Tag: creator

evolution · God · Uncategorized

The god called evolution.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

screen-shot-2014-02-04-at-5-23-42-pm

John Q. Public: Hey Dr. Quasi Science, I’ve got some questions for you.

Dr. Quasi: Well, ask away.

John: If evolution is true, why are there still monkeys?

Dr. Quasi:  Well, due to evolution the monkeys evolved along a different path than homospapiens.

John:  Then why are the monkeys the same now as they appear in the fossil record?

Dr. Quasi:  Evolution takes her time, and we just haven’t seen any changes since the time that evolution put monkeys and man on different paths.

John:  If evolution is true, why are there two different sexes in many creatures and in some they are asexual or hermaphrodites?

Dr. Quasi:  Oh silly man, that is simply because evolution did what was best for the survival of the species.

John:  If that is true, did the desire to have sex evolve first, or the ability?

Dr. Quasi:  Oh you poor ignorant man, they both evolved at the same time.

John:  Hmm… that sounds very improbable especially considering all of the species that reproduce by having sex.  They would have all had to evolve the ability, and the desire, and the sexes, along with all of the complex physiological and neurological modifications that went along with sex.

John:  If we could observe evolution happening, that would help your cause, but we can’t.

Dr. Quasi:  Well, just because you can’t see it, or observe it directly doesn’t mean it isn’t at work.  You poor backwards soul.

John:  Well doc, I think you have a god called Evolution, who requires nothing of you other than to just be a brute and reproduce at any cost.  Your god has no morals, and doesn’t care about what you do.  Your god neither loves you or hates you.  Matter of fact, the god you’ve described doesn’t care about you at all.  You choose to substitute a god that you’ve made up that you like better.  You like your imaginary god because you hate the true and living God.

Dr. Quasi:  There is no God.  You are ignoring scientific fact!  Evolution is true.  You just won’t acknowledge all of the proof.  You’d rather remain ignorant.

John:  Wow, that sounds familiar…

“Romans 1:18-32 (NASB) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22  Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers,  haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

 

Cartoon is from Answers in Genesis, and the video is from Living Waters.

Liberal Christian

Have you ever had a friend claim to be Christian, and also liberal? What’s that all about?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

liberalchristians
 

I don’t know how people can give their liberal political ideologies more authority than their self-professed faith.  It would seem that their political ideologies are more important to them than what God has said.  Let me explain.  There are many worldviews.  If you don’t like the one your parents gave you, you can always develop you own, or adopt one.  Colleges seem to be one of those places where young people adopt a different worldview.

I happen to have what I, and many others, would call a, “Christian worldview.”  What that means, is that my beliefs about everything, yes everything, are determined by what God says in His word, the Bible.  I order my beliefs from the ordinances of scripture.  So, my political ideologies are determined by my Christian worldview.

So if someone asks, “Bob, why do you hate abortion?  It is a woman’s choice.”  I reply with, “Murder is wrong, and murdering a child in the womb because of your sexual immorality is reprehensible.”  I can say this and assert it. Because, I can build that opinion on systematic and Biblical theology.  When you read your Bible in context, and apply the proper hermeneutical method of exegesis to the text, you get doctrines.  Those doctrines provide the basis for our morality.  So, my morality is built on the doctrines of God, from His word.  So, my stance on abortion is that it is the murder of an infant in the womb, due to the sinfulness of the murdering mother.

Then we throw other beliefs about other moral issues in there like, theft, welfare, work, love, sexuality, and so on.  Guess what?  The Bible determines what I believe about all of those things as well.  Since that is the case, cumulatively they make up the ideologies of my Christian worldview, which is what I use in determining what is acceptable politically.

This seems foundationally simple to me.  I don’t understand those who sit across the aisle and defend something like abortion, or gay marriage, while still claiming Christ as their Savior.  “Doesn’t His word mean anything to them?  Don’t they want to be obedient to Him, because of the great love, and work He did to save them on the cross?  How can they afflict Him more while He hangs from the cross?”  To advocate horribly sinful, and abominable things, while claiming Christ as your Savior, is tantamount to throwing refuse on Him, while He hangs suffering on the cross.

