Theology School

The issue of subconscious racism in church leadership selection is a challenging one that requires careful examination and introspection. By considering the possibility of subconscious bias in their own church's leadership selection process and challenging cultural and societal beliefs that may be contributing to unconscious biases, individuals can work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse church community. #brendonnaicker #culture #subconsciousracism #racism #bias #racisminchurch #prejudices #inclusion #theologyschool #cultureraces

Culture is a powerful force that shapes the beliefs, values, and behaviours of individuals and societies.
While some aspects of culture can be positive and beneficial, others can be detrimental and damaging, particularly to the church. We will explore how culture negatively affects the church, using biblical examples of Jonah, Sodom, the woman at the well and Daniel. #culture #religion #brendonnaicker

I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world? Whether you can consent to see her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of perishing immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?

In recent years, the interest in the spirit world has increased. The increase of spiritualism; New Age movements; eastern meditation and yoga practices are considered fashionable in society and is even publicised by prominent celebrities. Some perceive Christianity as being old fashioned and not exciting. Hence, Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare (SLSW) is the latest invention for bringing that which is of a spiritual dimension to animation for the Church. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #SLSW #spiritualwarefare #demons #darkness

The Bible describes the new birth as God's creation of us as new creatures because it results in such a profound transformation that it gives us a new nature and a brand-new identity. An early intentional parallel is drawn to God's creative act of making the world and humanity. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works he has foreordained for us to do (Eph. 2:10). #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #salvation #sanctification #church #gospel

Sanctification is a necessary work of God, it is also a necessary work of our salvation. The elect, redeemed sinner must be sanctified in order to be saved. Without this work, one is not saved, and an unholy sinner cannot consider himself saved. Scripture teaches that sanctification is required for salvation. #sanctification #church #theologyschool #brendonnaicker

Jesus Christ prayed 2,000 years ago, on the day before His crucifixion for us, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Christ's prayer on that historic night, as well as His ongoing intercession for His church Jesus Christ suffered the cross for our sanctification: "And for their sakes I sanctify myself [by the death of the cross], that they also may be sanctified through the truth" (John 17:19). Throughout His prayer in John 17, Jesus was concerned with the holiness of those whom the Father had given Him and for whom He was about to give His life: "keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me" (v. 11); "keep them from evil" (v. 15); "sanctify them" (v. 17); and then verse 19, which I previously quoted. Clearly, the main purpose of Jesus' death, and thus of God's death, was our sanctification, that is, that we might be holy.
#sanctification #theologyschool #brendonnaicker

What it means to be "born-again" is one of the most misunderstood teachings of the modern era. Most modern Christians have been taught that a sinner becomes born-again when he repents of his sin and places his faith in God.
This was the position of the Arminian party, which was opposed. It was questioned how could a dead man have faith. The modern church teaches that in order to be born-again, you must have faith. This contradicts what Jesus stated in John 3. In fact, in response to the question, "How can a man be born-again?" Jesus never said, "Repent and believe." He compared it to the wind, not knowing where it is going or coming from. For new birth is something you can't plan for or predict; it just happens and you have to deal with it. One of the difficulties that evangelists face is seeing people as sick rather than dead. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #salvation #freewill

“Jesus is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Jesus’ death was sufficient for all sins, not just the sins of those who specifically come to Him in faith. The fact that Christ’s death was sufficient for all sin would also allow the “possibility” of God’s applying that payment to those who were never capable of believing. #Theologyschool #brendonnaicker #lossofachild #salvation #griefandloss #heaven

By using phrases like "accept Christ," we hope to reach people who have a limited understanding of the Bible and still want to hear the truth. A word does not need to be part of the biblical vocabulary if it is theologically correct and helps in comprehension.

Salvation in the Old Testament
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. #brendonnaicker #salvation #jesuschrist #gospel #theologyschool

Justification is forensic, which means that it is legal. We are declared just in God's courtroom because Jesus lived an obedient life and paid the penalty for our sins. We receive this justification by faith alone, because there are no good deeds we can do to earn it. Because justification is wholly by faith, apart from any good works of ours, we are simultaneously just and yet sinners. Sinfulness still resides in us, yet we are cleared in God's courtroom. #theologyschool

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? #brendonnaicker

Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
The futility of action without the Lord is explained in both lines, but the message is strengthened when viewed together as a whole.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Dealing with issues affecting African preachers.

YE SHALL NOT ONLY HEAL THE SICK, BUT IN MY NAME SHALL YE CAST OUT DEVILS. YE SHALL SEE MIGHTY MIRACLES AS IN MY NAME YE PREACH THE WORD, FOR BEHOLD, I GIVE YOU POWER OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY.

This question of whether a person can lose his salvation is not an abstract question. It touches us at the very core of our Christian lives, not only with regard to our concerns for our own perseverance, but also with regard to our concern for our family and friends, particularly those who seemed, for all outward appearances, to have made a genuine profession of faith.
#theologyschool #bible #brendonnaicker #salvation

Simply stated: in the Fall, man just didn’t become spiritually sick — he died. As a result, he is completely unable to do any ultimate good in the eyes of God, including believing the gospel. Since the fall of Adam every person is conceived and born a slave, spiritually dead in their sin. Though we still have a will and are free to choose what we want to choose, we are not able to choose what is contrary to our nature. In the end, the will of fallen man can only embrace sin and face its ultimate wages: death.

If Jesus had only introduced a motivational and positive elements into His preaching, He would have been more popular. We do not hear Him say, ‘Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a fun and enjoyable event for the people. Tell them they will be sure to love it. Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow! #Theologyschool #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #itsallaboutyou #reachingthelost

Preachers should recognise the importance of exegesis, of carefully studying a text of Scripture in order to interpret its true meaning. For the preacher is to present himself "approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Every preacher worth his salt should say "Amen" to that. #theology #theologyschool #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #preaching #exegesis #pastor #Biblestudy

Let us have confidence in the power of the Word, hence, sow the seed as richly and abundantly as we are able. But let us remember that, “God gives the increase” (1 Cor.3:7). Let us not become so frustrated (because we are not getting sensational results) that we resort to cheap techniques which do nothing but detract from the pristine beauty of the gospel message.
#theologyschool #londoncitychurch #christianity #christianmedia #christianmusic #power

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your #spiritualworship. #worshipmusic #christianmusic #easternmysticism #theologyschool

God Can Lead You! -Book of Judges
A nation had an opportunity to be led directly by God and missed it. #theologyschool #judges #monarchy #devotion #relationshipwithGod #opportunity

God has called each of us to enter into His promise, receive an inheritance as co-heirs with His Son, and help shape His Kingdom by working for Him and allowing Him to work through us. #Joshua #bestrong #havefaith #theologyschool #bookofJoshua

The purpose of the #Incarnation is the #redemption of the human race. Jesus was born to die and in dying to bear the awful weight and punishment of the sins of all mankind

The book of Deuteronomy opens by depicting the forty years into a journey that could have taken only a few short weeks, with the children of the rebellious generation still east of the Jordan River, outside the land of Canaan. Moses recounts the history of the journey from Mount Sinai, reminding the people of the faithlessness and complaining that has kept them from fulfillment for so long. #theologyschool #deuteronomy #rebellion #journey #lifeinthewilderness #godislove

“No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.” Did you hear of such mumbo jumbo?
#theologyschool #creed #doctrine

We are all somewhere in-between the promise of God and its fulfilment. The journey is not always an easy one to which we at times experience hardship and a loss of focus. #brendonnaicker #Joburgchurch #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #journey #hardships #pains #lossoffocus

