Bitterness

Introduction

There are two types of bitterness. One type breeds a response that is damaging, and may be sin. The other type is a reaction to the pain in life, and breeds no damaging response; it can breed life. This paper will examine some aspects of both.

Definition of Bitterness

Bitterness is the state of unrelenting hurt, anger, and/or outrage over a perceived or real loss, a lack of gain, an outrage caused by another or others, and/or an injustice. This will be considered in detail.

Unrelenting means continuing without stopping, with the same irritation. If a child asks for a glass of milk over and over and over again, because the milk has not been given, and no answer has been given, both the child and the mother or father can become angry. The child’s request is unrelenting. It just won’t stop until there is a reply.

If one has a headache, and the aspirin won’t take it away, the throbbing is unrelenting. In the same way, bitterness has to do with unrelenting hurt, anger, and/or outrage. Outrage means very strong anger over something which seems just so very unfair or contrary to justice. Perceived means what something seems to be.

Suppose that Johnny is hitting Sue. Their mother comes in and sees this. She perceives that Johnny is doing wrong, and she becomes angry at Johnny. She later finds that Sue had been tickling Johnny to the point of really bothering him, and he responded in the only way he knew how to respond. When one perceives something as true, it may or may not be true. Bitterness in life often forms from such responses.

Bitterness may be from what seems as an unfair or unjust loss. It may be unfair, or it may be fair─but the bitter person definitely thinks it is unfair.

A person may become bitter because he didn’t get what he thought he should get. This is the perceived lack of gain.

A person may become bitter because of the cruelty of others, the death of loved ones, racism, jealousy, envy, and many other events.

What is Bad Bitterness?

Bad bitterness is used as an excuse to do violence. Say that Johnny hits Sue. Sue then picks up Johnny’s favorite truck and smashes it on the ground, ruining it. Sue has taken vengeance on Johnny. The word vengeance means personal or group punishment for a supposed offense, harm or crime for which restitution cannot or will not be made.

One may take vengeance on the other who did the supposed offense, or he may take vengeance on someone else who seems related. Vengeance is very dangerous. There are times when it is right, and there are many times when it is wrong. Sue was wrong when she smashed Johnny’s favorite truck. She would have been right if she had gone to their mother, and had asked her mother to take care of the hitting problem.

When a person who commits murder is found guilty, putting that person to death is right (according to the God of the Bible). This is a right form of vengeance.

Folks with bad and wrongful bitterness often desire to take vengeance or see vengeance on someone. They want to ‘get back at’ someone or a group. Some folks don’t care who gets hurt as long as someone who seems related to the cause of their bitterness will be targeted. They sometimes don’t even care if they, themselves, get hurt or killed in the process as long as they are successful in hurting or killing the ones they hate. This is the mindset behind Middle Eastern and Islamic terrorism. Since the gods won’t or can’t take vengeance, followers of the weak god feel the need to do vengeance for the god. (Folks with a strong god or God never need to help their god/God.)

Thus, bad bitterness includes hatred.

Not all hatred is bad; some forms are right. It is right to hate those who love to hurt others, who love to lie, who love to make others become guilty of wrong-doing, etc. The Bible teaches this in Psalm 5 and in Psalm 11, as well as in Proverbs 6, where we see that God hates such people:

Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity! ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak lying! Yehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Psalm 11:5 Yehovah tries the righteous. And His soul hates the wicked and him who loves violence.

Proverbs 6:16 Yehovah hates these six things. Indeed, seven are an abomination unto Him: ¹⁷a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸a heart that devises thoughts of lust, feet that are swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹a false witness speaking lies, and he who sows discord among brethren.

Hating someone, therefore, isn’t necessarily wrong, but being gracious to that person is most often the right thing to do. How can this be done? If one treats a mean person graciously (except when defending innocent victims from the mean person), this can sometimes turn a mean person from the meanness. If the person is doing violence against a victim, it is also gracious to stop the mean person from hurting others if that is possible.

Personal vengeance (vengeance for one’s self) is not right. One can defend one’s self against an attacker; this is right. Vengeance for oneself is from bad bitterness, however.

