From early on in my Christian journey I saw patterns in scripture. With the help of a handful of Bible Teachers along the way, I was seeing what the original writers of the text were saying. The extraction of the patterns turns out to be part of a Rabbinical interpretation theory. Academics will have come across Peshat, Remez, Drash and Sod as part of this method. It goes a little bit like this:
Peshat is the plain meaning of the text (most historical - grammatical interpretations stay here.
Remez is a hint of something deeper
Drash is the application of the patterns in the text in view of Hebrew prophecy. (Midrash is the extraction of the drash)
Sod is the much maligned spiritual meaning (which can become mystical if not handled properly)
To be clear, the Rabbis have texts called 'Midrash' but these are not what this is. Post temple, they went off on a tangent and called their work Midrash, confusing to mix the two definitions. To make it more confusing, some work Rabbis did was good. Sigh. Its complicated. To start engaging this, the gentile mind must understand that the writers of the Bible were wired differently. The writer's thinking was so different that the gentile believers have come to all sorts of wacky conclusions based on not paying attention to its Jewishness. Over time, starting just after the Apostolic age, the Bible was seen through a variety of perspectives that were affected by Plato / Aristotle / the enlightenment / the Reformation etc. So much error came from this. Let's stick with the Apostolic writings... that makes sense.
Because the Bible was written over 1500 years we have to be in high academics to track the situation in life that determined the individual writing style. So what we are primarily interested in is what the Holy Spirit has woven into the text. To begin the journey of understanding the patterns and spiritual meanings we can use this method that helps take us from Peshat to engaging the Holy Spirit in what he wants to show us. It's helpful if, like me, you don't have a Jewish background at all.
The Text
What does it say? It is absolutely applicable to the time in which it was written and this is the basis for any further interpretation theory. If we depart from this we have failed Hermeneutically.
The Context
What are the surrounding details that places the plain meaning? At this stage you cannot avoid the Jewish cultural aspects. WARNING: many have slipped down the slippery slope of Mosaic law in their zeal to learn of this beautiful culture and language. Start with where, when, how, who? What are the socio-political and economic circumstance of the time? Who is ruling? Where is it in the Jewish year? Who is involved or mentioned? How did they get there? What are the circumstances of the writing? There are many factors to this and we try to get as much as we can.
The Co-Text
After we have found where else it says 'it' we can then find what the other texts are saying. Here is where we find Hebraic patterns ... 'prophecy' in the Jewish mindset. Many have settled for a 'chain' study of words. That falls short of the intention of scripture, for us to access themes, patterns and the intention of the Holy Spirit which is the final component:
The 'Cog-text'
This is my term for the observation of how the thing you are observing fits into 'The Cogs of the Kingdom.' It serves as a precautionary device to make sure the observations of patterns / types / allegories fit with the broader meaning of scripture. By making a pattern into a doctrine some have gone off into some gnostic cul de sac. We don't want that do we? The Cog-text is the way the scripture fits together like one harmonious engine. If the product of this engine is 'God's saving plan,' it purrs like a cat! The scriptural process of interpretation must sit within the whole council of God to remain 'on track' scripturally. There are examples in scripture that are confusing unless we understand the process.
An example of this is where Matthew says in 2:15. 'Out of Egypt I have called my son.' This quote from Hosea 11 is definitely referring to Israel. Did Matthew get it wrong? He did if we only see the text in an historical grammatical gentile methodology.
Many are surprised to find this typology / allegory but Paul shows us it very clearly in Galatians 4:24f. Words like: 'taken
figuratively' / 'stands for' /corresponds to/ Paul is showing us Midrash. Don't forget it's not just allegorising. It is taking out the prophetic patterns side by side and applying them to the whole council of God. Paul tells us the root themes, Egypt is always 'this fallen world' in scripture. We all know God's chosen people were freed from Pharaoh (Satan) and the taskmasters (Sin). So the Exodus was the saving plan of God. Now we observe another pattern.
Israel are 'God's beloved.' So Matthew could say Hosea 11:1 applies here because Jesus is God's beloved and was called out of Egypt. Jesus = Israel as God's beloved. Another Midrash on this is 'out of Egypt I have called my son' is any believer! As God's beloved you are called from this world. The same applies to the Rapture! God's collective beloved will be called out from this world = Egypt.
While they are different things in and of themselves, they all echo the first fulfilment Hosea spoke of: The Exodus. So because the saving plan of God is prophetically consistent, it applies to all occurrences where 'God's beloved' are called out of 'Egypt' ... this world. Its like a tree where the trunk is the prophetic fulfilment and the branches are connected and associated fulfilments. We may start with a branch and the Holy Spirit helps us connect it to a prophetic pillar of Gods truth.
That is one difference in how the scriptures were written and how we are to see them.
Gary Ward
Saturday 28 May 2016
Wednesday 25 May 2016
!Judgement
The Bible is very clear that God gives us what we want! If we want Him.... we get Him. If a believer insists on wanting something else... He will give it to us. Today we see a rift in the body of believers over this issue. Some are wanting Jesus, more are wanting stuff associated with ministry. I know a few ministries that look like they are a powerhouse for God but are in fact a judgement from God.
When Jesus came he saw pretty much the same thing as we are seeing today. The religious establishment had already devised additional laws to add to the 613 Laws God gave his chosen people. Jesus is clear in Matthew 6 that the religious institute was doing things to impress, it liked to receive attention, applause and adoration for its works. Jesus stated that the reward they would get in heaven would be denied because they sought this world for rewards. Jesus fought this throughout his ministry and he was murdered for calling them out on this and other things.
