Were the Israelites ever truly entirely monotheistic?

It goes without saying that Judaism is one of the world’s greatest religions and without her sacred Scriptures, the Old Testament, Christianity as it has been known for two-thousand years, would probably not exist; or at least in the form that it is now practiced. The point is not whether “Judaism” is monotheistic in its concepts and theology, but rather if the Children of Israel ever totally embraced it in ‘practice,’ as opposed to the religions of the other nations that surrounded them. It seems from the following Scriptural references that it might have taken a long time for the Jews to have adopted ‘monotheism’ and belief in the God of Moses, exclusively. Eventually, the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah were taken into captivity among the Assyrians [Israel] and Babylonians [Judah]; and even then, it is uncertain if they worshipped solely the “One and only God” before they were taken captive to foreign lands or not.

Exodus 15: 11
“Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?”

18: 11
“Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.”

20: 1, 1a, 3
Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, ‘You shall not have any gods before Me.”

Joshua 22: 22a
“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord!

WARNINGS AGAINST IDOLTARY, SERVING OTHER GODS, MAKING MOLTEN IMAGES:

Exodus 20: 1-5a, 23; 22: 20; 23: 24, 33; 34: 13-17 (Total=4)
Leviticus 19: 4; 26: 1, 30 (Total=2)
Numbers 33: 52 (Total=1)
Deuteronomy 4: 16-19, 23-24, 27-28; 5: 7-9a; 6: 4, 14-15; 7: 4-5, 16, 25-26; 8: 19; 11: 16; 12: 2-3, 13; 12: 29-32; 13: 1-3; 13: 6-10, 12-16; 16: 21-22; 20: 16-18; 29: 25-26; 31: 16, 18; 32: 8-9 (Total=15)
Joshua 24: 14, 19-20, 23 (Total=1)
I Samuel 12: 10 (Total=1)

WHAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID:

JUDGES
2: 11-13 (Baals, Ashtoreth, other gods. . .)
3: 6-8 (Baals, Asheroth)
6: 25-26, 30-32 (Asherah, altar of Baal)
8: 33; 9: 4 (Baal-berith their god)
9: 37 (“diviners oak”)
9: 46 (temple of El [Baal]-berith)
10: 6, 13-14 (Baals, Ashtoreth, gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistines)
11: 24 (the god of Chemosh)
17: 1-6, 14, 24 (Micah’s molten images, household idols. . .)

I SAMUEL
18: 20; 19: 13(Michal, King Saul’s daughter substitutes a household idol in David’s place to protect him).

I KINGS
11: 1-8 (King Solomon sets up altars and high places to Ashtoreth [Sidonians], Chemosh [Moab], Milcom [Ammonites], and Molech [Ammon])

12: 25-33 (Jeroboam sets up altars for 2 golden calves; one at Bethel and the other at Dan)

14: 1, 9 (Abijam, son of Jeroboam made a molten image and other gods. . .)

14: 21-24 (Rehoboam, son of Solomon [“in Judah”] built high places, sacred pillars, Asherim, and had male cult prostitutes)

15: 8, 11-14 (Asa, son of Abijam [“in Israel”] put away the male cult prostitutes, removed the idols, deposed Maacah the Queen mother; and cut down her horrid image of an Asherah, but he did not remove the high places [“pagan worship sites”])

16: 29-33 (Ahab, son of Omri king of Israel, erected a house of Baal and made an Asherah)

II KINGS
1: 1, 16-17 (King Ahaziah of Israel sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebud, the god of Ekron regarding his illness)

2: 10: 18-30, 36 (Jehu king of Israel slew the prophets of Baal, broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and the two golden calves at Bethel and Dan)

14: 1, 4 (Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah became king but he did not take away the high places; and the people still sacrificed there)

15: 1-4 (Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah became king but he did not take away the high places; and the people still sacrificed there)

15: 32-35 (Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah became king but he did not take away the high places; and the people still sacrificed there)

16: 1, 3-5; II Chronicles 28: 23 (Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah became king, made his son pass through the fire, sacrificed and burned incense on the hills and under every green tree)

18: 1, 4
(Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king and broke down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses made (Cp. Numbers 21: 9) because the sons of Israel burned incense to it and called it “Nehustan.”)

21: 1-7(Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah became king and erected altars for Baal, worshipped the host of heaven and built altars for them, made his sons to pass through the fire, used divination, witchcraft, mediums, spirits, and set the carved image of an Asherah in the house of God) NOTE: Manasseh repented (Cp. II Chronicles 33: 11-17)

22: 1; 23: 1-15, 19-20-26 “JOSIAH’S RELIGIOUS REFORMS”
(Josiah son of Amon king of Judah’ becomes king;
and brought out all the vessels for Baal, Asherah and the host of heaven from the temple of the Lord, burned them and carried their ashes to Bethel; brought out the Asherah from the temple of the Lord to the brook of Kidron [Jerusalem] ground it to dust and threw on the graves of the common people; he did away with all the idolatrous priests; he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the Lord where the women were weaving hangings for Asherah; he defiled the god Topeth which is in the valley of the son of Hinnon; he did away with the horses which were given to the sun and he burned the chariots with fire; he broke down the altars, smashed them and threw the ashes in the brook of Kidron; he broke down the high places and broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones; he broke down the altar that was at Bethel, demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah, and he burned human bones on the altar).

II CHRONICLES
17: 1, 6
(Jehoshaphat son of Asa king of Judah became king and he removed the high places and Asherim from Judah)

23: 16-7
(Jehoiada the priest along with the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, broke his altars in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal)

29: 1; 30: 14; 31:1 (Hezekiah son of king Ahaz king of Judah became king and caused a spiritual revival; many cast their incense bowls into the brook of Kidron [Jerusalem], and the people went to the cities of Judah and broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim, pulled down thee high places and altars throughout all Judah, Benjamin, Manasseh, and Ephraim until they had destroyed them all)

It is clear from these passages as well as the Prophet Jeremiah's denunciation of the children of Israels idoltary in making offerings to the "Queen of Heaven" that they were not wholly Monotheistic and faithful in keeping the commandments of God as delivered to them by the great Lawgiver Moses. It was only after the people returned from a seventy year exile in Babylon to their former homeland in the land of Judah that they began the more lasting reforms [mentioned more or less in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah] of the religion known as "Judaism;" which has continued to this day.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 30, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ of Nazareth

Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary as a descendant of the royal house of King David and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, is without question, one of the most widely accepted in all Christendom. Both the gospels of MATTHEW and LUKE list the genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham (Matthew 1: 1-16), and Luke takes it much further, going all the way back to “Adam.” (Luke 3: 23-38). In comparing the two accounts recorded in the gospels and taking note of the discrepancies, although the official or traditional explanation is the author in LUKE is listing the lineage through Mary’s ancestry; which is unlikely because Luke presumably traces the royal bloodline through David’s son Nathan, and not Solomon (Cp. Luke 3: 31; I Samuel 3: 10-19).

Matthew 1: 3-6; Luke 3: 32-33
And to Judah were born Perez and Zerah by Tamar; and to Perez was born Hezron; and to Hezron, Ram; and to Ram was born Amminadab, Nashron; and to Nashron, Salmon; and to Salmon was born Boaz by Rahab; and to Boaz was born Obed by Ruth; and to Obed, Jesse; and to Jesse was born David the king.

