Lot’s of Good Stuff

As busy as I have been lately with doctor appointments and playing for funerals, I still try to get daily reading taken care of, all the while collecting links to articles I feel need sharing.  So here are the links I’ve been collection since the last time I posted “good stuff.”

Mark’s Gospel and Pentecostal snake-handling.

Are We Called to Literally Eat Christ’s Flesh and Drink His Blood? Excellent examination of the Papist heresy of transubstantiation.

Where Did Jesus Say, “I Am God; Worship Me”?  Interesting examination comparing Muslim teachings with the Bible.  However, I do think Jesus’ “I am” statements should have been included in this examination of Scripture.

Perhaps we should agree that reparations should be paid?

From the Mary of the Bible to the Mary of Manifold Devotions. Good examination of Catholic idolatry of Mary.

Why I Wish We Hadn’t Lived Together Before Marriage.

The Apostasy Revolution is Here.

What Really Was Ham’s Sin?

Using discernment with “Christian” magazines, part 2.

What biblical books are included in the earliest canonical lists?

Really, there is no such thing as a “gay Christian.” Christians do not identify themselves by their sexual desires.

I’ve looked through this site just a bit (recommended to my by another blogger) and it seems to have some good information.

What every apologist needs to know about 1 Peter 3:15.

I LOVE this article and how it addresses what I’ve said all along — that infants who die are indeed saved.

The Gospel According to Essential Oils?

Don’t forget about the “pickle juice.”

Some good information about the Christian Science cult.

The feminist lies to discern and avoid.

Time for Some Good Stuff

It’s again time to look not at cults and false teachings to avoid, but to look at good instruction.  

Let’s first start with a series posted at “Grace to You” concerning discernment and how to be better “Bereans.”

Meet the Bereans
Your Berean Battle Plan:  Remember
Your Berean Battle Plan:  Remain
Your Berean Battle Plan:  Reach
Your Berean Battle Plan:  Rescue

An excellent sermon by John MacArthur was also posted on Grace to You.   Titled, “We Will Not Bow,” it was given in July in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to rebel against God’s design for marriage.

There are many viewpoints about what the Bible says is allowable for divorce and remarriage.  My personal view is that divorce is permitted for marital unfaithfulness (adultery - either actual physical, or mental by indulgence in pornography, etc), abuse and abandonment.  I also maintain that biblical divorce allows for remarriage.  This article asks the question of whether there is biblical grounds for divorcing an abuser.

Do all infants go to heaven?  I believe they do, and I wrote justifying my position back in April 2011.  This article from The Gospel Coalition agrees with my assessment.

Have you even been confused about the differences in the genealogies of Jesus as presented in Matthew and Luke?  Marie has a good article to help you with your struggle.

Finally, Joe has some good thoughts about the Lord’s Supper.

Some More Good Stuff

Apologetics isn’t just about defending the Faith against all the false teachers and false teachings, it is also about clearly explaining what the Faith is all about.  1 Peter 3:15 makes it clear that every Christian’s duty is to be a good apologist.   This requires study, so as to “present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15, NIV)

Studying the Word often requires the use of commentaries, because the vast majority of Christians are not able to read or understand the original languages in which the Bible was written, nor do we have knowledge of the cultural context which helps explain so much of what is going on in Scripture.  These commentaries may be books, a sermon, or articles, etc.

When I have a blog post about “good stuff,” they are links to commentaries in the form of articles which can help us to better understand various aspects of Christian teachings; apologetics from a positive side.  And this post is another one pointing to some articles I have read over the past few weeks which I found edifying.  I hope you will also find them the same.

I think many Christians are unclear on what forgiveness is really about.  “Defining Forgiveness” should help you understand the meaning.

With so much discussion in the media about what marriage is, and with so many Christians compromising with the same-sex fake marriage ideology, I think it would be good for us to remember what God’s design for marriage is.