The Prophets in the Old Testament spoke for three times. They spoke for their own time, warning Gods people to choose Yahweh over idols. They also spoke for the first coming of Jesus, a time when Gods people were under the yolk of religious oppression and man-made legislation. They also spoke for the end times, Jesus' second coming. The reason they could do this is because there would be little difference in the religious establishment for all three times. What is wrong with us? We observed the times of the Prophets (have you?) where Gods chosen went into exile for ignoring the warnings. We also see Jesus times explained in the Gospels where Israel are warned by Jesus to not rely on national identity but 'you must be born again.' Result? Kill Jesus!
Today's version of the religious institution takes 3 forms. We have the Roman Catholic heresy. There's no point explaining that because its obviously unbiblical. Secondly we have the protestant wing where instead of having one pope, now we have millions of them. Thirdly, and most dangerous are the money orientated, celebrity preacher, high profile mega churches. Known Biblically as 'Laodicea' (Rev ch3) this is a judgement from God on the church. Jesus has spat them out of his mouth. They may be saved but Jesus has nothing to work with. Here's how it worked in the times of the prophets, in Jesus time and today: All believers have to prioritise God as number 1. If anything comes before God there is a danger the believer will be given over to it.
Churches exist where they are geared to attract people who prioritise Christian experiences over God himself. One example of this is the Priests who were dancing around the Alter when Elijah challenged them at mount Carmel. To them, it was about the dancing, the experience. Elijah didn't need the aesthetics or flesh pleasing sensualities. His eyes were on God, not things peripheral to God. One objection to the above is that these churches seem to be gospel orientated, busy with charity and people are 'getting saved,' if they are.
But as we have seen if you've been around a while there's no discipleship. So these converts get to their mid twenties and then fall away from walking with Jesus. Because the Laodicean church defines Christianity through sensual experiences, the convert stops the walk when they leave their late teens or mid twenties. Life gets too hard and their flesh is not tickled by pseudo spiritual meetings. Meanwhile everyone watching this convert live out their version of Christianity sees little change from what everyone else is doing: hankering after everything that will serve the mighty ME!
The power of God is his proximity to the ones who are dying to self for the sake of His name.
So what is the nature of this judgement? What God allows men to run with will vary from case to case. Some chase a Rolex. Others are making up for not being noticed early in life. Many just want an easy job and couldn't get qualified outside of Bible College. Still more want to be superior to others. Many genuinely see the church as a salvation machine while ignoring who heads it up. We can put all this together and surmise that the universal problem and the reason God allows passive Judgement is simply because man cannot allow Jesus to be the head of his church.
Man is in control. And Judgement is coming. You have been warned.
Gary Ward
When Jesus came he saw pretty much the same thing as we are seeing today. The religious establishment had already devised additional laws to add to the 613 Laws God gave his chosen people. Jesus is clear in Matthew 6 that the religious institute was doing things to impress, it liked to receive attention, applause and adoration for its works. Jesus stated that the reward they would get in heaven would be denied because they sought this world for rewards. Jesus fought this throughout his ministry and he was murdered for calling them out on this and other things.
The Prophets in the Old Testament spoke for three times. They spoke for their own time, warning Gods people to choose Yahweh over idols. They also spoke for the first coming of Jesus, a time when Gods people were under the yolk of religious oppression and man-made legislation. They also spoke for the end times, Jesus' second coming. The reason they could do this is because there would be little difference in the religious establishment for all three times. What is wrong with us? We observed the times of the Prophets (have you?) where Gods chosen went into exile for ignoring the warnings. We also see Jesus times explained in the Gospels where Israel are warned by Jesus to not rely on national identity but 'you must be born again.' Result? Kill Jesus!
Today's version of the religious institution takes 3 forms. We have the Roman Catholic heresy. There's no point explaining that because its obviously unbiblical. Secondly we have the protestant wing where instead of having one pope, now we have millions of them. Thirdly, and most dangerous are the money orientated, celebrity preacher, high profile mega churches. Known Biblically as 'Laodicea' (Rev ch3) this is a judgement from God on the church. Jesus has spat them out of his mouth. They may be saved but Jesus has nothing to work with. Here's how it worked in the times of the prophets, in Jesus time and today: All believers have to prioritise God as number 1. If anything comes before God there is a danger the believer will be given over to it.
Churches exist where they are geared to attract people who prioritise Christian experiences over God himself. One example of this is the Priests who were dancing around the Alter when Elijah challenged them at mount Carmel. To them, it was about the dancing, the experience. Elijah didn't need the aesthetics or flesh pleasing sensualities. His eyes were on God, not things peripheral to God. One objection to the above is that these churches seem to be gospel orientated, busy with charity and people are 'getting saved,' if they are.
But as we have seen if you've been around a while there's no discipleship. So these converts get to their mid twenties and then fall away from walking with Jesus. Because the Laodicean church defines Christianity through sensual experiences, the convert stops the walk when they leave their late teens or mid twenties. Life gets too hard and their flesh is not tickled by pseudo spiritual meetings. Meanwhile everyone watching this convert live out their version of Christianity sees little change from what everyone else is doing: hankering after everything that will serve the mighty ME!
The power of God is his proximity to the ones who are dying to self for the sake of His name.
