To my cyber-list and a few other dear friends:

Recently a very dear and spiritual friend of mine shared with me what I deem to be cautionary remarks regarding my concern over the deteriorating condition relative to our southern border.  As I recall, the advice was that possibly Christians should not be distracted from their primary mission of sharing Christ with the world by the political and secular events of the world.

His counsel came back to me early this morning as I watched the Lou Dobbs' television program (CNN), which outlined how Russia and China were uniting against the West, particularly the United States.  Yet I could not escape the connection between these "worldly" events and the clear statement of prophecy regarding the same as seen in both Testaments.

My friends' suggestion is not without scriptural merit.  When Christ outlined the morality and rules of the coming Kingdom in what is known as the "Beatitudes" in Matthew chapters five through seven, He stated in chapter six verses twenty-five, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. . . ."  But then, contextually, these comments were an extension of His remarks pertaining to the serving of "two masters" (God and mammon [riches]) in verse twenty-four.  Which is to say, He wasn't directing Christians to be irresponsible regarding the secular care of themselves or to ignore their secular surroundings in this world.  He was simply and emphatically illustrating that such concerns can take the place of proper service to God. 

And, as previously mentioned, the "Beatitudes" was a message to the Jewish multitudes that followed Him from Galilee, from Decapolis, from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan (Matthew 4:25-6:1); and, it was a message relative to the morality and rules of the proffered kingdom that He was directing specifically to the Jews at that time in His ministry.

So, having seriously considered my friends advice over the past week and recognizing that it indeed has merit, particularly should a Christian become overwhelmed with secular and political events throughout the world, I have come to the conclusion that a measured and biblical interest should always be part of a Christian's experience. 

By this I mean that just as each Christian has the responsibility to be properly concerned with his or her "personal home life" (i.e., its orderly, financially effective, and spiritual conduct), so should each Christian be responsible for his or her "national home life."  I personally believe that there was no one more informed of world events, secular or spiritual, than our Lord.  And Christians should stay abreast of what is happening around them, on a local, national, and global scale.

This is not to say that anything happening outside one's personal sphere of existence should surprise, overwhelm, or distract a Christian.  If a Christian is grounded in Scripture, he or she will remain focused on serving Christ in this very evil world.  And this will be done regardless of any social or political extraneous circumstances.  But by paying attention to one's surroundings and evaluating them in light of prophetic Scripture, the Christian can only be encouraged as his or her faith deepens relative to the veracity of God's sure Word.  So instead of sinking into despair by keeping abreast of world events, the Christian's hope is conversely made stronger as he or she clearly sees that the truth of end-time events made so evident in Divine Revelation are indeed coming to pass.

Charles of www.bibleone.net

The Intractable Middle East Problem

By Arlen L. Chitwood

(Almost all of the following material, save for comments on current events, can be found in material that I've written at one time or another over the past thirty years, scattered throughout the books that I've had printed during that time. In this respect, the short of the matter follows, with little explanation and few references. The long of the matter, with explanation and references, can be found in the books.

This material is being put together and sent out because of a number of requests for comments brought about by the current Middle East situation. The existing problem is far from simple, though, from a biblical standpoint, not as complex as one might be led to think. One might say, from a biblical standpoint, a person can understand the problem; apart from a biblical standpoint, it is not possible to understand the problem.)

Israel, of course, is the key. And concerning problems existing between Israel and her mainly Moslem Arab neighbors in the Middle East, during the spring of 1991, James Baker, Secretary of State under the first President Bush, stated that this is 'the most intractable problem that there is.'

James Baker was also one of the two men who co-chaired the current Iraq Study Group, turning out a report ' the Baker-Hamilton Report ' several days back on Iraq and the Middle East in general that referred to the situation as 'grave and deteriorating' and warned of 'dwindling chances to change course before crisis turns to chaos.' And the somber faces and urgency in the voices of both James Baker and Lee Hamilton told the story apart from the report itself.

Was James Baker correct in his assessment of the situation in the Middle East fifteen years ago? Insofar as man solving the problem, he was as correct as one can become.

Was James Baker, Lee Hamilton, et al correct several days ago concerning the assessment of the current Middle East situation? That could be answered two ways: 1) from a biblical standpoint, the situation is far worse than the report indicates, but 2) also from a biblical standpoint, the situation is much brighter than the report indicates.

And the preceding would require explanation, providing, at the same time, information to address the whole of the issue at hand.