What Causes Bad Bitterness?

Bad bitterness comes from pride. Pride is either having a higher or lower view of one’s own rank than what is true, without properly viewing one’s own responsibilities, or having a proper view of one’s own rank and responsibilities, but not living that way. A person who thinks that he is more than he really is shows pride and arrogance. A person who boasts, and says that he can do more than what he can actually do is prideful. A person who thinks he is more important than he really is arrogant. But also, a person who thinks that he is no good, low-down or stupid is also prideful! If a person thinks that he is special in any way, either over others, or below others, is prideful! The reason is this: such a person is self-centered. This means that such a person thinks about himself, not about others. He concentrates on how good or how lousy he is, rather than on benefiting others. Anyone who is self-centered tends to not care about others, and such a person is prideful.

A person with bad bitterness thinks that he is special and that his anger is special. He thinks about his cause and his fight as being more important than anything, including justice. Justice is rendering a right decision based on all the facts. A person who is bitter in a bad way does not care about facts; his view is right and cannot be wrong (even though it is wrong). It often does not matter who gets hurt as long as others feel the bitter person’s pain! Those with bad bitterness are very mean, and they don’t even know it. They are very angry. They get angry very quickly for no justifiable reason. They are certain that they are right.

Anyone with bad bitterness wants others to feel the same pain, or more pain, that he feels! It would not be good enough to just make peace. Peace alone is not the objective. The objective is to hurt others. If the others are the ones at whom the anger is aimed, fine! But if the others are not involved, that is often fine too, because this draws more attention to the bitterness.

Suppose Johnny is at school. And say that Mary took Johnny’s pencil, and broke it, then laughed. The teacher came in, so that Johnny couldn’t do anything. Johnny is really angry. Mary later goes to another class, and Johnny can’t go after her. He is really angry. He is bitter. Sherry walks up. Johnny is angry with Mary, but Mary is gone. Sherry accidentally bumps Johnny, not meaning to do it. Johnny gets intensely angry very quickly, turns, and pushes Sherry down, hurting her. He then walks off still angry. He has taken vengeance on Sherry for his anger against Mary! Yet, he is still angry with Mary! Then, when the teacher comes, gets Johnny, takes him out of class, and makes him sit alone, Johnny becomes very angry with the teacher, too! He has bad bitterness. He is proud. He sees himself as being more important than Sherry, whom he hurt. He sees himself as being more important than doing right. Yet, he feels like he is being picked-on by everyone. He has a low view of himself. This is still from the same pride!

Now, suppose Tim is in the same difficulty, and suppose that Mary broke Tim’s ruler. Tim is angry, but he thinks about it. He will get a new ruler. And he knows that Mary, for some reason, is mean, but he won’t permit Mary’s meanness to make him mean. Sam later comes and also picks on Tim, making fun of his hair. Tim just looks at him and says nothing, thinking that he is just trying to make him angry, but it won’t work. Later, when Jane drops her book, Tim picks it up for her, and hands it to her. She thanks him for that. Tim has responded in a good way. He has a right view of himself in terms of others. He is not proud.

There is no way to be bitter in a bad way without being proud. Prideful individuals can easily become bitter. Humble individuals, those who know their true rank and responsibilities before others, and insist on living that way, won’t ever become bitter in a bad way. They may suffer many wrongs against them, but they won’t become bitter. They will do well in life.

Is There Bitterness that is Not Bad?

There is a bitterness that is not bad. In the book of Ruth in the Bible, there is a woman named Naomi. Her husband and her two sons died soon after getting married, and they had no children. Naomi had lost practically everything during a famine. She was about to go home with nothing except two widowed daughters-in-law. She was bitter, but not in a bad way. She stated,

Ruth 1:20 Call me not Naomi {My Pleasant-One}; call me Mara {Bitter}. For the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹I went out full, and Yehovah hath brought me home again empty. Why will ye call me Naomi, seeing Yehovah has humiliated me, and the Almighty has bad-done to me?