NOTE: Matthew 1: 11-12; Luke 3: 27 mention Shealtiel and Zerubbabel but that’s about the only thing in common between the two accounts since starting with Perez and continuing through David.

Matthew 1: 12-13a
And after the deportation to Babylon, to Jeconiah was born Shealtiel; and to Shealtiel, Zerubbabel; and to Zerubbabel was born Abiud.

Luke 3: 27
. . . The son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri.

I Chronicles 3: 19
The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam, Hananiah, Shelomith their sister.

NOTE: Matthew uses priestly sounding names such as Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, and Jacob (Cp. 1: 14-16a) and Luke includes the names of priests, Levites, prophets, and others unknown: Matthat, Amos, Mattathias, Nahum, Naggai [Haggai], Semein, Josech, Joda, Joanan, Eliezer, Cosan, Melchi, Elmadam, Jorin, Melea, and Menna (Cp. 3: 24-31). A few of the names that Luke uses are included in Ezra 10: 26-43.

The books of JUDGES through NEHEMIAH contain the genealogical history of the kings, Levites, and priests of Israel as well as Judah, but very little information beyond King David is consistent with the records found in MATTHEW and LUKE.

Ezra 10: 44
“All these had married foreign wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children.”

Nehemiah 7: 5-6, 61b, 64
Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record. These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city. They could not show their father’s houses or their descendants, whether they were of Israel. These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood.

Nehemiah 13: 23-24
In those days, I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but only in the language of his own people.

When thousands of Jews [“land of Judah”] were carried away into Babylonian captivity they simply did not keep accurate genealogical records and scrolls containing family histories, or if they did, these were lost, damaged, or destroyed. On top of that, many of them intermarried and assimilated into the foreign nation where they were held captives; including speaking a different language, changing their names and other such practices alien to them and their ancestors; thereby, abandoning many of their ancient religious customs and cultural traditions.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA
June 29, 2008

Pharaoh’s Army Drowning in the Red Sea

The movie epic, “The Ten Commandments” by Cecile B. DeMille is a holiday favorite for watching with the entire family. Perennial award-winning actor and former NRA spokesman, the late Charlton Heston, brilliantly personifies the character of “Moses” as based on the biblical Old Testament texts and popular imagination. One of the greatest and memorable scenes in the movie is when he, in the title role of the great Hebrew Deliver “Moses,” is standing on a cliff overlooking the Red Sea and is about to, by the power of God, lead the children of Israel through the midst of the sea.

The breath-taking sight of watching a body of water of such expanse parting in the middle and standing in a heap on the left and right, stories high while exposing a dry seabed is almost surreal; but is this the way it really happened? After the pursuing army of Pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea, the children of Israel sang a victory song in celebration of the glorious deliverance as recorded in Exodus, Chapter 15.

1
Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea.”(??)

4-5
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea (??); and the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. “The deeps cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone (??).”

8
“And at the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up, The flowing waters stood up like a heap; The deeps were congealed [frozen] in the heart of the sea.”

10
“Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11a, 12
“Who is like Thee among the gods, O Lord? “Thou didst stretch out Thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.”

19-21
For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. And Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. And Miriam answered them, “Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea (??).”

Nehemiah 9: 11
And You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land. And their persecutors You threw into the deep, as a stone into the mighty waters (??).

NOTE: It is of course plausible, that the poetic refrain of this song of praise and triumph is expressed in figurative language, and is thereby not to be taken literally word for word. A collapsing wall of water from both sides, perhaps hundreds of feet high would have an unimaginable concussive force that would in all probability have crushed everybody and anything that was beneath it.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 23, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

Contrasting the Epistles Written by the Apostles Peter and Paul

In the history of the Christian Church, there are not any two individuals who are more respected and well known than the apostles Paul, or Saul of Tarsus and the “Big Fisherman,” Simon Peter or Cephas. Each one had their own unique personality, style, temperament, and it seems, a ministry to different groups of people as well (Cp. Galatians 1: 7-8). It would be an interesting study to compare what these two complex individuals taught from their perspectives on the matters of faith practices and doctrinal issues among the believers throughout the Middle East, Asia Minor, and Europe.

The apostle Peter penned his letter to Jewish believers who had been scattered [emigrated] from Judea, possibly because of persecutions, to the regions that are mentioned in I Peter 1:1-2; 2: 12.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, ‘scattered’
(Cp. Acts 8: 1, 4; 11: 19, 20??) throughout PONTUS, GALATIA CAPPADOCIA, ASIA, and BITHYNIA, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, by which you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood. May grace and peace be yours in full measure. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles. . .
NOTE: These other areas in ASIA MINOR were possibly areas outside of the Apostle Paul’s missionary activities except for ASIA and GALATIA.

The apostle Peter gives instructions on how believers are to behave toward the governing authorities in I Peter 2: 13-17, which is also reinforced by the apostle Paul (Romans 13: 1-7; I Timothy 2: 1-3; Titus 3: 1)

The next major teaching is the duties of believing husbands and wives to each other (I Peter 3: 1-7; Ephesians 5: 22-33) and also the role of women [Paul ONLY; I Timothy 2: 9-15].

Peter writes about worldly lusts, sensuality, drinking parties, dissipating [wasting one’s energies] in I Peter 2: 11; 4: 1-4, and Paul echoes the same thing (Romans 13: 13-14).

Both Peter and Paul talk about the end of the world (I Peter 4: 7; Romans 13: 11, 12a).

Another major topic is the administration of spiritual gifts, as Peter alludes to in I Peter 4: 9-10, and Paul in Romans 12: 6-8; I Corinthians 12: 4-11.

Interestingly, the apostle Peter gives instructions on the ordination of the office of “elder,” of which even Peter claims that he is one (I Peter 5: 1-4); these qualifications are mentioned by Paul (I Timothy 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 5-9).

Another teaching which is closely connected to that of eldership is the respect and responsibility of which such an appointment is due, especially from the younger men; written by Peter (I Peter 5: 3-7), and by Paul (I Timothy 5: 1, 19-21).

It seems that both the apostles use almost identical closing greetings in their letters, such as by Peter, “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (Cp. 5: 14) The apostle Paul uses, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. . .” (Cp. Romans 16: 16; II Corinthians 13: 12; I Thessalonians 5: 26).

In Peter’s second letter, a similar continuity and consistency between his theology and the apostle Paul continues. In this last letter Peter is nearing his impending death [by martyrdom; John 21: 18-19??], which he mentions here (II Peter 1: 14-15), and Paul mentions the same in II Timothy 4: 6-7.

Peter and Paul both attest to the Divine inspiration of the [O.T.] Scriptures as mentioned in I Peter 1: 20-21 and I Timothy 3: 15.

Peter and Paul talk about “the last days” and the appearance of ‘false prophets and teachers’ (Cp. II Peter 2: 1-3; Acts 20: 29-31; I Timothy 4: 1-2; Jude 3-4)

The apostle Peter also says (II Peter 3: 1-4), “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles (??). Knowing first of all, that in the last days (Cp. I Timothy 4: 1) mockers will come with their mocking; following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

Lastly, Peter concludes this letter with the admonition (II Peter 3:14-16), “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things (I Thessalonians 4: 13 - 5: 2; II Thessalonians 1: 7-10; 2: 1-12; I Timothy 5: 13-16??), in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures (Old Testament??), to their own destruction.”