I’ve tried to ask people like this to justify their positions Biblically for me.  I’ve never encountered one person who could do this.  There have been a few who have tried, but their usually open theist heretics, or some other very liberal theological bent that doesn’t hold the Bible as authoritative.  This gives them the wiggle room they need to pervert the word.  This is another sickening thing.  To see someone pervert and abuse the word of God.

I suppose a person could be very new in the faith, and not have the maturity to understand what they are doing.  This is why I can’t make the blanket statement that they are all unsaved heretics.  I can definitively say, that if a person persists in their sin, and loves the worldly life, and sinful cultures opinions, more than God’s, they are not saved.  I can’t do that with people I only know in passing.  It worries me drastically more when I’ve known someone for a very long time, and they are like that.

So you claim that you are pro-choice(abortion), for social programs, for big Federal government, for gay marriage, for no fault divorce, for euthanasia, for socialism, communism, pro-gun grabbers, pro-illegal immigration, and you think that God is O.K. with that?  We don’t know the same God.  The God I know is loving, but He is also just, holy, righteous, true, and He has communicated His will for us, to us, in His word.

Theology

Would a perfect being still be perfect if it created beings that were not?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Let me dip my toes in your mind butter for a moment.

Some people argue that since God made us, and we are not perfect, then God is imperfect.  They assume that a perfect originator or uncaused causer would necessarily be imperfect by creating imperfect beings.  This assumption doesn’t make sense.  The error is to assume that our imperfection impunes the perfection of God.  Rather, instead it affirms the perfection of God.  God in creating, necessarily cannot create perfect creatures.  There cannot be more than one perfect being.  God is the perfection of all attributes and defines them by His nature. Anything He makes will be less than Him.  Anything less than Him is not Him and by definition is not perfect because He is the definition of perfection.  So the fact that we, are finite, subject to space and time, we cannot create ex nihilo, we’re limited in our knowledge, its amount, and quality, we’re dependant on Him for our continued existence, and so on, should be evidence that we are imperfect.  We are not God.  By our imperfection, we know that He is perfect.

Apologetics · Theology

You Can’t Sell What’s Not Yours!

Bob Snyder2 Comments

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I’m sure you have all read a story, seen a movie, or television show, where the plot revolves around the main character selling his soul to the devil by signing some contract. Usually it is for fame, fortune, power over enemies, or to get the girl. Come to think of it, usually it is a combination of those things. Growing up in America during the 80’s, freedom was the centerpiece of what it meant to be an American. I never felt more free than when I was about 12 years old. I was old enough to go anywhere I wanted, as far as my bike could take me, and young enough to not have the responsibilities of taking care of myself or others. I would ride my bike to, “Black’s Bridge” and play by the river. I would take my BB gun and shoot dragon flies, or whatever else would sit still long enough. My cousin and I would catch snakes and keep them in a 5 gallon bucket, only to dump them in my mom’s bed while she slept. If I had to come up with a time in my life where I felt free, that would be it. If you wanted to be a patriotic little man, you needed freedom.

As I grew I started to feel the bands of oppression tighten around me. I needed a job. I had to pay my bills. I married a woman who had two small sons. I needed a better job. I had to be a good role model. I needed to teach the boys how to be good men. My wife and I had two daughters, so I had to be more tender and help my wife help them. I had to keep my marriage strong. No time for difficulties at work. Appliances wear out and break. Everything costs money. Unexpected surgeries send us into debt. Life starts choking the feeling of freedom away pretty quick.

I found out that the laws were overly restrictive as well.  I still don’t understand how property taxes can be legal.  I also don’t understand the legal requirement to have a concealed permit to carry a firearm.  Apparently we now aren’t free to practice our religion either.  Bake a cake or get shut down.  While babies are being denied their freedom by being aborted.  We really aren’t free in America.

Only when I started thinking spiritually about it did it start to make more sense. As a young man I was Arminian and slightly Pentecostal in my theology. I had no problem with thinking a person could sell their soul to the devil. It was theirs after all. Of course I thought it was wrong to do so, but theoretically, it could happen. I also had the sense that it was impossible, niggling at the recesses of my mind. Later in life, as God worked in my sanctification, He brought me into a fuller understanding of my sinfulness and His holiness. This in conjunction with learning more about soteriology lead me to understand that I am not my own. In fact, no human being owns themselves. We are all created by God for His glory.