So, let's look at it.

First, dealing particularly with the intractable problem in the Middle East, this must be done from a biblical base. There is no other way. Apart from a biblical base, a person will only find himself as mired down in trying to deal with the problem as the problem itself has become.

A biblical base is simple and easy to come by. However, it would not be acceptable to the secular world at all. How could it be acceptable when most of those in the Middle East are Moslems, along with the fact that the Bible would not be acceptable as a base to work from by any nation attempting to solve the problem, whether the United States or elsewhere? Even Israel would have major problems in this respect because of that which would have to be stated and dealt with.

And the preceding would be true even among many Christians in these nations. Allow an example to illustrate the point, part of which bears directly on the Middle East situation. And, in order to understand the existing problem, this would have to be dealt with first and foremost anyway.

The One Nation with a God

In the '50s, during the Eisenhower administration, the words 'under God' were added to a line in the United States pledge of allegiance to the flag, making the pledge of allegiance read, 'one nation under God.' But is the United States 'one nation under God'? That is to ask, 'Is this true from a biblical perspective?' ' the only book where one can possibly go to answer the question.

Christians will fight the ACLU, et al in the parking lots over this issue. But does either group really know what Scripture has to say about the matter?

The biblical base for this and all the remainder of the Middle East problems can be found in Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets. One doesn't even have to go into the New Testament. Such would be of little to no value in the matter anyway, for there is nothing in the New that cannot be found in some form in the Old. The New is simply an opening up and unveiling of that which had its beginning in the Old. So, for the most part, we'll simply stay with the Old since all the information is there anyway.

For 'one nation under God' a person would begin with Genesis chapter nine and go from there. This chapter deals with Noah and his three sons following the Flood, and everyone in the human race today can trace their ancestry back to Noah through one of his three sons.

Only one of these three sons ' Shem ' is said to have a God (v. 26). Neither Ham nor Japheth had a God, and if either was to receive spiritual blessings they had to go to the one son with a God. Ham and/or Japheth had to 'dwell in the tents of Shem' (v. 27). This is the manner in which God has established the matter in Genesis, and it can never change.

The lineage from Shem, in the respect seen in Genesis 9:26, goes through Abraham nine generations later and then through Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, from whom sprang the twelve tribes of Israel, the nation of Israel. In short, the descendants of Shem

through this lineage alone have a God. The whole of this matter is something clearly revealed and seen in Scripture.

Other descendants of Shem, such as the Arab nations (from Abraham through Ishmael, or through one of the sons of Keturah, or through Isaac's son, Esau), are as the descendants of Ham and Japheth in this respect. They are to be reckoned among the nations (Gentile nations). Israel, on the other hand, is not to be 'reckoned among the nations' (Numbers 3:9).

With that as a base to work from, one can then understand verses such as Psalm 72:18 and Psalm 96:5. The first verse refers to 'the Lord God, the God of Israel,' and the second verse states 'For all the gods of the nations are idols [lit., 'nothing'].' That is to say, the gods of all the nations (whether they be idols, demons, or anything else) are 'nothing' in comparison to the God of Israel, the one true and living God.

Psalm 33:12 is often misunderstood in the preceding respect: 'Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...' The statement, contextually, is not a reference to Gentile nations. It can't be! The statement has to do with Israel, the only nation with a God. The only way any Gentile nation can have a God is to go to the nation with a God, go to Israel. God made that quite clear at the outset of His word, in Genesis chapter nine. And today, with Israel in her current state of unbelief, for the most part scattered among the nations, for a Gentile nation to dwell in the tents of Shem and possess a God is not possible.

For a New Testament reference relative to the preceding, note Ephesians 2:12. Christians have a God, but that is only because of and through a Jewish Messiah Who came through Israel. The same thing cannot be true of nations per se.

Thus, from a biblical standpoint, it is not possible for any Gentile nation to look upon itself as 'one nation under God.' And that one truth really forms the central base for understanding the whole of the Middle East problem. At the center of the problem

is Israel, the only nation on the face of the earth with a God, a standing that Israel holds even in the nation's present unbelief. And surrounding this nation with a God are Moslem nations with a governmental system intermixed with a religious system with a god who is described in Psalm 96:5, the same place the god of the United States or any other Gentile nation is described.