#brendonnaicker #salvation #JesusChrist

God of #compassion and #mercy
God’s love extends to thousands of generations, while His punishment extends to only three or four. When reading Exodus, many people only see a God who requires obedience and prescribes painfully obscure rituals. This view misses the heart of God completely. #Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #exodus

…and to you pastors who are paying these organisers have to pay people to listen to you then you are a bigger fool as in Galatians 3, for supplying this demand for peddling the Gospel in the name of Christ. You organiser, you think people in your community don’t know how you are surviving which is not by faith but by your tourist marketing package you are offering. #pastors #indiaevents #christianity #pastors #indiaevents #christianity #evangelism #missions #theologyschool #Londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #sellingChrist

God is pleased when we seek personal encounters with Him rather than simply offering Him right behaviour. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #relationshipwithGod #religious #conformity

Life with God often involves contradictions. We live long stretches of time between promise and fulfillment, and what we choose to believe about God during those times shapes our experience with Him. #Brendonnaicker #theologyschool

When life gets tough, we need to remember that pain and hardship can be explained by the debacle in Eden. But the story doesn’t end there, though many people act as if it does. We have to wrestle with the serpent’s question every day: Is God really good? We don’t deal with temptations about eating from the wrong tree, at least not literally. But the temptation to doubt God replays again and again in our daily lives. We ask God whether He is holding out on us or not, whether He’s looking out for us or we’re left to look out for ourselves. #Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch

God shapes our story for His purposes. We don’t know how He does that, but it’s extremely comforting because we all, to some degree, have dysfunctional families. If God can speak into the chaos of the patriarchal family through their enormous dysfunction—we read of rape and retribution and hostile rivalries— and by bringing meaningful design, just as He spoke into the chaos of Genesis and brought forth a world teeming with life and beauty, He can speak into our lives with the same purpose and the same result. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch #dysfunctionalfamily

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”—is a foundational issue for all people of faith. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil has given us heavy doses of independence; that’s always a by-product of having confidence in our own knowledge. Carried away as wanderers and estranged from God, we subject ourselves to His opposition, not because He opposes us, but because He opposes the direction we have taken. #londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #theologyschurch -#joburgchurch

Opens with the account of the origin and meaning of human life. Then, shows how humanity willfully sinned, Genesis sets out the Lord’s plan for the reconciliation and salvation of fallen humanity. Under this plan, God would gradually reveal himself and, through a chosen people, progressively prepare mankind for Christ, His Gospel, and the Church, which are prefigured in this history. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

We often struggle to believe God is good when we are suffering. We only know how to look at our own circumstances and determine that something must have gone away either with God’s plan or with his promises. Reading the Genesis narrative reminds us that God keeps all of his promises to us, even though we may walk some through some rocky ground before we get there. #londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #theologyschool

Very little is known about Melchizedek other than the fact he was the priest-king of Salem (Jerusalem). Some have claimed that he was a theophany, others believe, a literal human being, an angel, or the pre-incarnate Christ and in rabbinical literature said to be from the lineage of Shem.
#brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch #melchizedek

The Bible portrays Jesus Christ as both God and man. Jesus Christ was different to man as in that He had a supernatural conception as affirmed in Luke 1:35. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He was the sinless Son of God. Jesus assumed an impersonal human nature. His personality was His divine and eternal personality, His two natures being united in one undivided and indivisible person. The human nature was received into the person of the logos. #godman #brendonnaicker #Theologyschool #joburgchurch #Londoncitychurch

It is only Jesus Christ who is sinless and was manifested to take away sins. Therefore “Jesus knew no sin” - He did no sin, and in Him there was no sin. #brendonnaicker #Theologyschool #sinlessness #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch

The Jews were so close to God yet so far from knowing Him, they worshipped the right God but sadly in their minds and hearts they were devoted to another. Many today are in similar predicaments, some have all Word and claim to know God but knowledge can’t replace relationship. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch

Jesus did not raise himself from the dead but the Scriptures are clear it was the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus because the aim of this testimony is to get over to us the fact that the Father has accepted the work of the Son. #Brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

Jesus’ make up would be that He is not God in dwelling, nor man raised to the power of deity but the God-man. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Christ is not two but one, that not by conversion of the God-head into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God.
#Brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

The stone was not removed to let Jesus Christ out of the tomb, but it was to let others in to see into the tomb that He had been raised. The apostle John in seeing the clothes and believing came to a spiritual perception to Him that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead.
#Brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #theologyschool

The doctrine of election is humanly speaking, an offence to the natural human tendency to believe that we play a part in our own salvation. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch #salvation

It’s only Jesus who says to His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. The biggest difference is that Christ is still alive and He embodies His teachings. All the other founders of religions do not require a relationship with its leaders however this is not the case with Jesus Christ.
#brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

The term flesh in “He became flesh” is referring to human nature. The immutability of the Son as well as His deity are not compromised by this term, for the being of the Word does not have a new existence. However He does, with the assumption of a human nature in addition to His divine nature, thus entering into a new form of existence. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #theologyschool

Scripture affirms that we do not worship that which is not the LORD God. We also witness instances when men are requested not to bow down to angels. However we see that Jesus received and accepted the worship of people. It would be inconceivable that Jesus should accept such worship if He were not in reality worthy of it. #londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #theologyschool

The forgiveness of sins is the prerogative of God and God alone. We see through the Scriptures that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins which rested in His own person because He is God. #Brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #theologyschool

Words spoken by Jesus Christ set Him apart as the supreme and unique revealer of truth for no one else spoke like He did. The greatest of the Prophets of the Old Testament would usually begin a prophecy by stating, “Thus sayeth the Lord” but Jesus Christ characteristically prefaced His with, “Verily I say unto you.” The use of verily shows a finality and authority in His message. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool #joburgchurch

Therefore the witnesses of Jesus Christ’s works of the supernatural were indeed out of this World. Hence in John 15:24, “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.” #londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #joburgchurch

Jesus was also saying I am something for these “I Am’s” that being; the Bread of Life; the Good Shepherd; the Resurrection and the Life; the Way, the Truth and the Life; and the True Vine through whom life flows – how could anyone be such things without being the ultimate giver and sustainer of life? In other words, how could Jesus be such things without being God Himself? He made this known about Himself by combining the “I Am” Name with abilities only God has. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch
#theologyschool

Christ made it clear that dead people cannot choose anything, that the flesh profits nothing and that a person must be born of the Spirit BEFORE he can even see the kingdom of God, let alone enter it.

Jesus Christ is the revealer of God in John 1:18, it states that, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father s side, he has made him known.” Jesus is the Messiah, He is the knowledge of God manifested to mankind, He is the only unique Son, eternally resting upon the side of the Father, in communion.
#Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch

Titus 2:13-14 states, “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” There is no mincing of words here for it is clearly written that our Saviour Jesus Christ is God. So in “waiting for that blessed hope” - is “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”
#Londoncitychurch #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #joburgchurch

Philippians 2:6 states, “(Jesus,) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” The theological term referring to the union of the two natures in one person as the “hypostatic union”. Thereby the Apostle Paul notes that Jesus was in the form of God - this term, form - in the Greek original, refers to the unchangeable essential nature of a thing. #Brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool

The Apostle John affirming the deity of Jesus Christ in John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known”. Thus showing oneness of essence between Father and Son. In addition, Apostle John mentions in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”
#brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #theologyschool

People are still answering the question by conveniently “packaging” the Messiah so to conceal their true heart’s condition - trying to bind-up the revelation of the Messiah just like those religious leaders of Jesus’ day. For to acknowledge the Messiah as Jesus - would result in revealing who they are! As in the words of Jesus stated in Matthew 23:33, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” It is for this very reason that Jesus Christ is so humanised in our culture presenting Him as a weak and mild person whose life and work could never seriously affect much less change the course of history. This type of Jesus Christ is preached in many a dead church thus it produces no life nor offence - people like it because they can still be in control of their lives.