Now the premise of selling your soul to the devil just seems ludicrous. You simply can’t sell what you have no rights to. God has the authority.  The problem here is that my pre-conversion soul is already a slave to sin nature, because of the fall. The devil doesn’t have to buy it. It is fallen from the start.  That doesn’t mean the devil owns it.  He is a fallen creature too.

Not to mention, the devil doesn’t have the means to purchase a single soul, nor does he have the authority to purchase one. He is a creature himself. He is under the same authority we are. Theoretically, his only purpose for purchasing a soul would be to rend it from the saving hands of Christ. Since it isn’t possible for God to lose even one of the elect, this is not a concern.

If souls could be bought and sold, we as fallen creatures would make a market out of it for sordid profit, to be sure. Ignoble and greedy, we would make slaves of souls. God in His sovereignty and providence has ensured that won’t happen. We do however; need to be rescued from the slavery that we are in before conversion, the bondage of the soul to sin. God in His sovereignty made man. He made him in full knowledge that he would fall when tempted. He made man, knowing who He would save from sin and who He would not. He made man, knowing that He would curse his progeny for the original sin, with death. All people born after the fall are born as slaves to sin because of the fall. We are all sinners and dead spiritually.

The Holy Spirit makes the elect alive according to the will of the Father, so that we can sense our sin and need. It becomes real to us. In this conviction, the elect seek reconciliation with God. In the newness of life they are driven, compelled, and ravenous, for relief of the condition of condemnation. The knowledge of our own personal sin is the impetus that drives us to the foot of the cross.

The same God who made us, who knew that we would be sinners, also made a way for us to glorify Him according to His sovereign decree. God in the second personage of the Trinity put on flesh at the incarnation, being born of a virgin, by the work of the Holy Spirit, according to the will of the Father, Christ Jesus, our Passover lamb became the vessel for the wrath of God that our sins warrant. He in obedience to the Father suffered the very wrath of God, that we deserve upon the cross, to justify us. The penalty being paid by the one who was innocent, paying the penalty for the guilty who justly deserve it. All of this was planned out from the very beginning.

I hope we can see that it is ludicrous to think for a moment that our souls are our own, and free to sell. The devil is just another creature and your soul is already a slave to sin. Our only hope is to recognize our need for a redeemer. Only God can fathom the depths of our debt. We cannot rightly perceive how sinful we are. He alone can justly account the measure of wrath we deserve and He alone can atone. So don’t delay. If God has convicted you of your sin, repent of it and believe upon Jesus’ work on the cross for your justification. Pray that God will redeem your soul from sin and you will be His for eternity.  Better to belong to God than be able to sell your soul for any worldly gain.

If the LDS are right about who God is, then God and His word are wrong.
Apologetics · mormonism

If the LDS are right about who God is, then God and His word are wrong.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

If the LDS are right about who God is, then God and His word are wrong.

In the Bible we have doctrines that are expressed by Jesus Himself, The one and only God incarnate, none ever before Him and none after Him anywhere or anytime.  These doctrines are repeated and expounded upon by the Apostles in the Epistles of the New Covenant recorded in the New Testament.  These doctrines are exclusive claims to actual truths.  When someone else confesses a doctrine that asserts something other than what has already been established by the one true, immutable, and infallible God, then our only option is to reject their  assertion as heresy.

Let’s look at some of their doctrines that conflict with Biblical doctrines, and are mutually exclusive in their claims.  Christians claim there is only one true God.  There has never been any other god besides Him. He has always existed in trinity. He has never not existed.  We also claim that if you don’t believe in Him as explained here, as one being in three personages, that you can not be called part of the Church.  Because, you have put your faith in a different god.  Obviously, worshipping a different god makes you not a Christian.

Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormons) do not have one triune God.  They actually have a number of gods approaching infinity.  They choose to worship just one of the gods Joseph Smith imagined for them.  The god they choose to worship, was once a man named Elohim.  He lived on a planet orbiting a star called Kolab.  So their god is an E.T. extra terrestrial, alien from outer space.  Allegedly he was such a good follower of the mormon doctrines that he was promoted to being an exalted man.  He eventually became the god of this solar system and the Earth that we live on.  So the one god that they worship out of the billions of gods they have, was once a created man.  He was born of his father god and goddess mother.  They now call him Heavenly Father and believe he has a body of flesh and bone.  They believe that he had sex with Mary the virgin and that Jesus the spirit child was then embodied in his biological son with Mary.  Here is a quote from the Brigham Young University site,

As the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret” (TPJS, p. 345). Thus, the Father became the Father at some time before “the beginning” as humans know it, by experiencing a mortality similar to that experienced on earth. There has been speculation among some Latter-day Saints on the implications of this doctrine, but nothing has been revealed to the Church about conditions before the “beginning” as mortals know it. The important points of the doctrine for Latter-day Saints are that Gods and humans are the same species of being, but at different stages of development in a divine continuum, and that the heavenly Father and Mother are the heavenly pattern, model, and example of what mortals can become through obedience to the gospel (see Mother in Heaven). Knowing that they are the literal offspring of Heavenly Parents and that they can become like those parents through the gospel of Jesus Christ is a wellspring of religious motivation. With God as the literal Father and with humans having the capacity to become like him, the basic religious questions “Where did I come from?,” “Why am I here?,” and What is my destiny?” are fundamentally answered.

Keep in mind that our LDS friends co-opt many of our words.  They mean something completely different to them.  When we talk of God the Father or Jesus we are talking about a very different God than they are.  They might believe we are talking about the same god, but they have better and more true information than we do.  The gospel to them is not the same things we think of.  Their gospel is a bunch of laws, rules, do’s and don’ts, from their book Doctrine and Covenants.  Our understanding comes from the Biblical definition.  The word, “gospel” means, “good message or news.”  When we think of the gospel of Jesus, we understand it to mean the penal substitutionary atonement wrought by Christ God Himself for the salvation of His sovereignly elected saints to bring glory to His name. In Christianity the work has been done by Jesus.  He paid for our sins.  By repenting and believing in Him, his work is imputed to us.  It is done, done, done.  We do good works because of our new affections and desires born from a regenerated spirit as born again believers.

with this article on only of few of the many differences, I hope it is obvious that the LDS are not Christian.  They are a polytheistic Arian cult, created by the false prophet Joseph Smith.

A Review of Todd Friel’s Book, “Jesus Unmasked: The Truth Will Shock You”
Apologetics · Book Reviews · Theology

A Review of Todd Friel’s Book, “Jesus Unmasked: The Truth Will Shock You”

Bob Snyder1 Comment

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The title of this book is pretty indicative of the subject matter.  The author succeeds at explaining who Jesus was and is.  He teaches that Christ is the focus of the Bible in its entirety.  He demonstrates how Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies, shadows and types.  All of this is done with simple terms when possible.  When it is not possible Mr. Friel explains the nomenclature for the laymen.

I have to make a small disclaimer here.  I am a big fan of, “Wretched Radio.”  It is a radio show and podcast.  Todd Friel is the host/on-air personality.  I have learned a lot, a lot, a lot, from the show over the years.  My review will be from the perspective of a Reformed Baptist and a fan of the show.  So don’t expect much in the way of negativity.  I honestly agree with all of what is said in the book.  I find it to be Biblically sound and interesting to read.  It is a, “must read” for everybody.  If you’ve just been born again or if you’ve been 50 years into the sanctification process this book will edify you.

In the first chapter the author deals with world views, specifically post-modernism.  This was a great place to start as a philosophy class on epistemology would not be beneficial for the target audience.  This is a short chapter that sets the tone for the rest of the book.  You get a look at the serious subject matter and a look at some of Todd’s humor that makes him such an interesting fellow to listen to.  It is obvious that he has a level of mastery of the subject matter without coming off as an aloof overlord.