In carefully examining the theological agreement between these two giants of the ‘Faith,’ the one thing that is conspicuously absent is any mention by the apostle Peter regarding the Old Testament Law of Moses and Jewish customs, especially circumcision. Whereas Peter ignores the subject altogether, this topic was the cornerstone of Paul’s teaching such that it was a problem for the Jewish leadership among the believers in Jerusalem; of which James, the Lord’s brother was the leader, it seems.

Acts 21: 17-24.
And when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And now the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. And after he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. “What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. “Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses in order that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 25, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

A Study in First Corinthians (15: 3-5)

15: 3
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received (Cp. Galatians 1: 11-12), that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures
(Isaiah 50: 6; 53: 4-12; Daniel 9: 26),

15: 4
And that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures (Cp. Psalms: 10b??)

15: 5
and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve
NOTE: If Judas killed himself (Cp. Matthew 27: 3-10; Acts 1: 16-20), how could a resurrected Jesus have appeared to the twelve??). After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time (NOTE: where is that in the gospels??), most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James [NOTE: where is this recorded in the gospels that Jesus appears to James alone??], then to all the apostles; and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, He appeared to me also (Cp. Acts 9: 1-5).

Jesus appeared to Cephas [NOTE: where is it in the Gospels that a risen Jesus appeared to Peter alone?]; Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and the other women; He also tells her to take word to My Brethren (MATTHEW 28: 1, 9-10).

In MARK 16: 1, 2, 9, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene alone and she goes and tells the other disciples.

LUKE 24: 1, 9-10, 13, 18, 22-23, 33-34, Mary Magdalene and the other women discover the empty tomb and were telling these things to the apostles. A disciple named Cleopas dismisses the testimony of the women but credits Simon with seeing the risen Lord (??).

In JOHN 20: 1-2,11, 14, 16-17, The risen Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene alone and she was told to go to My Brethren (Cp. Acts 1: 14??) and tell them about His ascension back to God.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 22, 2008

The Eyewitness Account of the Crucifixion,

All 4 books of the Gospels mention the signature events in the final hours of Jesus’ life but it is perhaps the book of JOHN that gives a more intimate and close-up account, especially the crucifixion, because this “eyewitness” was at the very foot of the cross. The other most trusted and loyal disciples [apostles] having fled, leaving the women standing by and viewing everything from afar (Cp. Matthew 27: 55-56; Mark 15: 40-41: Luke 24: 27, 49). In the book of JOHN (19: 25-27), this narrative sheds a whole new light on what really happened for it says, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.


Matthew 27: 45-54
And when the sixth hour had come [12 Noon], darkness fell over the entire land until the ninth hour [3 P.M.]. And at the ninth hour [3 P.M.] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHITHANI?” which translated, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME [Cp. John 16: 32; Hebrews 13: 5-6??];?” And when some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink [Cp. Psalms 69:21], saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. NOTE: verses 53-54 are a curiously odd placement here(??). So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.!”

Mark 15: 33-39 includes basically everything in MATTHEW, but does not include the supernatural phenomena of earthquakes and resurrection of the saints who died long ago.

Luke 23: 44-47 exclude supernatural phenomena of earthquakes and resurrection of the saints, too, and has Jesus saying, “Father, into Thy hand do I commit My spirit..."

John 19: 30-37
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “IT IS FINISHED!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (Cp. 7: 37-39). As he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “NOT ONE OF HIS BONES SHALL BE BROKEN.” And again, another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK UPON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 22, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

“His Blood be Upon Us and Our Children”

Those ominous and prophetic words recorded in Matthew 27: 25 have resulted in tragic consequences for the Jewish people for nearly two-thousand years. The hatred, suspicion, racism, profanity-laced verbal attacks, bigotry and physical violence perpetrated against the Jews are unparalleled in human history. Many of them fleeing persecution became immigrants in countries that didn’t want them and many of their foreign hosts were puzzled by their strange religious customs, history, and cultural traditions.

Jews were considered carriers of diseases, genetically and intellectually inferior or abnormal,and untrustworthy; among other such vile, reprehensible and evil misrepresentations perpetrated by the Nazi propagandists. The greatest indictment against the Jewish race is found, ironically, in the Christian Bible and perhaps is one of the contributing factors in the accusations against them as “Christ-killers,” and may well indeed have led up to the “Holocaust” and the deaths of millions of Jewish men, women, and children between 1939-1945 in the 15,000 concentration camps across various countries, according to the “Jewish Virtual Library;” the most well known camps being “Auschwitz” in Poland and “Dachau” and “Buchenwald” in Germany. The book of “ACTS” is probably one of the most virulent and anti-Semitic writings in all the New Testament Scriptures.

2: 23, 36
“This Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified.”

3: 13-15
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of Life, the One whom God raised from the dead. . .”

4: 10
Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-by this name this man stands here before you in good health.

5: 17-18, 28b, 30
But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy; and they laid their hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. . .“you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross.

7: 51-52
“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced
the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.”

10: 38-39
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. “And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.”

13: 26-28
“Brethren, son’s of Abraham’s family and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out. “For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. “And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed.”

A stunning indictment against the Jews in recorded in I Thessalonians 2: 14-16b, which reads: For you, brethren became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. *They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men.* But wrath has come upon them to the utmost (??).

This last biblical reference if taken literally by some, could be the catalyst for a convincing moral and religious justification for centuries-old acts of cruelty, human rights violations, and despotic criminal acts bordering on the insane or demonic against a people who seem to have inherited the “sins of the fathers,” and who are not to blame according to Acts 3: 17, “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 22, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

Should Christians Criticize and Participate in Public Demonstrations Against the Civil Governmental Authorities?

Almost everyday the broadcast and print media bombard the public with 24 hours of sensational, tabloid journalism which only heighten our sense of anxiety, pessimism, misery, and frustration. Many Americans are losing their jobs and are without health insurance, not to mention the high gas prices, the war in Afghanistan & Iraq, the exponential growth of the federal deficit, devaluation of the dollar, and not to mention the strain on the economy when the nearly 65 million to 100 million “Baby Boomers” reach retirement age within the next 10 years. Add to sad fact that the ‘ENRON’ was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to retirement and 401-K pension funds because 95% of retirees don’t have enough savings to live on, anyway.

Many families are facing the reality that they might have to care for aging parents and “elder care” might become a national issue as it has among the Japanese in recent decades. Also, the prosperity of America is challenged by economic powerhouses China and India, who have some of the fastest growing economies in the world and both countries combined account for roughly, one-third of the global population. In fact, India has now achieved a milestone in 20 years to have nearly 365 million middle-class families, which is more than the entire United States population. When a person feels helpless and as though they are unnoticed and invisible, it is easy to want to complain, criticize, denounce and voice outrage toward political leaders for our misfortunes, but is this the way for a Christian to behave? What would belieing Christians do today if they were subjected to a few of the following examples?

Matthew 26: 57, 59, 67-68
And those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and elders were gathered together. Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put Him to death. Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?”

