Bruce Jenner to Caitlyn: the 8 steps down

We’ve all heard the story by now: Bruce Jenner, the 1976 Olympic decathlon winner who in 2015 changed his name to Caitlyn and has undergone sex reassignment surgery.

This seems to be happening more and more often these days, but why?

Only from the biblical and spiritual vantage point of God’s light and infinite wisdom can we really see what process is taking place and why.

I do not believe that condemning or attacking people for their blind, self-destructive decisions makes them any wiser, stronger, or more enlightened.

I am not homophobic – fear comes from ignorance or false information.   Based upon the fact that I’m writing on this subject from the depths of truth of the bible disproves the homophobic accusation.

Nor do I hate homosexuals, so this is not “hate speech”.  True hate can only come from a devil spirit.

Is it right to be an enabler to an alcoholic, drug addict or thief?

Definition of enabler from the urban dictionary:

“1. Tacit Enabler – Supports another’s bad habits by staying silent.

2. Overt Enabler – Supports another’s bad habits by providing assistance such as money, transportation, approval, etc…

A person who supports another person’s bad or dangerous habits.

Enablers tend to fear calling others on their destructive habits because these “others” tend to be friends, family or others close to the enabler.

Thus, rather than risk losing the love, respect, friendship or contact with the person, the enabler chooses instead to play it safe and watch the other slowly destroy themselves or others through their own actions.”

We should love and support the individual person with the love of God, but not the sin or evil they are doing.

Then why is it ok to support homosexuality, which is spiritually much darker than the above-mentioned vices?

Jesus told the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more.

The average Christian thinks that homosexuality is a sin and that it’s wrong.

We’re going way beyond that and will show you some of the inner psychological and spiritual truths of what homosexuality is really about.

It’s not true love to knowingly let a person drown in darkness, deceit and error.

Just as it is cruel to enable an alcoholic, it is even much more cruel to enable a homosexual.

I don’t discriminate against people.

I discriminate against devil spirits that can and do infiltrate people’s lives without their knowledge or consent and whose sole purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy.

The only remedy is God’s word, God’s perfect love, the pure light of God and the manifested power of God that can heal people and make them complete and give them meaning and true purpose back into their lives.

Homosexuality is based on lies, confusion, pride, idolatry and darkness, among others.

It is the love of God to enlighten the eyes of them who want to know with the knowledge of God to help the LGBTQ community up and out of their spiritual bondage.

So to start our journey for truth, we will begin with the book of Romans, chapter 1.

To whom is the book of Romans addressed?

One of the ways the bible interprets itself is you must understand to whom the many different books of the bible are written to.

Romans 1:7
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The fact that God addresses the issue of homosexuality so strongly in the very first chapter of the book of Romans, the foundation of truth to christians today, speaks volumes.

Morpheus told Neo in the original 1999 matrix movie: “Remember… all I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more.”

Cipher: “Fasten your seat belt Dorothy, ’cause Kansas is going bye-bye”.

What are the 8 steps down Bruce Jenner took and why?

Romans 1 [King James version]

20 For the invisible things of him [God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Verse 21 of Romans 1 has 5 of the 8 steps down, so its a really power-packed verse.

Why 8 steps? Whatever happened to the 12-step program we’re all familiar with?

The number 8 in the bible indicates a new beginning, but Bruce Jenner’s path is not where you want to start.

The fact that there are many steps down away from God tells us that Satan works subtly, one small gradual step at a time, in order to deceive us as to what’s really going on.

Yoda: “Smooth operator, Satan is…”

1. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God”           [Rom. 1:21]

Here’s the definition of the word “knew”: ginṓskō – properly, to know, especially through personal experience (first-hand acquaintance).  Strong’s Analytical Concordance to the bible #1097 /ginṓskō (“experientially know”) is used for example in Luke 1:34, “And Mary [a virgin] said to the angel, ‘How will this be since I do not know (1097 /ginṓskō = sexual intimacy) a man?'”

So the believers in Rome had an experiential knowledge of God, but they were lulled to sleep spiritually into not glorifying him as God.

That was their first mistake.

Ecclesiastes 12
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear [This is King James old english and means reverence] God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you [food, clothing, shelter].

Romans 15:6
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

It is very significant that in light of the 8 steps down away from God, the opposite of the first 2 are both accomplished by speaking in tongues, which is both glorifying & worshiping God and giving thanks well.

That explains why most people have either never heard of speaking in tongues or have seen or heard it wrongly done, out of order.

There are 17 different benefits of speaking in tongues documented in the bible, but that is another teaching.    That is why Satan tries to cover it up so much.

The sad truth is that Bruce Jenner also claims to be a christian.  No surprise there.  This only breeds confusion and strife.  Satan will use any opportunity he can to display God, Jesus, christians, or the bible in a negative light.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: To get you to stop glorifying God & to not speak in tongues.
Satan’s purpose: Satan’s first priority is to spiritually weaken you by getting you out of fellowship, out of alignment and harmony with God, which is your source of power, which is much greater than the devil’s.

#1 in the bible indicates God and unity, so Satan attacks your unity with God first.

2. neither were thankful [Rom. 1:21]

Definition of thankful
Strong’s #2168 euxaristéō (from 2095 /eú, “good” and 5485/xaris, “grace”) – properly, acknowledging that “God’s grace works well,” i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory; to give thanks – literally, “thankful for God’s good grace.”

We have so much to be thankful for!

Romans 8:32
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Romans 2:4
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Ephesians 1
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

I Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being unthankful towards God is only ½ the story.

The 2nd step down is where mental deterioration sets in.

Psychologist Shawn Achor on how gratitude affects us psychologically
The entire video is very funny, but the heart of information on thankfulness [gratitude] is at about 10:45 – 11:30 [ten minutes, 45 seconds into the video]. Here is part of the transcript below.
10:36
“Which means we can reverse the formula. If we can find a way of becoming positive in the present, then our brains work even more successfully as we’re able to work harder, faster and more intelligently. We need to be able to reverse this formula so we can start to see what our brains are actually capable of. Because dopamine, which floods into your system when you’re positive, has two functions. Not only does it make you happier, it turns on all of the learning centers in your brain, allowing you to adapt to the world in a different way”.

