Jg 2:22 "so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not."
God already knows omnisciently in eternity past what will be our choices here in time. But He wants to know experientially whether we would obey or disobey Him. He wants our choices to be demonstrated.
Why? Because God is a God of relationship. He truly relates with us. And relationships must involve having actual experiences together and dealings with each other.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Why Did Paul Disapprove The Possessed Slave Girl In Acts 16:16-18?
Ac 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.
Paul would not accept endorsement from demons even though they spoke the truth about Paul and company. In the end, it would be detrimental to their ministry. People might think that they were in the same company, in league, with each other, undermining their credibility as a result.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.
Paul would not accept endorsement from demons even though they spoke the truth about Paul and company. In the end, it would be detrimental to their ministry. People might think that they were in the same company, in league, with each other, undermining their credibility as a result.
Friday, September 8, 2017
Some Say That The Bible Was Not Given To Inform Us But To Transform Us, Is This True?
I am aware of the fact that many are saying that the Bible was not given to inform us but to transform us.
This is false. The Bible was given both to inform us and then transform us. The fact that the Bible was written as a REVELATION from God connotes information. When you reveal something you are, by that very fact, informing.
Our problem is that we don't know God and how to use the life that He has given. And so, we need information from Him. We have absorbed so much falsehood and lies from Satan and the world so we need our minds to be renewed by God's truth.
What we think is most probably what we will believe. And what we believe will most probably be the determiner of our behavior.
Ho 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you...
Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...
This is false. The Bible was given both to inform us and then transform us. The fact that the Bible was written as a REVELATION from God connotes information. When you reveal something you are, by that very fact, informing.
Our problem is that we don't know God and how to use the life that He has given. And so, we need information from Him. We have absorbed so much falsehood and lies from Satan and the world so we need our minds to be renewed by God's truth.
What we think is most probably what we will believe. And what we believe will most probably be the determiner of our behavior.
Ho 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you...
Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...
Friday, July 7, 2017
What Does It Mean To "See The Kingdom of God" in John 3:3?
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
It means to participate in the kingdom and experience it. It's talking about experiential knowledge.
Notice how the Lord shifted from knowing God and seeing God:
Joh 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Joh 14:8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
Joh 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
If Philip experienced the Lord Jesus Christ by being His disciple all this time then he has seen or known the Father in Christ Jesus. He experienced God in Christ.
And so, seeing the kingdom of God is participating and experiencing the kingdom. No one can enter and therefore experience the kingdom of God if one is not born again.
It means to participate in the kingdom and experience it. It's talking about experiential knowledge.
Notice how the Lord shifted from knowing God and seeing God:
Joh 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Joh 14:8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
Joh 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
If Philip experienced the Lord Jesus Christ by being His disciple all this time then he has seen or known the Father in Christ Jesus. He experienced God in Christ.
And so, seeing the kingdom of God is participating and experiencing the kingdom. No one can enter and therefore experience the kingdom of God if one is not born again.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Why Did The Lord Jesus Call Wealth As Unrighteous In Luke 16:11?
Lu 16:11 "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Answer:
Wealth or mammon in itself is not sinful. It is amoral. It is neither good nor bad in itself. It can used for good and it can be used for bad purposes.
In this verse, the Lord Jesus described wealth (or mammon) as unrighteous in connection with true riches. You see, the mammon of this world has a characteristic way of distracting man from acquiring true riches. In this sense, it is unrighteous.
It is not unrighteous as far as its morality is concerned. It is only called unrighteous when considered on its effect on man, generally speaking.
Answer:
Wealth or mammon in itself is not sinful. It is amoral. It is neither good nor bad in itself. It can used for good and it can be used for bad purposes.
In this verse, the Lord Jesus described wealth (or mammon) as unrighteous in connection with true riches. You see, the mammon of this world has a characteristic way of distracting man from acquiring true riches. In this sense, it is unrighteous.
It is not unrighteous as far as its morality is concerned. It is only called unrighteous when considered on its effect on man, generally speaking.
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