Israel's Position among the Nations

Beyond that, Israel is God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22, 23), the one and only nation among all the nations that God recognizes as possessing the rights of the firstborn ' a firstborn right among nations, which, among other things, includes the right to hold the scepter, to rule. Israel is the nation that God recognizes as possessing these rights, and, with Israel exercising these rights (which the nation one day will exercise, though that is far from the case today), the Gentile nations are to be ruled by and blessed through Israel (in accord with Genesis 12:2, 3, realizing another part of the rights of the firstborn).

The Gentile nations today rule under Satan and his angels (in accord with that seen in the latter part of Daniel 10). But Israel, not to be reckoned among the nations, occupies a position separate from this rule (also in accord with the referenced section in Daniel 10).

Satan knows all these things, and he has been doing and will continue doing everything within his power to prevent the one nation with a God from ever exercising her God-ordained position as God's firstborn son. He knows that when this occurs that not only will he no longer hold the scepter but conditions relative to Israel and the nations will be as described in Zechariah 8:20-23.

Satan and his angels, ruling from a heavenly sphere through the Gentile nations on earth, have been seeking for decades in the Middle East, through the nations, to bring about that stated in Psalm 83:4:

'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the

name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.'

And There Is More'

Then, as if the preceding wasn't already too much for man to even begin to deal with, there is still more. There is the matter of Israel being driven out among the nations, because of unbelief, to effect repentance. And a remnant has returned back to the land before the time. The slayer, Israel, typified in Numbers chapter thirty-five, has returned to the land of her possession before it is time for the nation to return, creating a major Middle East problem.

It is the age-old story of Jonah asleep on board a ship headed away from God's calling and then finding himself in the midst of a raging storm out on the sea, a storm so severe that it struck fear in the hearts of those men on the ship, a storm so severe that it was about to destroy the ship. That is the picture that Scripture presents of the dire situation in the Middle East today.

Then, as if the preceding addition wasn't enough, add something else. God pictures Israel as having been wounded, being sick, because of past disobedience (Isaiah 1:4ff). And God states concerning Israel's condition in this respect that the one who brought about this condition (God, because of the nation's disobedience) is the only One Who can cure the nation (Hosea 5:13-6:2).

Thus, there is your Middle East picture as it exists today. God's firstborn son, the one who's right it is to hold the scepter, the only nation with a God, is sitting wounded in a place where the nation is not even supposed to be, in the midst of mainly Moslem nations, with the nations raging and the whole situation about to tumble out of control. And Satan, through existing conditions, is doing all within his power to destroy Israel through using the surrounding Gentile nations.

This is why there is a situation rapidly becoming uncontrollable, with the nations raging, in the Middle East today. This is why the world heard the cry from Nasser four decades ago that the primary goal of a war between Egypt and Israel was to drive Israel into the sea, doing away with the nation. And, as well, this is the reason why the present ruler of Iran (among others) is openly and defiantly calling for the destruction of Israel.

None of the basics behind these things are being taken into account in the nations' endeavors to effect Middle East peace. They can't take these basics into account. The intractable Middle East problem has both a biblical base and a false religious base, and the nations seeking to effect peace cannot operate in either realm. Both bases are spiritual and involve supernatural powers ' one emanating from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the other emanating from the god of this age. Man's best efforts in either supernatural realm would be as powerless as trying to extinguish the flames of a burning skyscraper with an empty eyedropper.

And even if the nations could operate in the spiritual realm, the nations couldn't cure Israel of her current condition. Only God can do this, something that He clearly states that He will do following Israel being brought to the place of repentance.

The Middle East is a powder keg with a burning short fuse. It is going to blow, and man can't stop it, for the prophets have already spoken. How soon will that be? We're not told. So there is no need to speculate. Such would be useless anyway. Suffice it to say that is it later than most care to think, imagine, or admit.

Then, There Is Something Else

The preceding outlines the bad news. The preceding shows why a report such as the Baker-Hamilton report can't even begin to touch the problem, as it exists. And this is not to speak negatively of the report. Rather, it is simply to say, from a biblical base, as previously outlined, that there is an existing problem in the Middle East that man can't deal with.

But there is good news. The more the matter deteriorates, the brighter things become in another respect. The dawn always follows the darkest hour of the night.

The time is rapidly approaching when the Church will be removed, and after that God will allow conditions to deteriorate to a point, particularly in the Middle East, where Israel will have no place to turn other than to the God of their fathers. Scripture describes that time as a day 'that shall burn as an oven' (Malachi 4:1), and Scripture also speaks of conditions deteriorating during that time to a point where 'no flesh' would survive apart from divine intervention (Matthew 24:22).