She was right. She would soon see Yehovah turning things around for her in a most excellent way! In the meantime, she refused to take vengeance on anyone or harm or mistreat anyone, including Yehovah. She was only gracious. She feared Yehovah! She did what was right. Her bitterness was caused from the pain of loss and grief that she felt for herself and for her two daughters-in-law all the time. Naomi had no pride. She did not see herself as lower than others or as higher than others. She saw her responsibilities, and she did them on behalf of others. Anyone who takes her attitude and fears Yehovah will do well in life!

How Can One Get Rid of Bad Bitterness?

In order to get rid of bad bitterness, one must first get rid of pride! (That is extremely hard for a prideful person to do, because a person with pride usually is too proud to admit that there is pride!) He must admit that he does not properly see his own rank and real responsibilities, and he is not living according to his real rank and real responsibilities.

The next step is to carefully consider what has really been happening. In the case of Johnny above, if he had considered that Mary is probably mean because she does not know better, and because she is very bitter and angry too, Johnny might be able to respond kindly toward her. It could be that if he did, she might begin to treat him better. Even if she didn’t, she might soon get caught in her meanness, and face the teacher! Johnny also didn’t see that Mary wanted him to become mean so that Mary could feel better about herself! Mean people sometimes feel bad that they are so mean. They press others to do things to look bad so that they can feel better about themselves. If Johnny truly wants to ‘bug’ her, he could treat her very well, and watch her really struggle!

After considering what is happening and how it is affecting oneself and others, the next step is to make something good (constructive) out of what is bad. The best and most allowed form of vengeance is kindness to one’s enemy. This takes a lot of work and energy, but it can truly make all the difference in the world.

Being kind to a bitter enemy sometimes isn’t possible. If the Bible is Truth, Yehovah will deal with the enemy at a later time. When He does, vengeance will be much stronger and more appropriate than anything that any person can do.

Refuse personal vengeance. That belongs to Yehovah.

Don’t let an enemy possess your mind! One who is bitter in a bad way is almost always thinking about the object of the bitterness: the mean person or persons who did the supposed wrong in the first place. A person whose mind is possessed is a slave! There is no freedom of thought when one’s thoughts always go toward one’s enemies!

Talk with someone who is wise about the way you feel. Make sure that that person is not one who says, “Yeah, you are right! You have a right to feel that way!” That is not a wise person. Rather, talk with someone who will help you come up with good ideas how you can overcome your bitterness.

Warning: Do not try to fight the feelings. Your emotions are given as a gift from God. Don’t fight them. Rather, Do Good. Proper feelings will follow much later.

National Vengeance

Countries take vengeance on criminals; this is right. This is not from bitterness. The Almighty (Yehovah) has given countries the right to do this. Countries have the right to fight against enemy countries and enemy individuals.

Some wars are right, and some wars are not. Countries have a right to go to war. Individuals may disagree with their own countries regarding a war. Some may even fight against the actions of their own countries, as some Germans fought against the mean and cruel Nazi government in Germany during World War II. It is right to fight against wrong violence of your own country’s leaders if your country’s leaders are fighting against the God of Israel and against the Israel of God. If your country’s leaders are not commanding you to do wrong, however, it is not right to fight against your own country’s leaders.

A person who claims to believe the Bible needs to very carefully think about all these things before doing something that might be wrong. Daniel, in the Bible, was a leader in a country that had taken the Israelis captive. He served that country’s leaders very well, and was loved and respected by the leaders. Daniel feared God. He never tried to take vengeance on his enemies. He saved some of their lives!

In the book of Esther, Esther asked for the right of the Israelis to defend themselves, against enemies who were going to kill all Jews. The King gave the Jewish People not only the right to defend, but to get rid of their enemies! This was vengeance, and this was right!

There are times when vengeance is right. As you think about it, you will begin to see the difference.

Conclusion

If you suffer from bad bitterness, or what seems to be unrelenting anger, bad bitterness is always against a god/God, and it is from pride. Do something about it—something good, beneficial and kind. Do right!

May 25, 2009March 27, 2016

One Aim of The Law

Introduction

Some erroneously believe that the Torah (‘Law’) provided salvation for those who kept it. This will be examined.