So what is the nature of this judgement? What God allows men to run with will vary from case to case. Some chase a Rolex. Others are making up for not being noticed early in life. Many just want an easy job and couldn't get qualified outside of Bible College. Still more want to be superior to others. Many genuinely see the church as a salvation machine while ignoring who heads it up. We can put all this together and surmise that the universal problem and the reason God allows passive Judgement is simply because man cannot allow Jesus to be the head of his church.
Man is in control. And Judgement is coming. You have been warned.
Gary Ward
Thursday 19 May 2016
Why people will go to 'Hell'
Technically 'Hell' is a word that has several translations. I don't want to write about that today. I do want to ask the question 'why do people end up in that place prepared for the devil and demons?' Many have stated they prefer the thought of hell over heaven because they want to party and be around like-minded people rather than be in God's presence. In reality hell is the lake of fire that was prepared for angels who rebelled against God.
All mankind is bound for hell by default. Because of Adam we are born under Adam's sentence. But isn't that unfair? I didn't ask to be born with an eternal doom! However, everyone uses sin to their own advantage so everyone decides hostility towards God and thus becomes guilty as charged. "If I cannot help myself, how am I guilty? If I am infected with the sin curse, how am I to blame?" The Bible tells us we all know God exists. In our day we have had alternative explanations how the universe came about. These are lies. We know God exists because of what has been made. Yet we still willingly act out middle finger gestures to Him. Believing the lie of evolution is sinful because. as Romans Ch 1 predicted, you 'exchange God's truth for a lie.'
Every generation that has lived has had a way to solve this problem. The detail was different but the answer has always been faith in God. We happen to live in the generations where Jesus has accomplished his victory. The answer is to have faith in the atoning sacrifice of the promised Messiah. But we have a problem with this. People are Gods beloved prized possession. Satan has weaved into this world many schemes to take people's hearts and minds away from God and his salvation plan. Following the tactics of Satan, Jesus is mocked, God's name is profaned. Satan reduces people to short sighted pleasure addicts. That's why many are 'convinced' God does not exist. They just don't know the light is off.
If a person dies without having gone to Jesus for the solution, they have, by definition, chosen to reject Jesus. One atheist said to me, 'Iv'e asked God to save me and He did nothing.' The problem is going to God with a heart full of doubts, hostility, cynicism and unbelief. Willingness to have all these things replaced by faith is a prerequisite for God. We must come to him without reservation, condition, ill motive or duplicity. How do we get to that place, a place of being able to drop the dungeon heart?
God planned for all mankind to be able to access heaven and dodge hell. The way we can be moved from our dark position of unbelief is by observing what happened on the cross. The event when Jesus Christ was crucified is God speaking to everyone but also speaking to you personally. God allowed Jesus to stand in your place to be judged and have Gods wrath poured out upon Him. The plan was that Jesus would become sin. Then this having occurred, God would judge Him. The result was terrible suffering, crucifixion It had to be the shedding of blood that was required. Then, the part most people miss. Jesus was separated from His Father - because God cannot be around sin. The Earth turned dark for three hours as Jesus, for the first time in eternity, was alone. When the wrath of God was expended and the sin debt paid, Jesus gave up his own Spirit and died.
Rejecting this as God's solution is rejecting Christ... the rescuer. God wants to give a reprieve to all people but everyone has to believe in this saving plan, 'Jesus' - literally 'salvation.' When a person decides they will take a look at the cross and the rescue plan of God, the Holy Spirit is hovering over the 'waters' as we find in the opening verses of Genesis. The genuine enquirer will get something like an adrenaline boost of life from God to be able to see... "let there be light!" Once this occurs by an act of God, the person can choose to place their contrite heart in Jesus hands. The dead spirit in the person is brought to life and the now-believer can communicate with God. The believer has become part of Gods plan... to give people eternal life through Jesus Christ.
If a person will not seriously enquire of the central event of all history, they are ignoring the rescue plan. There are all sorts of diversions weaved into our lives why we should ignore the cross. The fact is, if we die not having the sin problem dealt with, we will be raised to spend eternity away from God. This is a reality and many blame God for this scenario. God has provided the answer yet people shun the answer! Everyone who end up in hell is their by their own decision to reject Christ.
And that is the only reason people go to hell... by rejecting Christ.
Gary Ward
All mankind is bound for hell by default. Because of Adam we are born under Adam's sentence. But isn't that unfair? I didn't ask to be born with an eternal doom! However, everyone uses sin to their own advantage so everyone decides hostility towards God and thus becomes guilty as charged. "If I cannot help myself, how am I guilty? If I am infected with the sin curse, how am I to blame?" The Bible tells us we all know God exists. In our day we have had alternative explanations how the universe came about. These are lies. We know God exists because of what has been made. Yet we still willingly act out middle finger gestures to Him. Believing the lie of evolution is sinful because. as Romans Ch 1 predicted, you 'exchange God's truth for a lie.'
Every generation that has lived has had a way to solve this problem. The detail was different but the answer has always been faith in God. We happen to live in the generations where Jesus has accomplished his victory. The answer is to have faith in the atoning sacrifice of the promised Messiah. But we have a problem with this. People are Gods beloved prized possession. Satan has weaved into this world many schemes to take people's hearts and minds away from God and his salvation plan. Following the tactics of Satan, Jesus is mocked, God's name is profaned. Satan reduces people to short sighted pleasure addicts. That's why many are 'convinced' God does not exist. They just don't know the light is off.