Luke 23: 4, 13-16, 20-24
And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no guilt in this man.” And Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you have made against Him. “No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. “I will therefore punish Him and release Him.” And Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” And he [Pilate] said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; I will therefore punish Him and release Him” But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that he be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand should be granted.

Acts 12: 1-3
Now about that time, Herod the king [Agrippa I??] laid hands on some belonging to the church in order to mistreat them, And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. . .

Acts 18: 12, 16-17
But while Gallio was pro-counsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, and he drove them away from the judgment seat. And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. And Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

Acts 23: 33; 24: 22, 26-27
And when these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the “Way,” put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” At the same time too, he [Felix] was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he used to send for him quite often and converse with him. But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

NOTE: In the aforementioned, these men had perverted justice and abused their power as civil servants and representatives of the people, and so what are believers to do about the circumstances experienced in these times of today? How would you act if you were abused while in police custody, falsely imprisoned, or someone perjured themselves at your trial? What if a loved one spent years in 'solitary confinement' or was on "Death Row" and later given "LETHAL INJECTION," but you knew they were innocent? The medicine for this remedy is a painful pill to swallow as referenced in the following:

Titus 3: 1
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.

I Peter 2: 13-15, 17
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, and honor the king.

Romans 13: 1-7
Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you not want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword of God in vain; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscious sake. For because of this we pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom is due; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

I Timothy 2: 1-3
First of all, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made in behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 21, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

Have You Received the Holy Ghost Since You Believed?

The apostle Paul was about to embark on his third and final missionary journey into Europe and instructed Priscilla and Aquila, whom he met and lodged with in Corinth [GREECE] during his second missionary journey (Cp. Acts 18: 1-3, 18-19), to remain in Ephesus [ASIA]. Paul had set sail from Ephesus, landed in Caesarea [GALILEE], and went down to greet the church in Antioch [SYRIA] (Cp. Acts 18: 22). In the meantime, an Alexandrian Jew by the name of Apollos came to Ephesus and began teaching in the synagogue the way of the Lord from the [Old Testament] Scriptures, but he only knew about John’s baptism. Paul’s friends, Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak in the synagogue and took him aside [privately] to explain the word of God more accurately to him (Cp. 18: 23-26).

Apollos left Ephesus and went to Corinth in [ACHAIA/GREECE], Paul returned to Ephesus after passing through the regions of GALATIA and Phrygia from Antioch [SYRIA] in his third and last European missionary journey, and upon finding some disciples [whom Apollos probably had taught??] asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Ghost when you believed?” After they explained that they were baptized into John’s baptism, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [by Paul??], and Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying (Cp. 19: 1-6).

At the beginning of the Church, on the first Pentecost after the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, a spirit-filled Peter told the assembled crowd, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." For the promise
(Cp. Joel 2: 28-32) is for you and your children, and for all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself (Acts 2: 1-4, 38-39)."

Philip, one of the leading brethren who had a good reputation and was Spirit-filled went to the city of Samaria {SAMARIA] and proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God and many believed Philip’s preaching and were baptized. The apostles in Jerusalem heard about this event and sent Peter and John to pray for them that the Samaritan believers might receive the Holy Spirit although they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Peter and John Began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 6: 3-6; 8: 2, 12, 14-17).

Finally, the apostle Peter preached to the household of Cornelius, who were the first Gentile converts to the faith; with dramatic results. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message (Cp. 10: 24). And all the circumcised believers were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we did (Cp. Acts 2: 1-4), can He?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. . .

There are those in the body of Christ who place a great deal of emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit as evidence of a person being saved rather than as evidence of a special dispensation of grace. In Romans 12: 6-8, it states: having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, let us use them; if prophesy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching, he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence, he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Lastly, the letter to the Corinthians sums it all up in I Corinthians 12: 4-11, but especially verses 4 & 11, which state: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 20, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

A Study in GALATIANS (Chapters 1-2)

1: 11-12, 17-19
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

COUNTERPOINT: Acts 9: 19b-20
(Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”)

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

COUNTERPOINT: Acts 9: 26a, 27
(And when he had come to Jerusalem. . . But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.)

1: 21-22
Then I went unto the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

Acts 9: 29-30
(And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews, and they were attempting to put him to death. But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus.)
And I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ.

COUNTERPOINT: Acts 9: 26, 28
(And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.)

2: 1-3
Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. And it was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

COUNTERPOINT: Acts 15: 1-2
(And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.)

COUNTERPOINT Acts 15: 4, 6-7, 12-13
(And when they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. And the apostles and elders came together to look into this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them . . . And the entire multitude kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying. . .)

2: 4-10
But it was because of false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

POINT: Acts 15: 1-2
(And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.)

2: 6-10
But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality); well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me (??). But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. (For He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas, and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and that they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor; the very thing I also was eager to do.

COUNTERPOINT: Acts 15: 13a, 19-20
(And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying. . . “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.”)

2: 11-14
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

POINT: Acts 11: 2-3?? (And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”)


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 17, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

Confronting the Issue of “Gay” Marriage

The institution of marriage is one of the oldest in human history, and cultural interpretations of this practice vary among every tribe, clan, family, ethnic and national group throughout the world; based upon each one’s social institutions, traditions and religious beliefs. The controversy about “gay” marriage is that it violates social taboos within a society which strictly enforces binary codes of gender identity, conduct, and expectations into male and female. The establishment of our laws, history, and cultural practices in America has been at the root, a fundamental belief in the Judeo-Christian Bible as the inspired Word of God. This in essence is the framework of our Democracy and it is believed that in order for us as a people to enjoy the blessings of abundance, prosperity, and a good quality of life, then our conduct and values must be in accordance with eternal laws that are unchangeable from the Creator.

Matthew 19: 3-6 reads: The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,’ “and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together let no man separate [rend asunder or annul]. NOTE: Also look at Matthew 5: 6b.
Most of the time when this last verse is read, the word “what” goes unnoticed. Jesus could have used, “those whom” God has joined together but He used “what” instead; which would be rather peculiar when referring to individuals, so He must have had some deeper meaning more profound than the illustration using Adam and Eve. It must be kept in mind that Jesus was talking about the harshness of Jewish men who divorced their wives for the smallest and insignificant of offenses.

In Malachi 2: 14b-15, there is an underlying principle of “oneness” which reads, “Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one (Cp. Genesis 2: 24), having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” Also, reading Songs of Solomon 1-8, it would be inconceivable to picture those passionate, intimate and erotic lines of poetry in any other circumstances that of a man writing about his female lover or wife.

Certainly no one should be judging or condemning the lifestyle choices of another human being because we shall all have to appear before the judgment seat of Christ (II Corinthians 5: 10), but there are certain requirements that are mandated to continue receiving the blessings of God as mentioned in Deuteronomy 6: 18a: “And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you. . .” The opposite of this injunction is found firstly, in Judges 21: 25, which reads: In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own sight; and in Proverbs 21: 2, which reads, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.”

