THE MODERN ASSAULT AGAINST THE HISTORICITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE MODERN ASSAULT AGAINST THE HISTORICITY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT HAS BEEN BEACHED ON THE SHORES OF ARCHAEOLOGY
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The Biblical Archaeological Review, by no means a conservative Christian magazine, recently published a surprising article by Yosef Garfinkel entitled, “The Birth and Death of Biblical Minimalism.” While Garfinkel limits his discussion to the last 30 years among certain modern archaeologists working at the University of Copenhagen, biblical minimalism is the general presumption that the Biblical text cannot be a trusted source of actual verifiable history, especially with regard to the authenticity of the Old Testament. Garfinkel shows in his article that the minimalist position is no longer a viable one. Too much archaeological evidence has been uncovered. While this has not and cannot prove the inerrancy of the biblical text, it is still a far cry from the German tidal wave of skepticism that inundated the modern world back in the 1800’s when Julius Wellhausen and Ferdinand Christian Bauer dominated historical studies of the Bible with their so-called ‘higher criticism.’

"Repentance is thus awfully hard to come by, especially when confronted with the truth of the Bible"

Garfinkel strongly shows that even King David and his kingdom can no longer be considered a myth. This brings modern scholarship all the way back to 1,000 B.C – only 200-400 years shy of Moses himself, the very founder of Israel as a nation. These archaeological truths have placed much pressure on the biblical minimalist position. They have now been forced to redefine the time of the Iron Age in order to maintain their skeptical legacy toward historicity of the Davidic kingdom. This is a far cry from the past when many a scholar just re-arranged the biblical chronology to suit their ‘higher critical’ theories superimposed on the biblical text. Time and time again, biblical minimalists have been forced to retreat from their earlier positions, only to stubbornly stop at some other line of reasoning. Repentance is thus awfully hard to come by, especially when confronted with the truth of the Bible.

"These archaeological truths have placed much pressure on the biblical minimalist position"

Ever since German skepticism systematically spearheaded the attacks against biblical authenticity, the assumption was that much of the Old Testament was written much later than what the Hebrew text records about itself. Since the entire Hebrew Bible was not fully organized until after the Babylonian exile (500’s B.C.), it would therefore be impossible to say with any certainty whether or not the historical details described throughout much of the Old Testament actually occurred as the record indicates, “with that late date they would couple an ultra low view of the reality of that history, dismissing virtually the whole of it as pure fiction, as an attempt by the puny Jewish community in Palestine to write themselves an imaginary past as a form of national propaganda.”[i]

Many also presumed that the older Hebrew writings were based on untrustworthy oral traditions. The Hebrews were considered to be an uneducated, agrarian society who naively believed in miracles. This religious childishness thus made them incapable of a historical consciousness that could be considered reliable in terms of recording factual events. However, this assumption about Hebrew oral tradition has recently been proven to be another myth of the modern historical imagination. In 2005, archaeologists found a rock in a remote location in ancient Israel that had every letter of the Hebrew alphabet inscribed on it. It too can be dated as far back as 1,000 B.C. The remote location that this alphabet was found in shatters the idea that much of the Old Testament is largely based on oral tradition. The force of this evidence is truly profound – if the outback areas could write, then what of the larger cities?

"It (the Old Testament) constantly pinpoints actual dates, eras, specific geographical locations and historical figures, along with a multitude of ancient names that would have been lost had it not been for the Hebrew Scriptures"