If a person dies without having gone to Jesus for the solution, they have, by definition, chosen to reject Jesus. One atheist said to me, 'Iv'e asked God to save me and He did nothing.' The problem is going to God with a heart full of doubts, hostility, cynicism and unbelief. Willingness to have all these things replaced by faith is a prerequisite for God. We must come to him without reservation, condition, ill motive or duplicity. How do we get to that place, a place of being able to drop the dungeon heart?
God planned for all mankind to be able to access heaven and dodge hell. The way we can be moved from our dark position of unbelief is by observing what happened on the cross. The event when Jesus Christ was crucified is God speaking to everyone but also speaking to you personally. God allowed Jesus to stand in your place to be judged and have Gods wrath poured out upon Him. The plan was that Jesus would become sin. Then this having occurred, God would judge Him. The result was terrible suffering, crucifixion It had to be the shedding of blood that was required. Then, the part most people miss. Jesus was separated from His Father - because God cannot be around sin. The Earth turned dark for three hours as Jesus, for the first time in eternity, was alone. When the wrath of God was expended and the sin debt paid, Jesus gave up his own Spirit and died.
Rejecting this as God's solution is rejecting Christ... the rescuer. God wants to give a reprieve to all people but everyone has to believe in this saving plan, 'Jesus' - literally 'salvation.' When a person decides they will take a look at the cross and the rescue plan of God, the Holy Spirit is hovering over the 'waters' as we find in the opening verses of Genesis. The genuine enquirer will get something like an adrenaline boost of life from God to be able to see... "let there be light!" Once this occurs by an act of God, the person can choose to place their contrite heart in Jesus hands. The dead spirit in the person is brought to life and the now-believer can communicate with God. The believer has become part of Gods plan... to give people eternal life through Jesus Christ.
If a person will not seriously enquire of the central event of all history, they are ignoring the rescue plan. There are all sorts of diversions weaved into our lives why we should ignore the cross. The fact is, if we die not having the sin problem dealt with, we will be raised to spend eternity away from God. This is a reality and many blame God for this scenario. God has provided the answer yet people shun the answer! Everyone who end up in hell is their by their own decision to reject Christ.
And that is the only reason people go to hell... by rejecting Christ.
Gary Ward
Wednesday 18 May 2016
Deception #2 FACEBOOK?
Ah, here we go, a conspiracy nut-job! I can understand casting a sidewards glance at someone claiming social media is a 'tool of the devil.' I'm not quite saying that, but please hear me out. One of my observations is that as humans we are sensitive to being distracted. I think there's a deception going on in consumerism to have us seek the product not the source (see last blog.) The Facebook issue is similar but has a subtle difference.
Where consumerism has more to do with commodities, Facebook has to do with how we operate as people. A product may make my life more enjoyable , convenient or pleasurable. Facebook involves value systems and things that metric our identity. More so in young people, adults still get involved in the comings and goings of 'what people think.' But is it more than that?
Even if you are the resilient type like me and 'aren't too bothered' what people think about you, I have a question for myself: Is Jesus the source of my value, worth and identity? To be fair its not just Facebook that attacks these but Facebook is as directly aimed at these things that we think. What are the negative potentials of Facebook?
Our standing as an individual on this earth has to be managed. At the moment Facebook is managing that for a lot of people. Media has always done it: Do I measure up? Am I the right weight? Am I 'in' or 'out' of the current social trends? What sort of person am I? Will I be attractive to someone? All the time value systems go back and forward. As people question these things it leaves a vulnerability in the human psyche. Then people are more open to allowing someone saying the right things to get them on board. That they have defaulted to a human for this assessment is bad enough. Identity and its components are eroded as people engage Facebook... a social media tool that measures, assesses and creates value systems for the user.
Are masses of people training to not have an opinion? Are masses of people being schooled in just opting for that which ticks the boxes of the core self's need to fit? Media has always been calibrated to nudge the sensual aspects... that why we are consumers. But if there's a danger that the way we internally work becomes dependent on a 'product' that affirms our life and existence? The next step is for people (or a person) to come and do that. Do you smell danger?
So what's the answer, stop Facebook? No... it can be useful also! I'm going to post this on Facebook ! The thing to do is to anchor yourself to Jesus Christ. Make another daily effort to find out what he says about you and believe that. Purposely take Jesus' opinions to heart over and above the friends on Facebook. Manage your self, allow God to work in your core being and look after what time you put into potential dangers.
But how is Facebook different than interacting with people? We can make people's opinions central to our core self also. The difference if that with social media you are not engaging human interaction. Human interaction has a dynamic that aids the journey of a person's development. Social media means we can react / respond in any way.
Human interaction means we have to engage another person in real time. Many may prefer the ability to 'hide' behind technology. This may seem a better option but the danger is that the person doesn't learn the skills of communication, negotiation, use of appropriate language and a whole range of skills we acquire through personal interaction. You don't need social skills to type a message into Facebook. Imagine a society that doesn't know how to engage another person. Imagine a society that responds to a call to 'follow me' with ok lol.
Gary Ward
Where consumerism has more to do with commodities, Facebook has to do with how we operate as people. A product may make my life more enjoyable , convenient or pleasurable. Facebook involves value systems and things that metric our identity. More so in young people, adults still get involved in the comings and goings of 'what people think.' But is it more than that?
Even if you are the resilient type like me and 'aren't too bothered' what people think about you, I have a question for myself: Is Jesus the source of my value, worth and identity? To be fair its not just Facebook that attacks these but Facebook is as directly aimed at these things that we think. What are the negative potentials of Facebook?