The relevancy of ancient Jewish sacred Scripture is so appropriate to these modern times because everyone wants to be so politically correct that while respecting rights of privacy and sensitivity to one’s personal affairs and to guard against a proliferation of “hate crimes” and other violent and discriminatory behavior, it does at times seem as though, “there is no king in Israel and everyone does what is right in his own sight.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 17, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

A Plea for Christian Unity

Every Sunday hundreds of millions Bible-believing Christians assemble into their respective places of worship in America and throughout the world. Each church has its own unique history and every member is extremely devoted as well as intensely passionate about what he or she believes. The common thread which binds all the faithful together is belief in the Messianic prophet, Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

After such a glorious beginning, Christianity has splintered itself into a mere shadow of itself with modern-day Pharisees and for some of these believers the rest of the world can to "hell," as long as they are raptured up to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air, while the world is left to suffer through the horrors of the ‘Apocalypse’ and the "Great Tribulation." However, in the meantime, the self-righteous Christian looks down gleefully from the clouds and says, "I told you so." Are we so concerned with being 'right' in a religious sense that we forget all about having a 'real' relationship with God? And if our only concern is the attainment of Everlasting Life while abandoning the philosophy, then I submit that we are the most selfish beings in all creation.

How ironic it is when there is a Methodist Church across the street from a Presbyterian Church and a Lutheran Church several blocks away from a Baptist Church and sadly, not any member from one of the Churches of the same ‘Faith’ will fellowship with one another. It seems that the polarizing force in religious division is in interpreting the Bible from a particular denominational perspective and firmly believing that God, through the Holy Spirit would not lead someone to a particular church if it was not the truth. Too often, fellow believers allow the 'mote' of minor theological points-of-view to keep us from the 'beam' of fellowship, common belief, and sharing together in the blessings in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Acts 2:44, 46
"And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common; And day by day continuing with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart." In Ephesians 4:13, the Apostle Paul writes, "Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [full] knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

Jude 3
"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the ‘Faith’ which was once for all delivered to the saints." Lastly, in
Luke 18:8, Jesus seems to be looking down the corridors of time and makes this rhetorical statement . . . "However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" It is a question to which no answer was given and unto us whom the ends of world may have come, it not only obliges us to make our calling and election sure but that we strive for the oneness of unity in the bonds of peace with love for one another and all mankind.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 16, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

The Royal House of David

The has been so much attention paid to the genealogical lineage of the Judean Prophet and Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth from a spiritual standpoint, as well it should be; but what about the royal bloodline from all the children of Joseph and Mary. In Luke 1: 30-33, it reads: Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and call His name JESUS. “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Also, Psalms 131: 11-12 states, “The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it; “I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. If your sons will keep My covenant and My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.” The hope of Israel and the” Divine Light” which has dawned on the Gentiles in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of a King to sit on the throne of David has been accomplished in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

The genealogy of Jesus is attested by Romans 1: 3; Matthew 1: 1-16; Luke 3: 23-32. NOTE: In Luke 3: 23, Joseph is related on the maternal side through marriage to Mary (Matthew 1: 16??). It is understandable that all the focus should go on Jesus and everything else is seemingly inconsequential by comparison, whereas the throne belongs to Jesus, but all of the descendants of Joseph and Mary are heirs of the royal bloodline and lineage of King David.

Matthew 13: 55-56 states, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James, and Joseph and Simon and Judas? “And His sisters are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Cp. Mark 6: 3). One can only wonder about the mysterious wedding in Cana of Galilee recorded in John 2: 10; 12 might not have been one of Jesus’ sisters as His mother and brothers were mentioned as guests. In the Middle Eastern patriarchal society the bride usually goes to live with the extended family of the groom and Mary’s involvement seems to be more involved than just that of an invited guest of a friend; unless it was a very close friend or relative.

Also, the Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 9: 5 about the brothers of the Lord having a [believing] wife along with the other apostles and Cephas [Peter]. Since the sacred writings mention the royal bloodline, then the question needs to be asked is where were these records kept and if indeed the family of Jesus are the true royal bloodline from King David, then why did they live such an obscure life of hardship, near poverty, deprivation and obscurity?

One could only wonder if others knew their secret at that time until this information was recorded on scrolls of papyrus at a later time. More importantly, since the Gospels were written some thirty years after the earthly ministry of Jesus concluded and He returned back to the Father in heaven, there would still be the likelihood of offspring from the brothers and sisters of Jesus still living then and possibly even unto modern times. This is not a pseudo mystery like the “DaVinci Code” or “Holy Grail: Holy Blood” but it does offer a window into a story that as of yet has not been fully told.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-382-4092
pbks@hotmail.com

Who Wrote the New Testament Letters?

It is so commonly accepted as to not require further inquiry into the identities of individuals whose writings are the foundation of the Christian Church. These household names are so familiar to believers and non-believers alike such that the men known as Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude are almost taken for granted. The question is rather how plausible is it that other, lesser known individuals may have had a greater impact on the doctrines of the ‘faith’ than one may realize at first glance.

The letter of Romans is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), but in Romans 16: 22, it states,” I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Additionally, the chapter continues as follows:

16: 7
Greet Andronicus and Junas, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

16: 11a, 13
Greet Herodian, my kinsman. . . Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.

16: 21
Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius (Cp. Acts 13: 1??) and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
NOTE: It would be quite unusual for Paul to call Timothy his fellow worker (Cp. I Timothy 1: 2, 18; II Timothy 1: 2; 2: 1).

The letter of I Corinthians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), but there is a curious statement in 16: 20-21, which reads, “All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The greeting is in my own hand-Paul.” This comment would lead one to think that the apostle Paul might have only composed this little fragment unaided, and the rest of the epistle with the help of someone else, possibly Sosthenes (1: 1??)

The letter of II Corinthians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), but there are a few interesting passages in it, too. Paul mentions that Titus is his brother
(Cp, 2: 13), but in his epistle to Titus, Paul refers to him as “his true child in a common ”faith” (Titus 1: 4). Of course Paul does also call Titus his partner and fellow worker (II Corinthians 8: 22). The evidence is stronger that the apostle Paul may have written this letter unaided because of the similar greeting found in I Corinthians that he uses here. II Corinthians 13: 12-13, states, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.(Cp. I Corinthians 16: 20-21).

The letter of Galatians is attributed to Paul (1: 1), but there is an eye-catching statement near the end of it in 6: 11, where he states, “See what large letters I am writing you with my own hand.” It would seem that once again the apostle have had help in his other correspondence; if this was not the case, then why keep mentioning it.

The letter of Ephesians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1)

The letter of Philippians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1)

The letter of Colossians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1) and is confirmed in 4: 18, which states, “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.

The letter of I Thessalonians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), and is confirmed in 5: 26, which states, “Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss (Cp. I Corinthians 16: 20-21; II Corinthians 12-13).”

The letter of II Thessalonians is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), and is confirmed in 3: 17, which reads, “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. NOTE: Not only is Paul identifying himself as the author of the letter, but mentions a distinguishing mark (??), which is his signature of ownership and presumably one that the recipients of his letters can authenticate.

The letter of I Timothy is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1)

The letter of II Timothy is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1)

The letter of Titus is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1)

The letter of Philemon is attributed to the apostle Paul (1: 1), and is confirmed in 1: 19, which states, “I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. . .”