Thanks to ‘higher critical’ theories, many modern historiographers have presumed that the Hebrews followed the Greek method of oral tradition in the writing of their holy books, never mind the fact that ancient Greek tradition had very little interest in history. Indeed, the Greeks did not jump onto the historical bandwagon until the 400’s B.C.[ii] with Herodotus, lagging far behind the Hebrews. Although occasional miracles do show up in the Bible from time to time, much of the entire Old Testament reads like a history book, very unlike ancient Greek mythological accounts. The Old Testament methodically goes through several thousand years of general and Jewish history from the beginning. It constantly pinpoints actual dates, eras, specific geographical locations and historical figures, along with a multitude of ancient names that would have been lost had it not been for the Hebrew Scriptures. Too many moderns have purposefully tried to associate Greek myths with Hebrew religion in order to dismiss the historical tradition of the latter. However, as the archaeological evidence of Old Testament Israel continues to mount with an ever increasing plethora of artifacts to draw from, it is now time for modern historians of all persuasions to face the fact that the Hebrew religion cannot be compared with Greek religion. It has become quite clear that the Hebrew record of miracles in the Old Testament has in no way clouded the historical judgment of the prophetic writers of Scripture with mythological distortions or religious propaganda.

Most importantly is that their truthfulness with regard to lesser issues like history and politics also strongly suggests that the ancient Hebrew religious beliefs may be just as authentic as well. Meaning that if the Hebrew writers were so good at telling the truth with regard to minor secular historical details, this further indicates that the religious miracles and the larger revelatory events surrounding those particular miracles may not be mythological as many have presumed. Still further – if Hebrew history is authentic, then what of its prophecies? Religion or myth cannot be bridged with history in ancient Greek religion, but the distance between these two camps in the Old Testament is anything but unbridgeable, and the faith required to build that bridge is not nearly as superstitious or irrational as the former would certainly be.

"Still further – if Hebrew history is authentic, then what of its prophecies?"

Isaiah the prophet largely began his prophetic ministry in the year King Uzziah died (Isaiah 6:1-13) and continued as such through the great international difficulties that characterized much of Judah’s reign under the kingly leadership of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1). Simultaneously warning the nation of the looming Assyrian invasion that eventually devastated most of the nation coupled with the apocalyptic coming of a Messianic age that promised salvation for Israel in the future (Isaiah 1:1-2:4), Isaiah’s ministry was rooted in the historical realities of the day (Isaiah 36-39). He strongly applied the judgments of the Mosaic Law against the nation for her idolatrous Baalistic nature worship. It was precisely this behavior that invited the Assyrian invasion (Isaiah 10:1-34). On the other hand, Isaiah also prophesied the coming of Messiah and a glorious Messianic age in the last days in which Jerusalem will become the religious headquarters of the entire world where international peace, justice and equity will replace their previous judgments and warfare at the hands of godless nations (Isaiah 9:1-7). Nature will also be idyllically restored to an existence which will surpass the wonders of the garden of Eden (Isaiah 11:1-12:6).

This linear, chronological, historical and factual revelation of the Hebrew Bible as exhibited by Isaiah and all the other Old Testament prophets, stood in great contrast to the ancient pagan belief in eternal return that characterized much of Greco-Roman religion. Pagan nature worship curved history[iii] into a hopeless circle that enslaved man under the unremitting natural cycles of life, suffering, death, and rebirth. Man’s dominion over nature (Genesis 1:26-31) and his historical destiny in the apocalyptic future (Isaiah 65-66) was therefore not even a consideration among the Greeks and Romans. In the Old Testament, the history of Israel begins with Abraham in a tent, but ends with their return to the promised land from the Babylonian exile. In between those times, they were enslaved in Egypt, became a nation during the Exodus, conquered the promised land, devolved into the debauchery at the time of the Judges, rebounded with the united monarchy under Saul, David and Solomon, split into the competing kingdoms of Israel in the north and Judah in the south, and then finally both were exiled into foreign nations because of their pagan nature worship. The Old Testament thus did not curve time like the Greeks often. The Old Testament was fully aware of human development precisely because it specifically taught that man was made in God’s image, and that the distinction between nature and history was born in the opening chapters of Genesis 1-4.

"Pagan nature worship curved history into a hopeless circle that enslaved man under the unremitting natural cycles of life, suffering, death, and rebirth"

The point of Greco-Roman history, however, was not that it was going anywhere or that it would reach a Messianic-eschatological goal in the apocalypse, but that it was something to escape from. This would be accomplished either through the mythical tales of gods on the one hand (if one was superstitious), or through timeless philosophical abstractions on the other hand (if one was more rationally minded). Either way, history was largely disdained by the Greco-Roman world.[iv] It was not taken seriously as a venue for any real meaning precisely because it was subject to so much suffering, change and uncertainty.