The Directive: Thou Shalt Keep the Commandments

Deuteronomy 8:6,19 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of Yehovah thy God to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget Yehovah thy God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish as the nations which Yehovah detroyeth before your face. So shall ye perish because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of Yehovah your God.

Two purposes are given to Israel for keeping Yehovah’s commandments:

To walk in His ways
To fear Him

The Israelis were temporarily permitted to dwell in, use and prosper in Yehovah’s Land as long as they walked in Yehovah’s ways. Everlasting life was not the issue, and no permanence was guaranteed.

The Everlasting Gospel

The everlasting Gospel consists of three elements that will have everlasting consequences:

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, (1) Fear God, and (2) Give glory to Him! For the hour of His judgment is come! And (3) Worship Him Who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters!

The fear of Yehovah is essential for Salvation and is the beginning of Wisdom.

One purpose of Torah was to direct a person to the Fear of Yehovah. The Torah deals with the issues of this life (the physical land of Israel; one’s neighbour; one’s view of Yehovah). Any Israeli sensitive to the Torah who desired truth with all his being will obtain the fear of Yehovah. The same is true for anyone who approaches the Torah today with such an attitude.

The Righteous by His Faith Shall Live

The Scriptures teach, the righteous-one by his faith shall live (Habakkuk 2:4b). Contrast this with Hebrews 4:2b: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard. Hearing the Word of God is not profitable if it is not mixed with faith. Faith is the gift of God. The Torah is the word of God. One who observes the Torah without the faith of Yehovah will accomplish nothing permanent. He will not ultimately glorify or please God. All who live by the faith of Yehovah will be righteousness and will show proof of their salvation.

Can Keeping the Law save Anyone?

If anyone could, the following would also be true:

Those saved by keeping the Torah would not need the sacrifice of Messiah. His shed blood would be useless for them.
They would obtain salvation by their own works and power. Man would not be helpless and lost in sin, just temporarily in trouble.
Many passages such as Romans 8:3 would be rendered false: For what the Law could not do (in that it was weak through the flesh), God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The means of salvation for non-Israelis during the time of Moses, Joshua, etc. would be in question. Many would not be able to come to Israel to obtain salvation by keeping the Torah. Slaves and residents in other lands where the Torah could not be performed could not obtain salvation due to a geographic problem beyond their control, unless there were two or more ways to obtain Salvation.
The Grace of Yehovah would not be essential.
The importance of one’s name being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life would be meaningless. Salvation would be obtainable then loseable, obtainable, loseable, etc. (There is no record of blottings or additions to the Lamb’s Book of Life.)
One would still be able to obtain salvation through keeping the Torah today, making the Grace of God of non-effect.

The curses of the Torah are still active against Israel, and thus the Torah is still active. Yehovah still brings Israel’s enemies against Israel and Israelis for refusing to turn to Yehovah and obey His Torah (His Word).

Since He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His plan never changes, His means of salvation has never changed.

Conclusion

One aim of the Law is to direct the Israelis to the fear of Yehovah. Non-Jewish folks can also learn the fear of Yehovah from His Word.

May 17, 2009August 22, 2016

God is Crazy about You!

God Is Crazy about You!

The Biblical God is just a little different. He isn’t crazy about anyone, because He isn’t crazy. He is very sober, and sees the truth. Most folks don’t care to find out too much about this God, because He is somewhat frightening.

Some folks just think that they are the apple of God’s eye! They love the idea of God thinking beautiful thoughts about them, smiling on them, and making His day revolve around His touching love and delight in them. They want to think that their God is totally in love with them, and is so pleased that He will make His universe revolve around them with pleasures evermore.

First, He never has been a touchy-feely being. Even the speaker in Jeremiah 20 temporarily quit because he was so upset at his mistreatment. Yehovah did not give him one word of comfort, but waited for him to get back to work.

Jeremiah 20:7 Yehovah, Thou deceived me, and I was deceived! Thou art stronger than I, and prevailed! I am in derision daily. Every one mocks me. ⁸For since I spoke, I shouted—I shouted, “Violence!” and “Spoil!” For the word of Yehovah was made a reproach unto me, and a daily derision. ⁹Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him or speak any more in His Name!” But He was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I was weary with forbearing; and I could not.

