot offered to let a mob sexually abuse his daughters, thus demonstrating a heathen attitude toward daughters. (Genesis 19:8) Lot apparently never expressed any disapproval of moral abominations until a mob wanted to abuse his angelic visitors. (Genesis 19:9) He did not witness to his sons in law until the day before the destruction. (Genesis 19:14) His younger daughters were aware and convinced of his moral weaknesses, and apparently assumed from his example that fornication is acceptable if it is heterosexual. (Genesis 19:31-32; compare Genesis 19:5-8) If Lot had followed Abraham's example there could have been at least ten righteous people in Sodom who possibly could have influenced and transformed their community and persuaded unbelievers to become believers. (Genesis 18:19)

There is a lesson here that applies to us today. What happened to traditional Christian values in modern America? The decline of western civilization was made inevitable by the decline in Christian influence. In the ecclesiastical world Bible truths and standards were disregarded or rejected as irrelevant and old-fashioned and as the ecclesiastical world compromised Bible truths and principles the secular world followed. As Christians compromised truths and values to gain the love or acceptance of the world they lost respect and influence.

Modesty & Unisex Appearance

 

Many resent the use of Deuteronomy 22:5 because it is in the Old Testament. But you cannot understand the New Testament, and you cannot rightly divide God's Word, without the Old Testament. (II Timothy 2:15; 3:16; also consider Psalm 33:11, Proverbs 19:21, I Corinthians 10, & James 1:17) Should we insist that commands against murder, rape, and theft do not apply today since those restrictions are in the Old Testament? (Incidentally, there was a time when State and federal laws required the same penalty for rape as premeditated murder because of Deuteronomy 22:26) It is no more inappropriate to use Deuteronomy 22:5 to condemn unisex appearance than it is to use Psalm 23 to preach a funeral. Regardless of prevailing trends and customs, it is important for men to look masculine and women to look feminine and for both sexes to dress decently and wear gender-appropriate clothing. (Romans 1:24-27; I Timothy 2:8-10; etc.)

It is important to consider whether certain clothing is worn by the opposite sex to discern whether it is proper. Some argue that this means women cannot wear a belt or socks because men wear such things, or vice versa, but that is evading the issue. We are talking about the obvious and not some hidden or neutral item that does not have anything to do with the sex of a person. (Also, just because a certain appearance or article of clothing might be acceptable in a certain circumstance does not make it appropriate everywhere and all the time.)

Because of the popularity of the myth that male and female think and feel the same about sex, many otherwise conscientious women fail to realise the impact of their clothes and appearance. While neither gender is immune to lust, and both genders can be verbally and visually stimulated, women tend to be more verbally stimulated, and men tend to be more visually stimulated.

If you are single, you should consider what kind of relationship you hope for and what kind of person you want to attract; for obvious reasons I have never tried to catch a fish by putting deer lure on a hook. Here is another example: If a woman hopes to attract a batterer or a womanizer, then a potty mouth, loose morals, or using her body as bait make perfect sense.

Also keep in mind that if you are not trying to sell something or give it away you should not advertise it. If you wear an army uniform, it should not be a surprise if someone thinks you are a soldier. If you wear a police uniform, it should not be a surprise if someone thinks you are a cop. Likewise, if you wear the attire of an harlot it should not be a surprise if someone thinks you are immoral and making yourself available for immorality. (Proverbs 7:10)

Modesty also helps a woman avoid dangerous situations. (Please note that this is in no way saying or implying that immodest attire in anyway justifies rape or any sexual abuse. This is merely pointing out that provoking lust, even unintentionally, in weak minded and perverted men, that a woman may not recognise as such or even be aware of, is dangerous.) 