To the Hebrew writers of the Bible, however, history had great meaning – so much so, that even the ups and downs of everyday life did not interfere with their unshakable faith in the outcome predestined by an Almighty God who created the universe out of nothing by His spoken word (Genesis 1:1-31). The Hebrews therefore took history far more seriously than the Greeks or Romans. This is readily seen by reading virtually any Old Testament book that constantly reminds its readers of one historical fact after another, “only the Jews are really a historical people, constituted as such by religion, by the act of the Sinaitic revelation. Hence the Jewish people could and can indeed understand their national history and destiny religiously, as a religious-political unity.” That the ancient Hebrew authors would take history so lightly to mischaracterize its facticity for theological purposes is thus highly unlikely. Even all of their heroes are objectively portrayed – warts, sins and all.

"Hence the Jewish people could and can indeed understand their national history and destiny religiously, as a religious-political unity"

Sadly, it has taken 150 years of archaeological research to overturn the ‘higher critical’ fantasy of many a German scholar in the 1800’s who spent an inordinate amount of time attacking the foundations of the Bible to help advance their shallow and superficial mysticism of secular human progress based on a natural theology and naturalistic principles that somehow had proved that the Bible was a sham. However, both world wars in the 20^th century shattered the progressive hubris of the 19^th century, only to leave the present age scarred with the angst of the so-called post-modern world. What modern historians have often failed to grasp is that their linear conception of time and the view that history is inexorably leading to a meaningful goal in the future is, in fact, rooted in the Old Testament prophetic tradition, “even the articulation of all historical time into past, present, and future reflects the temporal structure of the history of salvation. The past points to the first things, the future to the last things, and the present to a central presence which connects the past with the future through a teleological succession.”[v]

In other words, their teleological belief in secular human progress based on a modern historiography that has allegedly shown the present age far more advanced than the ancient past is in fact a philosophy of history based on the Biblical exts itself.[vi] Such a consideration may have prevented them from presuming too quickly that the Hebrew people of the past were so backward and uneducated that they could not have come up with something as advanced as the Old Testament at such an early date. Their progressive view of history blinded their interpretation of the ancient past. Will they repent? Not likely. Worse is that the damage has already been done and may not be recoverable, “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do (Psalm 11:3)?” German ‘higher critical’ theories are still being taught as fact in most academic institutions in the country, and still continues to have a tremendous influence even in many seminaries.

"Their progressive view of history blinded their interpretation of the ancient past"

Modern man has discarded the religious foundations of the Old Testament, but he has still largely retained the hopeful orientation toward the future, albeit in a secularized form. As biblical history was de-sanctified, stunningly the deification of modern progress took its place. While the hopeful outcome since World War II may not be as certain as it once was in the 1800’s, it has by no means been discarded. Modern man’s belief in political progress therefore has replaced his belief in biblical prophecies. He has faith in the future without a historical foundation that would warrant such a belief. Political hubris is now deemed far more advanced than childish faith. Is it really? At the end of the day, post-modern blind utopianism will prove to be just as illusory as the Hegelian eschatological juggernaut of the 1800’s – and this by the prophetic determination of the word of God (Psalm 2).

RMM I.F.

Mark Musser was a missionary to the former Soviet Union for 7 years. He is now a pastor. Mark is the author of two books – “Nazi Oaks: The Green Sacrificial Offering of the Judeo-Christian Worldview in the Holocaust” and “Wrath or Rest: Saints in the Hands of Angry God.”

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[i] Kitchen, K.A. On the Reliability of the Old Testament, 2001, p. 2.

[ii] Collingwood, R.G. The Idea of History, p. 19-20

[iii] See especially Roman historian Livy on this.

[iv] Ibid., p. 20-25.
[v] Lowith, Karl. Meaning in History, p. 185.
[vi] See especially Rolf Gruner, Philosophy of History: A Critical Essay.