Some folks think that ‘Jesus’ is different from God the Father, and their ‘Jesuses’ are different. Many folks have different ‘Jesuses’ that don’t match the Bible, and are considered rollers (little excrements, referring to idols) in Ezekiel. The Biblical ‘Jesus’ (Yeshua) was not so mild as folks like to see him (especially when they represent Him at Christmas):

Matthew 12:34 “Generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks!”

Yeshua wasn’t inviting folks to a modern revival when He said,

Luke 9:23 And He said to them all, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me!”

The cross was a terribly painful execution tool. A person who took it up would be carrying a potential means of his own terrible death.

Yeshua defined what loving Him meant:

John 14:21 “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me!”

This love is in the form of having and keeping commandments, not sentimentalism.

Few folks can rightly identify the first of the Ten Commandments. They certainly don’t have or keep them. (The first is, “I am Yehovah thy Gods Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”)

The Bible has much to say about fury:

Isaiah 34:2 For the indignation of Yehovah is upon all races, and His fury is upon all their armies! He has utterly destroyed them! He has delivered them to the slaughter!

That doesn’t sound like a sweet, touchy-feely god. If you think that the Biblical Yeshua holds a different response than Yehovah, He stated,

John 10:30 The Father and I are one.

Arrogant folks like to make gods that are so pleased with them! (Only an arrogant person would make a god in the first place.) Yehovah does delight in some things and some persons:

Deuteronomy 10:15 Only Yehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them. And He chose their seed after them—you above all peoples, as this day.

This refers to the fathers of the Israelis, Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.

1 Kings 10:9 Yehovah thy God is blessed Who delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel. Because Yehovah loved Israel forever, therefore He made thee king to do justice and righteousness.

This refers to King Solomon.

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to Yehovah, but a righteous weight is His delight.

Yehovah delights in right weights and measures!

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to Yehovah, but doers of faith are His delight.

Folks who do faith (not just claim it) are His delight. The faith must not be in falsehood (like idols).

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yehovah, but the prayer of straight-ones is His delight.

The prayer of folks who are straight (not crooked) who pray (in a group, since prayer is singular and straight-ones is plural) is Yehovah’s delight.

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant whom I uphold—mine elect, my soul delights! I have put my spirit upon him! He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Is this referring to Messiah Yeshua, or to Israel?

Isaiah 62:4 Thou [Jerusalem/Mount Zion] shalt no more be termed Forsaken, and thy land shall not any more be termed Desolate. But thou shalt be called My-Delight-In-Her [Hephzibah], and thy land Married [Beulah]. For Yehovah delights in thee, and thy land shall be married!

Jeremiah 9:24 “But him who glories shall glory in this: that he understands and knows me, that I am Yehovah Who exercises Grace, justice and righteousness in the land! For I delight in these things!” saith Yehovah.

Anyone who therefore does Biblically defined and described Grace, justice and righteousness will be a delight to Yehovah. Most folks have no idea what all these things are, nor even how to define or describe them!

Is God crazy about you? Does He even know you?

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, “Lord! Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and have cast out devils in Thy name, and done many wonderful works in Thy name?” ²³And then I will profess unto them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, ye that work iniquity!”

These folks did many miraculous things in Yeshua’s name! That doesn’t mean that Yeshua knew them, but rather that His name is very powerful!

What great miracles have you done? Even a dozen great miracles doesn’t mean that the Biblical God knows you!

One text describes how folks are sent to the Lake of Fire and Sulfur just for failing to help Messiah’s Brethren:

Matthew 25:41 Then He shall say also unto them on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴²For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food! I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink! ⁴³I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not!” ⁴⁴Then shall they also answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” ⁴⁵Then He shall answer them, saying, “Faith, I say unto you: inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me!” ⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment!

You probably don’t even know who these Brethren are, and you probably think this text refers to being kind to the poor. (The Brethren are the Israelis.)