Ask yourself: What do you look like in this clothing from a distance and does it tend to attract the wrong kind of attention? Do you appear feminine or masculine? What do your clothes, appearance, and behaviour say about you? Do your clothes and appearance tend to indicate dignity and virtue? Do you focus on outward adornment at the expense of neglecting inner adornment? (I Peter 3:3-4) What are the motives behind your choice of clothes and appearance? (Romans 6:12-13; I Corinthians 10:14, 31; Titus 2:11-12) Do you find it necessary to use the arguments of the world to justify your choice of clothes and appearance? (Romans 12:2; I Corinthians 1:20; 2:5; Colossians 1:9; 2:8)

 

Food For Thought: 

 

Good Reasons for Wearing Skirts and Dresses Only

Reasons for wearing skirts and dresses

4 Reasons Why I Don’t Wear Pants

Would I Wear This in Front of Jesus?

Unisex

The Connection Between Evangelism and Gender Issues

God Can Effectively Use A Few Or One

 

Three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, maintained their integrity in spite of enormous peer pressure, religious intolerance, and threat of death. (Daniel 3:1-18) Note that Nebuchadnezzar’s words indicate some knowledge of Bible teachings that he did not learn from his pagan advisers, which implies that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego used opportunities to teach him Bible teachings. (Daniel 3:25) As a result of keeping their integrity a pagan empire was reformed, religious freedom was established for God’s people, and many unbelievers became believers. (Daniel 3:28-29) Nothing in Scripture says or implies that the same thing cannot happen today.

Daniel prayed openly in defiance of religious intolerance and threat of death and as a result of his unswerving devotion a pagan empire was reformed and many unbelievers became believers. (Daniel 6:4-26) Nothing in Scripture says or implies that the same thing cannot happen today.

One lone man, Jonah, preached repentance in the capital city of a pagan empire famous for extreme cruelty and persecution of God’s people, and as a result an entire city converted and an empire was reformed. (Jonah 3:1-10) Nothing in Scripture says or implies that the same thing cannot happen today.

 

Attention Deficit Disorder

 

Putting undisciplined behavior in the category of a disease makes it easier for liberals to condemn all corporal punishment of children. (Proverbs 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15) All too often children are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder based on little or no examination and merely because they exhibit childish attitudes or undisciplined behavior, and often in spite of any contradicting evidence (such as when a child in question demonstrates the ability to give undivided attention to a TV, video game, or phone conversation for long periods of time). Some of the studies and claims on this remind me of an episode of the "WKRP IN Cincinatti" TV show in which a psychiatrist (who turned out to be a quack) being interviewed on the air insisted that all children are mentally insane because they are childish. I do not claim expertise, nor am I attempting to diagnose anyone's child, and I also acknowledge that there are psychological maladies with a medical or biological basis. I am simply encouraging everyone to study this matter further.

The Great A.D.D. Hoax, by David Keirsey

ADHD: The Hoax Unravels, By Philip Hickey, PhD

ADHD: A Destructive Psychiatric Hoax, By Philip Hickey, PhD

 

DIFFICULTIES IN DETERMINING THE ETHNICITY OF PEOPLE IN SCRIPTURE

The ancient world did not have surnames as we use them, and people were often referred to as being in a certain category based on geography and were called by their first name and the distinguishing place of origin. (“Jesus of Nazareth” is an example.) Someone being described as “Ethiopian,” “Egyptian,” “Hittite,” “Hivite,” or “Canaanite” may tell us something about their geographic location or origin but may not tell us anything about their ethnic composition. For example, the land of Canaan was the land of the Hebrews before the Canaanites moved in, and there were Shemites (descendants of Shem) already living in the land of Canaan before the patriarchs arrived. "Canaanite" could mean a descendant of Canaan, a resident of the land of Canaan, or a merchant, depending on context, and context may not always clearly indicate which meaning applies. This and the uncertainty about which ethnic groups occupied which areas and when those ethnic groups occupied certain areas can lead one to believe an individual was a different ethnicity than what he was if one is not careful.