It will be the story seen in the book of Exodus all over again. Israel, through Gentile persecution, will be brought to the place of repentance, a Deliverer will be sent, Gentile power will be put down, and Israel will be delivered.

That coming day will see the 'Sun of Righteousness' arising 'with healing in His wings.' Christ will return, Gentile world power will be destroyed, Israel will be cured of her wound, her sickness, and God's firstborn Son will then exercise the rights of primogeniture, with the Gentile nations being blessed through Israel. Then and only then, the intractable problem in the Middle East will be resolved. Then and only then, there will be peace in the Middle East.

Tribute to Steve Irwin

(Crocodile Hunter)

1962-2006

Yesterday (9-4-06) was a very difficult day for me, as I contemplated the death of Steve Irwin, the 'crocodile hunter.'  He was only 44 years old, but he had a passion for the animals of God's creation in his life.  In fact, you might say that when he entered your living room by way of his television specials he was 'larger than life.'  Having never met the gentleman, I felt that in some special sense he was part of my family.  How I loved to watch him and experience his infectious enthusiasm for God's animal creation.

But the moment I saw the news of his passing and over the sadness that I immediately felt from it, three distinct thoughts came to mind.

First, I remembered a specific point I was endeavoring to convey in Sunday's Bible study class, which I particularly directed toward a young teenager in the assembly.  The point being that no matter our age, life is fleeting and can end at any time.  In fact, from the moment we are born we proceed toward our death.  It is unfortunate that little to any thought is given to this certainty when we are young.  But even with age most of us ignore this reality.  The following scriptural passages came to mind:

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (James 4:14b)

All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away. (1 Peter 1:24)

Second, I wondered if Steve Irwin had ever placed his faith in Jesus Christ for his personal eternal salvation.  If so, his passing was indeed a blessing for him.  If not, then the time for the most important decision of his life had expired.  And coupled with this thought is how little attention man gives to eternal matters, often until it is too late.

Third, life only becomes truly genuine when we have a passion for what we believe and do.  This was certainly the case for Steve Irwin in his secular interests during his lifetime.  But how I hope that we all can have the same passion in living for our Lord who with greater passion and tremendous personal cost gave of Himself to become our sin and pay the penalty-price for our sin on the cross of Calvary.

Steve Irwin, I will greatly miss you in life.  My hope is that I will see you again in eternal life. 

Charles of www.bibleone.net

Inquiry from Rick

Charles, thank you so much for your instructive response.  Sometimes we need clarification from others who can answer more specific concerns. You said; "I also believe that as we continue in our Christian life and faithfully confess our sins, these sins won't come up at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Now although we will be rewarded (or not) for the type of works we do during our Christian life, our sins as Christians come to bear because they have a way of keeping us from doing divine good works."

Can you elaborate on this just a little?  You answered my next question; will our sins be brought up at the Judgment Seat?  As you said, it makes since they would not if they are cleansed under the blood by our High Priest.  It gives me more clarity to read your statement that our works are judged and that our sins have a way of keeping us from doing divine good works.  That tells me a lot!  Could you tell me more about this with
some Scripture references?  I hope you don't mind, but you have really hit on something that greatly helps.

Thanks for your time, Charles.

Rick

Response

Rick,

Thank you for your message. 

I believe as Christians we will stand before our Lord at His judgment seat and answer for all that we have done  (labor/works) for Him while in this physical life, whether good or bad, for  which we will receive "rewards" if they indeed be "divine good works" (i.e., works done under the control of the Spirit) and not works accomplished while in the "flesh,' (i.e., works known as "human good works"'Ephesians 5:18; Isaiah 64:6).  And at the Judgment Seat we will also witness all of our other (human good) works being burned, i.e., consumed by our Lord's judgment (1 Corinthians 3:8-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:7; Ephesians 6:8; Revelation 22:12).

If we in fact do qualify for rewards, they will be administered as our "inheritance" of joint-heirship (co-ruling/reigning) with Christ during the Messianic Era (Romans 2:6; 8:17; 2 Corinthians 1:7; Colossians 3:24; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 4:13).