Do you still think that God is crazy about you? If so, you’re crazy, and you will experience His ‘crazy’ fury (unless you believe Him literally).

May 15, 2009July 5, 2017

Who in Hell Does God Love?

A common teaching is that God loves everybody. I find it amazing how few folks stop and think about how unreasonable this is.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach about everlasting torturous judgment?

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God commanded the Israelis to annihilate all Canaanite folks?

Deuteronomy 20:16 But thou shalt save alive nothing that breathes from the cities of these peoples that Yehovah thy God gives thee for an inheritance, ¹⁷but thou shalt utterly destroy them—namely, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—as Yehovah thy God commanded thee.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God kills and destroys Israel’s enemies?

Psalms 143:12 Cut off my enemies from Thy Grace, and destroy all them who afflict my being! For I am thy servant.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God slew Judah’s firstborn son?

Genesis 38:7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yehovah. And Yehovah slew him.

If God loves everyone, why does the Bible teach that God hated Esau?

Romans 9:13 As it is written, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”

Some senseless folks will say, “God loves everyone, even folks who go to Hell, because it was their own choice to go there!” They have no understanding that the Lake of Fire and Sulfur is a judgment that God will institute! What kind of love will consign a person to such a place everlastingly? If this is ‘love’, do you want God to love you?

Some groups try denying that Hell is a real place. They claim that it is a state of mind, or it is right here on earth. Denial is the core of unbelief.

“Then whom does God love?”

The Queen of Sheba stated about King Solomon,

2 Chronicles 9:8 Blessed is Yehovah thy God Who delighted in thee to set thee on His throne to be king for Yehovah thy God. Because thy God loved Israel to establish them forever, therefore He made thee king over them to do justice and righteousness.

The Bible stated about the Israelis,

Deuteronomy 7:7 Yehovah did not set His love upon you or choose you, because ye were more in number than any people—for ye were the fewest of all people—⁸but Yehovah brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt because Yehovah loved you and because He would keep the oath that He swore unto your fathers.

“But what about Gentiles?”

Psalm 146:8 Yehovah loves the righteous.

Any Gentiles that the Bible considers righteous will have His love.

Does God hate or abhor anyone?

Psalms 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight! Thou hatest all workers of iniquity [folks who make themselves guilty before God by sinning]. ⁶Thou shalt destroy them who speak lying! Yehovah will abhor the bloody [folks who intentionally shed innocent blood] and deceitful man!

John 3:36 He who doesn’t believe the Son [the Biblical Jesus, distinct from the popular ‘Jesuses’ of many different religious forms] shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

“Well, I just can’t believe there is anyone that God doesn’t love.”

Anytime someone states, “I can’t believe…” and then follows it with something the Bible teaches, the person is directly declaring his own unbelief. I always believe that person’s testimony, and know that that person truly cannot believe.

Jesus taught the Jews and their friends who will be going to Mount Zion during the Tribulation,

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait [constricted and very tight] gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and there are many who go in there. ¹⁴Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and there are few who find it.

If only a few will find it of all who seek it, and if the majority never seek it, the number who will find it must be very small contrasted with the very large majority who go to destruction (the Lake of Fire and Sulfur).

Do you think the Biblical God loves you? You probably do. If you are normal, the Biblical record doesn’t really matter. You figure that you have not been as bad as some folks, and that God ‘grades on a curve.’

2 Thessalonians 2:11 God shall send them strong delusion for this cause so that they will believe a lie, ¹²so that they all will be damned who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

May 15, 2009July 5, 2017

Revivals and Halloween

The word revival means bringing back from death or from the dead. It assumes that someone or something has become dead.

Halloween is from ‘All Hallows Eve’, which is from ‘All Saints Day’. Since Catholicism teaches that folks must be dead before they can be considered saints, Halloween is the celebration of the dead.

Some denominations practice scheduled ‘revivals’, during which guest speakers come to give special messages designed to bring new commitment to the faith. Rarely do churches that schedule ‘revivals’ consider themselves or their congregants dead. Yet that is exactly what they are admitting. They schedule the revivals, hoping that ‘Providence’ will back them up.