11:02
“We’ve found there are ways that you can train your brain to be able to become more positive. In just a two-minute span of time done for 21 days in a row, we can actually rewire your brain, allowing your brain to actually work more optimistically and more successfully. We’ve done these things in research now in every company that I’ve worked with, getting them to write down three new things that they’re grateful for, for 21 days in a row, three new things each day. And at the end of that, their brain starts to retain a pattern of scanning the world not for the negative, but for the positive first”.

God supplies us with a perfect hope [the hope of Jesus Christ’s return]; a meaningful purpose in life; the answers to life; infinite wisdom; perfect peace; a strong positive identity such as a son of God, ambassador for Christ, athlete of the Spirit; the 9 fruit of the spirit, etc.

Being a christian not only gives us such a great positive outlook on life, we also have so much to be thankful for, thus turning on all the learning centers of the brain so that we can understand even greater depths of truth from the bible!

Thankfulness helps us to understand the profound truths of the bible.

Therefore, since being positive & thankful turns on all the learning centers of the brain, being negative & unthankful will turn them off, making understanding the bible much more difficult, opening the door for Satan to steal God’s word out of your heart.

Matthew 13:19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: To get you to take God for granted, to not be thankful for all God has done for you.
Satan’s purpose: By turning off the learning centers of your brain through unthankfulness, he can weaken you mentally because now you can’t understand the profound depths of the bible.

This introduces confusion so that you can’t stand against the devil.  Then he can steal the word out of your mind with his lies.

#2 in the bible indicates establishment or division, depending on context.  Here it is division.

This is why unthankfulness is listed second. The devil steals the word from you, which results in a division between you and God.

3. but became vain in their imaginations: [Rom. 1:21]

Vain comes from the root word Mataios:

Definition of vain
Strong’s Concordance #3152
mataios: vain, useless
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (mat’-ah-yos)
Definition: vain, unreal, ineffectual, unproductive; practically: godless.

HELPS Word-studies
3152 mátaios (an adjective derived from 3155 /mátēn, “without purpose or ground”) – properly, aimless (vain), without purpose; (figuratively) without profit because without basis, i.e. fleeting (transitory), ineffectual (“groundless”).

3152 /mátaios (“aimless”) emphasizes the “absence of purpose or failure to attain any true purpose” (Moulton and Milligan). 3152 (mátaios) refers to what is “vain, unreal, ineffectual, unproductive” (Souter).

Definition of imaginations
Strong’s Concordance #1261
dialogismos: a reasoning
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-al-og-is-mos’)
Definition: a calculation, reasoning, thought, movement of thought, deliberation, plotting.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 1261 dialogismós (from 1260 /dialogízomai, “back-and-forth reasoning”) – reasoning that is self-based and therefore confused – especially as it contributes to reinforcing others in discussion to remain in their initial prejudice. See 1260 (dialogizomai).

As a consequence of being unthankful and mentally impaired, their self-based reasoning was confused and it confused others and became purposeless, groundless, meaningless and Godless.

Nothing like being lost and wandering around in a fog of confusion, wondering what the true purpose of life is. How quickly our true purpose of glorifying God has been replaced with man-made carnal systems of thought.

II Timothy 2
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker [gangrene]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith [believing] of some.

Becoming vain in their thought patterns and beliefs became very destructive.  How relevant and accurate the bible is, even after thousands of years, its truth really hits home, it resonates with you and has an impact if you hear God’s voice.

II Timothy 4
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables [myths].

What does the bible say about confusion?

James 3
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

I Corinthians 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Isaiah 14:17
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

Satan has made the world a spiritual wilderness, full of confusion, deception, danger and darkness. Not a good place to be. The root word of wilderness is wild beast. Nobody wants to be alone in the wilderness facing a wild beast.

A wild beast from a biblical & spiritual point of view is a devil spirit, who are controlled by the devil himself, whose sole purpose was revealed by Jesus Christ.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I [Jesus Christ] am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Matthew 16:8
Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

The word “reason” here is the exact same root word in Romans 1:21, translated “imaginations”.

So now, in the 3rd step down, Satan has weakened the christians’ spiritually and mentally to the point that their faith [believing] in God was weak [“O ye of little faith”].

Just the other day, I read an article online about Bruce Jenner and he said after his sex reassignment surgery: “I wonder what God thinks of this?”   He was blind, ignorant and confused, his faith [believing] in God was very weak, which is exactly what God’s enemy Satan wants.

What about having a true purpose, a hope, a vision for your life?

Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law [of God], happy is he.

When you believe you have no purpose, no hope, without God in this world and full of confusion, you languish, but if you have a true purpose, like glorifying God whom you love, then you will be happy.

So at step # 3, your thoughts & reasonings are Godless, vain, purposeless and carnal, confused between God’s wisdom and Satan’s.

James 3
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

James 3
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Once purposelessness and confusion set in, you can no longer stand for God in the spiritual competition against Satan.  You fall prey to Satan’s methods, schemes and lies, such as succumbing to the lie that you need sexual reassignment surgery.

Transgender Surgery Isn’t the Solution:
A drastic physical change doesn’t address underlying psycho-social troubles.

By Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion column.

A 2011 study at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden produced the most illuminating results yet regarding the transgendered, evidence that should give advocates pause. The long-term study—up to 30 years—followed 324 people who had sex-reassignment surgery. The study revealed that beginning about 10 years after having the surgery, the transgendered began to experience increasing mental difficulties. Most shockingly, their suicide mortality rose almost 20-fold above the comparable nontransgender population.

From a 5-senses point of view, there are many different reasons for committing suicide – psychological, social or chemical [drugs and/or alcohol], for example.

Technically, there really is no such thing as suicide – there is only murder of oneself or of others.

Suicide is actually caused by being possessed with a devil spirit of murder.

This is why in so many of the mass shootings you hear about on the news, you see the murderer take out a bunch of innocent people, then commit suicide in the end.

Do you see the consequences of slowly moving away from God?

When you are confused and can’t put life together in a coherent order, and you have been deceived into believing you have no Godly purpose, then suicide is often the consequence.

