"The Word of God Live by It"

** Reprinted From The Trumpet, June 2000

The languages of the Bible are Chaldee, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Koine Greek. Koine Greek became the language of the Mediterranean world, including the Jews, after Alexander the Great conquered the World. Koine Greek means "common" Greek. The Koine Greek was the most common language throughout the Mediterranean world. This form of Greek is among the most descriptive and precise language ever spoken. God used Koine Greek as the original language of the New Testament. It is very difficult to miss the meaning of Koine Greek Grammar because of the many exact rules of this great language.

Language is structured by the rules of grammar. The alphabet structures words that can be defined by meaning and spoken by a system of phonics and diction. When a language is written and structured it will be consistent and lasting. Among cultures where their language is not written and structured, it will constantly shift in phonics, and definitions of words will always be changing. The Bible consists of sixty-six different books, composed by many different writers, in several different languages, and under different circumstances over a broad period of time. These were writers of almost every social rank, statesmen, peasants, kings, herdsmen, fishermen, priests, tax-gatherers, and a tentmaker. They were educated and uneducated Jews. Most writers of scripture were unknown to each other, and wrote at various periods during the space of about 2400 years. Yet, the Bible is One Book, dealing with one subject. The one subject of the Bible is the redemption of man, in the mercy, and grace of God, and mans responsibility to the Holy God.

There are defining passages in the Bible as to its purpose. John 20:31 - John 6:63 - John 8:32 - John 14:6 - John 17:17 - 2 Tim 3:16 - 17 Psalms 119 contains many experiential prayers, praises, and professions of obedience. This Psalm is an alphabetical Psalm. It is composed in twenty-two parts, answering to the number of letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Every part is divided into eight verses. Each verse begins with that letter which forms the title of the part. That is, the first part of eight verses with "A" [Aleph,], the second with "B" [Bˆyth,] etc. It is an elegant, important, and useful composition, dealing with the subject of the Word of God in it's many titles, their relationship to us and our relationship to them. The chief subjects of which are, the excellence of God's Word, and the happiness in those who observe them by obedience.

Psalm 119: 1 - 8:

ALEPH. 1 Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. ("Law" Defined: Laws are enacted by our Sovereign. The Law is Sovereign Authority, an absolute.)

2 Blessed [are] they that keep his testimonies, [and that] seek him with the whole heart. ("Testimonies", denotes witness words in experience)

3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. ("Way", denotes direction, and manner.)

4 Thou hast commanded [us] to keep thy precepts diligently. ("Precepts", words that are prescribed truths; as a prescription from a physician.)

5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! ("Statutes", are publicly displayed words and laws which are binding.)

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. ("Judgments", denotes final words of Truth or actions.)

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. ("Truth", denotes an absolute ; it is eternal truth, it shall endure for ever.) ("Righteousness", it is the rule and standard of what is right)

These are ten titles by which Divine Revelation is called in this Psalm. Each term expresses the definition, and light of what God expects from us, and what we may have in Him. Psalms 119 may be considered as the statement of a believer's experience. The pardoning mercy of God in Christ is the only source for a sinner's happiness. They are most happy who depend on, believe in, and obey God's Testimonies. If the heart is divided between Him and the world, it is unstable, unbelieving, and evil. But the "believer" carefully avoid all sin by the direction of the scriptures through the Holy Ghost.

Believers (the Saved, or Born Again) are conscious of much evil that they face in their daily lives as they live for God.. They do not take of that wickedness which draws them out of those paths of repentance that they have begun with God through Christ Jesus. The devil would make men think they are at liberty to follow the word of God or not: as they please, but Satan is a liar who has beguiled them. The desire and prayer of a saved agrees with the will and command of God. If a child of God falls through temptation, he is aware and miserable in that sinful place of broken fellowship. If a man expects by obedience in one thing to purchase pardon for disobedience in others, this is unbelief. Such a philosophy is works, and not faith in God's Grace, and Word. If he is not a repentant believer in this world, everlasting shame in the lake of fire will be his portion in eternity. The Psalmist coveted to learn the laws of God, God's Word, to give God His Glory.

I cannot forget the words of one of my professors in college, Dr. E. F. Rabine, "Men, sin will keep you from this Book, and this Book will keep you from sin." The Holy Ghost and the Bible will keep the child of God in an obedient path of service. The Bible alone will not do the job. The Bible must be in the hands of the Holy Ghost, who is the Teacher and Guide of The Word of God to the believer.

Dr. Ronald D. Lesley / lesley@fbinstitute.com
Morning Star Baptist Church, Shelby NC

The Christmas Wreath

"A Christmas wreath can be a pagan symbol of false religion, or a symbol of the eternity of God, he who is without beginning or end. The colors of Christmas are symbols of the blood (red) of Christ that washes away sin and grants eternal life (green) to those who believe.... Symbols can be used to glorify God or to further false religion. The key is relating all areas of life to the Lordship of Christ." --Rev. Brian M. Abshire
[ The Federalist ]

THE POSITIVE BIBLE

Friday News Notes, December 22, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -

The false philosophy of a positive-only Christianity has so permeated the thinking of people that we now have "The Positive Bible." Compiled by Kenneth Caine, it was published in 1998 by Avon Books of New York. I would estimate that The Positive Bible omits roughly 75% of the Scriptures. Yet in the introduction, the author claims to include "every empowering, uplifting, helpful, hopeful, inspiring, and faith-building verse, from Genesis to Revelation." This implies, of course, that the rest of the Bible is not those things. What audacity! Who is man to imply that God's Holy Word is not empowering, uplifting, and inspiring THROUGHOUT! It is just such a positive-only philosophy which lies at the very heart of New Evangelicalism. The fact is that the truth is not entirely "positive." The bad news prepares the way for the good news. God is both holy and loving. Though there are many "negative" things in the Scriptures, man needs every word of it. "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4).

