16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:16-18 (LSB) 

The test of true faith is that which is revealed in how one lives and walks through this life. Right belief, that is, a faith that lives in a regenerate heart born from above, is exhibited in right living as James, the brother of our Lord Jesus Christ wrote in the passage above. Notice also that he began that passage in v16 with, “Do not be deceived,” or Μὴ πλανᾶσθε from the Greek…. Continue reading →

19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. John 14:19 (LSB) 

When our Lord spoke of the “world” in John 14:19, he was talking about those in this temporal existence who are not believers. They are not true Christians even though some in that group may profess to be so. In this context he was also referring to the Jewish religious leaders of his own day who so opposed him and his ministry and who would continue to oppose the early church as is seen all through the books of Acts for example…. Continue reading →

I. REGENERATION

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

“The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Continue reading →

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4-5 (LSB) 

The world system, for the most part, is extremely tolerant of religion as long as it is not evangelical Christianity. However, it has no problem with that version of Christianity that is politically correct. Many countries in this world have imposed anti-hatred and anti-conversion laws specifically directed against Christianity…. Continue reading →

13 ¶ Watch ye: stand fast in the faith: quit you like men, and be strong. 14 Let all your things be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

The growing apostasy in the visible Church seems to be accelerating. The spiritual blindness of so many professing believers and their leaders is truly astounding. My brethren, the sad state of the visible Church is both the product of the famine of the Word of God and the cause of it. When the Word of God is seldom heard or read or taught then its purifying power is muted…. Continue reading →

14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. John 15:14-19 (LSB) 

I have been reading through the book of Acts over the last few weeks and I followed it up with a documentary about the Book of Acts in which every verse was read and acted out on the screen. It is very interesting to see the spread of Christianity as the Apostles obediently made disciples wherever they went…. Continue reading →

12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being mislead. 2 Timothy 3:12-13 (translated from the NA28 Greek text to English) 

The Christian has been called by God to serve the Lord Jesus as His bondservant or slave (δοῦλος). This role of bondservant also includes being His obedient disciple and valiant warrior. I grew up in an era in which there just was not much turmoil in the churches I was part of. The Pastor was considered the one who should take moral stands on issues and proclaim the truth to those in darkness, but the rest of the folks in the church did not consider themselves soldiers of Christ Jesus except when they sang songs such as Onward Christian Soldiers. However, times have changed. There are some preachers these days that deserve a proclamation of “woe” such as this one from the Prophet Isaiah. Continue reading →

15 Love not this world, neither the things that are in this world. If any man love this world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

There is a certain type of love that God hates. We find that in John 15:18-20:

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. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also: if they have kept my word, they will also keep yours. John 15:18-20 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

God has no love for “love of the world system that is opposed to God.” Jesus made it clear in the passage from John 15:18-20 that those who are “of the world” are not of God nor are those whom He has selected from out of the world part of the world…. Continue reading →

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2). 

Does forgiveness enable sin?

Probably the most frequent go-to verse for assurance of pardon in a worship service is 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This assurance is honey to our flagging spirits when they are weighed down by the guilt of sin. It bathes the guilty conscience with the refreshing waters of God’s grace. Continue reading →

9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 Who said, I heard thy voice in the garden and was afraid: because I was naked, therefore I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 Then the man said, The woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said to the woman, Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 ¶ Then the Lord God said to the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field: upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. 15 I will also put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall break thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Genesis 3:9-15 Read Matthew 13:24-30 and Matthew 13:36-43 on the site.

When I lived in the Kansas City area, I had a preacher ask me what a tare was. He knew that I was from Oklahoma and he thought I would know. I am no country boy, but when I was a young man, I worked in a grain elevator. Actually, most wheat farmers I knew complained about a weed, which grew in their fields, they called “Cheat.”… Continue reading →

29 On the next day he sees  Jesus coming to him and he says, “Look the Lamb of God, the one taking away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 (translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)

In my Nave’s Topical Bible there is a subsection under “Atonement” titled “Atonement – Made by Jesus.” It covers half of page 85 and runs through half of page 88. I find it interesting that the post-modern leaders in the emergent church such as the late Brian McLaren focus so much of their energies on trying to deny that the Lord Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice on the Cross to atone for the sins of His people was the primary mission of His incarnation…. Continue reading →

Sola Scriptura – In Sacred scripture alone

Sola Gratia – Salvation is by grace alone

Sola Fide – Through faith alone

Solus Christus – In Christ alone

Soli Deo Gloria! – For the glory of God alone!