A ‘dead church’ is a congregation, the majority of whose folks have no working faith, and are therefore not Godly. It is like visiting a funeral parlor in which a dead person’s passing is mourned: remembering the dead person and how he lived is the main occupation. All giving is in memorial rather than for new life and growth.

Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in trespasses and sins 2in which ye walked in time past according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.

Messiah Yeshua preached one sermon to a dead congregation:

1 Peter 3:18 For Messiah also hath suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit 19by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison 20who formerly were disobedient when the longsuffering of God once waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

This sermon took place in Sheol (Hades) in the heart of the earth.

The Bible speaks of revival:

Psalms 85:6 Wilt Thou not revive us again so that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?

‘Thy people’ refers to the people of Israel.

Hosea 6:1 “Come! And we shall return unto Yehovah! For He hath torn, and He will heal us! He hath smitten, and He will bind us up! 2After two days He will revive us! In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight! 3Then shall we know! We shall follow on to know Yehovah!”

This is also speaking of the Israelis in the future. They are guaranteed a revival at that time. Folks with a Biblical, living faith desire to see Israel come to life through faith in the God of the Bible.

What causes a group to become dead, in need of a revival? The Biblical writer Jacob (whose name was recorded as James) wrote,

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Faith that is not accompanied by works is a symptom of a dead faith and a dead congregation.

If the faith is in the wrong object, that faith will also eventually go dead.

If folks claiming to hold a faith do not truly hold it, that faith will go dead among them. Traditions related to that faith often continue much longer. This is the most common reason for a congregation going dead. Children who are ‘brought up’ to go to church, pray, do what is expected, and participate usually assume with their family that they hold that faith. They rarely do, instead holding to that tradition. When they are adults, they continue in the tradition, and speak as if they hold that faith. Many are fooled.

A ‘revival’ is supposed to bring an end to the deadness of a congregation by replacing it with life. Yet nearly all churches that have had revival speakers return to the same deadness they had before the failed attempt at resuscitation. Why?

If congregations were mostly made of Saints, they would be living and not dead, and would never need a revival. Saints have a faith that works, not a dead faith. They love life; they don’t celebrate deadness, but abhor it.

Congregational leaders are normally as alive or dead as their congregations. They are often responsible for the state of their congregations (though some attempt to bring change). If a leader has a living faith, he will call his followers to that faith and will individually help them understand and pursue that faith if they desire life. If a leader is dead (though physically alive), he leads just like the ‘saints’ (ghosts) lead their imitators on Halloween: it is only a ‘dress-up’ occasion.

Some Church leaders are very well educated. Some understand philosophies, and others are able to rally their members to vain pursuits of numbers, deceiving their members into thinking they are doing a great work for the kingdom of God (when they are only helping the church’s budget improve and are enhancing their leaders’ vain reputations). The Bible warns,

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world [manmade religious rules], and not after Christ.

Such leaders are very active, but are just as dead as they can be. They “are like unto whited sepulchers that indeed appear outwardly beautiful, but are full of dead men’s bones within, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).

Messiah’s Disciples never needed a revival. The Spirit of Yehovah was sufficient. Revivals are for the dead.

Next time you see a sign indicating that a revival meeting will take place at a church, remember what the congregation is admitting. That church might find greater profit if it has a Halloween celebration before the speaker comes.

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren [referring to the Israelis].

May 15, 2009August 22, 2016

Biblical Partying

Everyone who is churched knows that most partying is wrong, especially partying with liquor. Some folks who claim to be part of many denominations of Christianity ignore this, and have a good time. Other folks refuse to attend parties with liquor unless they are attending weddings. (Few will give up a chance to attend a wedding!)

Some denominations condemn dancing, considering it lewd (though some of these denominations promote dancing in their isles on Sunday), other denominations prohibit their members from using alcohol (except perhaps as part of a medicine’s formulation). The term partying normally describes a ‘get-together’ in which dancing and loud music are central and alcohol is consumed.

