17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one tittle of the Law shall not escape, till all things be fulfilled. 19 ,Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall observe and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

I had a friend tell me several days ago that her father had made the comment that most believers nowadays have never experienced real Christianity. I agree with that statement. Why? Most professing Christians are not regenerate. They are in the Religion of Do. They practice the same righteousness that the scribes and Pharisees practiced in Jesus’ day. Continue reading →

13 Jesus answered, and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more athirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. John 4:13-14 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

Efficacious adj. producing the desired effect – from The Oxford New Desk Dictionary and Thesaurus Third Edition.

Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently. For it is a living fountain, springing up into eternal life, as Christ calls it in John iv.¹ Continue reading →

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, his disciples came unto him apart, saying, Tell us when these things shall be, and what sign shall be of thy coming, and of the end of the world. 4 And Jesus answered, and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my Name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm, and there shall be famine, and pestilence, and earthquakes in divers places.8 All these are but the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:3-14 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read verses 9-14 on the site.

When I was a youth back in the 1960’s I remember hearing many sermons in our church about how the signs of the end of the age were upon us and that it would only be a short time until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1970 Hal Lindsey published his book The Late Great Planet Earth…. Continue reading →

15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, 18 so that you—the eyes of your heart having been enlightened—will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…  Ephesians 1:15-23 (LSB) Read verses 19-23 on the site.

Many years ago, when I was in my twenties, eschatology books were being pumped out by every “evangelist” under heaven. They were dazzling with their complicated charts with arrows for Christ’s multiple returns to get His church then later to bring His kingdom into fulfillment. Continue reading →

1 And it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Luke 11:1-4 (LSB) 

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian walk before the face of God. I have never met a mature Christian who was at peace with the consistency or depth of his or her praying. Sacred Scripture says that God commands His people to pray…. Continue reading →

15 “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments;” (John 14:15 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In this post we will look at John 14:15-31, which is last part of the dialogue between our Lord and His disciples in the upper room after the Passover Feast just prior to His arrest in the garden on the other side of the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem (John 18). Never forget my brethren, our Lord did not come to bring all people together. His message was one of division. That was what He said. Also, His ministry was to reveal the Father (John 1:14, 18), to bring glory to Him. In this post we will see that our Lord even further defines who it is who are truly His. Continue reading →

12 There is a way that seemeth right to a man: but the issues thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

I have yet to encounter a person who has a problem with the gospel, the sovereignty of God, election, the exclusivity of genuine discipleship, et cetera who does not also force a man-centered perspective on God’s Word in one form or another. These same people lean towards a form of Christianity that is almost all experiential. Since their view of how the gospel works and how God works with Man is wrongly focused and the Word of God contains clear teachings about the sovereignty of God, these people conceive of their entire “Christian” paradigm from a philosophical and existential base rather than on the authority of Sacred Scripture. Continue reading →

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, 6 namely, if any man is beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of dissipation, or rebellious. 7 For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of dishonest gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict. Titus 1:5-9 (LSB) 

It doesn’t take very long for me to discern whether the person I am dealing with is truly God’s man or woman or is a pretender. That personal interaction is necessary for me to see the true nature and focus of the person…. Continue reading →

9 Wherewith shall a young man redress his way? in taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 I have hid thy promise in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes. 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. 15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and consider thy ways. 16 I will delight in thy statutes, and I will not forget thy word. Psalms 119:8-16 (1599 Geneva Bible)

It is vital for Christians to know God’s Word, to love its precepts so much that they hide it in their hearts so they will never forget it. Why? This is the foundation of discernment. God gives the gift of discernment to His people. Some have more than others of course, but we all must learn to develop it and it begins by knowing and understanding God’s Word. Why?… Continue reading →

3 Afterward Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the Laws: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the things which the Lord hath said, will we do. 4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and rose up early, and set up an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings of beeves, and sacrificed peace offerings unto the Lord. 6 Then Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Exodus 24:3-8 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read verses 7-8 on the site.

With the demise of the Biblical/Christian Worldview those of us who belong to the Lamb of God must stop assuming that our culture, our environment, knows or grasps what we mean when we talk about sin and God being Holy, Righteous, and Just…. Continue reading →

14 Of these things put them in remembrance, and protest before the Lord, that they strive not about words, which is to no profit, but to the perverting of the hearers. 15 Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, dividing the word of truth aright. 2 Timothy 2:14-15 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

In our post What Does It Mean to Walk In The Light, we looked at what true worship is and what is isn’t. Sadly, the prevalence of false worship and “churchianity” has taken over the “visible church” in our time. However, God has not abandoned the True Church and there are those God is calling to take up the slack left by “Christian” leaders who have left their proper calling of genuine ministry and “Rightly Handling the Word of Truth” to pursue a form of “Church” that is more of a business venture than a genuine Church…. Continue reading →

1 Behold, ,what love the Father hath given to us, that we should be called the sons of God: For this cause this world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. 2 Dearly beloved, now are we the sons of God, but yet it is not made manifest what we shall be: and we know that when he shall be made manifest: we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purgeth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