Colossians 2:8 [amplified bible]
See to it that no one [i.e. Satan] carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective:
To confuse you.
Satan’s purpose:
To destroy your believing in God with carnal, useless thinking patterns and beliefs. This can cause an identity crisis, wondering who you really are and what the true purpose of life is.

#3 in the bible is the number of completeness.  Once you’re at step #3, the destruction of your belief in God is complete [although your belief in God can be fully restored, if you choose to do so].

4. and their foolish heart was darkened. [Rom. 1:21]

Definition of foolish
Strong’s Concordance #801
asunetos: without understanding
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (as-oon’-ay-tos)
Definition: unintelligent, without wisdom, unwise, undiscerning (implying probably moral defect).

HELPS Word-studies
801 asýnetos (from 1 /A “not” and 4908 /synetós, “synthesized understanding”) – properly, without comprehension; foolish because incoherent (failing to “put facts together”).

801 /asýnetos (“lacking synthesis”) describes a person failing to structure information in a meaningful way, and therefore unable to reach necessary conclusions. This person is illogical because unwilling to use good reason.

Wow, look at that!  What does the bible say about the heart?  I’m not talking about your physical heart, but the spiritual one.   Biblically, this is the seat of your mind where believing takes place.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep [guard] thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

This is like psychological impairment, the consequence of unthankfulness, but on steroids!

What does the bible say about darkness?

John 8:12
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

John 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Isaiah 5
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

You reap what you sow.  The choice is yours.

When you are in spiritual darkness, several things are apparent:

  • You don’t know where you are because you are blind.
  • You’re so blind that you don’t know that you don’t know.
  • Therefore, you can’t see where you are going in life
  • You can’t tell the difference between God’s truth and Satan’s error
  • You are probably paralyzed in confusion, making you vulnerable to fear or panic
  • How can you even detect the mere presence of a spiritual enemy, let alone fight him, much less be successful?

If you were in military combat, would you want any of your commanders who are in charge of your life, to be “without comprehension; foolish because incoherent (failing to “put facts together”) and spiritually blind?

II Corinthians 2:11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices [thoughts, plans, schemes].

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: To make them incapable of sound reasoning out of the scriptures and to encase them in spiritual darkness
Satan’s purpose: To give Satan a huge advantage over them so he can steal, kill, destroy, and deceive them undetected and unhindered.

#4 in the bible is the number of the world.  In the bible, the word “earth” refers to the planet that God made.  “World” refers to man-made kingdoms and entire systems of error where one system of error is overlayed on another system of error.

If you are a friend of the world, then you are an enemy of God because Satan is the God of this world.

 5. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools – [Romans 1:22]

This is the second time the general concept of foolishness is mentioned, establishing its truth.

Do you really want to be intellectually impaired twice and deceived in the dark?

They were bragging about how smart they were with all their “advanced intellectual reasonings”, but they became just the opposite instead.

Why?

Galatians 6
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

They were not walking in the love of God because their pride and boasting contradicts the characteristics of God’s love.

There are actually 14 characteristics of God’s love listed in I Corinthians 13 – we are only focusing in on a few of them.   The #7 in the bible indicates spiritual perfection, so God’s love is double perfection [7 x 2 = 14], which is love established [remember establishment is one of the meanings of #2].

I Corinthians 13 [amplified bible]
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

What does the bible say about pride?

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

I Timothy 3:6
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

I John 2
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear [reverence] the Lord, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: Fill them with pride
Satan’s purpose: Take them down and humiliate them

#5 in the bible is the number of God’s grace. It is only by God’s grace that a person could become a homosexual, and then get born again of God’s spirit and become a son of God, an athlete of the spirit, an ambassador for Christ.

Romans 6
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

6. And changed [exchanged] the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. [Romans 1:23]

Now they are well on their way towards idolatry.  All idolatry eventually ends up in homosexuality.

Romans 1:24
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

“Gave them up” is the key phrase in this verse.   It is used 3 times in Romans 1 alone.

It comes from the Greek word paradidomi and means to transfer over to the power of another.   Look at one of its usages in Luke.

Luke 4
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered [paradidomi] unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Romans 1
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

II Timothy 2
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Do you want to be trapped in the Devil’s spiritual prison of homosexuality or to be a son of God, an athlete of the spirit, an ambassador for Christ?

The idea that homosexuality is caused by genetics is another lie from the devil in order to steal their hope of ever becoming whole and normal again.

God gives everybody freedom of will.

James 4
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

To get born again is by God’s grace, but all christians can earn up to 5 different crowns and rewards in heaven by doing the good works of God on earth.

However, if a christian gets deceived into becoming a homosexual, they forfeit all those great crowns and rewards.

1 Corinthians 6
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

You see where it says: “the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”  This cannot mean to say that christians can lose their eternal life because being born again is by incorruptible seed, so it can’t be lost, stolen, die, decay or be hacked into by Satan 😉

I Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

“shall not inherit the kingdom of God” refers to losing any crowns and rewards that a christian may have earned during their short life on earth.

Galatians 5
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Contrast these negatives of the world with these positives from God [remember, these turn on the learning centers of the brain]:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: Don’t focus on our glorious God; focus on worldly things instead
Satan’s purpose:  Steal worship away from the one true God and redirect it to himself through worldly things

#6 is the number of man as he is influenced by Satan.  This is why man left the glory of God and glorified beasts instead.

7. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, [Romans 1:25]

Technically, God’s truth never changes, which is why we can always trust in the bible, which is his word and will.

Malachi 3:6
For I am the Lord, I change not…

The word changed comes from the Greek word metallasso [Strong’s #3337] and literally means to exchange.  They were deceived into exchanging God’s truth for Satan’s lie.

In John 8, Jesus is addressing a very specific class of people, a particular group of religious leaders.

John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The usage of the word father is a figure of speech called an idiom.  It refers to the originator of something.

That makes sense – the devil is the originator of lies.

Why would anybody in their right mind want to believe lies from the devil instead of the truth from God?

Unthankfulness.  Impaired mental judgment.  Confusing carnal reasonings. More impaired psychological functioning.  Darkness.  Deception.  One subtle step at a time.

But they didn’t just exchange God’s truth for any lie, but THE LIE.

