Rajesh

Why James 1:13-15 Does Not Apply to All Sins!

April 17, 2020

Based on several previous interactions with Christian friends, I wonder if many or most believers think that James 1:13-15 applies to all sins so that every time a person sins, it is because he gives in to a temptation to sin:

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Sin That Did Not Result from A Temptation to Sin

The following passage speaks of a situation that required a person to offer a sin offering for their sin, but it is impossible to say this sin always and only resulted because the person who sinned gave in to a temptation to sin:

Numbers 6:9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. 10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. 12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.

A Nazarite who sinned by having someone die very suddenly by him did not do so by giving in to any temptation to sin in that way. It simply is not true that all human sinning is the result of giving in to a temptation to sin.

Conclusion

It it vitally important that we understand why James 1:13-15 does not apply to all sins!

In Discipleship, Theology

“Finally, Christians, What Shall Be the Eternal End?”

April 13, 2020

The final question and answer of our Mount Calvary Baptist Church catechism:

Finally, Christians, What Shall Be the Eternal End?

The eternal end shall be that God shall be all in all, that the Lamb shall be served by us who see His face, and that these Divine Persons shall receive from every created thing blessing and honor, glory and power, dominion and praise forever and ever. Amen, and Amen.

These passages are cited in support of this final catechism:

1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

In Mount Calvary Baptist Pulpit

Should We Celebrate Easter in Our Churches Later This Year?

April 5, 2020

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, most of us believers throughout much of the world may not be able to celebrate Easter in our churches this year on next Sunday. At least two passages in Scripture lead me to wonder if we should celebrate Easter in our churches later this year instead of not observing it at all.

Provision in the Law

In the Law, God commanded the celebrating of the Passover a month later than its normal time under certain circumstances:

Numbers 9:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

The Example of Hezekiah

On one occasion in his reign, godly king Hezekiah directed the Israelites to celebrate the Passover one month later than usual:

2 Chronicles 30:1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

2 Chronicles 30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. . . . 15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

Application

Scripture provides both divine instruction and godly example for the celebration of a key religious holiday one month later than its usual time when circumstances necessitated it or warranted it for some appropriate reason. Given our inability to celebrate Easter this year in our churches this next Sunday, these passages lead me to think that we should celebrate Easter later this year rather than foregoing it completely.

What do you think?

In Uncategorized

How Can People Fear the Lord and Fear Other gods As Well?

April 4, 2020

Recently, God directed me to study a remarkable passage that testifies of people who feared the Lord and feared other gods as well.

Not Fearing the Lord

2 Kings 17:24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

Learning to Fear the Lord

26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land. 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land. 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

Fearing the Lord and Fearing Other gods

29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. 30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35 With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. 37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. 39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. 41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

Discussion

This passage plainly attests to unbelievers who were practicing idolaters who feared other gods. Because they did not fear the Lord, He sent lions among them to slay some of them (2 Kings 17:25).

Somehow, however, after they had been taught to fear the Lord, they also feared other gods (2 Kings 17:33, 41). Remarkably, these people were both fearing other gods and fearing the Lord in a manner that was acceptable to God to enough of an extent that He no longer sent lions among them to slay some of them (implied by 2 Kings 17:28), as He had previously done because they did not fear Him (2 Kings 17:25).

How is it possible for unbelieving, practicing idolaters also to fear God in a manner that was acceptable to Him, at least to some extent? How can people fear the Lord and fear other gods as well?

In Bible reading

How to Have Sufficient Food and Drink

March 25, 2020

We are living in a time in world history when multitudes are concerned about having sufficient food and drink for them and their families. Two key passages provide vital revelation about how God has promised to certain people that He will provide the food and drink that they need.

Food and Drink Promised in Matthew 6:31-33

Matthew 6:31-33 is a premier passage in the Bible about what people are to do so that they will have the food and drink that they need to survive:

Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

With these words, Jesus taught that people who seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will have what they are to eat and to drink added to them.

Food and Drink Promised in Isaiah 33:13-16

Compare the teaching of Matthew 6:31-33 with what Isaiah 33:13-16 says:

Isaiah 33:13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

This passage ends with a promise that bread and water will be provided to certain people, just as Matthew 6:31-33 does! Because God promises to provide the same things at the end of both passages, we know that what He teaches as the requirements for obtaining those promises in both passages are directly related.

Application

From the comparison presented above, we learn that seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness includes doing all the things that Isaiah 33:15 specifies: walking righteously, speaking uprightly, despising gaining by oppressions, rejecting bribes, stopping our ears from hearing about blood, and shutting our eyes from seeing evil. To have sufficient food and drink, we must be careful to do all these things in our seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.

In Exposition, Interpretation, Theology

Of Whom by Name is God Their God in the Psalms?

March 14, 2020

Tonight, I used BibleWorks to find out what persons or people are identified by their name as having God as their God. The results are quite interesting.

The phrase “God of” followed by a name of a person or a people occurs 21 times in the Psalms. God identifies with only three names in such phrases.

God of Abraham

Ps. 47:9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

God of Israel

Ps. 41:13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Ps. 59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

Ps. 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

Ps. 68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.

Ps. 69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

Ps. 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

Ps. 106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.

God of Jacob

Ps. 20:1 <To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.> The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

Ps. 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Ps. 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Ps. 75:9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

Ps. 76:6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

Ps. 81:1 <To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.> Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Ps. 81:4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

Ps. 84:8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

Ps. 94:7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Ps. 114:7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Ps. 132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;

Ps. 132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

Ps. 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

Discussion

Psalms speaks of God as the God of only three named persons or people: Abraham, Israel, and Jacob. Only one verse speaks of God as the God of Abraham.