Consider a few examples:

·        Hagar was an Egyptian slave given to Abraham by the Pharoah of Egypt. (Genesis 12:16; 16:1) Hagar was not an ethnic Egyptian: Hagar is a Hebrew name and Egyptian slaves originated from foreign lands. (Note also that Genesis 21:21 does not say Hagar went to Egypt to get a wife for Ishmael. There were Egyptian trade routes that went through the Wilderness of Paran, which would explain how Hagar got Ishmael a wife that came from Egypt when Hagar and Ishmael lived in the Wilderness of Paran.)

·        Judah married a Shemite woman. (Genesis 38) Why does the text specify the name "Shuah," and how much evidence is there that Shuah the son of Keturah in Genesis 25:2 and Shuah in Genesis 38:2 is not the same person? (Note also that the word "daughter" can also mean granddaughter or great granddaughter. -Genesis 38:2, 12)

·        Tamar was a Shemite woman. (Genesis 38) Ancient rabbinical writings say that Tamar was a daughter of Shem (the son of Noah), who was a priest; this would explain the penalty prescribed by Judah. (Genesis 38:24; Leviticus 21:9; note that much of the Mosaic Law codified customs or practices already in vogue among Israelites. Also note that Shem was still alive when Jacob turned fifty, and it was not unknown for extremely old men to father children.)

·        Joseph's wife Asenath was the adopted daughter of Potipherah and the biological daughter of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and the biological daughter of Shechem, the prince of the town with the same name. (Genesis 41:45)

·        The Bible specifies that Zipporah was a Midianite, and then later refers to her as Ethiopian because the Midianites lived near Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Empire sometimes extended to both sides of the Red Sea. (Exodus 2:15-21; Numbers 12:1)

·        Rahab was a woman of Hebraic (probably Midianite) ancestry. Consider: The name Rahab is distinctly Hebrew and predates the Book of Joshua. (Job 9:13; 26:12) Her comprehension of, and affinity toward, the God of Israel and her ease of communication with the spies. (Joshua 2) The spies agreed to spare Rahab and her family without any reservations. (Joshua 2:12-14; Deuteronomy 7:1-3; 20:16-17. Incidentally, Rahab was not a prostitute. The Bible does not say that Rahab was an harlot, it refers to her as Rahab the harlot. Rahab was an innkeeper, it was not common for a woman to be an innkeeper, and "harlot" was a title for female innkeepers. On the town wall at or near the city gate was the normal location for an inn, and her family living with her was typical of innkeepers.)

·        Did Boaz violate the command in Deuteronomy 23:3 by marrying Ruth? Ruth was an Israelite woman. Ruth 1:15-16 does indicate that Ruth and Orpah might have come from families that worshipped pagan deities, but this does not mean they were not Israelites. Israelites often worshipped the gods of the lands that they had taken and often tried to mix the worship of Jehovah and the worship of pagan deities. The land of Moab was the first land conquered by the Israelites after wandering in the wilderness, and the Amorites had already conquered and occupied the land of Moab when the Israelites came. (Numbers 21:25, 29) The Israelites conquered the land of Moab and killed everyone there. (Deuteronomy 2:32-34) Then the Israelites advanced into the land of Ammon and killed everyone there. (Numbers 21:33-35) After the Moabites and Ammonites were killed or driven out the entire area of the Jordan river was settled by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and from that time onward that area was purely Israelite territory and Israelites living in the old lands of Moab and Ammon were often called Moabites or Ammonites (Consider that Anglo-Saxon Americans living in California today are called Californians, and being called Californians and living in a former Mexican territory does not make them Mexicans.). (Deuteronomy 3:12-16) Three hundred years later it was reported that the Israelites still had exclusive occupation of the lands of Moab and Ammon. (Judges 11:12-26) About one hundred and thirty years after the Israelites occupied the land of Moab, Elimelech and his wife and two sons left the land of Judah and “went to sojourn in the country of Moab,” which was occupied exclusively by the Israelites, and Elimelech’s sons married women of the country of Moab and one of them was Ruth. (Ruth 1:1-4; Numbers 21:25, 29, 31, 33-35; Deuteronomy 2:32-34; 3:12-16; 23:3; Judges 11:12-26)