Lucifer - The Mentor of Saul Alinsky and the American Left

Does the title to this post seem over the top and radically charged to you? Well my friend, it isn't. As a matter of fact, it is right on in light of the current agenda of President Obama and his secular administration. President Obama and many on the Left have made no small qualms about being disciples of Saul Alinsky and applying his tactics in their ever-growing quest for power and control .

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A great many Leftists in America today follow the radical teachings of their mentor Saul Alinsky - including Obama. Little do they know that they are following in the very footprints of Alinsky's mentor and master, Lucifer (John 8:44).

Rules for Radicals is a book by Saul Alinsky which is dedicated to the original radical, Lucifer - also known as Satan, the Devil, The Old Serpent, and The Dragon (Rev. 12:2; 20:2). All other dinky despots have their roots in this arch-villain. In this book is found the following:

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“Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins — or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom — Lucifer”

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The Master Politician

Today, Lucifer (i.e., Satan) and his Satanic "Spin Machine" are well oiled and more powerful then ever. The Media outlets at his disposal greatly abound. From the Internet to TV and Radio Networks, from Hollywood to the Music Industry, from College Campuses to the Federal Courthouses and the Supreme Court, from Cultural Ideologies to the Fashion World. With this powerful arsenal at his disposal he has the might and authority to sway public opinion and multitudes "24/7" at a moments notice. Never in the history of mankind has this Fallen Cherub been so powerful.
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"Never in the history of mankind has this Fallen Cherub been so powerful"

Lucifer has the power and authority to erode moral and traditional values, to influence and affect elections, to cause politicians to rise and fall, to change the social climate and to push global causes and crises. The Bible states: 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 (Ephesians 6:12). In his vain and never-ending quest for power and worship, his sole desire and passionate goal is the total eradication of Almighty God from Time and Eternity (ref. Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19). With the rise and exaltation of the "mainstream" media outlets in the last 100 years, just look at how Godless and decadent our culture and society has become. Generations have been brainwashed and have drunk the Satanic "Kool-Aid," i.e., that we do not need Almighty God or His Absolutes in our culture and society. As the former "One Nation Under God," we have sadly reaped Godless consequences. The Bible states: In whom the god of this world [Satan] 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 (
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2The names Satan and the Devil were given to Lucifer, Son of the Morning by Almighty God (ref. Job chapter 1). These respective names mean Accuser and Slanderer. He was so named because of his attitude and actions. Lucifer (Satan) is not the fictional "boogy-man" or Frankenstein's monster, as some have believed. Satan is The Puppet Master, The Master Politician and The Prince of the Power of the Air. His Masterful tactics of deceit, cunning craftiness, calculation, manipulation, politics, flattery, pawn-playing and prideful ways are truly unrivaled in light of all God's created beings. He uses his God-given brilliance for one purpose and one alone: a mad attempt to discredit his Creator and exalt himself above Him.

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"He uses his God-given brilliance for one purpose and one alone: a mad attempt to discredit his Creator and exalt himself above Him"

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Lucifer's (Satan's) Minions abound everywhere today in the American Mainstream Media. They unknowingly do his will. He knows how to maneuver and appeal to our carnal (fleshly) fallen nature which is governed by the five physical senses (i.e., sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing). The secular liberal mindset is the most open to Satan's suggestions for a godless trend-setting agenda. They are easily bent to do his will because they are the most susceptible to it.

Jesus stated to the scoffers in his day: Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 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 (John 8:44-45).

The Bible also states: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).

Conservative sources try to counteract the godless liberal secular "spin," but they have not been able to stop the flood of their secular agenda. Whether Conservative, Moderate or Liberal, the vast majority in the political spectrum are unbelievers of the Absolute Authority and Sovereignty of Almighty God and His Word. They posses an unregenerate heart and mind which is blind to the reality of the truth of the True Gospel message (ref. 2 Corinthians 4:4). You can almost hear the subtle hiss of the Serpent today as these secularist unbelievers seek to destroy our historic Judeo/ Christian values and push for a secular, godless state and world.