#Londoncitychurch
#brendonnaicker
#theologyschool

Colossians 1:16 states, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him”; and in Hebrews 13:8 it mentions that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. Therefore, there are no impossibilities of time and space for what Jesus Christ was He is, and what He is, He was. In John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.

#Londoncitychurch
#theologyschool
#joburgchurch
#brendonnaicker

The loss of theological thinking in the pew, as well as in the pulpit, could best be explained, by the way in which:
#modernity refocuses our interest,
#displacing the moral by the therapeutic,
#divine by the human,
#truth by intuition, and #conviction by technique. As a result, we have not only *secular humanism in our society but also secular evangelicalism.*

So, you are in God’s work but lost, no feelings and you can’t feel your faith so what do you do? You have to depend on gimmicks and amusements to keep your “employers” (the church board) believing in you, for many of them are using you like Micah from the book of Judges – replacing the works of Christ as the mediator. What is needed is for Jesus to expose all the secrets of leadership’s hearts just as He exposed those who tried to condemn the adulterous – writing their sins on the dirt. #Pastor #leadership

Colossians 1:16 states, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him”. In addition in Hebrews 13:8 it mentions that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.

Looking at some of the churches today, it is an embarrassment to see that money and power have become the dominating factors. #Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #whowantstobeamillionaire #christian

The offence of the cross, is not just the fact that Jesus died on the cross, but that it cuts to the root of human merit in the matter of justification, whether in the form of legal observance, or holy dispositions, or good works. #Brendonnaicker #offenceCross #theologyschool #churchesunite #christcross

The fallen nature loves religion. The Gospel is the opposite of religion. Religion is man’s answer to God; Christ is God’s answer to man. The fallen nature of man tries to justify itself by performing good deeds to prove its worth. If we could reform ourselves by law or works, this would mean that Christ died in vain. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #gracevslaw #churchesunite #religion #gracegospel

So, are we without law? Absolutely not.
We are under the law of Christ, that royal law of the spirit of life. The Holy Spirit becomes our instructor in the Word and in our personal lives. How are we to be accepted by God, if not by obeying his commands? It is by the work of Christ that we are accepted, not by anything we do. This is the Gospel! #law #Brendonnaicker #churchesunite #theologyschool #graceofgod #work

Israel as a nation, was under the law. When God moved from law to grace, Israel resisted that move. They preferred the old program of rules and regulations from Moses. This demonstrates the danger of the law. It looks appealing, but those who embrace it are separated from the Spirit of grace. #lawandgrace #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite

So many people misunderstand which Covenant they live under and they become confused. They feel condemned because they do not live up to the perfect standard required by the law. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #law #grace #works #Christ

Biblical covenants form the unifying thread of God’s saving action through Scripture, beginning explicitly with Noah and reaching fulfillment in the new covenant ratified through the blood of Jesus Christ. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #covenants

The Covenant Theologians erroneously believed that all Israel’s promises were to be fulfilled in the Church today, and that the promises specifically given to Abraham. However, the Bible clearly distinguishes the nation of Israel from the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, the latter being composed of all who believe in Him—whether Jews or Gentiles. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #covenanttheology

He births us through belief in the truth. Surrender is impossible apart from divine intervention. God gets the glory not man. Ephesians 2:8
#Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #regeneration #bornagain

Regeneration is non-experiential. Although we notice when new-birth occurs, we do not experience it. You realise at one moment that you are dead, and the next moment that you are alive; but all you experience are the effects of it. You have joy and thanksgiving; you are enlightened; you begin to read and understand the Bible; you come to know God. But you cannot describe the experience of birth itself. No Christian is ever able to describe the precise experience of new-birth; they can only describe the effects, since it is non-experiential. Regeneration is a supernatural work, not a natural work; it is beyond human experience and beyond human explanation. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #regeneration #churchesunite #londoncitychurch

To be spiritually dead refers to separation from God; it does not mean to be physically dead. At this point, there is no fellowship between man and God. Therefore, we need life; and the doctrine of regeneration explains how we obtain life. You are spiritually dead until you become a believer in Jesus Christ, and there is no relationship between you and God. When you speak to certain people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you will find that they do not respond, for they are dead. They cannot respond to your words in a spiritual realm any more than a body in a grave can respond to words spoken in the natural realm. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #regeneration #londoncitychurch #spirituallydead

It is written in John 3:8, “…so is every one that is born of the spirit”. A person who is born-again, or regenerated, is one who is spiritually past-less; meaning that our past is wiped out and there is nothing but the future for us. #Brendonnaicker #regeneration #bornagain #theologyschool #churchesunite

The simple answer is “God brought me to Jesus Christ!” In other words, our salvation is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit from beginning to end.
#Brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #soteriology #theology

When you hear someone say, “I do believe in Jesus Christ but I believe in the freedom of the will” or “I believe in salvation by grace but I believe in the freedom of the will”, then you have the components of Semi-Pelagianism. This was thought to be heretical through the centuries, but it has come to exist in so many of our churches. Since we are not living in a day in which theology is preached and taught, it exists as a heresy within the bosom of professing Christian churches. #brendonnaicker #semipelagianism #theologyschool #churchesunite #theology

The gift of the Spirit is the permanent indwelling of the Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit are the sovereign abilities given to men. The graces of the Spirit are distinguishable from the gifts of the Spirit. The graces of the Holy Spirit are those virtues that are produced within our individual lives by the Holy Spirit. #brendonnaicker #HolySpirit #giftsoftheSpirit #theologyschool #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #churchesunite

The Holy Spirit is involved in the writings of the scriptures, involved in the creation, involved in the work of redemption, and specifically involved in our Lord’s life. He is involved in the work of regeneration; He is our teacher. Therefore, it is tremendously important that we understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
#brendonnaicker #salvation #HolySpirit #christianeducation #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #bristolchurch

Regeneration is the divine act of the cleansing of the elect and the communicating of the spiritual life through the Word and the Spirit. Regeneration is what takes place when you believe in Jesus Christ; you are regenerated, you are born-again, and you are given new life. You were sought out by the Holy Spirit, you were brought to Jesus Christ, you were led to trust and put your faith in Him, you believed in Him, and you were given new life, making you a new creature. That is regeneration. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #regeneration #londoncitychurch #Joburgchurch #bristolchurch

Therefore, in the case of Jesus Christ, His works were done in the power of the Spirit. He was born through the Spirit, He was baptised, and the Spirit came upon Him. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, He was led out of the Wilderness by the Spirit, He did His mighty works in the power of the Spirit, and He taught in the power of the Spirit. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #ChurchesUnite #theologyschool #HolySpirit

We see from these passages that the Holy Spirit is identified in the creation of the universe, and He is also identified in the creation of man. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #bristolchurch

Paul told Timothy that the Scriptures would make him perfect; they would bring him completeness so that he would be thoroughly furnished for every good work. This is the sufficiency of the Word of God. The thing to notice, particularly, is that Paul said all Scripture is inspired of God—this is the fact of divine inspiration. How is it that Scripture has come to be inspired by God? #Brendonnaicker #HolySpirit #joburgchurch #churchesunite #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch

In today’s churches, we witness believers maintaining their own views and understandings of the Holy Spirit. If we, Christians, do not understand that the Holy Spirit has come and that He lives in us then we have not realised the most fundamental thing about the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #HolySpirit #Joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch

Only when we look at ourselves, are we are able to come to know God fully and completely. Without the knowledge of God, there is no knowledge of ourselves. Since we are in the image and likeness of God, the need know ourselves is obvious. True self-knowledge can come with the knowledge of God, for we are made in the image of God. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #viewsofman #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #churchesunite

Modern man rejects sin as the centre of man’s personality, believing that sin is man’s will. They do not believe that man is a sinner in his will. Today, there are many who believe that men do not respond to the gospel in the 21st Century because they have intellectual problems with the facts of Christianity. #brendonnaicker #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #joburgchurch #theologyschool #churchesunite #viewofman #modernview

For a man indeed ought not to cover [his] head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. (1Corinthians 11:7)
In this verse, we see Paul clearly stated that man was in the image and glory of God, even in his fallen state. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #churchesunite

The doctrine of total depravity does not teach us that man’s human nature is totally corrupted. Rather, it teaches us that the entire human nature is corrupt. When speaking about divine standards, we can say that we are talking about something that is perfection and that consequently, everything man does falls short of God. The doctrine of total depravity is the doctrine of the whole human nature, not the total corruption of human nature.
#brendonnaicker #viewsofman #theologyschool #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #joburgchurch #churchesunite

The body of itself is not evil. The body is interpreted within the plan of God as the result of the fall; because of the fall, sin dwells within the body. However, this does not mean that the body itself is evil. Furthermore, it is also wrong to assume the idea that the mind is good. The Bible makes it very clear that our minds are darkened as a result of sin.
#whatisman #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #churchesunite #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch

The primary issues that have been discussed and passed on over the years are the following:
▪ What is the constitutional nature of man?
▪ Is man dichotomous? Is he made-up of two parts, or is he made up of three parts?
▪ Is he body, material, or immaterial; or is he body, soul, and spirit. Is he body, spirit, or soul? Is he dichotomous or tricohotomous?
▪ How did the soul originate—when does a foetus obtain its soul? #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #whatisman #londoncitycitychurch #joburgchurch #churchesunite

Who does not know man? However, we see the amazing knowledge man has, in relations to other things on the earth—his knowledge of machines, electronics, space, and DNA.
It is amazing how much man knows about life, yet astonishing how little he knows about himself. #brendonnaicker #theologyschool #Joburgchurch #bristolchurch #londoncitychurch #whatisman

The gracious God is also a God who will punish the guilty. But his punishment of the guilty is not distinct from his graciousness and love. He doesn’t love with one hand and punish with the other. In Ezekiel 18:23 God says that he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, preferring they turn from their ways and live. Even when his justice demands punishment, God desires to show mercy. And in his grace, he is patient toward us, not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9).

#attributesofgod #theologyschool #graceofgod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #bristolchurch #londoncitychurch

God is set apart by His Holiness more than by any of His other perfections. God uses the term “holy” in many ways: with it, He describes Himself; Lord Jesus used the word; the third person of the Trinity holds it in His title, Holy Spirit. All persons of the Trinity ascribe themselves to be holy.
#attributesofgod #theologyschool #holinessofGod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #bristolchurch #londoncitychurch

Love stands in the forefront because it is so much a part of God that the Bible says that God is love. #attributesofgod #theologyschool #loveofgod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #bristolchurch #londoncitychurch

God is good. He is absolutely good. Perfection and bliss are in God, and He is the active, good being who is the source and cause of all good that takes place. God makes distinctions in the gifts of goodness. #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #attributesofGod #goodnessofGod

There are profound and mysterious questions that arise in connection with the Will of God. Are things right or wrong because God forbids them, or does God forbid things because they are right or wrong for some other reason than His Will? Are things right because God wills them or does He will certain things because those things are right for some other reason than the will of God? The power and the will of God make up the sovereignty of God. The sovereignty of God is manifested in His power and in His will. #attributesofgod #theologyschool #willofgod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch

God’s will is determined by His nature. He is all-powerful and yet limited by His own inherent being. He cannot do things that are inconsistent with His own decrees. God’s power is demonstrated within the sphere of creation. The Bible speaks of creation as the work of God’s fingers, and it is manifested in the government of this universe. #attributesofgod #powerofgod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #theologyschool

The wisdom of God is seen in His providence—the way He rules and governs His universe and accomplishes His purposes through it. The greatest manifestation of the wisdom of God is in redemption, and through this, He solved the problem of satisfying both His justice and His mercy. The salvation of sinners and the plan of salvation is a beautiful manifestation of the wisdom of God. #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #bristolchurch #londoncitychurch #theologyschool

God’s knowledge is intuitive and not obtained by reflection or deduction. The Lord did not create this universe and then look out upon it and reason from His creation to the knowledge of it, or indeed of anything else. Intuition is knowledge that He possesses eternally as the Divine. He needs not reason conclusions because He knows all of the conclusions that there ever could be.
#knowledgeofGod
#attributesofgod
#Brendonnaicker
#theologyschool

God is an unchanging, immutable being. From a theological standpoint, this means that God can have no new attributes. The incommunicable attributes stress the absolute being of God, because only He has those attributes. The communicable attributes stress His personal nature by which He enters into relationships with us. These communicable attributes include knowledge and wisdom, along with his goodness, love, grace, and mercy toward us. #immutable #attributesofgod #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch

Our state of existence will be determined by whether God’s life is inside or not. The location of someone’s eternal existence is what separates the saints from the unbelievers. Nevertheless, both shall live forever because all will have an endless existence. However, this is not eternity, because when we say that God has eternity, it means He has no beginning or ending as humans possess. So, eternity is a reference to the fact that God is an infinite being with respect to time. #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #eternity #londoncitycitychurch

The distinction between immensity and omnipresence, for immensity stresses the transcendence of God since He is beyond everything that is. Omnipresence stresses His imminence; He is abiding in the fullness of His being at every particular point. All of God is here, and there is not any part of this universe in which God is not in the fullness of His being. #brendonnaicker #immensity #omnipresence #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch

The infinity of God is that perfection of God by which He is free from all limitations. In ascribing it to God we deny that there are or can be any limitations to the divine Being or attributes. It implies that He is in no way limited by the universe, by this time-space world, or confined to the universe. It does not involve His identity with the sum-total of existing things, nor does it exclude the co-existence of derived and finite things, to which He bears relation. The infinity of God must be conceived as intensive rather than extensive, and should not be confused with boundless extension, as if God were spread out through the entire universe, one part being here and another there, for God has no body and therefore no extension. Neither should it be regarded as a merely negative concept, though it is perfectly true that we cannot form a positive idea of it. It is a reality in God fully comprehended only by Him. We distinguish various aspects of God’s infinity. #brendonnaicker #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch #bristolchurch #infinityofGod

Isaiah 46 is a passage where the Lord God contrasts Himself with all other idols.
Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. (Isaiah 46:3-4)
Our God made us and carries us, and this is in stark contrast to idols that need to be made as well as carried. God looks after His children; idols need looking-after. A god that needs followers for maintenance is not a god but merely a waste of followers’ time and devotion.
#brendonnaicker #unitytrinity #londoncitychurch #joburgchurch #bristolchurch

God is not made up of parts, nor is he compounded or composite in nature. That means he does not possess attributes, as if his attributes are one thing and his essence another. Rather, his essence is his attributes and his attributes his essence. God is his attributes. That means, all that is in God simply is God.