The following chapters flesh out some basics of Christian theology in simple terms.  Then he gets down to the bulk of the work, which is highlighting Christ from the beginning of the Bible to the end.  Vary rarely in Christian books of around 200 pages do we get such a complete and profound picture of Jesus.  Most of the books I’ve reviewed in the recent past have been theological fluff, Christian cotton candy, hardly worth reading at all.  You know how you feel after eating junk for a month?  Yep! That’s how most “Christian books” leave me feeling after reading them.  They were time killers with not nutritional value.  I probably would have got more out of them if I’d eaten them.  Well, that is not so of this work.  I would rank it up there with, “The Holiness of God” by R. C. Sproul, or maybe, “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan.

The main way that the author highlights Christ throughout the entire Bible is by expounding on the prophecies, shadows, and types, that Jesus fulfills.  This can be a bit tricky.  I’ve seen some pretty bad attempts that only make the Bible look disjunct.  When done correctly, as in this case, the Bible comes alive.  The harmony of scripture sings to the heart and mind of the believer who sees the richness and majesty of the true faith established once and for all by God.  Being able to see the ark Noah built and understand that it is a look forward to Jesus.  Seeing the rock that sprang forth lifesaving water in the desert for the Israelites, and how Jesus is the better fount.  Seeing the Sabbath, from our perspective, looking back to recognize rest in Christ’s work.  These and many more examples fill the pages of this book.  The gospel is fleshed out fully and explicitly.  You won’t find a list of, “do’s” to check off, and you won’t find some silly, formulaic, “pray this prayer.”  You will understand who Jesus is, what you are, what He has done, and how you should respond.  If you have loved ones who aren’t saved, get them this book.  If you have friends or family who are young in their faith, get them this book.  If you have become a crusty old codger, get yourself this book.  It will blow the carbon out of the old exhaust and get you fired up again.

You can buy this book from the wretched store.

You can pick up a copy at Christianbook.com

You can purchase it from the publisher Newleaf

or you can get it on Amazon in different formats including audio.

Silly liberals, Theology is for Reasonable People. Egalitarians are at it again…
Theology

Silly liberals, Theology is for Reasonable People. Egalitarians are at it again…

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

How many of you have heard this left-wing liberal theological stance that Adam was not a man, but a he/she with the genetic info for both sexes within itself? Yeah, I know right?  They call it, “The Adam” and then their story goes something like this; God made it from the dirt, thus its name, because the Hebrew word for dirt is, “’adamah” so that is why that he/she creature was called, “Adam.”  Then God put it to sleep and didn’t literally make females from its rib but more figuratively created the separate genders at that point.  If you are laughing like I was when I first heard this nonsense, stop!  This is the garbage they are teaching in seminaries.  I may not have represented their position the way they would like, but this is how I understand what they are saying.

So how about all the verses talking about gender roles, authority, submission, shadows and types that depend on these concepts, and the authority of scripture? Well, no problem for the liberal theologians, they just call what they don’t like allegory and when they can’t, they say that the Bible isn’t really fully the word of God, and it can’t be fully relied on.  Well, not to sound like, “The Church Lady” but who does that remind you of?  Hmm?  Someone with a serpent sounding hissing voice in the garden maybe?  Well, I wonder who that could be?  I wonder who casts doubt on God’s word?  Who could it be?  Does it remind you of…  SATAN!!!?

Surely God made Adam, the first human as a male from the start. Surely Eve was made from and for Adam as the word of God says.  In 1 Corinthians 11:1-15 we can even read what God said about it as Paul restates the creation of man and woman in the New Covenant for a group of believers who were falling into egalitarianism just like we are today.  They needed a correction from God then as we do now.

Here is a section of an article arguing for the erring position posted on http://newlife.id.au/ the link to the original article is, http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/human-man-woman-genesis-2/

“In Genesis 2 we have the creation account of the very first human being.  In English translations of Genesis 2 this first human is simply called “man”.  This “man” is understood by most people as referring to a male human rather than to a generic human.  However, in the Hebrew text, the first “man” is not specifically referred to as a male human (ish) until after the “operation” mentioned in Genesis 2:21-22.

After the “operation”, the now male human sees the female human and says, “This one is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!  She will be called ‘woman’ (ishshah) because she was taken out of ‘man’ (ish).”  The first woman (ishshah) and the first man (ish) had both been a part of, or one side of, the first human being (ha’adam).[1]  In Genesis 2:23 the man indicates that they shared the same flesh and bone.