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"You can almost hear the subtle hiss of the Serpent today as these secularist unbelievers seek to destroy our historic Judeo/ Christian values and push for a secular, godless state and world"

The Mainstream media and Washington D.C. are dominated today by this Leftist, Secular and Godless mindset. That isn't any secret. Not even the unregenerate (unbelievers) will disagree with that. As Satan controls more and more of the Media today - with these godless surrogates and talking heads - his agenda is moving along quite rapidly and increasing exponentially. Never before in the history of this nation has the Mainstream liberal media pushed and supported a President's leftist agenda as we are seeing today.

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"Never before in the history of this nation has the Mainstream liberal media pushed and supported a President’s leftist agenda as we are seeing today."

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Today Lucifer is ram-rodding, bulldozing, redefining and tilling the worldly ground for the future Grand Reception of his Ultimate Agenda presided over by his Ultimate Minion, the Anti-Christ. This is all gearing towards placing this one who is evil incarnate over a Godless and Secular World Government. At that time he will totally control all the world's media and vigorously push his godless agenda to the point of total world destruction.

Shama! Listen to what God's word states about this time:

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12).

The Bible states further: "And they worshipped the dragon ( Lucifer) which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:4-8).

While we see Lucifer's (Satan's) grip squeezing tighter and tighter, and his godless agenda being established right before our very eyes, there is still great hope as we place our trust in Almighty God and His never changing Word! God's Christ and His Kingdom are coming (Luke 11:2; 2 Thess. 2:8; Daniel 7:13, 14; Rev. 19:11-16)!

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Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? If not, Trust in Him today!

This statement is written in God's Word to those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he (The Lord Jesus Christ) that is in you, than he (Lucifer) that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

DJP I.F.

Edited by BEL I.F.
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The Gospel of John Challenge

Obama and the Left - Lucifer’s Wrecking Ball

God's Super Abounding Grace and a Life Dead to Self Will

Written on 3/28/08

I have been thinking a lot about the (2 Corinthians 9:8) verse in which my Pastor has been teaching on. The word sufficient "contentment" is NOT the same Greek word which is used in (2 Corinthians 12:9) "sufficient". This particular Greek word is only used twice in the Holy Scriptures. There is a ton of info in that little verse, ripe for the picking for the seeking heart. As I was chewing on this verse... like a cow do grass... I came up with this fact and position phrase for the believer who wants to run with what Almighty God has stated in 2 Corinthians 9:8.

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (2 Corinthians 9:8)"

Because I have chosen God's will for my life and to be dead unto self will "I have settled it", I now comprehended and understand - by faith - my position, status, future and privileges in Christ (Eph. 2:6, Col. 3:1-4). I am now free and able to enjoy and allow Almighty God's super abounding, cup overflowing, grace to be active, mighty and present in my life for the out working of God's will unto His glory. This wondrous position gives me great liberty and freedom for God's will and way for me in time .

Now because of this position and standing, I am always having ALL sufficiency - contentment - a full and satisfying state of mind, in which there is nothing holding me back from super abounding, cup overflowing - unto good works, which will bring glory and honor to Almighty God in these last days.

Beloved, it is really simple. Just let Almighty God be who He is and enjoy Him.

May it be so in our lives!

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

DJP I.F.
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The Haters of Reality - Mankind's Delusional Progression from Adam’s Fall to the Mark of the Beast

The current battle for the soul of America is raging as never before. We have seen in the last century a mad dash to push our country toward a secular liberal, godless fascist state in which the “elite class” rules over the masses. Our nation was founded on the bedrock of the Bible, Judean/ Christian values and the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God; hence the conflict. These Constitutional apostates and haters of our Constitutional Republic have nearly arrived at their Machiavellian destination. As America apostatizes from the realities of Almighty God, the Bible, and moral absolutes, we are seeing - as never before - a dramatic transformation of our country into a populace of secular and unbelieving “apostatizing Christians.” We are reaping the devastating whirlwind of our day and are being transformed into the very beast that our Founding Fathers warned of: a tyrannical state of anarchy and chaos.