·        Was Uriah born to ethnic Hittite (pagan) parents and then later in his life converted to Yahwism? Uriah “the Hittite” had a distinctly Hebrew name that means “Jehovah is my light.” (II Samuel 11:3)

·        Was the Ethiopian eunuch the first gentile convert? The Bible account does not say he was an ethnic Ethiopian and saying that he “had come to Jerusalem for to worship” implies that he was a Jew and was not a literal eunuch. (Acts 8:27; Deuteronomy 23:1) Castrated men were often important public officials who could be trusted to take care of the women’s quarters or the royal harem and other important duties. Over time the term eunuch was often an honourary title for public officials entrusted with important responsibilities, such as the royal treasury.

·        “Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.” (Acts 16:1-3) Was Timothy half-Jew and half-Greek? The word here rendered Greek can mean a Grecian or a person who speaks Greek. Hellenistic Jews were Greek-speaking natural Jews that adapted to gentile culture and neglected or forsook circumcision and other Jewish customs.

 

Why Contend?

 

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3)

A few years ago I discussed and debated creation with evolutionists via discussion groups. I grew tired of trying to discuss and debate with people that demonstrate such a strong aversion to facts and logic and use science the way a drunkard uses a lamp post (for support and not illumination), and I asked the Lord why he was leading me to discuss and debate with people who are so unlikely to accept the truth. I was led to reread I Kings 18, which reminded me that the more things change the more they stay the same. When Elijah contended for the faith on Mount Carmel not one of the priests of Baal repented and converted to Yahwism, but many unbelievers and double-minded believers watching became dedicated believers.

 

Why I Cannot Become A Mormon

 

The Book of Mormon disputes Mormonism probably more than the Bible. Consider a few things taught in the Book of Mormon:

The Mormon concept of God cannot be found in the Book of Mormon, but the Christian concept of God is taught in the Book Of Mormon. "And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen." (Testimony of Three Witnesses) "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." (2 Nephi 31:21) "Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; But every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil." (Alma 11:44) "And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one." (3 Nephi 11:27) "And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one." (3 Nephi 11:36) "And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end." (Mormon 7:7)

The Book of Mormon says that Jesus is God. "And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth— " (Mosiah 7:27; also see Alma 11:38-39)

The Book of Mormon says that God is unchangeable. "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." (Moroni 8:18) "Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them. For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?" (Mormon 9:9)

The Book of Mormon teaches the virgin birth of Christ. "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God." (Alma 7:10) "Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (2 Nephi 17:14)

The Book of Mormon teaches the bodily resurrection of Christ and all dead. "And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel." (2 Nephi 9:12) "And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen." (Moroni 10:24) "The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil." (Alma 11:43-44) "But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say; but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works."(Alma 40:21) "The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame." (Alma 40:23)

The Book of Mormon teaches the necessity of the New Birth. "And the Lord said unto me: 'Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.' " (Mosiah 27:25-26) "And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again." (Alma 5:49)

The Book of Mormon teaches that salvation is only through Jesus Christ. "But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." (Mosiah 3:12) "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." (Mosiah 3:17)

The Book of Mormon contradicts baptism for the dead by teaching that no salvation is possible for those who die in their sins. "But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection." (Mosiah 15:26) "And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not." (Moroni 10:26)

To become a Mormon, I would have to accept the Book of Mormon as the inspired word of God, but if I accepted the Book Of Mormon as the truth I would have to reject Mormon teachings as false doctrines. Jesus Christ said "I am the way." (John 14:6) The priesthood is not the way, Joseph Smith is not the way, and Mormonism is not the way. Only Jesus is the way.