The Hebrew word adam means “human being” – and not necessarily a male human being.  In the early chapters of Genesis it is often used with the definite article = ha’adam (הָאָדָם)  meaning “the human being” (cf Gen. 5:2).  Occasionally it serves as a proper name “Adam”, usually written without the article.[2]

In the screenshots below, I have highlighted every incidence of ha’adam (the human being) in yellow.  (N.B. In verse 5 there is no article but the context indicates that adam is not a proper noun.)[3]

I have also highlighted every incidence of ish (man) with blue, and ishshah (woman) with pink.  By looking at the screenshots below it is evident that it is not until the woman is taken out of the first human that we clearly see an ish, a male person, and not before.

Have a look.  Is it clear?”

Just because what is implied by the author could be so, doesn’t mean that it is. This is an error in logic that she has made without considering the rest of scripture.  Let’s take a look at the problem.  She assumes that the first of mankind was a creature containing both sexes or neither and that God did an, “operation” on this creature to turn the source creature into a masculine one as it was not before and then to make a feminine one from that source creature.  The scripture doesn’t support this furthermore, it definitely repudiates it in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16.  Don’t take my word for it look for yourself.

1Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.  2Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head. 7For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. 10Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

In v. 7 God explains that man is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. We can see the plain meaning of scripture here.  Then the Greek word, “ἀνὴρ aner” is used in v. 8  it is specifically, “man.”  Read how woman came from man according to God through Paul.  So either God is confused or the egalitarians are willfully in rebellion against the God of scripture and their God given roles, or God is confused and doesn’t remember what He said in Genesis, or Paul was just a sexist member of the patriarchy trying to keep women down…  Really people?…  I mean, seriously?  Just repent, accept what God says in His word and conform to His word and will.  Then v.9 hammers it home, “9for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.”  It is that simple.  To go a bit further so that the liberals don’t try to eisegete vv. 11-16 yes, men and women in Christ are all dependent on Him, and men are born of mothers, but the point in context is not the condition of procreation stated here, but rather God’s creation and it’s total dependency on Him.  If you still want to be a whiny baby I refer you to v. 16. Basically this is how it is and if you don’t like it tough.  Paul is putting it simply, “You are wrong.”  Have a good day.

p.s. if my tone seems a bit abrasive, that’s because I am irritated by all of the nonsense we have to entertain and argue against.  It seems ludicrous to me that people would keep rehashing all of the old heresies with new labels and faces.  It agitates me that people have to make apologetic answers instead of just saying, “You’re and idiot.  Sit down and be quite Sir/Ma’am.”  Ignorant people listen to these misguided guides and follow them into folly, so we have no choice, but to speak up.

The gospel of Jesus
Apologetics · Theology

The gospel of Jesus

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

what-is-the-gospel1

The gospel of Jesus. We are a sinners who deserve death and hell. He is God incarnate. He is righteous and holy. He deserves all of the majesty of Heaven and our praise. In His longsuffering He endures our hatred of Him and His law. He condescends to save us from the condemnation of hell. He is raised upon a cross, thereupon crucified. He takes our punishment upon Himself, thus satisfying the justice of God. The wrath of God is assuaged by His atoning work. We hear about what He has done for us and either believe it or not. If not, then the flames of hell are waiting for us, and rightly so, for we are fully culpable for our transgressions. If we believe, then repentance is our faith revealed and testimony to the dying world. We hate our sins and turn to Christ our redeemer, who purchased us with His sacrifice upon the cross. He becomes our Lord and Master. Sin no longer rules us. Our minds are being renewed by the reading of His word. Our hearts are transformed into new living hearts with God honoring desires. He sanctifies us as we grow in faith and knowledge of Him. We are born again. Not to live as slaves to sin and death, but to live as bondservants of Christ and holiness. Love Jesus with all of your heart, for He is the Savior!

Heaven?
Theology

Heaven?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Gates-of-Heaven

When you hear the word, “Heaven” what do you think? If you are like most people you think about a place that exists as a reward for a life well lived. You might have the mythical view of people floating on clouds with angel wings and halos playing harps. Others of you might think it is a place of unimaginable wonders filled with pleasures. Some people think of it as a place where they can indulge in Heavenly versions of their favorite pass times, like fishing, or football.