In verse 25, all the critical Greek texts from which we got the King James Version do not have the word “a” lie, but say “the” lie.

What is “the lie”?

The lie is idolatry, which is worshiping anything other than God, the creator.

Idolatry is by darkness and deception because nobody would worship the devil if they knew his true nature, which is only revealed by the word of God.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: Deceive them into believing Satan’s lies instead of God’s truth
Satan’s purpose:  Set them up to worship the 5-senses world

#7 in the bible is the number of spiritual perfection.  On the 7th step is where Satan deceives people into believing that the devil’s lies are actually good truth, posing as spiritual perfection.  Thus this is where Satan’s counterfeits are believed to be God’s truth.

8. and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. [Romans 1:25]

The word creature is the word creation in the Greek manuscripts.

From one point of view, there are only 2 things in the universe: God, the creator, and everything else, which is the creation.

So these christians in Rome and elsewhere had been deceived to exchange worshiping the one true God for worshiping things in the 5-senses realm instead.

Matthew 4
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Satan attempts to steal worship away from the one true God to himself, the God of this world by deception and bribes.

Although God cannot take the spiritual seed, the gift of holy spirit, out of you, you will reap what you have sown.

However, just because we are all living in the age of grace doesn’t give us a license to do whatever we want.

Romans 6
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Everybody is a slave.

It just depends on who or what you want to be a slave to.

Notice the first step down was to not worship the one true God and the last one is to worship and serve the creation, which is idolatry, which indirectly is worshiping Satan.

TAKEAWAY:
Satan’s objective: Deceive them into worshiping the creation instead of God
Satan’s purpose:  Steal their eternal crowns & rewards away from them while sowing more darkness and confusion into the world

#8 in the bible is the number of new beginnings, which is always a good thing.

However, worshiping and serving the creation [i.e. Satan; he gets worship indirectly through the creation] is Satan’s warped and twisted counterfeit of a new beginning: to worship him instead of God.

Dr. Paul McHugh, a former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion column.

“At the heart of the problem is confusion over the nature of the transgendered. “Sex change” is biologically impossible. People who undergo sex-reassignment surgery do not change from men to women or vice versa. Rather, they become feminized men or masculinized women. Claiming that this is a civil-rights matter and encouraging surgical intervention is in reality to collaborate with and promote a mental disorder”.

Romans 12
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 5:17
For if by one man’s offence [Adam’s] death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Romans 5:21
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

John 4
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Worshiping God in spirit and truth is speaking in tongues. It is literally using the gift of holy spirit inside of you, the Christ in you, to worship God.

The bible lists 18 different benefits of speaking in tongues, which is why the world tries to hide, distort, or lie about it.

5 evil attacks against speaking in tongues

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Knowledge & Love: are you building up or have an inflated ego?

How are we to properly balance love and knowledge?

1 Corinthians 8:1
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

What is the difference between being puffed up and being edified?

Definition of “puffeth up”
Strong’s Concordance #5448
phusioó: to puff or blow up
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (foo-see-o’-o)
Definition: I inflate, puff up; passively: I am puffed up, arrogant, proud.

HELPS Word-studies
5448 physióō (from physa, “air-bellows”) – properly, inflate by blowing;
(figuratively) swelled up, like an egotistical person spuing out arrogant (“puffed-up”) thoughts.

Definition of “edifieth”
Strong’s Concordance #3618
oikodomeó: to build a house
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (oy-kod-om-eh’-o)
Definition: I erect a building, build; figuratively. of the building up of character: I build up, edify, encourage.

HELPS Word-studies
3618 oikodoméō (from 3624 /oíkos, “a house” and domeō, “to build”) – properly, to build a house (home, edifice); (figuratively) to edify – literally, “build someone up,” helping them to stand (be strong, “sturdy”).

If we get prideful and arrogant with knowledge and don’t walk in the love of God, then we become puffed up with “hot air”, like a balloon.  That makes us vulnerable to Satan’s poisonous winds of false doctrines.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

1 Timothy 3:6
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Ephesians 4:14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

In contrast, charity [the love of God operated in our life] edifies us, it builds us up [I Corinthians 8:1].

An edifice is a large building made of solid materials like wood, steel or concrete that is anchored to the ground for strength and stability.

Ephesians 3:17
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith [believing]; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

If we are rooted and grounded in love, then we can’t get blown around by Satan’s winds of false doctrines.

This is where operating the manifestations of holy spirit come into play.

The root word edify occurs 7 times in I Corinthians 14.  Seven is the number of spiritual perfection in the bible.

The definition of charity is to build up, to encourage.

I Corinthians 14
1 Follow after charity [the love of God], and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

In verse 1,  the word “gifts” is in italics in the KJV, which means that the translators are telling us right up front that they deliberately added it to the verse.  Thus, its nothing more than their own opinion and has no divine authority.   Therefore, if we remove it, then we are not changing the actual word of God.

The word “spiritual” comes from the Greek word pneumatikos and is more accurately translated spiritual matters or spiritual things, so the overall subject of I Corinthians 14 is spiritual things.

3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

Imagine that – speaking in tongues is a commandment of the Lord!

This brings us full circle and we get back to the love of God.

I John 5
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

However, Colossians tells us to increase in knowledge…

Colossians 1:10
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

And Thessalonians tells us to increase in our love for one another too.

I Thessalonians 4
9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

In order to have a balanced walk with God, our love for him should grow in proportion to our increase in knowledge.

Matthew 7
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

In verse 24, it says whosoever doeth them…this is the love of God, to carry out the word of God in our lives.

This gets us rooted and grounded in love so that we can withstand the storms of life when they hit.   Having a solid foundation is the key…

Ephesians 2
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Once again, we must go back to the great truths of Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Definition of “worthy”
Strong’s Concordance #514
axios: of weight, of worth, worthy
Part of Speech: Adjective
Phonetic Spelling: (ax’-ee-os)
Definition: worthy, worthy of, deserving, comparable, suitable.

HELPS Word-studies
514 áksios (an adjective derived from aksō, “to weigh”) – properly, to weigh in, assigning the matching value (“worth-to-worth”); worthy, i.e. as the assessment in keeping with how something “weighs in” on God’s balance-scale of truth.