But since "divine good works" (works done under the control or influence of the Holy Spirit) can be quenched (cut off or limited) by grieving the Holy Spirit with our sin (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19), there is therefore a direct correlation between our sin and our works.  Consequently, the more unconfessed sin (1 John 1:9) sin in our lives the more we will be limited in "walking in Christ," i.e., being filled with'controlled by' the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), which walk comes by faith (Colossians 2:6; Hebrews 11:6) and absorption of God's Word, which in fact produces "faith" (John 15:3; 17:17; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 5:26).

I hope a study of the above scriptural passages/verses will be helpful to your understanding of this matter.

In His grace,

Charles

To Darrel, My Cousin, My Friend

www.bibleone.net

Sunday, the 23^rd day of April, 2006, was a very sad and joyful day for me.  At about 5:30 in the morning my cousin Charles phoned to tell me that his brother, my cousin Darrel Yoder, had died from a heart attack at about 3:30 that morning.  The news hit me hard.  The pain of sadness overwhelmed me knowing that I would no longer be able to have fellowship with Darrel during this lifetime.  But after a ton of tears my sorrow turned to joy as I took solace in the assurance that Darrel was now in the presence of His Savior, a place of bliss that he had been looking forward to for most of his life, and in the assurance that I would join him soon to continue our camaraderie as we extolled the wonders and glory of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Of all my Yoder-relatives, Darrel was special to me.  He was both my cousin and my friend.  It wasn't too many years ago when just after my retirement from Federal Service, I thought it might be interesting to visit him at his office in McAllen.  At the time I was still spiritually a good ways off from my Lord and struggling to know what direction I should then take in life.  Well, one visit led to another over a period of several weeks, and during each visit Darrel not only befriended me but helped me to understand that whatever path I should choose to take, it should be in God's will and in close proximity with Christ.  We not only joked and ribbed each other over myriad matters, but we always discussed our Christian faith.  In this sense, he was a spiritual mentor.

It was because of his gentle hand of direction that I realized that I truly needed to get back into a local church and the study of God's Word.  He also turned my attention toward many of the prophetic elements contained in the Bible, all of which were very influential in my return to Christ.  After time, through attention to the Word and with Christian associations, my spiritual life began to stabilize and strengthen.  In time, God led me to once again minister for Him.  Darrel was such a large part of this process.  When I felt led to initiate my Bible commentary website, Darrel was a constant supporter.  He continued that support when I was asked to lead a home Bible-study class on Sunday afternoons.   From the very start of these ministries until about 10:00 in the morning of Saturday, April 22, 2006, I kept him fully informed of my spiritual activities.

How thankful I am today to have had about an hour of fellowship with Darrel and his son Jeff on Saturday, the day before his path to glory.  The joy we experienced being together and ribbing each other over both secular and doctrinal matters is fresh in my mind as I sit and type this memorial to him my friend, even though selfishly I cry knowing these times are gone for now.  He always took satisfaction in showing me his latest acquisition from ebay.  That day, it was a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Track, a type of truck I had once influenced him to buy and which became one of his favorites.  Darrel was fortunate to have ample means in which he could amass material possessions.  But now with his passing, I once again firmly realize how unimportant material wealth is in comparison to eternal wealth.

Later, as he said goodbye to me outside by the curb, he told me how young and healthy he felt.  He said that he always felt younger and more active than those in his age bracket, the mid-sixties.  He said that he could still run and do the things associated with a person of much younger years.  And he could.

Darrel also informed me that on the coming Tuesday he would be traveling to the Island (Padre), I believe with his son Jeff, to do some work on their investment condos.  Second only to his devotion to Jesus Christ, Darrel was completely devoted to his family his wife Lucy, his two sons Ron and Jeff, his mother Frieda, his brother Charles, and so many more.  He had a very large heart and a generous one.  But most of all, he loved and served his Lord.  Nothing better could be his epitaph.

Darrel, I will miss you here; but I look forward to being with you again at the feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We will be together again.

Charles of www.bibleone.net

Good (Friday or Wednesday)?

(April 11, 2006, Chuck Missler's eNews issue)

The observances of Good Friday and Easter Sunday have perpetuated the traditional chronology that the crucifixion took place on a Friday, and that the Lord's body was buried on that day at about 6:00 p.m., and that he rose from the dead early on the following Sunday morning.  There are some, however, that feel this tradition is at variance with the Scriptural record.  One of the problems is reckoning 'three days' between Friday evening and Sunday morning.  Our Lord's definitive statement is one of the problems:

 

'For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.' (Matthew 12:40)

The mention of nights, as well as the number of days, makes it hard to render this as simply an idiomatic rhetorical device rather than a statement of fact.

