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C_______
WROTE: (John 3:17-18) Jesus didn't come to "gloss over" sin, nor did He come to redefine it. Rather, He came to die the death of the cross so that sin might be "done away with" and that we might be restored to fellowship with our Creator. Let me explain. In this sense, the work of the cross is two-fold. AS TO OUR STANDING, in Christ Jesus the believer has been (past tense) justified; i.e., God regards him as though he never sinned (cf. II Cor. 5:17; Ph. 3:9; Gal. 3:6). AS TO OUR WALK, the believer needs no longer to be subject to the dictates of the flesh, or to the law of sin and death that stirs up the baser part of our nature (see Romans 7 & 8). For this reason the believer is instructed to come boldly to the throne of grace in the hour of temptation or in the time of need-knowing that God cares for us and that when He declares something to be clean, He wants no man to call it common/unclean (Acts 10:9-48). As to our picking and choosing from the Bible as though we have some
personal agenda, this has never knowingly been our intention. We want
simply to be led of Christ as we attempt to answer the Great Commission
and our individual call. To do this we strive to present Christ as He is
presented in the Bible; and one of the names given Him in the Bible is
the DOOR, meaning that He is the only way to heaven. (And by the
way, Christ is not a door that man walks through to get to heaven when
he dies. Man needs to walk through Christ the DOOR only once, and
not at the time of his demise, but at the time of his conviction and
conversion. This is because when men and women are born again, they
are made to be heavenly citizens who are called upon to live the rest of
their lives sojourning down here as representatives of the heavenlies.)
Also, we should note that this DOOR is available to whosoever will;
and the brand of sinner that we are is not even in consideration.
However, we need to be aware that there is a sin detector at this DOOR
and hidden, unconfessed sin will sound an alarm. (Remember the
prayers of the publican and the sinner? If not, read Luke 18:9-14.) In
other words, if someone is not willing to repent of his/her sins and not
willing to put them all away, the blood of Christ cannot avail and the
DOOR will not open. It comes to me that you might have pulled the two quotes from Leviticus and pooled them together in an attempt to justify homosexuality. True, in the New Testament we find where God did change His laws concerning the eating of certain forbidden meat, but nowhere can you find where He changed His stance against homosexuality. In fact, we find in the New Testament where He actually reemphasized the fact that it is a sin, making His case through the Apostle Paul even more strongly than He did in the Old Testament if that is possible. The Scripture where God changed His law concerning the eating of certain meats that were forbidden in the Old Testament is found in Acts 11.
However, in the first chapter of Romans we see where God brought forward His condemnation of homosexuality in no uncertain terms.
You quote from Leviticus, which is a book full of cleanliness laws given to the Hebrew children to keep them from debilitating diseases. I don't know exactly why God chose to remove the ban against eating pork and the like. Perhaps it was because man had learned that he could thoroughly cook such meat and eat it without becoming sick. But to date man has found no way to defeat the side effects that accompany homosexuality--i.e., aids and its companion diseases--although millions have been spent in the effort, hoping to at least contain the diseases in the homosexual community-- money, by the way, that could be used in countless ways to feed and treat innocent people who are at the mercy of others through no choice of their own.
When most people think of Leviticus, they think of the laws that
God gave for the good of His chosen people. Consequently, Leviticus
is a very good starting place to gain understanding of our present day
situations concerning many health issues. One of the reasons Leviticus was written was to prevent unneeded disease and health problems among
people. For example, it carefully prescribes the way to handle
childbirth; and I often actually cringe when I think of the countless
women who have needlessly died in childbirth from just purely filthy
habits. Paul teaches that each member of the Body of Christ is made for a particular function. It must remain in that function, for indeed, the hand cannot say I want to be a foot, or the eye say I want to be a brain. He used the human body to make this analogy. There are diseases that attack each part of the body in a unique way; and when people decide to use their bodies in a manner foreign to its intended use, then laws of nature will take over. We cannot use our mouth and digestive system for a garbage disposal. The results would be severe gastrointestinal distress. In fact, if we overdo any natural function of our body, we will be forced to acknowledge it. Try swimming too long, running too long, singing too long and it won't be but a few hours until the body will start screaming at us. Likewise, I submit that when we constantly subject our systems to any unnatural use, then, the body will loudly retaliate. Try making it perform unnatural acts in any one of its members and it will start rebelling in a manner that we often wish we had not unleashed. God was just trying to teach in Leviticus a way to keep the body in harmony with nature so that we might be spared untold pain. Consider what I have said! Every disease that we encounter has always been lurking about in its natural place, harmless and doing its job in its assigned position. When man starts bringing it out of its natural habitat and it is forced to perform in another setting, it can turn and rend mankind with a mighty whip. Lets just put the Bible aside for a moment and look at the homosexual issue from a cleanliness/medical science standpoint. I must challenge you through the natural laws of nature, as was addressed in Leviticus, that no good thing has come about through the acts of homosexuality. |
Elof G_______ Wrote: Dear friends, Would it be possible to for free receive your ten booklets. I donīt mind if in bad shape, old or used as long as there is a readable text. Thanks and bless, Elof G____________ Finland Don and B'Ann Wrote:Thanks for your interest in our books. Please know that we are not ignoring you. We are now in the process of looking for a publisher that can print and distribute our books on an international basis. I would rather wait until we get the books in print and then I can send you a nice copy. BY THE WAY, IF ANYONE READING THIS CAN CONNECT US TO SUCH A PUBLISHER, PLEASE DO SO. IT WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. Yours in Christ, Don Love |