514 /áksios (“weighed-in”) “properly means, ‘drawing down the scale’ hence ‘weighing as much as,’ ‘of like value, worth,’ befitting, congruous, corresponding” (J. Thayer).

[514 (áksios) is the root of the English term, “axis.” This also refers to a balance-scale, operating by off-setting weights.]

The love of God must be balanced out with the knowledge of God so that we have a good and stable walk with God.

Jesus Christ is the solid foundation upon which we can base our lives on, living a balanced walk of knowledge and love, being victorious in all we do.

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… and with all thy getting, get understanding!

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Nehemiah 8
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

Matthew 13:19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

This is why I teach people how the word interprets itself, so that they can understand the word and be rooted and grounded in love.

Ephesians 3

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

If anybody ever tells you that because we have an incomprehensible God, we should expect to not understand his mysteries is contradicting God’s word itself.

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

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Patterns of truth: how to separate truth from lies

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

God’s word is the truth, therefore, we are wise in taking heed to it.

Genesis 2
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Many people say that verse 17 is a lie because Adam lived to be 930 years old. They are only partially right. He did live to be 930 years old.

Genesis 5:5
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Genesis 2:17
…for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

God’s word clearly says that in the very day he eats of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he will surely die.

He didn’t die physically, but spiritually. He lost the gift of holy spirit that was upon him because he committed treason against God, which is a crime punishable by death.

Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

God’s Truth | Genesis 2:17 | thou shalt surely die
Devil’s Lie     |Genesis 3:4 | Ye shall not surely die

This sets a pattern that we often see throughout the bible – God’s truth comes first, and then Satan’s lie contradicts it afterwards.

The gospel of John has a good example of this.

John 9
1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

In verse 3, Jesus told the truth first: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents”.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

In verse 34, “they” refers to the pharisees, who are mentioned in verses 13, 15, & 16.

So we see the exact same pattern of truth vs lie in John that we first saw in Genesis.

God’s Truth | John 9:3 | “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents”
Devil’s lie | John 9:34 | “Thou wast altogether born in sins”

The Pharisees were one of the main religious leaders in Jesus Christ’s time.

What does God’s word say about corrupt systems of man-made religion?

Matthew 15
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

“Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.”

Its corrupt systems of religion that contradict God’s word that cancels out, that nullifies, the good effects of God’s word in our lives.

We must have an accurate knowledge of God’s word so we can separate God’s truth from the Devil’s lies.

One of the dominant lies in many cultures around the world is the idea that you go to heaven when you die.

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Christmas bible joke: Santa Claus is biblical!

Zechariah 2:6
Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord.

While this bible joke seems funny in our culture, in Zechariah’s time [about 410-403 B.C.], it wasn’t so humorous.

According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs concordance, [Definition of Ho] the word ho comes from the Hebrew word “hoy” and usually expresses dissatisfaction and pain, the opposite of Santa Clauses’ HO HO HO.

This word is used 51 times in the bible, and is translated “woe” 34x, “alas” 11x, “ho” 2x, “ho there” 2x and “ah” 2x.

This verse also has the figure of speech epizeuxis, which literally means duplication.   Its the use of the same word in the same sense in the same verse.  Its purpose is to emphasize what is being said by repeating it twice, repeating it twice.

British Dictionary definitions for ho
interjection
1. Also ho-ho. an imitation or representation of the sound of a deep laugh
2. an exclamation used to attract attention, announce a destination, etc: what ho!, land ho!, westward ho!

What’s an interjection?

British Dictionary definitions for interjection
noun
1. a word or remark expressing emotion; exclamation
2. the act of interjecting
3. a word or phrase that is characteristically used in syntactic isolation and that usually expresses sudden emotion; expletive interj.

British Dictionary definitions for alas
sentence connector
1. unfortunately; regrettably: there were, alas, none left

interjection
2. an exclamation of grief, compassion, or alarm

The important point is that we properly understand the verse and that we are just having a little fun for the holidays with a bible joke.

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What does a house, bread, and Jesus Christ have in common?

Hint: the answer is not “Jesus was the gingerbread man in the gingerbread house!” 😉

Where was Jesus Christ born?

John 7:42
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

What does the word “Bethlehem” mean?  House of Bread

So Jesus was born in Bethlehem, [the house of bread], where David was a citizen.

Matthew 12
3 But he said unto them [the Pharisees], Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

The word “shewbread” comes from the Greek word prothesis [Strong’s #4286] and literally means “a setting forth in advance for a specific purpose” (“God’s pre-thesis”).

It refers to the holy or sacred bread that was used in the temple in the old testament.

I Samuel 21
5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.
6 So the priest gave him hallowed [sacred or holy] bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

Now comes the verses that tie all of these together.

John 6:31
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

John 6:33
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:48
I am that bread of life.

John 6:51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Summary about the title of this article:

  • The house is Bethlehem, the house of bread, where Jesus Christ was born
  • David was a citizen of Bethlehem, the house of bread
  • David ate the shewbread [holy bread] in the temple in the old testament
  • Jesus Christ is the bread from heaven
  • Jesus Christ is a descendant of David

Jesus Christ, the bread from heaven, was born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, so that we could have eternal life.

Obviously, Jesus Christ wasn’t a literal piece of bread, so by the word of God calling him the bread of life, its a figure of speech emphasizing his spiritual life-giving qualities that no one else has.

John 6
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth [make alive spiritually]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life [a figure of speech meaning spiritual life].
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

How do we gain eternal life?

Romans 10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

I Timothy 2
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

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Joshua vs apostle Paul: 1 thing in common

Joshua 1
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Acts 28
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

The main point of comparison is here:

Joshua 1:5 – There shall not any man be able to stand before thee

Acts 28:31 – with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

As both men of God stood upon the word of God that they knew, they were able to successfully repel any attacks against them with the power of God.

Of course, the Apostle Paul had been given a great deal more knowledge and enlightenment, [among other things], but they were both still able to defeat evil men that tried to deter them from their heavenly calling by simply believing what God had told them and not compromising on the truth.

As we withstand the evil in our day with the light of the Lord, we can be successful too.

Romans 8
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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What are Satan’s objectives and purposes for confusion?