Our standing as an individual on this earth has to be managed. At the moment Facebook is managing that for a lot of people. Media has always done it: Do I measure up? Am I the right weight? Am I 'in' or 'out' of the current social trends? What sort of person am I? Will I be attractive to someone? All the time value systems go back and forward. As people question these things it leaves a vulnerability in the human psyche. Then people are more open to allowing someone saying the right things to get them on board. That they have defaulted to a human for this assessment is bad enough. Identity and its components are eroded as people engage Facebook... a social media tool that measures, assesses and creates value systems for the user.
Are masses of people training to not have an opinion? Are masses of people being schooled in just opting for that which ticks the boxes of the core self's need to fit? Media has always been calibrated to nudge the sensual aspects... that why we are consumers. But if there's a danger that the way we internally work becomes dependent on a 'product' that affirms our life and existence? The next step is for people (or a person) to come and do that. Do you smell danger?
So what's the answer, stop Facebook? No... it can be useful also! I'm going to post this on Facebook ! The thing to do is to anchor yourself to Jesus Christ. Make another daily effort to find out what he says about you and believe that. Purposely take Jesus' opinions to heart over and above the friends on Facebook. Manage your self, allow God to work in your core being and look after what time you put into potential dangers.
But how is Facebook different than interacting with people? We can make people's opinions central to our core self also. The difference if that with social media you are not engaging human interaction. Human interaction has a dynamic that aids the journey of a person's development. Social media means we can react / respond in any way.
Human interaction means we have to engage another person in real time. Many may prefer the ability to 'hide' behind technology. This may seem a better option but the danger is that the person doesn't learn the skills of communication, negotiation, use of appropriate language and a whole range of skills we acquire through personal interaction. You don't need social skills to type a message into Facebook. Imagine a society that doesn't know how to engage another person. Imagine a society that responds to a call to 'follow me' with ok lol.
Gary Ward
Saturday 14 May 2016
The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come!'
This verse in Revelation 22:17 is pretty awesome. The Bride is the believers (now) and the Spirit is obviously the Holy Spirit who indwells the true church. All well and good but to whom is this invitation given? The answer is given:
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
What is being said here is that God is offering a free gift of eternal life but the condition is that you come to Jesus in faith for forgiveness. The entire Bible summed up is God saying "the ball's in your court." Or, "I've done everything that could be done to secure your eternal life but the responsibility is upon you to come to Jesus." Why do we need to do that?
Everyone is born as a descendant of Adam. Therefore everyone has a sinful nature... which leads to sinful actions. Even people who are good at being good still have that nature and need Jesus. The truth is experientially, as the Bible confirms, that everyone will break the law of God in their lives. This means that legally and because its right to do so, God judges the lawbreaking. If we remain stubbornly refusing to come to Jesus, we could die and still have the sin problem unresolved. If this is the case, it would be right and legally binding to be judged for the sin. This will lead to eternal punishment and separation from God for eternity. But wait, if now there's an invitation for eternal life, what has happened?
The plan was for Jesus to come and be perfect for us. He was not part of this fallen race and did not have a sinful nature. The virgin birth meant the sin nature was not passed through the male but rather, God overshadowed Mariam (Mary) and she was with child. So the legal requirements of the law were fulfilled through Jesus' life. It was always going to end in death for Jesus as this was spoken through the prophets who foretold Jesus life. Remember anyone who ever lives through history (except Jesus) was born 'in Adam.' On the cross God placed all in 'Adam' into Christ. Then he righteously Judged Jesus and the punishment fell on him while we were 'in Christ.' So all people who ever lived have been fully judged and punished because Jesus was. So is everyone saved? Potentially yes, but not everyone takes up this offer. So no.
The picture is that all mankind is on a massive bus heading for a cliff. Every so often the bus stops, the door opens, and Jesus offers his hand. Everyone on the bus is already redeemed. But ONLY those who come to Jesus in repentant faith are ransomed. ONLY those who get off the bus and come to Jesus are placed in the first resurrection. He paid the price for everyone, but it only comes into place when the individual takes up the offer. Sadly that bus has a back door where you can die on the bus. It also has a cliff coming in the distance. The clock is ticking. This is why Christians try to get unbelievers to consider Jesus. You cannot know what its like to have gotten off the bus and come to Jesus. Only those who have done it know the reality as Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit and then we can see!
There is a judgement for those who refused Christ. If you do not allow Jesus to forgive your repentant heart you cannot inherit what comes next- eternal life. God, having given his own Son to rescue, then judges us on one thing and one thing only: Your rejection of Jesus Christ. Don't forget, all sin has been judged! The cross dealt with that. God, having provided the answer, will judge those who refused to be rescued and thus opted for eternal punishment. Notice God has the ANSWER... he is not sending anyone anywhere! All people who are thrown into the lake of fire OPTED for this by rejecting Jesus... the rescuer.
One of the biggest evidence today that the Bible is true is atheists. Their refusal to come to Jesus for the free gift of eternal life is evidence that the sin nature is true darkness. Someone once said the darkest darkness is when you don't know its dark. In this process of coming to Jesus in faith for forgiveness is wanting the bible to be true. Do you want it to be true that you have a loving Heavenly Father who wants to spend eternity with you as His child. You can't argue with death. It is coming and we don't know when. If you want the Bible to be true, this is a short step from faith. Faith is when we believe God would do this - purposely act in time to rescue you- then to believe this is how he did it.
Having read this you are in one of three positions:
1. You are saved and your assessing whether this was a decent rendition of how it works.
2. You want to be rescued and you sorrowfully realise you are a lawbreaker and need God's answer
3. You are rejecting Jesus because you have opted for man's truth over God's
If (2) is you then as the verse says, come to Jesus for forgiveness. Done genuinely and from the heart, you will be offered the free gift of eternal life. Have you 'heard?' Has a light turned on? Have you developed a thirst for what God has to offer? Get off the 'bus' and take Jesus' hand.
I've spoken to atheists (3) who say they have come to Jesus and no 'lights came on.' The truth is, they were still looking for proof, in their heart mockingly accessing a formula. Jesus is a living person who searches our hearts. He sees the contempt and wants you to walk away from your rebellion and come to him authentically, humbly and without reservation. Many atheists value the scorn and mockery as it feeds their own sinful hearts. They want to come for eternal life but will not leave all the self serving behind.
Or, all this put more simply:
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Gary Ward
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
What is being said here is that God is offering a free gift of eternal life but the condition is that you come to Jesus in faith for forgiveness. The entire Bible summed up is God saying "the ball's in your court." Or, "I've done everything that could be done to secure your eternal life but the responsibility is upon you to come to Jesus." Why do we need to do that?
Everyone is born as a descendant of Adam. Therefore everyone has a sinful nature... which leads to sinful actions. Even people who are good at being good still have that nature and need Jesus. The truth is experientially, as the Bible confirms, that everyone will break the law of God in their lives. This means that legally and because its right to do so, God judges the lawbreaking. If we remain stubbornly refusing to come to Jesus, we could die and still have the sin problem unresolved. If this is the case, it would be right and legally binding to be judged for the sin. This will lead to eternal punishment and separation from God for eternity. But wait, if now there's an invitation for eternal life, what has happened?
The plan was for Jesus to come and be perfect for us. He was not part of this fallen race and did not have a sinful nature. The virgin birth meant the sin nature was not passed through the male but rather, God overshadowed Mariam (Mary) and she was with child. So the legal requirements of the law were fulfilled through Jesus' life. It was always going to end in death for Jesus as this was spoken through the prophets who foretold Jesus life. Remember anyone who ever lives through history (except Jesus) was born 'in Adam.' On the cross God placed all in 'Adam' into Christ. Then he righteously Judged Jesus and the punishment fell on him while we were 'in Christ.' So all people who ever lived have been fully judged and punished because Jesus was. So is everyone saved? Potentially yes, but not everyone takes up this offer. So no.
The picture is that all mankind is on a massive bus heading for a cliff. Every so often the bus stops, the door opens, and Jesus offers his hand. Everyone on the bus is already redeemed. But ONLY those who come to Jesus in repentant faith are ransomed. ONLY those who get off the bus and come to Jesus are placed in the first resurrection. He paid the price for everyone, but it only comes into place when the individual takes up the offer. Sadly that bus has a back door where you can die on the bus. It also has a cliff coming in the distance. The clock is ticking. This is why Christians try to get unbelievers to consider Jesus. You cannot know what its like to have gotten off the bus and come to Jesus. Only those who have done it know the reality as Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit and then we can see!
There is a judgement for those who refused Christ. If you do not allow Jesus to forgive your repentant heart you cannot inherit what comes next- eternal life. God, having given his own Son to rescue, then judges us on one thing and one thing only: Your rejection of Jesus Christ. Don't forget, all sin has been judged! The cross dealt with that. God, having provided the answer, will judge those who refused to be rescued and thus opted for eternal punishment. Notice God has the ANSWER... he is not sending anyone anywhere! All people who are thrown into the lake of fire OPTED for this by rejecting Jesus... the rescuer.
One of the biggest evidence today that the Bible is true is atheists. Their refusal to come to Jesus for the free gift of eternal life is evidence that the sin nature is true darkness. Someone once said the darkest darkness is when you don't know its dark. In this process of coming to Jesus in faith for forgiveness is wanting the bible to be true. Do you want it to be true that you have a loving Heavenly Father who wants to spend eternity with you as His child. You can't argue with death. It is coming and we don't know when. If you want the Bible to be true, this is a short step from faith. Faith is when we believe God would do this - purposely act in time to rescue you- then to believe this is how he did it.
Having read this you are in one of three positions:
1. You are saved and your assessing whether this was a decent rendition of how it works.
2. You want to be rescued and you sorrowfully realise you are a lawbreaker and need God's answer
3. You are rejecting Jesus because you have opted for man's truth over God's
If (2) is you then as the verse says, come to Jesus for forgiveness. Done genuinely and from the heart, you will be offered the free gift of eternal life. Have you 'heard?' Has a light turned on? Have you developed a thirst for what God has to offer? Get off the 'bus' and take Jesus' hand.
I've spoken to atheists (3) who say they have come to Jesus and no 'lights came on.' The truth is, they were still looking for proof, in their heart mockingly accessing a formula. Jesus is a living person who searches our hearts. He sees the contempt and wants you to walk away from your rebellion and come to him authentically, humbly and without reservation. Many atheists value the scorn and mockery as it feeds their own sinful hearts. They want to come for eternal life but will not leave all the self serving behind.
Or, all this put more simply:
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
Gary Ward
Friday 13 May 2016
The road to ultimate deception
Over time I have seen many Pastors and leaders prevaricate. For whatever reason this happens, we need to be aware of the underlying plot that is going on. Many know of the Antichrist deception that reaches its fulfilment after the rapture (2 Thess 2). But most do not realise why they are being deceived now and how many will be deceived then.