I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
#brendonnaicker

This is quite a natural question. It shows that they are thinking about the concepts of origin and source, and there is nothing wrong with this. The answer to his or her question is that God does not come from anyone; He is the uncaused being. Job said, “Can thou by searching find out God?” The answer to that question is, “No”! In God’s Word, we find out more about Him.

When you entertain wrong thoughts about God, you are attributing to the Lord something that is not true of Him. You are then making up a new god and are essentially creating an idol for yourself. Doing this turns God into something He is not. Unbelief leads to wrong thoughts about God. The worship that stems from unbelief is actually the worship of idols. These idols may not be physical objects but could be an imagination or an ideal that someone holds. Either of these is wrong. #brendonnaicker #christianidolatry #joburgchurch #londoncitychurch

When we replace the gospel for fluff.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:6-8

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

God’s title of “Abba Father” is only found referenced in the Bible three separate times, in the passages of Romans 8:15, Mark 14:36, and Galatians 4:6, which are all in the New Testament. Only two speakers utter these words in these passages: Jesus and the apostle Paul.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34

So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!
Mark 15:29–30

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.
Hebrews 2:14

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. Hebrews 1:1–2

Evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you [Timothy], continue in what you have learned. 2 Timothy 3:13–14

There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call” (Eph. 4:4).
Throughout Ephesians, Paul is concerned to unfold God’s plan to “unite all things” in Christ (Eph. 1:10), a design to bring together people from every tribe and tongue in submission to the Lord Jesus. Until this plan is consummated at the return of Christ, this unity will not be a full reality, for the Father will allow at least a portion of mankind to rebel against Him. At Jesus’ second advent, there will be a final separation of humanity into two groups — one people unified in worship and adoration of the one true Creator God and another group that is cast into the outer darkness, where they will experience disharmony among themselves and the wrath of the Creator forever (Matt. 8:5–13).

(ESV) 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

At first glance, conformed and transformed look like the same thing, but they contain very different ideas.

When something is conformed it outwardly takes the shape or form of whatever has exerted pressure on it without changing the substance of the thing conformed. Pour water into a container and it conforms to the shape of the container, but it remains water. But when something is transformed, it is changed from the inside and it becomes something different from what it was before.

(ESV) 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

(ESV) 1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

(ESV) 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

From the garden on, God continued to show mercy to his guilty image bearers. As we have seen, God provided the first sacrifice for sin by making skins to cloth Adam and Eve’s nakedness, and he promised that a redeemer would come from the offspring of the woman. In the law of Moses especially, God made provision for the sacrificial system in order to repair the breach created by human guilt.

(ESV) 1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

The biblical authors actually aren’t as concerned with “freedom” as we are in contemporary society. In fact, depending on the Bible translation you search, you might even find the word “freedom” less than 10 times in the Bible.

More importantly, the apostle Paul does not shy away from referring to himself as a “servant” or “slave” of Christ (the Greek word doulos).

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in His presence.” 1 Corinthians 1:20-29

(ESV) 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

God lets people become what they worship. The only question now is: who will we as human beings worship?

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about 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 up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave u

The Lord’s anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. (Isaiah 5:25)

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be mknown about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they obecame futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and qexchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore sGod gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to tthe dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for ua lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, vwho is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to aa debased mind to do bwhat ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but egive approval to those who practice them.

Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? Acts 5:4

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.a 2And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10and recognised him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

(ESV) 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The early Christians were also committed to mission. But it is not until verse 47 that we learn this. Verse 47 corrects the imbalance of verse 42, for it teaches that the Lord Jesus himself did it.

We should not polarise between the structured and the unstructured, Christianity is joyful, and every meeting or service should be a celebration of joy. At the same time, the early church’s worship was never irreverent.

Anti-intellectualism and the fullness of the Spirit are mutually incompatible.

The same God who had made Paul the apostle of the Gentiles (v. 1) had also pressed the Roman Christians into the service of His imminent and coming Kingdom. As men called unto holiness, they belong no longer to themselves or to the old world which is passing to corruption. They belong to Him who has called them. Not for Paul only, but for them also, has the Son of man been appointed Son of God through the power of the Resurrection. They too are here and now imprisoned in the knowledge of great tribulation and of great hope. They too after their fashion are separated and isolated for God.

An unchurched Christian for the NT knows nothing of such. We are not only committed to Christ, we are committed to the Body of Christ.

You don’t rewrite it, reshape it, revise it, or rework it. You accept it. That means the “good news” is an invitation. You’re invited to a new life of faith in Christ —forgiven of all your sins, cleansed by the work of Christ on your behalf, and set free to live a new life by the power of the Spirit.

Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles.
Acts 2:22

The apostle Paul wrote, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:6-12).

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

“I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

Being “born again” is required for salvation. The term, “born again” was introduced to Nicodemus in the Bible and explained by Jesus in Scripture. A person is “born again” through faith in Jesus Christ, who took the judgement for our sins to give his righteousness to anyone who would believe.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Listen to how Judas for money was able to identify with Jesus but Peter for the sake of his safety disowned Jesus.

With so much of information available we have so little knowledge of who we are or what we are. The identity of who we are poses a challenge to us all, for in our identity we hope that the hint of our purpose will be revealed. The Christian would have to approach this question differently for their identity is open knowledge belonging to God and hidden in Jesus Christ.

Prior in attempting to answer the question "What is God’s purpose for my life?", the obvious contradictions of understanding need to be clarified. The questions imply that one’s life is led and controlled by God but fails to hold on to that logic when it mentions... “for my life”.

Now God says “do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. But the world says, “come lie with me and satisfy the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and fulfil the pride of life… you don’t even have to leave the church congregation.” Having intercourse right at the altar like Absalom did to David to shame him – they are now sleeping with other gospels of prosperity, social-economic and dominion spirits that lead the Father’s children astray.

The #Christian accepts the truth of the existence of God by faith. But this faith is not a blind faith, but a faith that is based on evidence, and the #evidence is found primarily in Scripture as the inspired Word of God, and secondarily in God’s #revelation in nature.
#Christ

There are so many conferences on this subject, trying to provide a methodology for evangelism. Strategies and techniques have been concocted, for this, as many people believe that the Bible needs to be repackaged because they consider its relevance to have expired.

For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.

To be called a Lamb of God means that God gave Jesus to be killed like a lamb for our sins so we could live forever.” ... For hundreds of years, Jews brought lambs to the temple as sacrifices for their sins. They kept coming back year after year because no lamb could take away all their sin.

The Book of Psalms is divided into five sections, each closing with a doxology (i.e., a benediction)—these divisions were probably introduced by the final editors to imitate the five-fold division of the Pentateuch.
Book 1 (Psalms 1–41)
Book 2 (Psalms 42–72)
Book 3 (Psalms 73–89)
Book 4 (Psalms 90–106)
Book 5 (Psalms 107–150)

Martin Luther says that “when the cross is abolished, and the rage of tyrants and heretics ceases on the one side, and all things are in peace, this is a sure token that the pure doctrine of God’s Word is taken away.” The world’s hatred is sometimes a sign that we are being faithful to Scripture, provided the world detests us due to the message we preach, not because we are obnoxious. If we meet no worldly opposition, it may mean we are not being true to the offense of the cross.

Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit giving them power to witness. The kingdom of God is his rule in the lives of his people. It is spread by witnesses, not soldiers, through a gospel of peace, not a declaration of war.

The resurrection is the triumphant and glorious victory for every believer. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). And He is coming again! The dead in Christ will be raised up, and those who are alive at His coming will be changed and receive new, glorified bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18).