The letter to the Hebrews is one of the more obscure as to who authored it. Tradition credits the apostle Paul as the author, but that is unlikely. In all of Paul’s writing, he is readily identified, whereas this particular writer is not. This epistle seems to have come from Rome (13: 24), and Paul makes frequent mention of his imprisonment there (Acts 28: 16; Philippians 1: 13-14, 17; 4: 22;
II Timothy 1: 16-17; 2: 9), which this writing does not. There are a couple of things that seem to be indicated in the Hebrew letter, and that is, the unknown author has a great knowledge about the Jewish priesthood, temple services, and the Old Covenant.

The person with the most probable background to have composed this material is John Mark. The author would need to have priestly genealogy, which John does (Acts 4: 6; 12: 12; Colossians 4: 10). Paul’s letter to Timothy urges him to come soon, as he is about to approach death shortly; and for him to bring along Mark as well as the parchments (Cp. II Timothy 4: 6-9, 11, 13). John Mark, no doubt completed this one last mission for Paul before his death (??). If this is true, then a final letter would have been penned to the Hebraic Jews in Judea [Jerusalem] because Paul never really had an opportunity to share the gospel with them (Acts 19: 21; 20: 22; 21: 12-13, 27-31), and he also had a heavy heart as far as the salvation of Israel
(Romans 9: 1-4; 10: 1-2; 11: 13-14). Doubtless much of the information would certainly have come from John-Mark because of his lineage and it is presented in such a manner that even if his identity were known, it might have received a favorable response and legitimacy because of his priestly roots than coming from the Apostle Paul.

The author of James is unknown but tradition says it is James, the Lord’s [step??] brother (Cp. Matthew 13: 55; Galatians 1: 18; Jude 1) although there is no internal evidence to that fact (1: 1)

The letter of I Peter is attributed to the apostle Peter (1: 1), but Peter says, “Through Silvanus [Silas], our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly (5: 12), exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”

The letter of II Peter is attributed to the apostle Peter (1: 1; 3: 1; II Peter 5: 12??)

The epistles of I, II, III and the Revelation are attributed to the apostle John (??), although there is no internal evidence to substantiate whether it was the Apostle John or another person named John. (Cp. Revelation 1: 1, 4, 9)

The epistle of Jude is attributed to Jude, brother of James [step-brother of Jesus??] (Cp. Matthew 13: 55; Galatians 1: 18; Jude 1)


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 11, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

The Rapid Growth of the Christian Message

It was around the year 1940 or so, H.G. Well’s had a famous ‘Halloween Special’ radio broadcast, “WAR OF THE WORLDS,” and thousands of listeners to the program thought the planet Earth really was invaded by the Martians. Scores of panic-stricken American citizens jumped to their deaths from tall office buildings because they thought the threat was real. When news reports of suicides, rioting, and mass paranoia reached the CBS radio station [New York], the hoax was recanted and calm was once again restored to the public. No doubt thousand of people prayed and churches, synagogues, and mosques were overflowing because of one simple fact; people are not yet prepared to face the end of their existence in such a surreal, unalterable and cataclysmic way. It seems when people are faced with such finality, there is only one of three choices that can be made; either do good deeds with the time you have left, total resignation [give up trying to make a difference], or anarchy [lawlessness].

One of the things which have confounded historians, anthropologists, and social scientists alike is how Christianity became a major world religion in such a short time. It started as a small movement emanating from Jerusalem in Judea and spread throughout the Roman Empire; eventually becoming the official religion of Rome within a century. There were certainly more ancient religions that have been around for thousands of years before Christianity, and even traditional Orthodox Judaism as practiced during the time of Jesus was hundreds of years old and very much part of the cultural fabric of much of the civilized world then.

The uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only-begotten Son of God who was resurrected from the dead and offering the promise of eternal life to those who believed in His name was certainly a factor, as well as the miracles performed by the followers of Jesus through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. There is also another reason, which perhaps gets to the heart of the matter and may be a reason why the growth was so phenomenal. The earliest writings of the New Testament may not in fact be the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), but rather the letters written by the Apostle Paul. Time after time in some of his earliest writings, the apostle expressed his belief in the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 2: 5, 16
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

8: 25
But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

13: 12a
The night is almost gone and the day is at hand.

I Corinthians 1: 7-8
So that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall confirm you to the end blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

11: 26
For as often as you eat of this bread and drink the cup, you do proclaim the Lord’s death, until He comes.

II Corinthians 2: 14
Just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.

Philippians 1: 10; 2: 16
So that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. Holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

4: 5
Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men, the Lord is near.

I Thessalonians 2: 19
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming.

3: 13
So that He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

4: 15
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

5: 2, 4
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief (Cp. Matthew 24: 42-45; Luke 12: 39-40 ).

II Thessalonians 1: 7, 10
And to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day and to be marveled at among all who have believed-for our testimony to you was believed.

This is the last writing in Paul’s letters where the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is expected soon or within that generation because the focus shifts to a more distant future as pointed out in II Thessalonians 2: 1-12. Some of the believers became disillusioned, were idle, not working and became busy bodies (II Thessalonians 3: 8-15). There were even some who claimed that the resurrection has already taken place, although the Scripture doesn’t provide any examples of what proof there was to the claim (II Timothy 2: 16-18). Paul, nearing the end of his earthly life and desired to see Timothy soon; possibly for the last time and wanted him to bring John Mark as he seems to be looking past after his life is over toward the Lord rewarding him for faithful service in a distant time beyond the grave (II Timothy 4: 6-9, 11).

The apostle Peter starts out writing about the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in much the same way that his contemporary the apostle Paul does.

I Peter 1: 7, 13
That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, girds your minds for actions, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I Peter 2: 12
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds; glorify God in the day of visitation.

4: 7, 13
The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep rejoicing; so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.

The tone of the apostle Peter’s letters shift in the same direction toward a future, as opposed to a present return of the Lord Jesus; just like that of the Apostle Paul. Peter is reaching the end of his earthly life also as reflected in II Peter 1: 12-13, which reads: And I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by the way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind.

II Peter 3: 1, 3-4, 8-9
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,. Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all [things] continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The epistles of John were written about a generation later and by this time the apostles Peter, Paul, and many other of the original apostles and disciples are probably dead or very old. John is consistent like his predecessors and has expectations at this later stage (nearly A.D. 100 or so) that the Lord will appear in his lifetime.

I John 2: 17a-18, 28
And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know it is the last hour. And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

Lastly, the letter from Jude, brother of James (1: 1), and this short epistle continues the theme of the Lord coming in this latter time period where it seems that he and John are contemporaries as to the date attributed to their writings.

Jude 17-17, 21
“But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there shall be mockers (Cp. II Peter 3: 3-4), following after their own ungodly lusts.” Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. “

From the internal evidence and necessary inference it seems reasonable to reach a tentative, if not conclusive assertion that the Gospels were indeed written much later than is traditionally accepted. The ranks of believers swelled among the regions where the gospel was preached and miraculous healings took place because people were in great anxiety and urgent anticipation of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in their lifetime, to judge the ungodly and reward the righteous.

If this conclusion is reasonable, then there would not be any need for the written Gospels because eternity would have dawned, and faith became sight. On the other hand, if the Lord was not coming in the expected time, people would begin to lose heart, especially with the future direction and survival of the Church at stake.
The circumstances were dire as death, old age, and apostasy was a serious problem for the Church and it no doubt left a leadership vacuum and a struggle for power and preeminence among the brethren. There was the concern over who was in charge of the ordination and anointing of bishops, elders, deacons, and presbyters of the flock and to establish authority over the body of Christ, just like it was in the beginning.

