Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

The essential of the Christian life is saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  All flows from the head.  Yet, when it comes to walking it out, many come to the table with many of their own ideas, and notions, and feelings about how church and the Christian life can and should be.

Consider, for a moment, though, the covenant Israel had with God, before the cross.  They could not dress, eat, behave, or throw away their refuse like any other nation.  They had strict ceremonial behavior they had to adhere to, being clean or unclean, and certain offenses had to be atoned for through sacrifice, the blood of an animal, or for the worse of the crimes, they had to be either cast out of the community or destroyed entirely.  Even the land itself had to be considered, that they might not bring sin upon the land (Deuteronomy 24:4).

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The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Matthew 11:19

Surprising as it may be to some, Jesus was never, biblically, a “a friend of sinners”.  The Pharisees used the term, but, scripturally, He was no more a friend of sinners than He was a glutton or a drunk.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners? But when Jesus heard this, He said, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means: I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matthew 9:11-13

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Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

Deuteronomy 25:4

When you study the Law, you see an ox was not to be muzzled while working. Paul said this was not written for the ox, but for men. He said the reason for this law was called HOPE. A man ought not be so bound with profit in his mind that he muzzles his ox while plowing. When man is in a right spirit, he is generous even to beast. But this applies to us today. As we live by His Spirit, we should find ourselves generous as well, giving, and not working out of desperation, but from hope. If not, there is something bound in our hearts that Jesus would like removed so His Spirit can flow free. In the same way, all the Law of Moses points to the upright heart for God to dwell. You can’t follow it and get there, but just like the ox, you can see a picture of where how the Spirit wants to be, and, perhaps, follow. Read more…

The name written on her forehead was a mystery:  BABYLON THE GREAT — THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES — AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth

Revelation 17:5, 18

The great harlot of Revelation 17 is a point of conjecture and debate by students of Eschatology.  Despite its strong symbolism and ties to the city of Rome, being the most notable “city on seven hills” of its day, many have attempted to lay claim that it refers instead to either Jerusalem, or, a some-day-to-be-rebuilt Babylon. Yet, as we study out this passage, it becomes apparent that this part of the vision of John is about Rome, but not just the city, but about something else.

When we refer to “Rome”, we may in fact be referencing more than one thing, and it is necessary to identify to what this name can refer to.  First of all, Rome was a world-ruling empire that dominated the entire “known-world”.  Second, Rome was a city, which was the capitol of the empire with the same name.  Additionally, however, Rome was ALSO the name of the the goddess that personified the city, Rome, or Roma.  This third entity called Rome, or Roma, it is said, “…has been seen as a goddess, a whore, … and as the symbol of civilization itself”.

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Who is the antichrist?  What will he be like?  Well, that all depends on how you read the Book.  It could be that it turns out to be one of the larger non-events of history.  Kind of like Santa, the tooth fairy, and the Asthoreth bunny.  When it really comes down to it, if most of the prophecies of Revelation and Daniel have been fulfilled, then there really isn’t much left said.  And, that leaves the rest of the debate outside of the realm of scripture, and merely in speculation, which isn’t for theologians, but for arguments only.  Of course, this doesn’t meant there wont be evil men who submit themselves to the adversary, just has there have been throughout history, but are we expecting, Biblically, a great one-world ruler who will be a super-evil?  Not that I can find.

And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

Mark 8:15

Jesus gives a two-fold warning, to beware of two types of teaching.  While many have speculated as to what these are, Jesus says plainly what the leaven, or yeast, of the Pharisees is.

Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luke 12:1 (portion)

This warning is like a warning to watch out for the “ditch on either side of the road”.  We have clearly identified the one error (which is an error in teaching or doctrine), which is hypocrisy.  This religious error stems from pride.  The Pharisees claimed to keep the law, to be righteous legalists, but as the encounter with the woman caught in adultery proved (John 8:1-11), none of them truly were.  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23.  In claiming to be righteous, even though each one of them knew themselves not to be, they were “actors” (the real meaning of hypocrite).  While pretending to be righteous, they were each one of them filled with “dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27), just as we all are without Christ.

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The identity of the “great whore” of Revelation 17 is of great interest to students of Eschatology.  Some have suggested the city of Rome for this, while others sometimes suggest Jerusalem or a future, rebuilt Babylon.  Looking historically in the lens of Biblical prophecy, it apperas as if Babylon the Great is referring specfically to the city of Rome.  The identity of the harlot, then, is Roma, the goddess that personifies this city.  This video looks at the prophetic and historical reasons for this interpretation as well as other issues.  Enjoy the video.

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

John 3:36 NASB

Martin Luther restored to the church at large the understanding of justification by faith alone with the divine inspiration of the verse, “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).  Man was broken, and completely incapable of pleasing a perfect God, and needed the divine to descend and make a demarkation, an end of man’s corruption, and remake him anew.

It was faith, and faith alone, that Paul wrote about, that connected us to the saving Grace made available by Christ.  By faith Abel had made a better offering, and by faith, Abraham was counted righteous when he believed, not wavering with unbelief.

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Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?”

Matthew 24:1-3 (emphasis mine)

When we consider Bible prophecy of the end, we must look at Jesus’ words in the Olivet Discourse.  In this discussion with His disciples, Jesus answer the disciples questions about the coming destruction of the temple and it’s buildings.  The late teacher Derek Prince likened the interpreting Bible prophecy in terms of reassembling a skeleton.  He said that the thing you have to start with is the spine.  For Bible prophecy of the end, he claimed that Matthew 24 and the parallel passages (Luke 21 and Mark 13) were the spine of Biblical Eschatology.

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And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Genesis 4:1-7

Hebrews 11:4 tells us that it was by faith that Abel offered a better offering than Cain.

Cain’s offering was not regarded by the Lord, as it is written, without blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22).  It required blood, in which the Lord said the life of a thing was, in order to atone for the sin of another.  And, it was through the eyes of faith that Abel could perceive this.  And, for whatever reason, Cain’s lack of faith, or lack of using his faith, was his failure to see.

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