The doctrine of the Trinity means that there is one God who eternally exists as three distinct Persons — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Stated differently, God is one in essence and three in person. These definitions express three crucial truths: (1) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons, (2) each Person is fully God, (3) there is only one God.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons. The Bible speaks of the Father as God (Philippians 1:2), Jesus as God (Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3–4). Are these just three different ways of looking at God, or simply ways of referring to three different roles that God plays? The answer must be no, because the Bible also indicates that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct Persons.

Pluralism’s claim that all religions are true is self-refuting, for the undeniable law of noncontradiction affirms that opposites cannot both be correct. Consequently, for instance, since Islam claims there is only one person in God, and Christianity says there are three, both religions cannot be right on this point. Likewise, since Islam teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross and rise from the dead on the third day, and Christianity teaches that He did, one of them is wrong. The same is true of all core beliefs of all religions—some affirm there is a theistic God (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), while others hold to a pantheistic God (e.g., Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, and Taoism). God cannot be both transcendent over the world (as in theism) and not transcendent over it (as in pantheism). If theism is true, then pantheism is false.

Liberal theology, with its belief in the inherent goodness of man and his ability to help himself is now making a comeback. For the doctrine of salvation by grace has practically become an insult, for it shows that man is innately spiritually dead - unable to ever come to God. The word “grace” is also emptied of all spiritual meaning and vanished from religious discourses. It is retained only in the sense of “graciousness,” something that is quite external.

God is above all things and before all things. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is immortal, and He is present everywhere so that everyone can know Him (Revelation 21:6).

God created all things and holds all things together, both in heaven and on earth, both visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16).

God knows all things past, present, and future. There is no limit to His knowledge, for God knows everything completely before it even happens (Romans 11:33).

God can do all things and accomplish all things. Nothing is too difficult for Him, and He orchestrates and determines everything that is going to happen in your life, in my life, in America, and throughout the world. Whatever He wants to do in the universe, He does, for nothing is impossible with Him (Jeremiah 32:17).

God is in control of all things and rules over all things. He has power and authority over nature, earthly kings, history, angels, and demons. Even Satan himself has to ask God’s permission before he can act (Psalm 103:19).

Suffering is unavoidable in this life. Will your relationship with God be enough when trials come? Will you trust Him through your suffering? Read Job 38–42. Spend time with the Almighty. Pray for a stronger faith in the powerful Creator described in those chapters. Pray for a right perspective of Him so that you might see your situation through His eyes.

Instead of asking where God is in the midst of your pain, the book of Job affirms God’s control and asks us, “Where are we in our pain? Are we trusting our Creator, even though we cannot understand our circumstances?”

The Bible says in Eph 3:21, “to [God] be glory in the church.” It is our highest calling, our very purpose, to glorify God: 1 Cor 10:31 Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
The main verb in this verse is “do.” It is an imperative in the present tense, and it means “a command to do something in the future which involves continuous or repeated action.” God gives commands in the Scriptures to glorify Him repeatedly, continuously, always. And He is worthy of our praise and worship.

Elihu tells why he finally must speak. The key verses are 8 and 9, "It is the Spirit (of God) in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. It is not the old that are wise, nor the aged that understand what is right. Therefore, I say, 'Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.'" The lesson Elihu teaches us here is that it is not age that brings wisdom but the Spirit of God. There is no necessary correlation between grey hair and good theology.

Salvation by grace through faith is not a difficult thing, in that it’s not a formula to follow but rather a miracle to believe and receive. Salvation is God’s righteousness at work in us when we say yes to His plan. Saying yes is how we demonstrate faith. We get saved by grace through faith, but we also live by grace through faith.

Martin Luther said in his first of 95 Theses, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” To walk in repentance is not to walk in condemnation, but in freedom. For the Father so loved us in kindness (Ephesians 2:7), that he sent his only Son to do justice for us (Romans 3:26), in supreme humility (Philippians 2:5–8), that we might have eternal life in which to know and enjoy him (John 3:16; Philippians 3:8–11).

Because God is spirit, He does not have a physical body. This means He is able to be omnipresent and is not limited by physical location. In John 4, Jesus tells the woman at the well, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23–24).

"For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman between us, that might lay his hand upon us both." Now if you have a different translation you may read the word umpire, middleman, arbiter, or mediator instead of daysman. I prefer the word mediator. "And neither is there any mediator between us that he might lay his hand upon us both." Job was saying, "Oh God, You are holy; I am sinful. I need You. God, I can't argue with You. If you bring me into court, I can't answer one of a thousand questions. I'm a sinner. I need somebody to go between. I need somebody to bring me to You. I need somebody who can lay his hands upon us both. I need an arbiter. I need a middleman. I need a daysman. I need a mediator."

Witchcraft is often present in society because it expresses something deep-seated in our broken humanity, namely, our desire to carve out a space where we can make things happen apart from God. The seriousness of witchcraft tends to be overlooked both in materialist societies, such as the UK, that pretend spiritual activity doesn’t exist and in societies that actively collude with supernatural powers, such as South Africa. The Bible presents a challenge to both sorts of worldview because it recognises there is a spiritual world – but one which is subject to Jesus Christ’s authority.

The Book of Job is a book of the Hebrew Bible. It addresses the problem of theodicy, meaning why God permits evil in the world, through the experiences of the eponymous protagonist. The book is found in the Ketuvim section of the Hebrew Bible, and is the first poetic book in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.

The book relates the story of a Hebrew woman in Persia, born as Hadassah but known as Esther, who becomes queen of Persia and thwarts a genocide of her people. The story forms the core of the Jewish festival of Purim, during which it is read aloud twice: once in the evening and again the following morning. The books of Esther and Song of Songs are the only books in the Hebrew Bible that do not mention God

Christ came into the world as the second Adam. And Paul demonstrates here in Romans 5 that just like Adam, Christ is the covenant representative of all those who believe in Him. So, just as all humanity was condemned on the basis of Adam's disobedience, so too, all those who belong to the Saviour are justified on the basis of Jesus' obedience as their covenant representative.

And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

Deuteronomy 28:136“The LORD will take you and your king away to a foreign land, where neither you nor your ancestors ever lived before; there you will serve gods made of wood and stone. 37In the countries to which the LORD will scatter you, the people will be shocked at what has happened to you; they will make fun of you and ridicule you.

38“You will sow plenty of seed, but reap only a small harvest, because the locusts will eat your crops. 39You will plant vineyards and take care of them, but you will not gather their grapes or drink wine from them, because worms will eat the vines. 40Olive trees will grow everywhere in your land, but you will not have any olive oil, because the olives will drop off. 41You will have sons and daughters, but you will lose them, because they will be taken away as prisoners of war. 42All your trees and crops will be devoured by insects.

43“Foreigners who live in your land will gain more and more power, while you gradually lose yours. 44They will have money to lend you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.

45“All these disasters will come on you, and they will be with you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the LORD your God and keep all the laws that he gave you. 46They will be the evidence of God's judgement on you and your descendants for ever.

The Communion meal involves us in and embraces us in God’s grace. We are not mere observers. We do something. We eat something. We become participants in the story.

The crucifixion and its meaning were revealed hundreds of years before the fact Jesus himself often quoted from Isaiah 53, that said of the Messiah:

He poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12)

Ezra and Nehemiah were called to restore God’s kingdom, in the midst of a partially-hostile, partially-supportive environment. Today’s workplaces are also partially hostile and partially supportive of the work of God. This encourages us to work out how our work may contribute to implanting God’s kingdom in today’s world.

Many people come to Jesus thinking it is enough to believe, to stand on the sidelines and root for Him. Jesus isn’t looking for cheerleaders. He is seeking men and women who will follow Him whatever the cost. He is looking for radical devotion, unreasonable commitment and undivided dedication. Jesus isn’t looking for converts. He’s looking for disciples.