The Church, the True Church, has always taken the stance that God’s truth is knowable. However, in these “post-modern” times this “stance” has come under considerable attack causing many to question it’s veracity. Also, His truth is as His attributes and character…. Continue reading →

3 Now are ye clean through the word, which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

All people are born dead in their trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13) This condition of spiritual death also means that each person, though desperate for fulfillment that can only be satisfied in God, cannot come to God, know God, or even seek Him. Because of this, they pursue fulfillment from everything around them. The number one method of doing this is via the flesh. The flesh is all about self and self-gratification. The problem with this is that nothing works for very long, including religiosity. Continue reading →

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth call I you not servants: for the servant knoweth not what his master doeth: but I have called you friends: for all things that I have heard of my Father, have I made known to you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye go and bring forth fruits, and that your fruit remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name, he may give it you. 17 These things command I you, that ye love one another.18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before you.19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. John 15:14-19 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

A study of the book of Acts reveals that as Christianity spread as the Apostles obediently made disciples wherever they went, it was always accompanied by persecution. The hotter the persecution the more encouraged the brethren became…. Continue reading →

10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure; for in doing these things, you will never stumble;2 Peter 1:10 (LSB) 

Some “evangelical leaders” in our time will tell you that transformation is actually part of the gospel and that the evidence of salvation is how busy a person is in “working in church ministry.” No where in God’s Word is transformation given as part of the Gospel. The Gospel is based in who Jesus Christ is and what He has done to be the propitiation for the elect…. Continue reading →

2 But He answered them saying, “When evening has come you say, ‘Fair weather, for the sky is fiery red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today stormy weather, for the sky, being overcast, is fiery red.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times? (Matthew 16:2-3 translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)

The lack of spiritual discernment is a plague in the visible Church in our time. We see this in so-called “church leaders” going after every form of “entertainment” in order to increase numbers in their “churches.” We see this in calls from so-called “church leaders” attempting to reconcile historically protestant denominations with the Roman Catholic Church…. Continue reading →

“We do best when we take God’s Word at face value, keep it in context, and use scripture to interpret scripture instead of subjectivism. We should also understand that the Bible is God’s gift to His people to reveal Him and His truth to them for their edification and His glory.”

(Mike Ratliff – Possessing the Treasure) 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: This is what He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says: 8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have given before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Behold, I am giving up those of the synagogue of Satan, those who say that they are Jews and are not but lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out from it anymore. And I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 3:7-13 (LSB)

One of the big errors of our time in the visible Church of the 21^st Century is the misguided concept that truth is subjective. In other words, truth is what you want it be. This concept is, of course, simply borrowed from the world, which loves it. While I do not contend that I know when our Lord will return, I do know that it will be at the end of this age prior to the age to come…. Continue reading →

9 Therefore, thus pray you; Matthew 6:9a (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The context of Matthew 6:9-13 from which we get what is traditionally called “The Lord’s Prayer,” is, of course, Matthew 6, which is part of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. The theme of Matthew 6:1-18 (the context of vv 9-13) is found in v1, “Προσέχετε [δὲ] τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.” Or, “But be careful to not demonstrate your righteousness before men with the aim to be seen by them; otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in Heaven.”… Continue reading →

11 And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:11 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

The very heart of Christianity is the doctrine of the Atonement. Is it no wonder that so many proclaiming a “new type of Christianity” also attempt to do away with this doctrine? Any attempts to redefine Christianity by modifying or eliminating this doctrine are marks of heresy. I have seen professing Christians argue and write off former brothers in the faith over aspects of our faith that are nowhere near as vital to orthodoxy as the doctrine of the Atonement…. Continue reading →

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Thou shalt eat freely of every tree of the garden, 17 But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. Genesis 2:16-17 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read Genesis 3:1-6 and Genesis 3:19 on the site.

The doctrine of original sin is a vital part of genuine Christian orthodoxy. For a long time I didn’t really appreciate how important it is in our concept of the depths of our guilt before our sovereign and thrice Holy God…. Continue reading →

1 Then God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from Esau thy brother. 2 Then said Jacob unto his household and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and cleanse yourselves, and change your garments: 3 For we will rise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there unto God, which heard me in the day of my tribulation, and was with me in the way which I went. Genesis 35:1-3 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

idolatry 1: the worship of a physical object as a god 2: immoderate attachment or devotion to something (from Webster’s Ninth Collegiate Dictionary)

I’m sure that most Christians’ conception of idolatry is one in which people fall down and worship some statue or image or a facsimile of something that appears to resemble a god…. Continue reading →

13 Now when Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the son of man, am? 14 And they said, Some say, John Baptist: and some, Elijah: and others, Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets. 15 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 Then Simon Peter answered, and said, Thou art that Christ, the son of the living God.  Matthew 16:13-20 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read verses 17-20 on the site.

Genuine Christians, God’s heirs, are those who have believed.

16 ,For God so loveth the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

Carefully read this very familiar passage from John Chapter 3. Who is it that does not perish, but has eternal life? It is whoever believes in the Son. Not everyone who attempts to “follow” Jesus believes. Continue reading →