I think consumerism is being woven into our consciousness over many years. The typical westerner wants the end product and don't really care about the source. So many Christians will examine a fine sounding piece of sound byte and if its functionality to their lives, the source becomes a help, a kind of guru. They keep churning out the goods and no-one ever asks a question about the source. I don't really care who gives me my subway sandwich... I'm in it for the sandwich!
Think on say, ten years. We all get used to a convenient society where, 'as long as I'm catered for, I'm fine.' So what happens is a figure comes along and offers a great way to live where everyone is catered for and happy. BOOM! The Antichrist has deceived. This starts with the pulpits training believers to swallow and follow anything.
Even now, believers are taking in any and everything some people say without question. This is a way we get to engage man at a spiritual level instead of God. The danger today is the spirit of Antichrist... what I'm describing. When he comes the world will be ready to swallow and follow having been reared with a diet of ease, comfort and convenience.
What do we do? Firstly, stay clear of the famous money preachers who weave prevarication into their routines to make them look good. Secondly, get among humble, true believers who only want Jesus, not a status or profile. Thirdly, be alert. The source is VITAL to the content. A good sermon can come from anyone. But it may be filled with messages to have you buy into the man more and more.
This is costly. Do not be deceived.
Gary Ward
I think consumerism is being woven into our consciousness over many years. The typical westerner wants the end product and don't really care about the source. So many Christians will examine a fine sounding piece of sound byte and if its functionality to their lives, the source becomes a help, a kind of guru. They keep churning out the goods and no-one ever asks a question about the source. I don't really care who gives me my subway sandwich... I'm in it for the sandwich!
Think on say, ten years. We all get used to a convenient society where, 'as long as I'm catered for, I'm fine.' So what happens is a figure comes along and offers a great way to live where everyone is catered for and happy. BOOM! The Antichrist has deceived. This starts with the pulpits training believers to swallow and follow anything.
Even now, believers are taking in any and everything some people say without question. This is a way we get to engage man at a spiritual level instead of God. The danger today is the spirit of Antichrist... what I'm describing. When he comes the world will be ready to swallow and follow having been reared with a diet of ease, comfort and convenience.
What do we do? Firstly, stay clear of the famous money preachers who weave prevarication into their routines to make them look good. Secondly, get among humble, true believers who only want Jesus, not a status or profile. Thirdly, be alert. The source is VITAL to the content. A good sermon can come from anyone. But it may be filled with messages to have you buy into the man more and more.
This is costly. Do not be deceived.
Gary Ward
Sunday 8 May 2016
Today's ''Traditions of the Elders"
Jesus was at all out war against the additions men made to his word. After the captivity the scribes (Sopherim) began creating 'fence' or 'oral' laws. These were designed to protect God's Law and stop people short from breaking that and risking God's judgement. After the Scribes came the Tannaim (teachers of the law). These made the bigger error of including the Sopherim fence laws as God's LAW. They then built another set of fence laws around the LAW and the first fence law. This was when Jesus was walking the land and this is what Jesus was at war with.
Jesus constantly went against these man made laws, on purpose, to show his disdain for anything that add to the express word of God. An example was him leading His disciples to walk through a field on the Sabbath. The Sopherim had made walking through a field law, but it wasn't LAW (LAW being God's law). Another example was Jesus spitting on mud and putting it in a blind mans eyes... on the Sabbath. The Mishna (collection of the fence laws and commentary's, Talmud etc) still says this, along with injecting wine into a blind mans eyes(!) is equivalent to murder!
Today we see the same thing. Some church leaders have departed from God's word and begin creating their own set of directives to God's people. Because belonging is a powerful force in a human being's life, people will try to cling to the security offered with 'belonging.' It is one of a number of things that anchor humans into 'church.' The elephant in the room being that we are only supposed to anchor into Christ, risen and glorified.
In Jesus time the religious leaders had missed the reason for the LAW. It was a 'fence at the edge of a cliff saving them from the ambulance at the bottom.' As long as the 'clergy class' were telling them what God was like, the people only bought into the party line. When a church leadership make directives, even good ones, that add to the plain meaning of the text, we have a problem. So did Paul. In 1 Corinthians 4:6 we find him in the middle of warning the Corinthian church to only be about what is written, and not to exceed it.
Visions statements, sound bytes, motivational speeches can constitute the additional input that is today's 'Traditions of the Elders.' They can add to what is written so that the person attending the church under the ministry has two forms of directive. One is the Holy Spirit working through the word of God and the other is the way the leaders are directing God's people. It may be the word of the Lord and usually starts off this way. Most of the time good people get embroiled into the system of 'churchianity.' The gap widens between the Lord having lead with His people and the leaders being the prime directive. In many cases it is a given that the leaders 'must be hearing from God.' This assumption is a hangover from Roman catholic thinking that the clergy were a God-created class who must not be questioned. It will not come as a shock to find it was the clergy who pushed this agenda.
My challenge in this article is to ask you who is leading you. Is it the vision statement, the mission? Is it the perceived need in a community? Is it a team of professionals who have the anointing? Is it a denominational mantra that is really a condition of membership? Is it a threat veiled in pastoral oversight? Is it Jesus? Church is complex but within that complexity there's some surprisingly simple advice.
Jesus is Lord.
So is He?