Simony, buying or selling of something spiritual or closely connected with the spiritual. More widely, it is any contract of this kind forbidden by divine or ecclesiastical law. The name is taken from Simon Magus (Acts 8:18), who endeavoured to buy from the Apostles the power of conferring the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The people of God are now where Moses warned them they would be if they were not to listen and obey God’s commands. Tragically they are now dependent and in need of permission, like a slave. David was not allowed to build the temple yet we see a Pagan leader instructed to do so.

... “that which is born of the flesh is flesh” and can never be anything better.

Prune and trim a corrupt tree as much as you will, it can never be made to yield good fruit. Every man must be born again before he can be acceptable to a holy God.

Some people would rather sleep in their bed all day rather than making a living and that is their downfall. Laziness is a curse, but work is a blessing.

God worked for 6 days and on the 7th day He rested. God put Adam in the garden to work and take care of it. God provides for us through work. Since the beginning we were commanded to work.

Both Hezekiah and Josiah wanted to help God’s people turn back to Him. And both took steps to lead that direction. That was right and fitting for them to do and we ought to credit them for their faithfulness. But in the end, neither was able to accomplish what they wanted because neither was qualified to do so. God’s people needed a better king, a greater king, a perfect king who would be able to change the people’s hearts, not just their behavior. That king, of course, would be King Jesus. This is what we learn from these accounts.

The recognition of this truth is in no way a warrant or license to sin. The heart that knows the price paid for its redemption does not seek to add to the cost. Indeed, when God removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), the result is that we desire to walk in His ways and commandments (Ezekiel 36:27). It is our love for Christ that prompts our new natures to seek Him and walk in paths of righteousness.

Bonhoeffer, who was 39 when he was hanged by the Nazis for his opposition to the regime. Bonhoeffer teaches us the importance of spiritual disciplines that can withstand changing circumstances. While away from home, living as a double agent and even in prison, Bonhoeffer devoted himself to Bible reading, letter writing, prayer and listening for God. In these days of solitude and waiting, he urges us to remain connected to the sources of our strength.

Jesus did not come into this world to make bad people good. He came to make dead people live.

Spiritually, Jehoshaphat began his reign in a positive way. Second Chronicles 17:3–6 gives this commendation: “The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The Lord established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.” In addition, Jehoshaphat sent men throughout the kingdom to teach the people the Law of God (2 Chronicles 17:7–9).

The New Testament talks about the importance and benefits of giving. We are to give as we are able. Sometimes that means giving more than 10 percent; sometimes that may mean giving less. It all depends on the ability of the Christian and the needs of the body of Christ.

The Old Testament covenants establish promises that look forward to fulfillment. Much of the New Testament is concerned to show how Jesus Christ fulfills these covenant promises and what life should look like for a people living in the New Covenant inaugurated by his death and resurrection.

Revelation 21:3, KJV: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." ... They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God."

In contrast, Jesus said, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22). Faith must have an object: It is unreserved and absolute trust in God. There is no one and nothing in the universe that can be trusted totally except God.

1 Chronicles finishes with some shrewd advice from David, as well as establishing thereby some fundamental and foundational principles for effectiveness and genuine “success.” Solomon, David acknowledges, is young and inexperienced (29:1). However, because of that, David has put together a huge amount of resources to help him with the building of a temple (29:2-5)—which is a great task because it is for God (29:1).

He then challenges the whole assembly whether they will give “willingly” (29:5). They do indeed—a massive amount is given, without compulsion, and instead with a good will (29:6-9). The Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). And because they give this way, “the people rejoice” (29:9). There is a deep connection between open hands of generosity and rich hearts of rejoicing. Then David praises God before the assembly (29:10-19). In so doing, he establishes the principle that all effectiveness, all honor and prosperity, is from God.

Success is the name of the game today, not only out there in the world, but inside the church as well. Humility is out and self esteem is in, even though we are urged in Scripture, "Let each esteem others better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3).

New Testament describe Jesus as the “son of David.” But the question arises, how could Jesus be the son of David if David lived approximately 1,000 years before Jesus? The answer is that Christ (the Messiah) was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the seed of David (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Jesus is the promised Messiah, which means He had to be of the lineage of David. Matthew 1 gives the genealogical proof that Jesus, in His humanity, was a direct descendant of Abraham and David through Joseph, Jesus’ legal father. The genealogy in Luke 3 traces Jesus’ lineage through His mother, Mary. Jesus is a descendant of David by adoption through Joseph and by blood through Mary. “As to his earthly life [Christ Jesus] was a descendant of David” (Romans 1:3).

Primarily, the title “Son of David” is more than a statement of physical genealogy. It is a Messianic title. When people referred to Jesus as the Son of David, they meant that He was the long-awaited Deliverer, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

Somehow, we have it in our minds than unless we are having a mystical and emotional experience, we have not had a true experience with God. It is not only dangerous but also erroneous to look for something more than is recorded in the Scriptures. For too long, many believers have regarded the Scriptures as an optional source of truth rather than “the” source of truth. The Scriptures alone have everything the believer needs for life and godliness (2Pe 1:3).

The differences in Saul and David can be summarized in just a couple of words: “obedient faith.” Though David had some shortcomings in this regard, Saul was a complete failure. He constantly found himself on the wrong side of obedience.
When Saul was found to be disobedient to God, he tended to make excuses, blame others, and exhibit a lack of trust in God.
By contrast, David possessed humility and dedication to God. When David found himself on the wrong side, he repented of his wrong. It takes strength of character to admit to wrong. David was a man of character; Saul was not.

Leading in the church is to be based upon service (bottom-up) and not formal authority (top-down):
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all’. Mk 9:35
Jesus also explains that all the works of the world are evil:
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. Jn 7:7
John tells us that the things of the world originate with Satan:
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 1 Jn 5:19

The books of Chronicles are not a repetition of the books of Kings. We may see this already in the long genealogies of Israel and especially of the house of David, which commences with Adam, the first man. The books of Chronicles give a divine retrospect over Israel's history and the history of mankind as well as God's ways with men.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). There is no doubt that the verse expresses a unique truth about Jesus: He became sin for us. While on the one hand the verse states the simple gospel truth that Jesus took upon Himself the sins of all who would ever believe in Him, it also makes a somewhat enigmatic statement.

While Jesus was on earth, He demonstrated His messianic reign in many ways, including the healing of sick people, like lepers. When John the Baptist had a crisis of faith, he sent a question to Jesus, asking about the Savior’s identity. Jesus replied with a mild rebuke:
Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And if anyone is not offended because of Me, he is blessed. (Matt 11:4-6)
Jesus’ words were intended to leave no doubt that He was indeed the Holy One, of whom all the prophets spoke. His clear proofs included His miraculous healings and His powerful gospel preaching.

We need to be careful because if what the government is doing is lawful then to resist them is to resist God: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Romans 13:1-2). Yes, God is that serious about respecting and submitting to our governing authorities. On the other hand, if what the government is doing isn’t lawful then as Christians we have no choice: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

This great salvation is made possible by the greatest story of the innocent sufferer, Jesus. For Naboth’s story calls our attention to Jesus’ story in Matthew 26:59-68. Jesus’ enemies conspired against Him too. They falsely accused Him of blasphemy, mocked and beat Him, and eventually took Him outside the city to kill Him (Heb 13:10-13). Jesus’ blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel and the blood of Naboth (Heb 12:24), for their blood cries out for vengeance, but Jesus’ blood cries out with forgiveness to everyone. Jesus is the innocent scapegoat offering salvation to the world and promising that one day the cries of the martyrs will be heard and their blood will be avenged.