T____ WROTE: Question-Comment: I rented a 2set movie about 10yrs.ago that was something to the effect of "How we can tell now the stories in the Bible are true." It was made in the middle '70's. I was watching this movie during the time we were having the troubles with Sadam Hussien. Well as the movie progressed it came to a part where they were saying how this country had excavated down to the original walls of the city of Babylon. The narrator was saying how they were rebuilding the walls of Babylon. I of course was fascinated but then as they were showing the site, Here walks through Sadam and a couple of his cronies and the narrator was saying at the same time how he hopes that what they're building would be for use in a "GOOD" for the world. It really blew me away. Just thought I'd share that. I know nothing of geography, I do know what I saw though. God Bless, Tina Don and B'Ann Wrote: Dear T___, Thanks for your response. I understand your interest in Scriptural Babylon, for it is both curious and fascinating. Most theologians agree that it is a by-product of the tower of Babel. (Remember, this tower had been made by people who were of one mind in their refusal to obey God. In their delusion they actually thought that they could get to heaven without God's help or permission, and were building a tower for that purpose when God cursed them with the confusion of tongues [Genesis 11:9].) Also, the language that Isaiah used when explaining that the Babylon of his generation would be destroyed never to be built again where it was standing, is particular dreadful.
In addition, because this particular Babylon is a type for the world system (See our book Clock Of The Ages for a thorough treatment of Biblical types.)—especially the world system at the end times—understanding why God made it to be so desolate helps us to understand end-time prophecy. A brief look at why God dealt with that particular Babylon in such a manner would include the facts that:
Because this Babylon serves as a type, we can expect the end-time Babylon of the Book of Revelation (the controlling world system of the end time) to act in certain ways; i.e.,
Also, the people who belong to this end-time Babylon/world system, because of their attitude and behavior, will come under the severe judgment of God just as did the Babylonians of Isaiah's day. Thanks again for responding. Don & B'Ann Love |
____?____ WROTE: Question-Comment: WHY DOES RELIGION START SO MANY WARS? I COME FROM NORTHERN IRELAND AND I HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP A CATHOLIC. I DO NOT GO TO CHAPEL ANYMORE DUE TO THIS THOUGHT IN MY HEAD THAT WARS ALWAYS START BECAUSE TWO SIDES OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ALWAYS FIGHT. I ALWAYS LOOK BACK AT SO MANY WARS AND SEE THAT SO MANY OF THEM ARE STARTED BY OPPOSING SIDES ie CATHOLIC & PROTESTANT etc. I THINK I STILL BELIEVE IN GOD BUT AM UNSURE, SOMEDAYS I GET THE FEELING THAT SOMEONE IS WATCHING OVER ME AND THIS GIVES ME A GOOD FEELING, AND SOMETIMES I GET A BAD FEELING. IS THIS NORMAL?
(Note: For this WRAP AROUND to bless you as it is intended, you must read it with Bible in hand and check out all of the references!) First we need to note that you said "religions" cause wars. This is a crucial point. We Christians do not have a "religion" but rather we have a relationship with God resulting from a born-again experience. Religions of the world, whether they are Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Muslems, etc., all have strong additives of men added to their plans of salvation. This is precisely what we have been addressing in our WRAP AROUNDs and books. Mankind usually adds some requirements to acceptance into the Kingdom of God or its supposed equivalent other than believing in the Christ's finished work on the cross. Some religions require that you must pray a certain number of times per day, some say no wearing of jewelry, others require their followers to wear certain types of clothing, to shave their hair, cut their hair, don't cut their hair, eat certain foods—and on and on. It seems as though man made religions (including most of those claiming to be "Biblical religions") have a "gang" initiation mentality. In fact, for most of those that preach some form of the Bible, gone is the promise of the cross and the peace it brings. In its place we find the differing groups hating one another because they do not embrace the nonsense that each has added to God's plan of salvation. In the United States, those of Pentecostal persuasion do not like
the Baptist
because Pentecostals think the speaking of tongues is a necessary evidence of a
conversion experience. Also, they teach that if certain lifestyle codes aren't And as to the closed-club mentality of religions, Jesus also declared that if people were for him, then they were not against him (Mark 9:33-40 cf. Matthew 12:30)
Note that Jesus did not refer to the name of the person's group or the doctrines followed. And also consider that this saying could apply just as well to groups of people, for groups are made of individuals. (See I Cor. 3:1-23). Many of the denominations of the church have through the ages received a revelation for the time at hand. Back in the early 1930's, the Pentecostal group, for example, received a revelation that the movies were going to corrupt the youth of the world. But rather than making the revelation one of their teachings to live by, they made that revelation a part of their salvation plan. They forbade their members to go to any theatre upon punishment of hell's fire, and they looked with disdain upon their neighbors who attended such an establishment. They should have taken this revelation, should have studied the Bible for the scriptures that would give credence to this teaching, and should have taught the revelation as being profitable to live by. This would have brought life to the revelation. Instead, they became pious and withdrew from the tainted moviegoers. Hence, they scared off the fish and their failure as fisher-of-men was predictable. About the same time, another group received a revelation that there would be trouble with the meat products. Instead of teaching that we needed to look seriously at our standards of meat processing and cleanliness laws (like those given in Leviticus), they worked the revelation into their religious dogma and began forbidding their members to eat meat. As a consequence, they withdrew and separated themselves from believers who were meat eaters. We even saw this go to great extremes; some groups would not use any product that contained animal fat. A good rule of thumb for such "revelations" is to take them to the Scriptures to be sure that they are Biblically sound and understood in the light of the Scriptures. Failure to do so can result in man-made conditions for a salvation that does not bring life, but produces bondage, suspicion, and division. (We travel and sing in many churches. During one of our revivals we were met with this.