Seven verses speak of God as the God of Israel. In thirteen verses, the Psalms present God as the God of Jacob. Twenty verses thus point us to think of Jacob who later became Israel and of God as His God!

It is striking that of all the important people mentioned in the OT, the Spirit inspired the writers of the Psalms to speak of God as the God of Israel or Jacob more than he did for any other named person or people! When we consider what the life of Jacob was like, especially with his faults and failings that the Scripture reveals, it speaks volumes about God’s grace that He speaks of Himself in the Psalms as the God of Israel or the God of Jacob more than He does of any other person!

Praise God!

In Theology

Why No One Should Be an Atheist

March 9, 2020

Atheists deny the existence of God. No one should be an atheist, however, because it is impossible for anyone to know objectively that there is no God.

Here is why. Suppose that an atheist looked for God in every place in his town, state, or country and claimed not to find any evidence for God. Would the atheist have proved that there is no God? Not at all, because when the atheist is looking in one place for God, God could have been in another place, and when the atheist looked in that place, God could have moved to another place.

Extending this line of reasoning, the only person who could know objectively that there is no God is someone who could be in all the places of the universe at the same time. Unless someone can be everywhere at once, he cannot know that there is no God, and he cannot prove that there is no God.

Of course, there are no such people who can be everywhere in the universe at the same time to know that there is no God and to prove that there is no God.

Furthermore, no atheist can know objectively that there is no God because he is incapable not only of being everywhere at the same time but also of processing at the same time all the information about the existence of God concerning every place in the universe.

Even all the atheists in all the world working together cannot prove that God does not exist because they cannot be everywhere in the universe at the same time and they cannot know everything about every place in the universe at the same time.

Atheism, therefore, is not based on fact or science. It is not sound thinking. Atheism is based on faith in the nonexistence of God because the atheist cannot know that there is no God, and he cannot prove that there is no God. He can only choose to believe that there is no God.

Intellectually honest people who consider themselves to be sound thinkers should reject atheism because what atheists assert is something that they do not know objectively that it is true, and they cannot prove objectively that it is true. No one should be an atheist!

In Apologetics, Evangelism

Why the Main Point/Big Idea of a Passage is Not All That Matters

March 5, 2020

Probably every believer who has been a believer for any length of time has encountered teaching about the main point or big idea of the following passage:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Most have been taught that this passage is “about” the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His apostles. Probably no one has ever thought or said that the main point or big idea of this passage is to teach us about the Holy Spirit.

A careful examination of nearly every sound work on systematic theology or NT theology would likely reveal, however, that this is an important passage for one’s formulating a proper understanding of what the Scripture teaches us about pneumatology. Any person who does not treat what this passage reveals about the Spirit in formulating their theology of the Spirit is a person who does not profit fully from revelation that God has intended him to profit from theologically.

As this brief but clear example shows, it is a faulty approach to hermeneutics and exegesis to insist that the main point/big idea of a passage is all that matters. Truth that God has revealed about a subject in a passage that does not have that subject as its main point or big idea is nonetheless truth that God wants us to profit from fully.

In Interpretation, Theology

What Does Luke 4:5-6 Teach Us about World Affairs?

February 29, 2020

In one of his attempts to tempt Christ to sin, the devil made a remarkable declaration concerning his authority over all the kingdoms of the world:

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

Making this statement, the devil proclaimed that he had authority over all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He also made known that authority was delivered to him at some prior point and that he could give it to whomever he willed to give it.

When, why, and how was power over all the kingdoms of the world and their glory delivered over to the devil?

How should this truth illumine our understanding of world affairs?

In Interpretation, Theology

Top Ten Bible Chapters by Number of Verses

February 20, 2020

Most believers know that Psalm 119 has more verses than any other chapter in the Bible. Many also know that Psalm 117 has the fewest.

The following tables show the top 10 chapters in the Bible by number of verses, both the chapters with the most verses and the chapters with the fewest. For chapters that have the same number of verses, the chapter with more words is ranked higher in the following table.

	Most Verses Per Chapter
	Chapter	Verses	Words	Words/Verse
1	Ps 119	176	2445	13.89
2	Num 7	89	1939	21.79
3	1 Chr 6	81	1341	16.56
4	Lk 1	80	1583	19.79
5	Matt 26	75	1625	21.67
6	Neh 7	73	1176	16.11
7	Mk 14	72	1595	22.15
8	Ps 78	72	1228	17.06
9	Jn 6	71	1506	21.21
10	Lk 22	71	1396	19.66

In the following table, many chapters have the same number of verses. These chapters are ranked with the chapters having the fewest words being ranked higher than those with more words.

	Fewest Verses Per Chapter
	Chapter	Verses	Words	Words/Verse
1	Ps 117	2	33	16.50
2	Ps 134	3	48	16.00
3	Ps 131	3	66	22.00
4	Ps 133	3	75	25.00
5	Est 10	3	93	31.00
6	Ps 123	4	98	24.50
7	Ps 100	5	90	18.00
8	Ps 93	5	92	18.40
9	Ps 15	5	103	20.60
10	Ps 125	5	112	22.40

In Bible reading

Archives For rajesh

Sin That Did Not Result from A Temptation to Sin

Conclusion

Share this:

Share this:

Provision in the Law

The Example of Hezekiah

Application

Share this:

Not Fearing the Lord

Learning to Fear the Lord

Fearing the Lord and Fearing Other gods

Discussion

Share this:

Food and Drink Promised in Matthew 6:31-33

Food and Drink Promised in Isaiah 33:13-16

Application

Share this:

God of Abraham

God of Israel

God of Jacob

Discussion

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: