Month: January 2012

If we wait upon God, there is no danger. If we rush on, He must let us see the consequences of it.

–J.N. Darby

It is interesting that our modern culture thinks itself so “smug” and “evolved”. However, the English language has actually “devolved” and lost much of its fidelity.

This is evident in particular in the King James Bible. People freak out nowadays when they hear “thee” and “thou”. The truth is, thee and thou are much more specific than the vague, ambiguous “you” we have replaced them with. Thee and Thou are actually the singular forms of “you”, referring to a specific one being addressed to the exclusion of others. Instances of “you” refer to a plural group.

Here are some verses where it makes a significant difference:

Excerpted from http://ecclesia.org/truth/thou.html

Verses expressing the Importance of “thou, thee, thy and thine.”

Exodus 4:15, “THOU shalt speak … I will be with THY mouth…and will teach YOU what YE shall do.”

“Thou/Thy” refer to Moses himself, but “You/Ye” refer to the entire nation of Israel.

Exodus 29:42, “…I will meet YOU, to speak there unto THEE.”

The “You,” referring to the children of Israel, is explained in the following verse, but “Thee” refers to Moses, who had the holy privilege of hearing the words of God directly (Leviticus 1:1).

2 Samuel 7:23, “And what one nation in the earth is like THY people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for YOU great things and terrible, for THY land, before THY people, which THOU redeemedst to THEE from Egypt.”

Here David prayed to God in the second person singular, but referred to the people of Israel as “You.” What confusion could result if this important distinction were done away? It could be incorrectly thought that David was praying in part to the nation, or that the land belonged to the people and not to God.

Matthew 26:64, “Jesus saith unto him, THOU has said: nevertheless I say unto YOU, hereafter shall YE see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

“Thou” refers to the High Priest, but “You/Ye” include all those who were standing there in addition to the high priest.

Luke 5:24, “But that YE may know…I say unto THEE…take up THY couch, and go into THINE house.”

“Ye” refers to the crowd, but “Thee/Thy/Thine” refer only to the man with palsy.

John 3:7, 11, “Marvel not that I said unto THEE, YE must be born again.”

The message was spoken to the individual Nicodemus (“Thee”), but obviously has wider application to all those who desire to follow Christ (“Ye”).

John 14:9, “Have I been so long time with YOU, and yet hast THOU not known me?”

The “You” refers to the crowd, but “Thou” is addressed specifically to only one man, Philip.

1 Corinthians 8:9-12, “…this liberty of YOURS….If any man see THEE which hast knowledge… through THY knowledge…but when YE sin.”

The plural forms “Yours/Ye” refer to the liberty and sin of all believers in Christ as a whole, but the singular forms “thee/thy” refer only to those individual believers that find themselves in this particular circumstance.

Full article:
http://ecclesia.org/truth/thou.html

II Cor 12:7-10

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Why are so many “Theologians” confused about what the “thorn in the flesh” is that Paul references?

The answer is right there in verse 10, it is things suffered for the sake of Christ.

Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Romans 16:17-18 ESV
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

The ones that sow discord are the ones that create obstacles with contrary doctrine. It is not the folks who are holding fast to the Bible that are causing discord, it is the ones who are promoting false doctrines….

Two people “living together” is not marriage, it is fornication.

I have not seen where in the Bible that God explicitly prescribe a particular ceremony or ritual for marriage, other than it being a covenant between a man and a woman.

If a man and woman mutually agree to consider themselves married before the Lord and and present themselves as married publicly, then who are we to say that they are not married in the sight of the Lord?

Now, having established that, to be above reproach and “obey the laws of the land”, then it would be best to publicly contract the marriage (at least obtain a marriage license). You can then quell any questions and present the best witness.

If you truly love someone, care about them, and are committing yourself to them, then why would you not publicly contract the marriage? In this way you can legally protect your mate if something happens to you.

Often at this point, people start giving the following rationalizations:

Rationalization: I want to keep my options open
Response: It is pretty obvious if you feel this way that you are not in a marriage covenant, you are shacking up and if you do “exercise” your options it is adultery.

Rationalization: If we get married we stand to lose disability, social security, welfare, trust fund, alimony, etc
Response: Then you are lying and living a lie. I don’t see in God’s word where He would honor something mixed with lies.

Forgiveness without repentance is permissiveness

Forgiveness restores relationship, prevents you from holding a “grudge”, and eliminates the need to take “revenge”.

However, forgiveness does not mean to restore trust. Trust is earned.

If a person has been abusive or untrustworthy, we can and should forgive.

However, don’t leave yourself in a vulnerable or dangerous situation – that would be foolish. Forgiveness does not mean that you need to be a doormat.

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Col 2:16-19

We love to have our ego “petted” when people comment on how open minded and tolerant we are.

We get such a charge out of this, we forget to ask, “Does God approve of what I believe?”

No, antichrist will perform miracles and deceive many. (Matthew 24:24)

Anything that contradicts Scripture is not from God.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8-9).”