Ever been so confused by so many confusing and contradictory doctrines and theologies that you’re ready to give up?

God’s word, the perceived source of the confusion, is your answer!

Definition of confusion
verb (used with object), confused, confusing.
1. to perplex or bewilder: The flood of questions confused me.
2. to make unclear or indistinct: The rumors and angry charges tended to confuse the issue.
3. to fail to distinguish between; associate by mistake; confound: to confuse dates; He always confuses the twins.
4. to disconcert or abash: His candor confused her.
5. to combine without order; jumble; disorder: Try not to confuse the papers on the desk.
6. Archaic. to bring to ruin or naught.

Synonyms
1. mystify, nonplus. Confuse, disconcert, embarrass imply temporary interference with the clear working of one’s mind.

Satan’s objective of confusion is to interfere with the clear working of a person’s mind.

Satan also has at least 5 goals or purposes of confusion:

  1.  To cause you to not be approved by God by the wrong dividing of his word.

II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

If you’re confused and can’t think clearly, then how is it possible to rightly divide God’s word?

Its not.  That’s the point.

The bible isn’t actually confusing.

Its the doctrines of devils, commandments of men and lack of knowledge on how the bible interprets itself that are to blame.

2. To stop you from understanding God’s word.

Confusion is a direct contradiction against God’s word.

Nehemiah 8:8
So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

The word “sense” is a Hebrew word that means insight and is used 16 times in the bible.

The reason that’s important is because 16 is 8 x 2.  Eight in the bible is the number of a new beginning.  2 is the number of establishment or division, depending on the context [here its establishment].

So when we have a clear, distinct teaching on God’s word, with the critical insights provided for our understanding, then its a new beginning established for us.

Even mysterious things in the bible are meant to be understood.

Ephesians 3
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

3. If he can get you to not understand God’s word, then he can steal the word away from you.

Matthew 13:19
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

This is why understanding how the bible interprets itself is so critical.

That way you can rightly divide God’s word and hold onto it.

Titus 1:9
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

The word of God is like a football: the opponent is always trying to take it away from you.

4. To slip in his corrupted gospel unnoticed.

Galatians 1:7
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

God’s word is perfect. Therefore, the order of the words in his word is perfect.

In Galatians 1:7, the word “trouble” comes before the word “pervert”.

Definition of trouble:
Strong’s Concordance #5015
tarassó: to stir up, to trouble
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (tar-as’-so)
Definition: I disturb, agitate, stir up, trouble.

HELPS Word-studies
5015 tarássō – properly, put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro); (figuratively) to set in motion what needs to remain still (at ease); to “trouble” (“agitate”), causing inner perplexity (emotional agitation) from getting too stirred up inside (“upset”).

With confusion, if Satan, the god of this world, can get you to be agitated with various negative emotions, then he has succeeded in obtaining his objective: interfering with the clear working of your mind.

Once that is accomplished, then he has an open door to walk right in with his distorted version of the gospel and mess you up.

If you simply look up the word “another” in a bible dictionary, you arrive at this, which is a more accurate translation of Galatians:

Galatians 1
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel of a different kind or type:
7 Which is not another of the same kind or type; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

So the adversary, the devil, just has to get you all riled up, mixed up and confused first.  Then you can’t see his subtle lies and distortions of the truth, like a gospel teaching about Jesus Christ that sounds real religious, but contradicts the bible.

5.  To make you psychologically and spiritually unstable so that you can’t stand against him.

So when confusion hits you, it can’t come from God.  Therefore, it must come from another source.

II Corinthians 4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So if somebody tells you that they believe in God, just ask them, “which one?” You will almost always get a very confused response!

Why?

Because people simply haven’t been taught the integrity and precision of God’s word.

The bible teaches that there are 2 Gods:

  • The God who designed & created the universe, who is the father of the Lord Jesus Christ
  • The God of this world, who is Satan, the devil.

His true purpose was revealed by Jesus Christ in the gospel of John.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Yet another verse reveals the true nature of the devil.

I Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

So how does the devil operate?

II Corinthians 2:11
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices [plans, schemes, etc].

God does not want us to be ignorant of how Satan operates, so he gives us simple, logical and clear instructions in his word so that we can be victorious in all our endeavors of life.

One of the psychological and spiritual weapons of the devil is confusion.

James 3
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But God does things in an orderly manner, that is peaceful and organized, in contrast with the devil, who instigates chaos and confusion.

I Corinthians 14
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Let’s take a closer look at the definition of confusion, as it will reveal one of Satan’s purposes of it.

Greek lexicon of I Corinthians 14:33  From here, go to the Strong’s column, link #181

Definition of confusion
Strong’s Concordance #181
akatastasia: instability
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-at-as-tah-see’-ah)
Definition: disturbance, upheaval, revolution, almost anarchy, first in the political, and thence in the moral sphere.

HELPS Word-studies
181 akatastasia (from 1 /A “not,” 2596 /kata, “down” and stasis, “status, standing,” cf. 2476 /histemi) – properly, can not stand (remain steady); unsettled, unstable (in tumult); (figuratively) instability bringing on disorder (disturbance).

181 /akatastasia (“commotion”) generates confusion (things being “out of control”), i.e. when “up for grabs.” This uncertainty and tumult inevitably generates more instability.

Its not rocket science: if Satan, by way of the systems of the world, can make you confused, then you are, by definition, spiritually unstable, unable to stand.  You’re a pushover to him now, with no balance, solid footing or strength to fight back.

Ephesians 4:14 [KJV]
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

You will be blown around by every wind of doctrine that Satan blows against you if you are unstable, off balance and unable to stand, by being confused.

Ephesians 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The word “stand” is used 3 times in this section, and “withstand” once, so 4 times we are told to stand or withstand:

  1. against principalities
  2. against powers
  3. against the rulers of the darkness of this world
  4. against spiritual wickedness in high places

So by believing confusing doctrines, [often claiming to be christian!], we can become pawns to Satan, without even knowing it.