When Spiritual (Moral) Absolutes and Natural Laws are rejected for a delusional reality and a godless morality (which is actually immorality), the end is near. America today cannot survive under the weight of our godless decadence and licentious society. Even now we are at the imploding point. Modern conservatism is at "the Alamo." Anyone who is truly objective has to see that even a new conservative administration can never sustain the weight of the cultural junk heap and social devastation placed on America by the “Haters of Reality.” Sad to say, even Conservatives refuse to be objective about the realities of Almighty God and His Word. In a sense they are no different from today’s secularists. Both of these groups - though dramatically different - reject the Divine revelation of Almighty God found in His authoritative Word.

"America today cannot survive under the weight of our godless decadence and licentious society. Even now we are at the imploding point."

When the Rapture of the Church finally transpires, America will fracture into anarchy and discord. There is no doubt that because of today’s strong partisan stances and ideological differences in Washington D.C., following the removal of saved people from the earth, a second American civil war will arise. As the Tribulation begins (Matt. 24:10-12), America’s final demise will be its assimilation into the godless United States of Europe (Rev. 17:13,14). Near the end of the Great Tribulation, those remaining in the United States will go against Almighty God at the Battle of Armageddon (Psalm 2; Joel 3:2; Zech. 14:2; Rev. 16:13-16).

Liberalism and Relativism

We may define Liberalism (or fallen human subjectivity) as the morally relativistic, pluralistic practice and application of partial absolutes and natural laws. It involves having a narcissistic view or subjective perspective which is dominated solely by one’s sensual feelings (i.e., controlled by the 5 physical senses) and fleshly (earthly) desires (Jer. 17:9, Rom. 5:12-19; 7:14-24). In such individuals, their emotional (sensual) feelings and desires override and dictate their perception of REALITY (grasp of concrete facts) and belief in absolutes and natural laws.

Such is the case that Liberals (i.e., adherents of Liberalism) allow their emotions and human senses to govern and determine their worldview or perspective of life. As a drunk driver is impaired by fermented drink, these also are rationally impaired by their faulty belief system, attempting to manage their life’s affairs with their delusional (make-believe) outlook. Like the impaired driver they are ignorant or indifferent to their true condition – in a drunken (irrational) stupor that resists reality and rational thinking. The end result and fruit of this irrational perspective of “alter-reality” is inevitable anarchy and devastation (Isaiah 57:20; Romans 1:25-32; Revelation 17:1-2).

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"Like the impaired driver they are ignorant or indifferent to their true condition – in a drunken (irrational) stupor that resists reality and rational thinking. The end result and fruit of this irrational perspective of 'alter-reality' is inevitable anarchy and devastation."

That is why it is so hard to communicate reality and truth to the liberal or base mind. Their subjective, narcissistic, emotionally-governed, pluralistic mindset WILL NOT ALLOW them to face any reality (Psalm 53:1; Prov. 14:9; 17:12; 18:2). They are absolutely SCARED TO DEATH of reality and the accountability to it. Thus, they live a lie and practice a lie(2 Thess. 2:10-12; Rev. 21:8). These will do whatever it takes to preserve their “alter-reality,” even to the point of slandering, inducing malicious acts and - yes - even murdering all that oppose it (Rom. 1:32). Truth and reality torment their imaginary worldview and speak of a Day yet to come when all will give an account to Almighty God - the Righteous Judge of all. That is why these cannot have the teaching, practice and worship of Almighty God in the public square today. He (Almighty God) and His followers must be eliminated at all cost and in a Day soon to come they indeed shall be (Dan. 7:21; Rev. 13:7; 17:12-14). These violent tendencies and actions bear witness to their decadent practices and immoral, wicked lifestyles (Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 3:10-18; Jude 1:10). In the end they will be held absolutely accountable to the Natural Laws and Spiritual Absolutes of Almighty God (Rom. 2:16; Rev. 20:11-15).