The Sabbaths

Nowhere in the Gospels does it assert that Christ was crucified on a Friday.  In Mark 15:42, it refers to '...the day before the sabbath.'  This may be the root of the misunderstanding.

The Jews had other sabbaths in addition to the weekly shabbat (Saturday).   In addition to the weekly sabbaths, there were seven "high sabbaths" each year, and the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th of Nisan, was one of them.  Further, Matthew 28:1 should read, 'At the end of the sabbaths,' (which is plural in the Greek), implying there was a plurality of sabbaths that week.

If Passover, the 14th of Nisan, fell earlier in the week, the 15th could have been any day prior to Saturday, the weekly Sabbath. 'When the sabbaths were past' would, of course, be Sunday (actually, Saturday after sundown), in accordance to the Feast of First Fruits.

 (Some hold to a Thursday crucifixion on a similar basis.)

The 17th of Nisan

Jesus had declared that He would be in the grave three days, and yet was to be resurrected 'on the morrow after the sabbath,' on the day of the Feast of First Fruits. It is interesting that the authorities, anxious to get the body off the cross before sundown, unknowingly were fulfilling God's predetermined plan, 'according to the Scriptures.'

Noah's flood ended on the 17th day of the 7th month.  This month becomes the 1st month at the institution of the Passover.  Our new beginning in Christ was on the anniversary of the Earth's 'new beginning' under Noah!

Israel's new beginning, the crossing of the Red Sea, is believed to have been on the 17th of Nisan.  Also, in their flight after Passover, Israel retrieved the body of Joseph from his tomb.  After Passover, Jesus was retrieved from another Joseph's tomb on this date.

The Jericho Journey

Another problem with a Friday crucifixion is John 12:1: 'Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany...' (from Jericho).  If the Friday view can be accepted, then six days earlier was the weekly shabbat, and on this day such a journey was legally out of the question for a devout Jew.

Summary

As for the Friday or Wednesday issue, there are many good scholars on each side of this controversy.  I personally have become rather cynical toward any tradition that is not supported by Scripture.

Good Friday is the 'traditional' view.  The Wednesday crucifixion is known as the 'reconstructed view.'  This article is intended to stimulate study and constructive conversation during this precious season.  However the important thing is that the tomb was empty.  The authorities made sure that this was indisputable.  Indeed, He is risen!

Gospel of Judas & Gnosticism

April 11, 2006 (Chuck Missler's eNews issue)

'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.' (2 Timothy 4:3)

The May issue of National Geographic magazine hasn't even hit the news stands, but it has already triggered widespread debate.  The feature article in next month's issue describes a 1,700 year old manuscript that claims to tell the story of Christ's last days from the point-of-view of history's most notorious traitor.  This so-called 'Gospel of Judas' conflicts greatly with the Biblical account and is only one of several noncanonical gospels, often called the 'Gnostic Gospels.'  Scholars widely agree that none of these texts contain historically reliable information about the life of Jesus and that all were likely written in the second century or later.  However they do help us learn more about false teachings that early church leaders like the Apostle Paul preached against in book of Colossians and elsewhere.

Gnosticism is a system of false teachings that existed during the early centuries of Christianity.  Its name came from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis.  The Gnostics believed that knowledge was the way to salvation.  For this reason, Gnosticism was condemned as false and heretical by several writers of the New Testament.  The Gnostics consisted of diverse groups, from high-minded ascetics to licentious charlatans.

Sources

Our knowledge of Gnosticism comes from several sources.  First, there are the Gnostic texts, which are known as the New Testament Apocrypha.  These texts are not recognized as Scripture because they contain teachings which differ from those in the Bible. Then, there are the refutations of the Gnostics by the early church fathers. Some of the more important ones are Irenaeus, 'Against Heresies;' Hippolytus, 'Refutations of All Heresies;' Epiphanius, 'Panarion;' and Tertullian, 'Against Marcion.'

A third source on Gnosticism is the New Testament itself. Many Gnostic teachings were condemned by the writers of the New Testament.  Paul emphasized a wisdom and knowledge that comes from God and does not concern itself with idle speculations, fables, and moral laxity (Colossians 2:8-23; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:16-19; Titus 1:10-16).  John, both in his gospel and in the epistles, countered heretical teaching which, in a broad sense, can be considered Gnostic.