Many denominations of Christianity consider the Law of Moses very restrictive and impossible to keep, claiming that Christ came to ‘do away with’ it and to bring in a new way that was not ‘legalistic’. The following is a quote from the Law:

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe [remove a tenth] all the increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year. ²³And thou shalt eat the tithe of thy grain, of thy wine and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks before Yehovah thy God in the place that He shall choose to place His name there so that thou wilt learn to fear Yehovah thy God always. ²⁴And if the way be too long for thee so that thou art not able to carry it, or if the place that Yehovah thy God shall choose to set His name there be too far from thee, when Yehovah thy God hath blessed thee, ²⁵then shalt thou turn it into money and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place that Yehovah thy God shall choose. ²⁶And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusts after—for oxen or for sheep or for wine or for strong drink or for whatsoever thy soul desires! And thou shalt eat there before Yehovah thy God! And thou shalt rejoice—thou and thine household ²⁷and the Levite who is within thy gates—thou shalt not forsake him. For he has no part or inheritance with thee. ²⁸At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates. ²⁹And the Levite (because he has no part or inheritance with thee) and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are within thy gates shall come and shall eat and be satisfied so that Yehovah thy God will bless thee in all the work of thine hand that thou doest.

The Biblical God mandated this party (that included liquor) to teach Israel to fear Yehovah; it was required for Yehovah to bless Israel in all the work of Israel’s hand.

“But aren’t Christians now commanded to tithe at least 10% of their income for the support of God’s work?”

The only Biblical form of tithing is food. The only time money was involved was to make transportation easy. Food items were sold and turned to money; when the tithers reached the place where Yehovah put His Name, the tithers then used every bit of the money to purchase food and drink items for the party.

Certain guests had to be invited, including the Levites (who served ministerially among the Jews), sojourners (folks traveling through Israel who were temporarily staying in Israel), orphans and widows. These guests were staying on the tither’s land.

“Well, now we are supposed to give of our income to promote God’s kingdom!”

Giving money has nothing to do with Biblical tithing. Biblical tithing never promoted any kingdom. The Biblical God needs no promotional help. He will set up His kingdom when He is ready.

“What would happen if all the churches believed the way you did? They would all have to close!”

I would respond by asking, “What would happen if all the churches taught what the Bible said just as it is written?” Many would close, because a lot of folks just don’t like Jews. They wouldn’t want to hear sermon after sermon declaring how the Biblical God has made Israel irrevocably central to His plan, how He will provide salvation to Israel from Gentile enemies and sin, and how He will provide some Gentiles with salvation through the Jews.

John 4:22 Salvation is of the Jews.

Most seminaries would have to close, because even ones that are ‘pro-Israel’ would have to stop teaching that the ‘Church’ has replaced Israel either permanently or for the time being, and they would quit using all their commentaries, including ones that claim to take the texts literally (discovering that taking texts literally is one ‘crime’ of which they are not guilty.)

Tell me, Dear Reader, is the ‘Tithing’ text of Deuteronomy 14 cited above so hard to understand? Would it require a ‘rocket scientist’ to unravel the mysteries of this text? Or did you understand the basics of the text, finding it pretty easily understood? If you understood it without much difficulty, tell me, why don’t commentaries that are thick and well worded, that cost $95 and are written by folks with enough degrees to start their own university, expose this one simple text the way it is written?

“Are you saying that this ‘Biblical Party’ is to be a wild drinking party?”

The Law gives no license for sin. All who participate in this party are commanded to live righteously. This party teaches the fear of Yehovah. Stating that this party would promote sin would be accusing Yehovah the God of Israel of promoting sin in a commandment, which would be an act of blasphemy against this God. Traditions that view alcohol as inherently evil because some folks become drunkards and certain races are genetically unable to properly handle a small amount of alcohol disagree with the Biblical record. No tradition should ever mandate any individual to drink alcohol; some cannot take it, and others have made themselves alcoholics. Claiming that alcohol is an evil, however, when the Bible shows that it can be a benefit, is like claiming that a plant that God created for man’s benefit is truly an evil creation just because some folks are allergic to it or misuse it.

So, when will you plan your next tithing party? The Israelis must wait for the reestablishment of the Levitical Priests in a rebuilt Temple.