God’s word states:

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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became FOOLS (Rom. 1:21-22).

And this is the condemnation, that light (reality) is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness (delusion) rather than light (reality), because their DEEDS WERE EVIL. For every one that doeth evil HATETH the light (reality), neither cometh to the light (reality), lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:19-21).Where was this godless ideology was conceived? Let's take a look!

The Original Hater of Reality
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Lucifer, God’s greatest of all God's creation (Ezek. 28:12, 15), in eternity past enjoyed a relationship to Almighty God. I truly believe there was a point in his existence that he adored and loved the Triune God with all his heart. He had the chief place as Protector of the Holiness of God (Ezek. 28:14) and was the worship and choir director of Heaven (Ezek. 28:13). Lucifer enjoyed all the heavenly blessings of his rank and position. As events proceeded, though, there came a time when he became proud, arrogant, envious and bitter. In his foolish heart he sought the place of his Eternal Creator and Sovereign for himself, and he led a delusional rebellion against Almighty God in which he and his followers were cast out (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:15-18; Jude 1:6; Rev. 12:4). Lucifer could have remained in his highly honored position indefinitely, enjoying the eternal blessings and fellowship with His Creator. In his madness, however, Lucifer chose rather to abandon the confines of absolute reality and perfection for a vain existence in the darkness of make-believe and delusion. In his attempt to exalt and preserve himself at all cost, he rejected and abandoned all that was real, becoming a murderer of souls, a tyrant of humanity, a despot to the fallen angelic host and a mastermind of slander, false truths and darkness. He is known as the Prince of Darkness (error, delusion and vain imagination) for thus is his reality (Isaiah 14:17-17; John 8:44; Rev. 12:9).

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"In his madness, however, Lucifer chose rather to abandon the confines of absolute reality and perfection for a vain existence in the darkness of make-believe and delusion."

In the end Lucifer will give complete account for his godless existence, in which he will be damned forever in the Lake of Fire. He will finally and ultimately have to face the reality of absolute truth for eternity in a place of torment prepared by Almighty God (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

Are You A Lover of Reality?
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As we live in this current delusional day when lawlessness and anarchy are dominating almost all facets of American life, may Almighty God be your trust and provide for you all your expectations. Do you know Jesus Christ as your Personal Savior? If not, may you do so even today. He will provide you with the ABSOLUTE TRUTH (REALITY) and you will never be the same! (John 8:32,36)

Stay “spiritually tuned” for the completion of The Haters of Reality Part 2... as we look at Cain, Nimrod, the coming Anti Christ and their multitudes of followers!

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The Haters of Reality - Part 2 - Link for Part 2
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The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

DJP I.F.
Edited by BEL I.F.

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What is Sin?

Our Lives Have Only Just Begun!

Our lives have only just begun as we walk through this weary world (called time). Christ leads the way to God’s glorious ETERNAL day, where we shall all live happily FOREVER and EVERMORE (Rev 22:1-6).

In absolute truth and bliss in that day, we will be able to truly enjoy Almighty God as He truly is, in the absolute beauty of righteousness with no more of our fallen humanity to distract us (Romans 7:24,25, 2 Cor 5:2).

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Cor 2:9)"

Endure today’s trials, woes and joys knowing that this world is NOT our home. For our labor it is not in vain for those who personally know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and truly seek the Father's will for His Glory and Honor (Romans 8:28)!

Remember, our lives have truly only just begun! Almighty God and His ETERNITY awaits us!

Eph. 5:16-16!
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

DJP I.F.

61 THINGS THAT WERE TRUE OF ME BEFORE I WAS SAVED

Contemplating what God has graciously done for hell-deserving sinners ought to encourage and thrill the soul of every blood-bought child of God!