1 Then was Jesus led aside of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days, and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. 3 Then came to him the tempter, and said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answering, said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:1-4 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

Unbelief is the fruit of arrogance. I hear nearly every day from some Emergent/Post-Modern know-it-all that certainty is the product of pride and the only ones who are truly humble are those who view uncertainty in all things as a virtue. What is unbelief in this context? To define it we must first define its opposite, belief. Continue reading →

I am reading a book by J.C. Ryle right now. It is awesome if you like Biblical exegetical studies, that is. In any case, the name of the book is Expository thoughts on The Gospel of John. This post is born out of my reading the chapter titled “John 1:15-18”, which I read this afternoon as I was parked in the parking lot at the school where my two grandsons are enrolled. I was waiting for them to exit the building so I could drive them home. I finished the chapter about 5 minutes before I started seeing students coming out. I knew right then that I was going to put something together this evening about what I read. I pray this blesses you my brethren. Continue reading →

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. and we gazed upon his glory, glory as of the only one from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

Read Psalm 23 on the site.

I write this motivated from my Lord’s own work in my heart over the past several days to “restore my soul” (Psalm 23:2). The battle against apostasy and seeing how the visible church is becoming more and more symbolic and less and less genuinely focused on what the Apostle John calls “Spirit and Truth” has caused me to become susceptible to attacks from the enemy all designed to discourage and distract…. Continue reading →

10 ¶ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of living, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, 11 Persecutions, and afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I suffered: but from them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. 13 But the evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:10-13 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

“Christians” in the United States and other “civilized” countries do not exist in a climate of a fear of persecution like those in China and India (for now). Some would say that is because of our culture or that there are huge numbers of Christians here. However, the truth of the matter is that Christians who live in total obedience to their Lord will be persecuted…. Continue reading →

21 Foolishness is joy to him that is destitute of understanding: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly. Proverbs 15:21 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

15 Take heed therefore that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the season: for the days are evil. 17 Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-21 (translated from the NA28 Greek text) Read verses 18-21 and Greek text on the site.

This “walking,” this περιπατεῖτε is the present, indicative, active form of the verb περιπατέω, which, in this context, is speaking of ‘walking concerning something.’ It is describing a certain way in which a Christian walks through each day…. Continue reading →

10 ¶ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of living, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, 11 Persecutions, and afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, which persecutions I suffered: but from them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. 13 But the evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:10-13 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

Receiving Christ’s Word and becoming like Him in our conduct will unavoidably mean being treated by the world in the way it treated Christ. “I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14)…. Continue reading →

28 And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may be bold, and not be ashamed before him, at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, know ye that he which doeth righteously, is born of him. 1 John 2:28-29 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

All who are truly in Christ must admit that this walk is fraught with doubt as well as pressure to conform to a form of godliness that has no power, to be faithful at doing church as the primary indicator of our genuineness, as well as to live up to the idea that lost people have of what a Christian must be…. Continue reading →

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles’ hands the holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay the hands, he may receive the holy Ghost. 20 Then said Peter unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this business: for thine heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, that if it be possible, the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Acts 8:18-23 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

In these times of the “Compromised Church” with very little knowledge of historical Christianity and what makes up what is truly Orthodox, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised when I’m called a heretic and false teacher for teaching Reformation Theology and then revealing that my view of eschatology is (gasp) not dispensational/pre-millennialism…. Continue reading →

13 But the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote his breast, saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

In our day it is not unusual to hear a man-centered version of the Gospel message that has everything turned around backward and is presented in such a way that is meant to appeal emotionally to unbelievers with a statement such as, “Christ’s crucifixion is proof of our worth to God!” The appeal is meant to show that if Christ was willing to go to Cross to save sinners like us then that proves we are of value to God…. Continue reading →

59 These things spake he in the Synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disciples (when they heard this) said, This is an hard saying: who can hear it? 61 But Jesus knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this offend you? John 6:59-61 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

One theologian that has helped me a great deal in my journey into the truth, out of darkness into light, is Dr. C. Matthew McMahon at A Puritan’s Mind. He was the pastor of Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Florida…. Continue reading →

33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace: in the world ye shall have affliction, but be of good comfort: I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

The natural man in each of us wants to paint God as a combination of a spiritual Santa Claus and the Genie from Aladdin’s Lamp or at least a lesser deity whose will is subject to his. We tie our good works into how well our lives go. If we do good things then God will surely see to it that we don’t lose our jobs or we get a great raise each year or our health is good…. Continue reading →

1 In the year of the death of king Uzziah, I saw also the Lord sitting upon an high throne, and lifted up, and the lower parts thereof filled the Temple. 2 The Seraphims stood upon it, every one had six wings: with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole world is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:1-3 (1599 Geneva Bible) 

In most English translations of the Old Testament when we encounter the word “Lord” we are actually reading the Hebrew word “Adhōnāy.” On the other hand, when we read the word “LORD,” it is a completely different Hebrew word, “Yehōwāh.” “Adhōnāy” is actually a title for God meaning “sovereign one.”… Continue reading →