Gary Ward
Jesus constantly went against these man made laws, on purpose, to show his disdain for anything that add to the express word of God. An example was him leading His disciples to walk through a field on the Sabbath. The Sopherim had made walking through a field law, but it wasn't LAW (LAW being God's law). Another example was Jesus spitting on mud and putting it in a blind mans eyes... on the Sabbath. The Mishna (collection of the fence laws and commentary's, Talmud etc) still says this, along with injecting wine into a blind mans eyes(!) is equivalent to murder!
Today we see the same thing. Some church leaders have departed from God's word and begin creating their own set of directives to God's people. Because belonging is a powerful force in a human being's life, people will try to cling to the security offered with 'belonging.' It is one of a number of things that anchor humans into 'church.' The elephant in the room being that we are only supposed to anchor into Christ, risen and glorified.
In Jesus time the religious leaders had missed the reason for the LAW. It was a 'fence at the edge of a cliff saving them from the ambulance at the bottom.' As long as the 'clergy class' were telling them what God was like, the people only bought into the party line. When a church leadership make directives, even good ones, that add to the plain meaning of the text, we have a problem. So did Paul. In 1 Corinthians 4:6 we find him in the middle of warning the Corinthian church to only be about what is written, and not to exceed it.
Visions statements, sound bytes, motivational speeches can constitute the additional input that is today's 'Traditions of the Elders.' They can add to what is written so that the person attending the church under the ministry has two forms of directive. One is the Holy Spirit working through the word of God and the other is the way the leaders are directing God's people. It may be the word of the Lord and usually starts off this way. Most of the time good people get embroiled into the system of 'churchianity.' The gap widens between the Lord having lead with His people and the leaders being the prime directive. In many cases it is a given that the leaders 'must be hearing from God.' This assumption is a hangover from Roman catholic thinking that the clergy were a God-created class who must not be questioned. It will not come as a shock to find it was the clergy who pushed this agenda.
My challenge in this article is to ask you who is leading you. Is it the vision statement, the mission? Is it the perceived need in a community? Is it a team of professionals who have the anointing? Is it a denominational mantra that is really a condition of membership? Is it a threat veiled in pastoral oversight? Is it Jesus? Church is complex but within that complexity there's some surprisingly simple advice.
Jesus is Lord.
So is He?
Gary Ward
Sunday 1 May 2016
Revelation: #2 The Road to Rome
Bearing in mind that Jesus has sectioned the book into three parts we will look at the churches in Chapters 2 and 3. John has already told us the way the glorified Lord looks in chapter 1. This was 'what he has seen,' and starting with chapter 2 we observe 'what is now.' At the time John was in the church age and we will observe seven letters to seven churches bearing particular warnings and commendations.
Today we are in a unique position of being able to look back on the church age and plot a timeline. As I have pointed out before the seven churches seem to track the dominant themes of each church age in chronological order. In this article we will look at the rise of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy See. We will also underline the strategy of Satan to render the church powerless.
The seven letters start with Ephesus, the 'desired one.' This church were accustomed to Paul's passed on tradition / pattern (Paradosis) of dialogue and eating a full meal together as a covenant sign. We know this because of Acts 20 when they dialogued with Paul then had the Lords supper. This was the case for the persecuted church, Smyrna. The rot had begun however and people were reverting back to synagogue-type meetings. This onslaught by the enemy is well written upon and ten emperors were stirred to kill the church. With this having the opposite effect... people drawing closer to the Lord... the church was becoming more worldly.
Increasingly the church had several factors that were more like an earthly institution than a called out assembly. Pergamum means mixed marriage and this was when the church was dominantly accepting and not resisting persistent sinfulness. Rank and hierarchy were rife as the brotherhood morphed into an empire. depending on where you place Constantine and the ones who came after him, the church was hurtling towards Thyatira, the Roman Catholic nightmare.
Thyatira spanned approximately 1000 years and this is where we see the first indication of Christ's return. The reason this starts here is because From Thyatira to Laodicea, each church is on the earth concurrently. In the next article I will examine the other three churches we see on the earth... right now.
Gary Ward.
Today we are in a unique position of being able to look back on the church age and plot a timeline. As I have pointed out before the seven churches seem to track the dominant themes of each church age in chronological order. In this article we will look at the rise of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy See. We will also underline the strategy of Satan to render the church powerless.
The seven letters start with Ephesus, the 'desired one.' This church were accustomed to Paul's passed on tradition / pattern (Paradosis) of dialogue and eating a full meal together as a covenant sign. We know this because of Acts 20 when they dialogued with Paul then had the Lords supper. This was the case for the persecuted church, Smyrna. The rot had begun however and people were reverting back to synagogue-type meetings. This onslaught by the enemy is well written upon and ten emperors were stirred to kill the church. With this having the opposite effect... people drawing closer to the Lord... the church was becoming more worldly.
Increasingly the church had several factors that were more like an earthly institution than a called out assembly. Pergamum means mixed marriage and this was when the church was dominantly accepting and not resisting persistent sinfulness. Rank and hierarchy were rife as the brotherhood morphed into an empire. depending on where you place Constantine and the ones who came after him, the church was hurtling towards Thyatira, the Roman Catholic nightmare.
Thyatira spanned approximately 1000 years and this is where we see the first indication of Christ's return. The reason this starts here is because From Thyatira to Laodicea, each church is on the earth concurrently. In the next article I will examine the other three churches we see on the earth... right now.
Gary Ward.
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