Christians Killed For Refusing Islam

CHRISTIANS in the Maluku islands have been forced to convert to Islam, with nine people killed for refusing, the provincial governor has confirmed.

Saleh Latuconsina said the Islamisation took place on two islands, Kesui and Teor.

Mr Saleh, who is the Governor of Maluku, made the statement after meeting with members of a joint team assigned to investigate a clash on Kesui island.

The joint team found evidence indicating the islanders had been forced to convert religion, he said.

Earlier this month, Sammy Waileruni, a lawyer with the Maranatha Christian centre in Ambon, said refugee reports indicated Muslims on Kesui - backed by the militant Jihad (Holy War) Force Islamic group - had slaughtered 93 Christians since late November for refusing to convert to Islam.

But Mr Saleh said "only nine people" were killed during the forced conversions on Kesui.

Latest church parish statistics put the total number of Catholics on Kesui and Teor islands at 1900.

The British-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide said last month Muslim militant forces, many from outside the Malukus, had threatened that "there will be no church bells ringing in Ambon by Christmas".

Mr Saleh said the joint investigation team had evacuated 172 residents from Kesui and Teor.

"Sixty-three were from Kesui island and 109 from the island of Teor. There are still some 800 people who need to be transported off the islands, 700 of whom are Kesui islanders," the Jakarta Post quoted the Governor as saying in Ambon, the province capital.

Sectarian violence in the Malukus, formerly known as the Spice Islands, has killed more than 5000 people in the past two years.

Allegedly sparked by a dispute between a Christian public transport driver and a Muslim in Ambon city in January 1999, fighting between Muslims and Christians quickly spread through the islands.

Analysts have blamed the conflict partly on the influx of migrants from other regions in Indonesia, mostly Muslims, and the alleged sidelining of Christians in the provincial government and civil service.

In June, after some half a million refugees had fled the islands, Jakarta imposed a state of civil emergency in the Malukus and the North Malukus but it has so far failed to rein in the violence.

Both sides have accused the security forces of taking part in the fighting. Indonesia has seen an upsurge of unrest and lawlessness since the end of the iron-fisted rule of former president Suharto in May 1998.
[ AFP ]

BAPTIST GROUP SAYS ECUMENISM MORE IMPORTANT THAN DOCTRINE

Friday News Notes, December 22, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -

The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) held its Annual General Council in Havana, Cuba, last July, and its leaders boldly stated that evangelism is more important than doctrine and faithfulness to the truth. Outgoing BWA President Nilson Fanini stated in an interview that "theology sometimes divides us, but evangelism and missions bring us all together." Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee president Morris H. Chapman stated that missions and evangelism are priorities even for Baptists who differ on such issues as female pastors. "Some theological differences should not prevent us from ministering to a lost world," Morris stated. As a member of the Baptist World Alliance, the Southern Baptist Convention is ecumenical yoked together with modernistic denominations such as the American Baptist Churches USA and the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

KJV-- Romans 16:17, 18 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

Titus 1:9-11 "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."

Titus 1:16, 2:1 "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" --KJV

CHINA DESTROYING CHURCHES

Friday News Notes, December 22, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -

More than 1,000 temples, churches, and ancestral halls in Zhejiang province in China have been shut down since November, and more than 400 buildings have been demolished. State-run newspapers published photos of workers destroying "illegal religious centers." Though China claims that it allows religious liberty, it is a sham. In reality, it allows only state-controlled religion. To be legal, churches in China must be registered with the government and must submit themselves to the draconian and unscriptural regulations. They cannot evangelize; cannot operate Sunday schools; cannot affiliate with foreigners; and the government must approve their preaching. Communism has always been an enemy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Doc - For methodology used to destroy Christian church buildings and arrest house-church leaders, the Chinese have taken a lesson from anti-church bureaucrats in the US. The "legal" grounds for most of the recent persecution is "zoning violations". -Doc

DOBSON AND COLSON VISIT THE POPE

Friday News Notes, December 22, 2000 (David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) -

James Dobson and Chuck Colson participated in a conference at the Vatican in late November, and shook hands with the Pope. Dobson said that "with regard to moral issues from abortion to premarital sex, safe-sex ideology, and homosexuality, I find more in common with Catholics than with some of my evangelical brothers and sisters." Dobson spoke at the Pontifical Council for the Family, which was founded by Pope John Paul II in 1981. Of his fellowship at the Vatican, Dobson said: "I felt very comfortable with my new Catholic friends. It was hard for me to leave" (Rocky Mountain News, Dec. 17, 2000).

The Bible demands separation from false teachers (Rom. 16:17, etc.), and it is never right to disobey the Bible in order to do good. Further, God's curse is upon those who preach a false gospel (Galatians 1), and it is foolish to think that God's blessing can come from yoking together with those He has cursed.

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