The letters written by the apostles had to be preserved for posterity but also people needed to know about the life and teachings of their Lord and Savior. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were compiled from the people who were the earliest followers of Jesus or those whom they taught who in turn, collected these oral histories and traditions into the volumes that comprise the New Testament.

Also, if the Gospels were in circulation at the time of the teachings and writings of the apostles, it is unthinkable that no one would have quoted from them. There are a few allusions to the words of Jesus in the epistles, but none of them can be substantiated except as a fragmentary verse here and there, as opposed to an entirely verifiable passage. Be that as it may, as the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13: 11, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 10, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com

The Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ

The most famous painting in all Christendom sits inside a convent in Santa Maria Della Grazie in Milan, Italy. Replica’s of Leonardo DaVinci’s famous and inspirational portrait of the “Last Supper” hangs on walls or murals in countless millions of homes and is revered by Catholics and Protestants alike throughout the world. The faces are so familiar and the12 men called disciples (“apostles”) whom Jesus chose to be special messengers of His teachings are named Simon (who is called Peter), Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother) James and John (sons of Zebedee), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector; Levi son of Alphaeus Mark 2: 14??), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot (Cp. Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3: 16-19; ).

This is the traditional teaching that has been handed down throughout Church history by the Ecumenical councils and decrees of Ecclesiastical authorities in Western Europe since around the second and third centuries. A closer examination of the New Testament Scriptures shows a slightly different picture as to the identity of the apostles chosen during the earthly ministry of Jesus, and interestingly to other men who were chosen to be called apostles after the establishment of the Christian Church.

Luke mentions Judas (son of James) as an apostle but omits Thaddeus (Luke 6: 13-16) and John mentions the original followers of Jesus as Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother), Simon (called Peter), Philip, and Nathanael (John 1: 40-45). Judas (son of Simon Iscariot) is mentioned next (John 6: 71); Another Judas is mentioned (Cp. Luke 6: 13??). At the Last Supper and after Jesus’ resurrection, John mentions a mysterious, yet unnamed disciple that Jesus loved (John 13: 23-25; 20: 2-8; 21: 7, 20-23). John refers to Thomas as “Didymus” (John 20: 21) but didn’t mention him previously.
In the same book of John (21: 1-2), it states, “After these things Jesus again manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee [Tiberius], and He manifested Himself in this way, There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples” (unknown or not revealed??)

Since it is believed that Luke wrote his gospel and the book of Acts, then one would naturally expect to find the same names of the apostles, and so it is. The remaining 11 disciples called apostles are: Peter, John and James (sons of Zebedee), Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother), Phillip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew (Levi son of Alphaeus; Cp. Mark 2: 14) James (son of Alphaeus), Simon the’ Zealot’, Judas (son of James; grandson of Alphaeus??) [Acts 1: 13]. After the death of Judas, another disciple had to take his place, to make it twelve, so Matthias was selected among the two most trustworthy candidates (Cp. Acts 1: 21-26).

Perhaps the most famous apostle is Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, whose letters to the many Churches he founded or individuals he taught are canonized as New Testament Scripture. In the very writings of Paul, other apostles are mentioned such as Andronicus and Junas (Romans 16: 7) and Epaphroditus was a messenger [apostle??] to the Church of the Philippians (Philippians 2: 25). One of the qualifications to being an apostle is to have seen the risen Lord (I Corinthians 9: 1; 15; 7-8; Acts 1: 22); and even Paul’s defense of his apostleship may have included the brothers of the Lord as well as Cephas [Simon Peter], mentioned in I Corinthians 9: 2, 5.

Lastly, it is almost certain that James, the Lord’s brother was an apostle based on Acts 12: 17; 15: 13; 21: 18; Galatians 1: 19. In II Corinthians 2: 5, Paul wrote, “For I consider myself not the least inferior to the most eminent apostles,” and it would seem that least three of them were thought to be James (the Lord’s brother) see Galatians 1: 19, Cephas [Simon Peter], and John [??] see Galatians 2: 9. This particular John is not mentioned as a son of Zebedee or the brother of James, who was killed by King Herod(Acts 12: 1-2.

A few last minute considerations are Philippians 2: 25 and II Corinthians 8: 23; respectively.

Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your 'messenger'(Gr. Apostoloi; "Apostle"??)and the one who ministered to my need.

If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are 'messengers'
(Gr. Apostoloi; "Apostles") of the Churches, the glory of Christ.

NOTE: In the remaining passages Paul uses the same Greek word for these unnamed brethren, perhaps including Titus, as well as Epaphroditus, for Apostle. The word 'Apostoloi' is a designation which is applied to not only Paul, but the other Apostles of the Lord as well.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

Is Baptism Essential for Salvation

In the many different Christian denominations there are varying interpretations as to how a person becomes saved from their sins. Some teach that a penitent convert has to pray “The Sinner’s Prayer,” which is to confess that one is a sinner and wants to live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and asking Him to come into their heart and save them right now. A few churches teach that you are saved when a manifestation of the gift of the Holy Spirit results in the speaking in tongues. And lastly, the more traditional view among most Protestant Churches is baptism in water after repentance and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Perhaps the best place to determine what is the right approach is to start from the beginning of the Christian Church.

Acts 2: 37-38
Now when they heard this [the gospel], they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do [to be saved]?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (Cp. 3: 16); and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

8: 5, 12
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were being baptized, men and women alike.

8: 35-36, 38-39
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from the same Scripture he preached Jesus to him. And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.

9: 17-18
And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized.

10: 44-48
While Peter was still speaking these words; the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also (Cp. 2: 38-39). For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

15: 29-33
And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and his household.

NOTE: There are some Churches today who postpone “baptism” until a special Sunday ceremonial services or after several months of studying, but in Acts 22: 16, Ananias tells a penitent Saul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord (Cp. Joel 2: 32??)

16: 14-15
And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshipper of God, was listening ; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized. . .

18: 24-26; 19: 1-6
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Prisca and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And it came about while Apollos was at Corinth [GREECE], Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. And he said unto them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said unto him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And He said, “Into what were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus. And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

NOTE: There are several points that need attention in these most important passages. Apollos, though gifted as he most certainly was, did not have a complete understanding or full knowledge of God’s Way, and yet was humble enough and teachable to be instructed more perfectly by others. Pertaining to today, there are many very skillful preachers with extraordinary skills of oratory and wisdom, but yet they fall short in comprehending the surpassing knowledge of God’s Plan of Salvation. When it comes to the rite of “baptism,” many will suggest that it is merely the outward sign of inward grace; and this is essentially true if one were baptized after the manner of baptism that John preached (19: 4).