Here are some examples:

  • Almost all the christians I’ve talked to believe that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, died that afternoon at 3pm and was resurrected from the dead on Sunday morning.  Yet the bible teaches that Jesus was in the grave 3 days and nights, which is 72 hours.   Not even God himself can squeeze 72 hours between 3pm Friday and Sunday morning!  This breeds confusion.  Either the bible is wrong or the confusing doctrines of man are wrong.  You must decide which one to believe.
  • The trinity: it states that there is God the father, God the son, and God the Holy Ghost [which wasn’t established until the 4th century AD, not the first].   Just that alone is confusing!  But it gets worse – one website I read says, “But in God there are not three entities nor three beings. God is a trinity of persons consisting of one substance and one essence. God is numerically one. Yet, within the single divine essence are three individual subsistences that we call persons.”  That’s a contradiction of terms based upon simple definition of words alone.   Its so confusing & contradictory that many scholars have stated that its simply impossible for any sound minded person to understand.
  • When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he supposedly said, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Yet Jesus himself stated in John 16:32 “yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”   This is another contradiction, which breeds more confusion.  Jesus either lied or he told the truth when he said the father is with me – only you can decide.
  • Nearly every christian on the planet believes you go to heaven when you die, yet this contradicts I Thessalonians 4:16 that says, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first:“.  If the dead in Christ are in the grave, then how can they be in heaven already?   This is another contradiction and breeds more confusion
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2 ways to gain favor with God and man: mercy & truth

Proverbs 3
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

I Samuel 2:26
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.

Luke 2:52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Based on proverbs 3, both Samuel and Jesus Christ applied the principles of holding onto mercy and truth.

John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

So mercy & truth can definitely benefit us immensely as we etch God’s word into our heart and life.

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Proverbs 4:23
Keep [guard] thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

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West Wing Midterms: President Josiah OWNED by God!

The West Wing was a political drama TV series [created by Aaron Sorkin] that ran from September 1999 to May 2006 and had 156 episodes over the course of its 7 seasons.

This 4-minute West Wing video clip below is from season 2, episode 3 called the midterms.  Democratic President Josiah Bartlet is played by Martin Sheen.   Dr. Jenna Jacobs is played by Claire Yarlett who represents Dr. Laura Schlesinger.

I’m now using this blistering video clip from the West Wing TV series that taunts God to train christians to be disciples for Christ! When Satan gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Definition of “owned” from the Urban Dictionary

“v. owned, 0wned, pwned, 0wn3d, pwn3d, own3d.
v. tr.
To be made a fool of; To make a fool of; To confound or prove wrong; embarrassing someone: Being embarrassed.

Originated as a term used by hackers to describe gaining possession of a [computer] system, having hacked a box and got root [access] they basically control it as much as if it was theirs, thus it could be considered owned by them”

Definition of taunt

verb (used with object)
1. to reproach in a sarcastic, insulting, or jeering manner; mock.
2. to provoke by taunts; twit.

noun
3. an insulting gibe or sarcasm; scornful reproach or challenge.
4. Obsolete. an object of insulting gibes or scornful reproaches.

British Dictionary definitions for taunt
verb (transitive)
1. to provoke or deride with mockery, contempt, or criticism
2. to tease; tantalize

noun
3. a jeering remark
4. (archaic) the object of mockery

The relevant time concerning the mixed threads or cloths question that Josiah asks Dr. Jacobs is from about 2 minutes:48 seconds to 2 minutes:55 seconds into the video.  If you noticed, Josiah doesn’t actually quote scripture about the different threads, but he comes on very strong and confident, so most people simply assume he’s correct.

After you read the verses, you will see why no scriptures are mentioned because it exposes the lie in the video!

Here are Josiah’s 18 words verbatim: “Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?”

Here are the only relevant verses in the bible I could find that matched the description in the midterms video.

Deuteronomy 22:11 [KJV]
Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers [many] sorts, as of woollen and linen [flax] together.

Leviticus 19:19 [KJV]
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender [breed] with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

The words “garment” and “garments” are used 170 times in the bible.  I have painstakingly checked all 170 usages in many different versions and none of them mention burning, torturing, or killing anybody for any reason at any time at any location for wearing any garment with 2 different kinds of threads.

 BUSTED!

Garment used 170 times in the bible

Furthermore:

  • I checked the word “wool” and its derivatives: used 20 times in the entire bible, but no mention of burning, torture or death
  • I checked the word “linen” and its derivatives: used 90 times in the entire bible, but no mention of burning, torture or death
  • I checked the word “flax” and its derivatives: used 10 times in the entire bible, but no mention of burning, torture or death
  • That’s: 170 times for garment: 90 times for linen; 10 times for flax and 20 times for wool for a total of 290 verses [in the KJV] that do not mention burning, torturing or killing anybody!

Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

What an appropriate verse for Josiah!

Let’s take a deeper look to see what kind of garment we are talking about.

Leviticus 19:19 – Lamsa bible from 5th century Aramaic text
You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a diverse kind;
you shall not sow your field with mixed seed; neither shall you wear a mantle
made of mixed materials.

The word “garment” in Leviticus 19:19 in the 5th century Aramaic text is translated mantle!

British Dictionary definitions for mantle
noun
1. (archaic) a loose wrap or cloak
2. such a garment regarded as a symbol of someone’s power or authority: he assumed his father’s mantle

220px-Antropov_Archbishop_Gavriil

[from apostolic bible – Greek O.T. & N.T.]
Word Definition  [ Thayer’s | Strong’s ]
Thayer’s Definition

a garment (of any sort)
garments, i.e. the cloak or mantle and the tunic
the upper garment, the cloak or mantle

A Greek translation of the old testament coded to the Strong’s numbering system also agrees with the Aramaic text’s wording of mantle instead of garment.  All mantles are garments, but not all garments are mantles.  That’s the difference.

Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary says that mantles were worn by high priests, prophets, kings, and rich men.  That makes more sense.

Here’s something else very important to consider:

If the garments in the verses in Deuteronomy & Leviticus applied to all the Israelites, then proverbs 31:13 would be a contradiction, which obviously can’t be the case.  So this again supports the fact that the garment mentioned in the old testament law is the mantle, reserved for kings, priests, and prophets, and not an ordinary item of clothing for the common man.