 

 

For more information on Mormonism visit:

Witnesses For Jesus www.4witness.org  

Watchman Fellowship www.watchman.org

Feminism Degrades Women

 

     

     An important part of the feminist agenda has been persuading women to degrade themselves by mimicking the sexual attitudes, behaviour, and aggressiveness of men, which fulfilled male fantasies,  accommodated the baser insticts of men, and lowered the respect of men for women instead of encouraging women to be the civilising and stabilising influence on men that they are designed to be. Women have tremendous power and influence over men which they relinquish when they trade the complementary role for equality. Women civilise men through marriage, monogamy, and family, and it is very difficult for men to do this on their own without women. But many have become so accustomed to feminism and the feminist agenda that they do not realise that feminism degrades women.

Why did the Bible attach so much importance to feminine virtue? Note that in Bible times it was so offensive for a woman to marry under the false pretense of virginity because this was grossly disrespectful to her family (her father's house) and note also that among the ancient heathens it was common to worship false gods and goddesses by practicing prostitution and in the heathen cultures surrounding the children of Israel a girl was expected to lose her virginity through temple prostitution as an act of worship. (Deuteronomy 22:13, 14, 20, 21) Also, an unmarried woman's virginity was especially valued and respected because the most binding and sacred covenants were those that were sealed or confirmed by the shedding of blood, and marriage is illustrative of Jehovah's union with the Jewish nation under the Law Covenant and Christ's union with His Church. (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:14; Hosea 2:19-20; Ephesians 5:23-32; also Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:18-20; 12:24)

In the ancient world women were often used, abused, discarded, replaced at will, and often regarded as mere chattels, and the extremely low morals of heathen women was a big factor in this. Women were designed to be a civilising and stabilising influence on men, but if they overcome their natural inhibitions they can, and often do, become worse than men. When women are raised to the status of moral superiority over men this naturally compels men to respect women, while loose morals make women cheap and disposable and encourage abuse. (Proverbs 11:16, 22; 12:4; 14:1; 31:10, 11, 28-30)

Patriarchy

 

 

Seventh Day Sabbath?

 

The insistence that Christians must keep the seventh day is not consistent with Scripture. (Colossians 2:16) Before the Ten Commandments were given on Mount Sinai, no man ever kept the seventh day except by special commandment. (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 16:1-30; 20:1-17)

Where in the Bible is any Gentile told to keep the seventh day?

All Law and prophecy hang on love, not the Sabbath. (Matthew 22:34-40; Romans 13:8-10) If the seventh day was kept before the Mosaic Law, and if this makes us obliged to keep the seventh day, then we are also bound to the Law on circumcision. (Genesis 17:1-14; Galatians 5:16) If we must keep the seventh day, then aren't we also obliged to remain home on this day, execute those who work on this day, and refrain from heating our homes or cooking? (Exodus 16:29; 35:1-3; Numbers 15:32-36)

It would be wrong to keep the seventh day while neglecting the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year because the Law did not authorize such a distinction. (Leviticus 25:1-22) If we are obliged to keep the seventh day, then we are under obligation to also keep the other Jewish holidays. (Hosea 2:11)

Do you offer a burnt sacrifice, as part of "a continual burnt offering," since this was a required part of the seventh day Sabbath? (Numbers 28:3-10)

When enumerating the Commandments, Jesus did not require keeping the seventh day. (Matthew 19:16-20; Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:18-24; also consider Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; John 7:22, 23) The Apostles preached the Gospel without commanding anyone to keep the seventh day. (Acts 2:1-47; 8:1-10; 10:1-48; 16:1-40) The Apostles and Elders left the seventh day Sabbath out of the address to the churches. (Acts 15:1-29)

The seventh day Sabbath was a sign of the Law Covenant. (Exodus 31:13, 16, 17) It was a type of the spiritual rest. (Hebrews 4:4-10)

Those who insist on a seventh day Sabbath miss the point or the reason for the Sabbath, the principle behind the Sabbath law when they put all the emphasis on which day it should be. The main purpose or reason for the Sabbath was to put God first, to commemorate God's goodness, and to keep from becoming over-occupied with material or commercial pursuits. (Isaiah 56:2; 58:13-14; I Timothy 1:3-7; Romans 14:6)

The early Christians set aside the first day, the day on which Christ arose, as the day of worship. (John 20:19, 26; Acts 2:1; 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2) This change was prophesied. (Psalm 118:22-24)

 

Enemies or Allies?