What if Heaven isn’t the way you have imagined? What if it exists in an ageless age of infinite instance? What if it is lit by the glory of God? What if your purpose for being there is to bask in and reflect the glory of God for that infinity? What if you couldn’t fish or enjoy football there? What if you aren’t going to be concerned about the pleasures you imagined? What if you are completely consumed with another focus?

Think about the fact that those in Heaven will have glorified bodies, versions of themselves without the effects of sin. These bodies will be able to experience all God has purposed for them. They won’t die. They live on. Try to imagine what it would be like to no longer sin.

Think about this, when we don’t thank God for every beat of our heart we are sinning. When we think, “I will do that.” What are we saying? Are we saying, “With God’s providence and in accord with His will I will do that.” Or are we saying, “In my own reasoning without the counsel of God or His providence I will do that.” If it was the second option, we are sinning. Do we look at things with sinless eyes and intentions? I know I don’t. I see something that I want that isn’t God or His will. Do we love God every second of the day all day every day? No, guess what… sinning. It is impossible to live in this life without sinning. We are so corrupted by sin that we don’t even see our sin. We actually think we are good people. We compare ourselves to others (sinful creatures) and see ourselves as better off. Some people actually think that by decision they can separate themselves from sin.

We go on thinking we aren’t that bad until we are forced to see how sinful we are. If you never take your eyes off of the creation and put them on the Creator you’ll be able to convince yourself that you are not that sinful. The more you see the difference between the Creator’s holiness and the impossibility of holiness for the creature you understand the need the creature has for an impossible cure. We need to be holy like God to enter in to Heaven. How can we have that kind of perfection? You can’t do it by force of will, you can’t earn it by self-abasement, and you can only get it if God Himself provides it for you. “23And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24“Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:23-26

Jesus provides His righteousness to the elect, predestined by the sovereign will of God to regeneration and justification by repentance and faith granted by God. “21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

This imputation of righteousness is the impossible cure for our dilemma. Our creaturely impossibility is dealt with supernaturally by the Creator’s lovingkindness and mercy. Because of Him we can come to Him in Heaven, glorifying Him in our justification of our salvation, sanctification, and glorification, to enjoy Him forever.

Theology

What is Meant by the Aseity of God?

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 The word aseity is an archaic English word that comes from the Latin words, “a” which means, “from” and, “se” which means, “one’s self.” The definition of the English word, “aseity” means, “Existence originating from and having no source other than itself.” Simply put when we ascribe this word to our theology we mean that God has no creator or other source for His being. We know that in God’s word He says that He is the only God and there are none before Him or to come after Him. There are no Gods anywhere besides Him. He is omnipresent, so if there were He would be with them. He is omniscient, so if there were He would know of them. 1

God made everything there is and has perfect knowledge of all He has made.2 He was not diminished through or by creating. If He created everything and has perfect knowledge of all He created then He would know if He had created another being like Himself. An eternal being that is the source of all things could not create another like itself because the created thing lacks aseity, thus rendering it a mere creation rather than the truth. God has always existed in trinity, complete and holy, in perfect communion with Himself.

Tozer quotes Novatian, “”God has no origin,” said Novatian and it is precisely this concept of no-origin which distinguishes That-which-is-God from whatever is not God.” A. W. Tozer. This notion means that God is holy. He is completely transcendent or, “other than.” It is understandable that we would wrestle with this idea. It is contra mundum, in the sense that nature does not function this way. We observe causation for everything. To have an uncaused causation or an original originator sends us into a loop of, “How can it be?” However, if we are logical we must admit that this is the only way that it could be. This one original originator started the entirety of creation in motion and keeps it moving by the power of His sovereign decree. In this we should take comfort that He is God and we are not. We require and depend wholly and completely on His aseity and providence for our existence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Deut 32:39, 1 Tim 1:17, 2:5, Isa 40:28, 43:11, 44:6, Jude 1:25, Col 1:16,

2. 1 John 3:20, Matt 10:29-30, Psalm 139:4,