Proverbs 31
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

The wool and flax that the virtuous woman uses for making general clothing then are for her husband and family.   Only the flax [linen] would be used for making the mantle, which is reserved for the priests.  Now we have biblical harmony once again and no contradictions.

We need to also make an important distinction: in verse 13, just because 2 different materials are mentioned doesn’t mean that they have to be used in the same garment.   The virtuous woman simply has those two materials in her possession to make garments out of, with each garment being made out of only one or the other material, but not both in the same garment.

Ezekiel 44
15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God:
16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.
17 And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.

Everybody knows how hot wool clothing can be.  I went on a 3 week trip to Israel many years ago, and in the summer, depending where you are located, it can be in the 80’s and humid, or it can be over 100 degrees and very dry.  In either type of climate, wearing wool clothing would make anybody sweat, which would contradict the commandment in Ezekiel to the priests.

Keep in mind that back in the days of the old testament, they had no relief from the heat and/or humidity by air conditioning or electric fans.

So once again, the translation of mantle that is specifically designed for priests instead of a generic garment makes more sense.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary [for Leviticus 19:19]
Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee—Although this precept, like the other two with which it is associated, was in all probability designed to root out some superstition, it seems to have had a further meaning. The law, it is to be observed, did not prohibit the Israelites wearing many different kinds of cloths together, but only the two specified; and the observations and researches of modern science have proved that “wool, when combined with linen, increases its power of passing off the electricity from the body. In hot climates, it brings on malignant fevers and exhausts the strength; and when passing off from the body, it meets with the heated air, inflames and excoriates like a blister” [Whitlaw]. (See Eze 44:17, 18).

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
“Not only is it forbidden to weave woollen and flaxen threads together into one material to make wearing apparel of it, but according to the administrators of the law during the second Temple, an Israelite must not mend a woollen garment with a flaxen thread, and vice versa”.

This supports the Aramaic and Greek texts that the garment was a mantle, which is reserved for priests.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee; for, as Josephus (l) says, none but the priests were allowed to wear such a garment, and with which the Misnah (m) agrees;

Definition of mishnah

noun, plural Mishnayoth, Mishnayot, Mishnayos
1. the collection of oral laws compiled about a.d. 200 by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi and forming the basic part of the Talmud.
2. an article or section of this collection.

So three different bible commentaries, the mishnah, Josephus, the great early church historian, 2 ancient biblical manuscripts, plus several other bible verses are all in agreement that the garment spoken of in Leviticus & Deuteronomy is a mantle for priests.

Leviticus 6:10
And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.

No mention of wool here because that was forbidden by old testament law.

However, if somebody was infected by leprosy and it contaminated their clothing, then they were commanded to burn the items of clothing [and not the person!] to destroy the leprosy in the cloth and prevent it from spreading, which makes sense, since they didn’t know what caused it or how to cure it.

Leviticus 13 [amplified bible]
50 The priest shall examine the diseased article and shut it up for seven days.
51 He shall examine the disease on the seventh day; if [it] is spread in the garment, or in the article, whatever service it may be used for, the disease is a rotting or corroding leprosy; it is unclean.
52 He shall burn the garment, whether diseased in warp or woof, in wool or linen, or anything made of skin; for it is a rotting or corroding leprosy, to be burned in the fire.

Here is yet another reason for the commandment of not mixing 2 different kinds of threads in the priest’s mantle.

Look at page 112 in Manners and customs of the bible [#203 mixed cloth] by Rev. James m. Freeman.   A complete guide to the origin and significance of our time-honored biblical tradition.

This was in opposition to the Zabian priests, who wore robes of woolen and linen, perhaps hoping thereby to have the benefit of some lucky conjunction of planets, which would bring a blessing on their sheep and their flax.

It is said that the pious Jews would not sew a garment of woolen and flax thread, and if one saw an Israelite wearing a garment of mixed cloth, it was lawful to him to fall upon him and tear the forbidden garment to pieces.”

Once again, the pieces of the puzzle of the mixed threads in the West Wing video fit together perfectly.

Google books verifies this as well.   Zabian priests clothing was made of wool & linen [see end of page]

[An introduction to the Old Testament: critical, historical and theological, containing a discussion of the most important questions belonging to the several books, Volume 1]

So now we know that the West Wing Midterms video lied by implication, it totally fabricated, the idea that the bible says to burn somebody to death because they wore a garment with 2 different kinds of cloth or threads.

So what else is wrong?

The clear implication is that the old testament laws directly apply to us in the first place.

Who are the books of the old testament written directly to?

Leviticus 1
1 And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.

Deuteronomy 1:1
These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

I Corinthians 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

These are the 3 great classifications of people.  The church of God did not come into existence until the age of grace on the day of Pentecost in 28AD, so the old testament & gospels were written directly to Israel, before the church of God existed.

Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

The Israelites during the time of Leviticus & Deuteronomy were under the bondage of the old testament Mosaic law [the law of Moses].  We are not because grace and truth came by the life and works of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3
23 But before faith came [the faith of Jesus Christ], we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [the law].
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

“Aforetime” refers to the period of time before the day of Pentecost in 28AD, which was the first day of the age of grace, which we are now living in.

Acts 21:20
And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

This is why so many times we are brought under the bondage of the old testament laws again, because there are too many religious folks who put the laws of the old testament [that was already fulfilled by Jesus Christ] above the grace of God in which we live today.

Therefore, the old testament and gospels were written for our learning, but not directly to us, so no person since 28AD is required or even obligated to carry out the verses in Deuteronomy & Leviticus!

So this West Wing midterms video is based on several ungodly things:

  1. Lies: Satan often adds words to God’s word in order to corrupt it and teach wrong doctrines that drive people away from God.
  2. Taunts: evil religious leaders often tempted and taunted Jesus & others with contempt for God and his word
  3. Legalism: the devil uses legalism to put people under the bondage of the old testament laws that Jesus Christ already freed us from
  4. Ignorance: President Josiah obviously didn’t do his homework, yet pretended to be the biblical authority!  This leads us to the next one…
  5. Hypocrisy: Jesus Christ called some very wicked religious leaders hypocrites many times throughout the gospels

From the West Wing video, President Josiah Bartlet’s question “Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads?” implies that the bible commands this be done, but he is obviously gravely mistaken.

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