 

In a war it often (though not always) makes sense for a country to ally with other countries that are fighting for the same cause. While it may be possible to achieve a victory without help, they increase their strength and make things easier on themselves by working with allies.

We can apply this principle to Christian work and spiritual warfare. We should be careful not to hinder the cause of Christ through a spirit of competition.

The purpose of the church is to exalt Christ in the community and the world, leading lost souls to Christ, edifying believers, and impacting the society in which we live for righteousness. Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching churches that agree on fundamental doctrines, moral absolutes, and basic Biblical principles should be considered allies and brethren and not enemies or competitors. (Personally, I have never met anyone with whom I always agree on every point, especially minor points of belief.)

There are many points of belief upon which we can disagree that do not threaten salvation, spirituality, or fruitfulness. For example, if a dedicated Christian, who believes in the personal and visible return of Christ as an actual future event, has a different belief about  the exact interpretation of a difficult and obscure passage of Bible prophecy this should not disable Christian fellowship (after all, it is very likely that when Christ does return we will all find that we were wrong on at least a few points). (THE RAPTURE PROBLEM) On the other hand, denial of the bodily resurrection of Christ hinders fellowship as salvation is not possible without the bodily resurrection.

This is not a suggestion that we compromise truth and convictions or compromise with heresy, but rather a reminder that it is often possible to tolerate differences without compromising truths and convictions. For example, if we lead a lost soul to Christ and he conscientiously chooses to join another Bible-believing church this is still cause for rejoicing.

The New Testament Church is spiritual Israel. In the Old Testament ancient Israel was not one tribe but was divided into tribes so that the different tribes would cheque and balance each other; this is an obvious reason for different denominations.

 

How To Recognize A Good Church

How To Identify a Dangerous Religious Group

Is Theology your idol? - Tim Conway

So many Denominations, which one is true? - Tim Conway

Key To Revival

 

“Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:40)

The wickedness of the unsaved is not what is hindering effective soul winning or Christian influence or keeping the Christian worldview from being predominant in the society in which we live. The genuine repentance of God's people has always been the key to real revival. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14) “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. (Psalm 51:9-13) “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:7-12) “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.” (Isaiah 64:1-9) “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12) “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” (Hosea 14:1-2) “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2) “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:8-10)

Too many assume that there is no need to repent and renew their relationship with God unless they are guilty of a major sin, but a Christian should do this regularly, especially when he sees or senses that he is drawing away from God. Examine yourself:

Are you dedicated to God? “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” (Psalm 143:10) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:1-3)

How is your spiritual appetite? “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2) “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” (Psalm 63:1) “I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” (Psalm 143:6)

What is your attitude toward church attendance? “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.” (Psalm 122:1) “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

If you received a letter from someone you dearly love and deeply respect it would be natural for you to read the letter repeatedly and ponder over the thoughts and emotions conveyed; so what does your attitude toward the Holy Bible say about your attitude toward God? “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4-5) “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” (Psalm 119:140) “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” (Psalm 119:162)

Is your viewpoint governed by God’s Word, or is your Biblical or theological knowledge merely an accumulation of theories, traditions, assumptions, and second-hand information? “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalm 119:130) “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:3-6) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7) “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15) “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (I Peter 2:2-3)

Are you Biblical-minded or are you worldly-minded or of modernistic mentality? “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Timothy 3:16-17)

Do you have a burden for the lost and the society in which we live? “I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.” (Psalm 119:158) “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:1-4)

Are you materialistic? “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15)

Are you characterized by selfishness or unselfishness? “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-40) “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Do you recognise your own humanness? “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.” (Job 9:20) “Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?” (Isaiah 42:19) “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:12-14)

We should be honest and admit that we all need to repent daily and continually seek a close walk with God.

 

 

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