Gnostic Gospels

A large number of spurious documents emerged during the centuries following the ministries of the Apostles and were universally rejected by the early church.  Copies of a group of these were found at Nag Hammadi in Egypt dating from the 3rd and 4th centuries.  These include 'The Gospel of Thomas,' 'The Gospel of Philip,' 'The Gospel of Mary,' 'The Gospel of Truth,' and about four dozen others.

They are not 'gospels' at all, but rather speculative opinions, totally devoid of any verifiable facts.  Furthermore, they were written under false pseudonyms in an attempt to gain legitimacy.  The early church rejected any documents under pseudonyms as being inconsistent with the concept of God-breathed inspiration. Lastly, they were all written centuries after the Gospel period'in contrast to the contemporaneous eyewitness accounts in the New Testament.

False Teaching

Ethical behavior among the Gnostics varied considerably.  Some sought to separate themselves from all evil matter in order to avoid contamination.  Paul may be opposing such a view in 1 Timothy 4:1-5.  For other Gnostics, ethical life took the form of libertinism.  For them, knowledge meant freedom to participate in all sorts of indulgences.  Many reasoned that since they had received divine knowledge and were truly informed as to their divine nature, it didn't matter how they lived.  Such an attitude is a misunderstanding of the Gospel.  Paul, on a number of occasions, reminded his readers that they were saved from sin to holiness.  They were not to have an attitude of indifference toward the law.  They had died to sin in their baptism into Christ (Romans 6:1-11) and so were to walk 'in newness of life.'  John reminded the Christians that once they had been saved they were not to continue living in sin (1 John 3:4-10).

These Gnostic teachings also had a disruptive effect on fellowship in the church.  Those who were 'enlightened' thought of themselves as being superior to those who did not have such knowledge.  Divisions arose between the spiritual and the fleshly.  This attitude of superiority is severely condemned in the New Testament.  Christians are 'one body' (1 Corinthians 12) who should love one another (1 Corinthians 13; 1 John).  Spiritual gifts are for the Christian community rather than individual use; they should promote humility rather than pride (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:11-16).

 

'Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.' (Colossians 2:8)

Digging into the Word

(From Chuck Misslers' eNews Publication)

March 7, 2006

All of us talk about seeking spiritual growth. But are we really serious? How serious are you? Let's assume that you already have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. What then? Well, you began to study the Word of God and began to aspire to real growth "in the grace and knowledge" of our Savior. How's it been going?

Allow me to let you in on a "secret." One of the most rewarding involvements - and one that is virtually guaranteed to help you on your path of true spiritual growth - is a home Bible study. The intimacy, the family atmosphere, and the personal accountability all combine to create an environment of spiritual growth unequaled in more formal settings.

There are three key components to our Christian walk: study of the scriptures, prayer, and the fellowship of believers. While the facilities and formalities of Sunday services have become the norm for many, it was not always so. In the early church, the fellowships were, of course, in the homes of the believers. The church in the house of Philemon grew into the church of Colossae (Philemon 2). The church in the house of Nymphas became the church of Laodicea (Colossians 4:15). The churches in the house of Aquila and Priscilla, who seem to have made it their primary commitment, became the churches of both Ephesus and Rome (1 Corinthians 16:19; Romans 16:5).

If you are having a difficult time finding a group we encourage you to pray about starting one of your own. For those of you who might like to undertake leading a home Bible study, we have a free online guide with some suggestions called The Joy of Teaching God's Word (see link below). Our series, Learn the Bible in 24 Hours, is being used by many groups to gain a strategic perspective on the "whole counsel of God." It is now available in various formats (see special offer above). Another study we recommend for new groups is Prophecy 101. This series has been designed to give you a strategic overview of prophecy; past, present, and future.

A great place to start is with verse-by-verse study of a book of the Bible. Pick a book of Bible that interests you and acquire several commentaries on that particular book. After reading the introductory background, it is not hard to "stay ahead" of your group, taking about a chapter each week. From time to time, a particular background item, or special issue, will emerge which can give rise to a little extra research, so a home library which might include a concordance, a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia, etc., can be helpful. (Outfitting a basic home library is not that expensive and can be one of the most rewarding things you can do.) By the time you have completed a particular book in such a program, you will know that book better than you ever dreamed possible. And the commitment of supporting your group each week may be just the self-imposed "pressure" you need to really dig into the Word.

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11)."