"You have to remove your wedding rings before you can minister because jewelry is not
allowed in this church." We later had to minister to members of this group whose
marriages were in jeopardy because of this additive to God's plan of salvation.
Husbands had put rings on their wives to show how much they cared. Now, this preacher was
telling the wives to remove their rings because they were an abomination. The weird thing
was that my husband and I were wondering why my wedding band, which was white gold, had
turned to yellow gold about three days before the pastor of this flock told me to remove
my ring. Need I say more? Before that revival was over, the pastor and his wife had
developed huge sores on their hands that looked like little volcanoes. Needless to say, I
refused to remove my ring and we have never gone back to that church. But my point is, we
often add ridiculous things to the salvation offered by Christ, and then either fight
about them or, as in the case of this pastor, use them to confuse people and keep them
from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ.) Also, Jesus was not speaking poetically or with empty words when He said that to enter
the kingdom of heaven, we must be born again. And can one have such a tremendous event
take place in his or her life and not KNOW IT?—not All of which brings us to the second part of your
WRAP AROUND: I
THINK If someone can talk you into something, then someone else can talk you out of it! However, the Apostle Paul had an encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus and no group anywhere could ever shake him. We may not have as strong an encounter with God as Paul had; but we must have one so that when our evil day of temptation/testing comes, we can stand. However, the Bible does not say that we are saved by feelings/experiences, but by faith in the fact that "…God sent His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). However, for everyone beginning his or her Christian walk, these ingredients of the walk of faith must be dealt with; i.e., what kind of "feelings/experiences" should I have? And what is faith? And how much faith must I have? I say that these must be dealt with because the Tempter (old Lucifer) will see to it. "I've done so and so, and now I don't feel save—so, I must be lost," comes the thoughts. Or, "I thought I was saved, but I must not have had enough faith!" Every legitimate child of God will have these and many other thoughts (fiery darts—Ephesians 6:1) like them. But when these thoughts do come, we should not despair, but go to the Word. (We should have already been in it anyway, since we are commanded to study the Word to show ourselves approved unto God [II Timothy 2:15], and since Jesus said we are to live by it as we do our daily bread [Matthew 4:4]). In fact, James writes: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:2-4). This being so, for the babe-in-Christ who has been in obedience and in the Word, these divers (many and various kinds) of temptations (testings) actually serve to validate the Word and to build our faith. But let's not duck the questions.
The answer is simple. If there was a time in your life when you believed that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was resurrected so that you might have eternal life and spend it with Him—And you really meant it when you said you wanted Him as your Lord and Savior, on the authority of God's Word: that's enough (Romans 10:10).
The answer is simple. There is no way that you can know that you are saved by your feelings, for we are not saved by feelings, but by faith in the resurrected Christ of the Bible.
The answer will vary with each of us, for God made no two of us alike, and He respects our originality in this as He does in all else. (Consider the heroes of faith in the Bible and you will realize that all of their walks were very different.) Some believers have tremendous experiences that, like Paul's, make such an indelible impression on their lives that they can never forget them or turn from them. (It would seem that these types of conversions usually are needful for those who were deep in sin, though that may not always be the case.) Others believers were raised in a believing environment, and accepted Christ at an early age. Many of these can't remember when they did not walk with Christ and hear the "small still voice" of His Holy Spirit. (I'm sure all of you believers reading this have your own unique testimony as to how Christ has sustained you and been a blessing to you.) Let us sum up by saying that, yes, religions are one of the major culprits of wars, which shouldn't surprise us for the spirit of religion had the Son of God crucified. And let me say that we can understand your feelings, for at times, they are shared by all of like precious faith. But remember this. When it "feels" like all is lost, or that all hell is breaking loose around you, and you don't "feel" the presence of God—be sure to know that these are the times that He is especially near—living in you by His Spirit and hovering over you to make sure that as with Job, Satan will not overstep his boundaries and that all of the things that you are going through will work together for your good. We can tell you this with confidence for so says the Word of God. And we can also tell you this with confidence; for over and over, we have found it to be so in our own lives. Thanks for taking the time to respond to our WRAP AROUND. DON & B'ANN LOVE |
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