This practice of worshiping other gods began early in Jeroboam’s reign. When the kingdom was divided and he controlled the northern part, he stopped all pilgrimages to Jerusalem: “‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ One [golden calf] he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other” (1 Kings 12:28–30).

The word translated “ashamed” means “disgraced” or “personally humiliated.” A person “ashamed” in this way is like someone singled out for misplacing his confidence—he trusted in something, and that something let him down. The word can refer to being dishonored because of forming the wrong alliances. So, when Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is saying his confidence in the gospel is not misplaced. There is no disgrace in declaring it. Paul had given his life to proclaiming the truths that Jesus Himself had revealed to him (Acts 9:3–6; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). He explained to the Romans why he did not believe that he had wrongly identified with Jesus and why proclaiming Jesus’ message was his life’s work.

God never fails us- His plans are to prosper us and give us a future. So why is it that we always can’t keep our end of the agreement? Our tenacity and perseverance are constantly short-lived by good expectations. Jesus’ finished work satisfies God commands and statues. Sin therefore has no dominion over us. So, those born-again are not disqualified to receive the fruit of righteousness!

Where we stand and why we STAND makes all the difference!

In the glory days of Israel, King Solomon stood out. Although his father, David was revered as the best king, unlike David’s reign, Solomon’s reign knew mostly peace. He was also the wealthiest king, and the wisest man who ever lived, apart from Christ.

Solomon was the King of Israel. “ Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.” 1 Kings 2:12

Jesus Christ is the King of Kings. “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Rev. 19:16

Christianity differs from all other religions in that it is built upon the person of Christ, who embodies all approaches to spiritual truth. Paul acknowledges this unique and ontological nature of Christianity when he exclaims, “I know whom [not what] I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12) and “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

If your dear ones are dead you cannot restore them to life by your unbelief; and if they still survive, it will be a pity to be downcast and unbelieving when there is no occasion for it. ‘Your strength is to sit still.’ Remember that you are a Christian, and a Christian is expected to be more self-possessed than those who have no God to fly to.” (Spurgeon)

Where are the faith healers, where are the Word of Faith ministers...why is the Church so quiet? Don’t they realise that this is the hour for the Church to lead the way when death and fear rage rampage in society?

The temptation to turn a blind eye to the sins of our children is common not only to leaders but to any parent. In 2 Samuel, we see how David, though an otherwise just king, failed in acting with justice when it was his own children who needed to be punished. And there are principles here for all parents and any affected by the destructive consequences of a leader glossing-over at their child’s sin.

There is nothing that you can do to make God love you more - There is nothing you are not doing to make Him love you less - Christ’s Grace is sufficient!

The unconditional nature of this covenant continues as God explains that it is not based on David’s descendants behaving perfectly. In fact, God says that when — not if! — the son commits iniquity, he will be punished, but God’s steadfast love will not depart from him as it did from Saul. The mention of Saul’s name in 2 Samuel 7:15 is a sobering reminder of what can happen to a kingdom and to a king, but it also heightens the graciousness of this promise God makes to David.

In the Old Testament wisdom literature in Job 27, Scripture says, “My lips will not speak falsehood and my tongue will not utter deceit.” In Psalm 5 it says, “You destroy those who speak lies.” In Psalm 58, it says, “The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray from birth, speaking lies.” In Proverbs 12:22, it says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”

2 Samuel depicts David as a true (though imperfect) representative of the ideal theocratic king. David was initially acclaimed king at Hebron by the tribe of Judah (chs. 1 - 4), and subsequently was accepted by the remaining tribes after the murder of Ish-Bosheth, one of Saul's surviving sons (5:1-5). David's leadership was decisive and effective. He captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it his royal city and residence (5:6-13). Shortly afterward he brought the ark of the Lord from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem, publicly acknowledging the Lord's kingship and rule over himself and the nation (ch. 6; Ps 132:3-5).

Christ is searching us as to whether we are searching the Scriptures. “Search the Scriptures”, He commands (John 5:39). Searching is not a superficial activity. You believe or think that in the Scriptures you have eternal life. He says this to us just as much as the Jews to whom He spoke. Is this not a reason to study them? The Scriptures testify of Christ. Searching them to find the Saviour is evidence of love towards Him.

The account of the witch of Endor summoning Samuel is recorded in 1 Samuel 28:7-20, and it is the only biblical account of someone being visited in such a manner by someone who was deceased. Saul, having deprived himself of every legitimate means of spiritual input as a result of his own disobedience and rebellion, walked in foolishness again by seeking out the very resource (a medium) he had previously removed from the land. By divine law, mediums and spiritists were banned from Israel (Deuteronomy 18:11), and Israel was not to be defiled by them (Leviticus 19:31). That the king would stoop to this indicates how far he had fallen from God’s grace.

The “anointed ones” in these passages are not modern-day Pentecostal preachers. And the Bible never promises that God’s prophets, anointed ones, children, or other faithful believers will never suffer harm from evil people. As Jesus explained to the Pharisees, “God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute’” (Luke 11:49).

Modalism, also called Sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the Trinitarian doctrine where God is one being eternally existing in three persons. According to Modalism, during the incarnation, Jesus was simply God acting in one mode or role, and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God acting in a different mode. Thus, God does not exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Rather, He is one person and has merely manifested himself in these three modes at various times. Modalism thus denies the basic distinctiveness and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity.

Modalism was condemned by Tertullian (c. 213, Tertullian Against Praxeas 1, in Ante Nicene Fathers, vol. 3). Also known as Sabellianism, it was condemned as heresy by Dionysius, bishop of Rome (c. 262).

Original sin, also described as ancestral sin, is a Christian view of the nature of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man. Original sin arose from Adam and Eve's transgression in Eden, the sin of disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Original sin can be explained as “that sin and its guilt that we all possess in God’s eyes as a direct result of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden.”

People tend to judge the character and worth of others by looking at outward appearances. If a person is tall, good-looking, well-built, and tastefully dressed, then he or she possesses physical qualities that humans generally admire and respect. Often these are the physical qualities we seek in a leader. But God has the unique ability to see inside a person. God knows our true character because he “looks at the heart.”

Dependence on the Holy Spirit is essential- we should know that we are never forsaken- God is with and in You. Hope of Glory!

Saul chose to keep the Amalekite king Agag alive and took the plunder from the battle rather than destroy everything as God had commanded. When Samuel confronted him, Saul said, “I did obey the Lord. . . . I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:20–21).

Samuel answered in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices / as much as in obeying the Lord? / To obey is better than sacrifice.” Why is obedience better than sacrifice?

We depart from Biblical teaching when we think that today's so-called gospel rock, gospel clowns, gospel magicians, and other forms of gospel entertainment can legitimately be employed to communicate spiritual truth. The Scriptures teach that the world is on its own, "without hope and without God"

Giving God the honor due him is surely at the heart of genuine worship (cf. Pss. 29:1–2; 96:7–8), for the incomparable God refuses to share his glory (Isa. 42:8; 48:11). Genuine repentance culminates in genuine worship when the repentant ones ascribe to God the glory he deserves. Paul points out that the pagan world has “exchanged the glory of the immortal God” for idols (Rom. 1:23), but John foresees a day when survivors of God’s eschatological judgment will proclaim God’s glory (Rev. 11:13). Indeed, he tells how an angel will proclaim the gospel, announce impending judgment, and call the nations to worship, exhorting them to “fear God and gi