There are many aberrant ideas about how the current church should look just like the church did in the book of Acts.  But was that recorded history a prescription for the church or a description of what was taking place at that period in history?  The Cripplegate gives some food for thought.

I previously wrote an article about why I believe babies and small children will be saved.  I came across an excellent article which agrees with my belief, presenting a good defense of the reasons for such belief.

Did Paul teach a different Gospel from the one Jesus preached?  Many people make this claim.  A solid understanding of Paul’s teachings will refute the claim.

Lastly, I thought this article about  eschatology was quite interesting — and not just because it agrees with my viewpoint.  I have often explained that the Bible and early writings of Christians showed a belief in a “rapture” at the end of the Tribulation, followed by 1000 years of Christ reigning.  This article explains where the changes to amillennialism and post-millennialism entered into Christian belief.  (the comments show a lot of ignorance of history, as well as a lot of devotion to Romanism)

What About Babies and Salvation?

Over the years I have heard much debate as to the destination of young children, including those who died before birth (be it miscarriage or abortion); are they in heaven?

For those who believe in the unbiblical doctrine of baptismal regeneration, this becomes a real quandary.  The Roman Catholics invented a place called Limbo where these children go, which has been described variably as a place of natural happiness or of mild punishment.  Others, including a Lutheran pastor of a church we once attended, claim they go to hell.  Still others, like me, believe the destination of these children is heaven.

First, let me say that while I believe we are born with a sin nature and are “sinners” in that regard, I don’t believe that babies are sinners in regards to actually committing sins.  (For example, many people claim that when a baby cries for food it is demonstrating a sin of selfishness, but this is nonsense - it’s the only way a baby has of advising of its need!)

Let me give some thoughts from Scripture (HSCB).

+  Deuteronomy 1:39:  “Your little children who you said would be plunder, your sons who don’t know good from evil, will enter there....”  (my emphasis).  Notice how God said these “little children” didn’t “know good from evil.”  

+  Isaiah 7:15-16:  “By the time he learns to reject what is bad and choose what is good, he will be eating butter and honey.  For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.”  Again notice how God says young children do not know - have not learned - to choose between good and evil.

I think these passages talking about children not knowing good from evil, and not knowing to choose between them, demonstrates there is an age during which a child is innocent of being charged with sin - an age before “accountability.”

+  2 Corinthians 5:10:  “For we must all appear before the judgement sat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.”

+  Revelation 20:12-13 says that the dead are all “judged according to their works.”

These passages which state that we are judged according to our works imply that we have knowledge of right vs wrong, and a child not having this knowledge would be free from such judgement.

+  2 Samuel 12:23:  “But now that he is dead, why should I fast?  Can I bring him back again?  I’ll to go to him, but he will never return to me.”  David is talking about the death of his son.  Notice he says that he will be able to go where his son is.  Where is his son?    Apparently with the Lord.

+  Matthew 19:13-14:  “Then Children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray.  But the disciples rebuked them.  Then Jesus said, ‘Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.’”  Mark 10:13-15 is a parallel passage to the Matthew passage, and vs 14 gives this as Jesus’ response: “Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”   This is repeated in Luke 18:15-17.

David believed that his child was with the Lord, and Jesus says that God’s kingdom is for “such as these” - not only children but those who become like children in their faith.

So let’s look at the issue of not only children, but also those with the mental capacity of a child - or even less.  There has been a long-standing teaching among Jews and Christians about an “age of accountability.”  Some give numbers such as 8 years old, but others don’t.  If there is such an age, I would say it would have to be variable because each person matures at a different rate, and some may be a genius at four years old while others may not have a clue until they are almost pubescent!  

The God of the Bible is a loving and merciful God, and not one who would condemn to hell the souls of children who never saw life, let alone children who not only never learned right from wrong, but also never matured enough to know anything about spiritual matters.  And this of course would apply to those with severe mental disabilities whose mental capacity is no more than a child’s.

I cannot be dogmatic about this subject because the Bible does not specifically state children are saved, but I think the implication is certainly there.