Romans 6: 3-7, 17-18
Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 10: 8-11
But what does it [the Scripture] say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART;” that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you will confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, and with the mouth, he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

I Peter 3: 21
There is also an antitype [form] which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh [not a ritual bath for Jewish/pagan ceremonial impurity or uncleanness], but the answer [interrogation] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist (26: 2)” said, “Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity; And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.” Lastly, the Apostle Paul writes, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith, examine yourselves. . . “(Cp. II Corinthians 13: 5a)


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

Tithing and the Christian Church

One of the most widely participatory faith practices among Christians is “tithing,” and yet, it might be one of the least understood. There is certainly nearly unanimous agreement that this ordinance was commanded by God to the ancient Israelites and believers are taught that it is a requirement for us today; but what do the Scriptures say on this matter? A common reasoning is found in the Old Testament book of Malachi 3: 8, which states, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings. This pronouncement had to do with the decline and neglect of the temple services and offerings by the post exilic Jews who had returned to Palestine after a long period of foreign captivity.

There are at least two passages in the gospels of the New Testament book of Matthew, 5: 17-20, where verse 20 is used more convincingly to administer the ‘tithe’ among Christians because Jesus told His disciples, “”For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Also in Matthew 23: 1-3, 23, Jesus wasn’t so much as teaching about tithing or even giving, but rather He was teaching against hypocrisy. If Jesus gave any favorable impression with the principle of tithing or giving, it is to be one borne of true faith and sacrifice as evidenced in Mark 12: 41-43, where He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury.” In practical matters because of the social, cultural, and market economy in which we live today, it would be almost an impossibility to exceed the scribes and Pharisees in their tithing practices anyway. So let's see how the practice of taking up an offering really got started among the First Century believers.

Acts 11: 1, 27-30
“Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there certainly would be a great famine all over the world [land]. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Jerusalem. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders (Cp. 12: 25).”

The following New Testament Scriptures [Paul’s letters] deal with this event over a period of several years which forms the historical background and theological basis for this practice today (Cp. Gal 2: 10??; I Corinthians 16: 1-4; II Corinthians 1: 15-16; 8: 1 – 9: 15). Even in Acts 15: 13-14, 19-20, 28-29; 21: 18, 25, the Mother Church in Jerusalem decreed that the Gentile believers observe certain essentials of the faith and at no time was tithing mentioned.

The one thing that must be mentioned is the collection for the saints [in Judea] was never a command but voluntary (II Corinthians 8: 7-8; 10) and the only requirement then as well as today is found in II Corinthians 8: 12; 9: 7-8, which reads, “For if the readiness [of mind] is present, it is acceptable according to what a man has, not according to what he does not have. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart [so let him give]; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything; you may have abundance for every good deed.

So, what does the New Testament teach regarding supporting the Gospel or those who minister in the Word of God?

I Corinthians 9: 7-15a, 17a-18
Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the Law say the same also? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while it treads out the grain (Cp. Deuteronomy 25: 4).” Is it oxen that God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so for me. For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

II Corinthians 11: 7-9
Did I commit sin humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one; for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.

NOTE: This is a far cry from those members of the clergy and Church leadership today who use the Scriptures to psychologically coerce the believers into 'tithing' or put a "guilt trip" and fear of condemnation on the flock if they do not participate in this offering. Are they like those in Micah 3: 11a, which reads, Her priests teach for pay and her prophets’ divine for money?

There is one other reference in the New Testament on this matter of financial support, and that pertains to the office of a "special" class of Elder, as in I Timothy 5: 17-18, which says: Let the Elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor [just what is this?], especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain Cp. Deuteronomy 25: 4," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."

NOTE: Curiously, that last part which was added on is found in Luke 10: 7b, which reads: For the laborer is worthy of his wages. A similar account, though not as literally, word for word as Luke account is found in Matthew 10: 10b, which says, For a worker is worthy of his food. So, just as those who preach the gospel of God have the right to be supported, the Elder who among his other responsibilities (Cp. I Timothy 3: 1-7; Titus 1: 5-9), both proclaims the Gospel and teaches [instructs in doctrine] is to receive the material things they need just as the Apostles, other ministers, evangelists, and missionaries who spread the "Good News."


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
pbks@hotmail.com

Is America at a Spiritual Crossroad?

It seems that almost everyday the news on television informs the viewing public just how very bad the economy is becoming; and there isn’t a clear answer for how to turn things around. There are record numbers of foreclosures on mortgages, the dollar is devalued against other foreign currency to historic levels, not to mention high unemployment, gas prices exceeding $4.00 a gallon, and the ranks of homeless people are swelling at unprecedented rates. In fact, the Consumer Price Index and the Consumer Confidence Index all show increasing pessimism in the midst of what appears to be ‘stagflation,’ that is, rising prices and with no net increase in jobs or GDP.

There are at least two schools of thought regarding the current situation in America. Some people look for a political solution to the mess we are in and believe that our elected officials at the state and federal level will pass legislation which brings back “the good ol’ days.” On the other hand, some economists, financial experts and business leaders think that this is just another one of those cyclical shifts in the ‘market’ and that the fundamentals of an eleven trillion dollar economy will be able to withstand any kind of temporary interruption and we will rebound like at other times since the “Great Depression” in the 1920’s.

There is another alternative point-of-view that needs to be given serious consideration. One needs to look for guidance which is beyond human reasoning and understanding, and this may be just one of those times. Over the many decades, America has gone from one of the most beloved and cherished countries to which is the most despised, feared and hated. Perhaps the arrogance, permissiveness, spiritual bankruptcy, and contempt for the ’rule of law’ when not in our national interests, have sown the seeds resulting in our national crisis.

In Romans 15: 4, the passage reads, “For whatever things were written before [in the past] were written for our learning, that we through the perseverance and comfort of the Scriptures (Old Testament) might have hope.” So, the prudent thing to do is look for some examples from the ancient Jewish sacred writings that would serve as a guide or provide ageless principles to a national dilemma for our modern times. The Children of Israel were blessed by God in both material and spiritual wealth but as soon as she prospered in abundance, she forgot all about God and turned away into idolatry, corruption (religious, moral), wickedness, and bringing upon herself all kinds of calamities. A wonderful passage is in Isaiah 1: 2-6, but specifically where it says . . . “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it. . .” In the book of Proverbs (14: 34), the Wisdom of Solomon says, “Righteousness Exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

What is lacking in most conversations is finding out how things are going so terribly wrong, although many individuals can point fingers and blame others for what hasn’t worked; but this is only after the facts are known; or using the common vernacular, ‘in hindsight.’ The road to recovery starts with a national call to repentance as recorded in II Chronicles 7: 14, which states: “If My people who are called by My Name [Israel, in this case], will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” In Jonah 3: 1-10; 4: 11, the prophet was sent to utter a dire warning of impending doom to the 120, 000 people of the wicked city of Nineveh. The people, from the smallest to the greatest, including the king himself, took this unwelcome news so seriously that they repented, and fasted in sackcloth and ashes. Not only that, but the king decreed that each individual should make supplication to God separately to atone for the sin that each one has committed; besides those of the entire nation.

Of course there are those cynics who would vigorously resist such a proposal by saying that not only is it crazy but that it either violates the “Separation of Church and State” provision inherent in the Constitution of the United States, or it promotes a particular religious ‘Faith’ to the exclusion of any and all others. Certainly, no one wants to deny the practice of any religion sanctioned by ecclesiastical or secular authority, but rather to offer as a witness to the divine prerogatives in living in accordance with ancient history and cultural traditions. Lastly, the book of Ephesians sums up the ‘real’ cause of our problems that we aren’t even aware of, because, in 6: 12 it states, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
June 8, 2008
pbks@hotmail.com