As the hymn writer has said, "Oh to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be!" (Robert Robinson). Paul, in referring to the redemption and forgiveness that believers have in Christ, spoke of "the RICHES of His GRACE" (Ephesians 1:7). Elsewhere he said, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10). God has given to every believer everlasting consolation (eternal encouragement) and good hope through grace (2 Thess. 2:16-17). "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that YE through his poverty might be RICH" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Many believers fail to appreciate the RICHES that they have. The story is told of an aged silver miner who had spent his whole life searching for silver in the mountains of the Old West. He had become so involved with his search that his wife and children had left him. When he died, the handful of people who came to bury him found in his possessions a note instructing them to bury him under his cabin. As the shovels turned over the earth, a lustrous gray material began to appear. It was the famous Comstock Silver Vein, the richest in California history. That miner had been a billionaire all his life, but he did not know about the wealth that he had and he had never claimed it. He did not realize how rich he really was.

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"In order to fully appreciate the riches of God's grace we need to contrast our present position in Christ with our former unregenerate state when we were outside of Christ and dead in sin"

Every true believer is a spiritual billionaire. The Bible says that Christ became poor (and died for us) that we through His poverty might be RICH (2 Cor. 8:9). The believer, who is a child of the King, often goes around living like a PAUPER rather than living like a PRINCE. God wants us to know how RICH we are because of His matchless grace: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing!

We cannot possess our possessions if we do not know what they are. We cannot walk worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1) if we do not know what our calling is. The great facts and truths found in God's Word must be claimed by faith. We must see ourselves as God sees us in Christ. By faith we must lay claim to what has already been given to us in Christ. The grace of God teaches us and instructs us how to live (Titus 2:11-12). God's method of instruction is to first show us and teach us what He has done for us in grace, and then we are told to walk accordingly. Ephesians 5:8 illustrates this well: "For ye were sometimes [formerly, referring to our unregenerate state] darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." We are to walk in light of WHO WE ARE. We are to "be what we are." Our actual CONDITION is to match our glorious POSITION. The more we, by faith, lay hold of the glorious facts of our POSITION in Christ, the more this will affect our actual state and CONDITION as we walk with the Lord in time.

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May the eyes of our understanding be enlightened, that we may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (see Ephesians 1:18-19).

In order to fully appreciate the riches of God's grace we need to contrast our present position in Christ with our former unregenerate state when we were outside of Christ and dead in sin. The glories of God's grace shine brighter against the black background of our past state and condition before we met the Saviour. God never wants us to forget WHAT WE WERE prior to our salvation: "Wherefore REMEMBER, that ye being in time past [formerly, when in an unsaved state] Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time YE WERE without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:11-12 and compare Titus 3:3). Thus, before we consider our riches in Christ, let us consider...

61 THINGS THAT WERE TRUE OF ME BEFORE I WAS SAVED...

I was on the broad way (road) leading to destruction (Matthew 7:13).
I was lost (Luke 19:10; 2 Corinthians 4:3).
I was condemned already because of my unbelief (John 3:18; compare 1 Corinthians 11:32).
I was a lover of darkness (John 3:19).
I was under God's abiding wrath (John 3:36) awaiting God's coming wrath (Luke 3:7; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6).
I was an ignorant worshipper (John 4:22).
I was an evildoer deserving judgment (John 5:29; compare 3 John 11).
I was of the world and from below or beneath (John 8:23).
I was yet in my sins (John 8:21,24; compare John 20:23).
I was a child of the devil (John 8:44).
I was a Christ-rejecter (John 12:48).
I was a Christ-hater (John 15:18) and a hater of those belonging to Christ (John 17:14).
I was under the power of Satan (Acts 26:18; 1 John 5:19).
I was unthankful, not giving honor to God (Romans 1:21).
I was unrighteous (Romans 1:29-31; 3:10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
I was under sin (Romans 3:9) and sin-sick (Luke 5:31-32).
I was unprofitable (Romans 3:12; compare Philemon 11).
I was without the fear of God (Romans 3:18).
I was guilty before God (Romans 3:19).
I was a sinner (Romans 3:23; 5:8).
I was without strength (Romans 5:6).
I was ungodly (Romans 5:6; 4:5).
I was God's enemy (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21).
I was a servant (slave) of sin (Romans 6:17,20; John 8:34).
I was deserving of death (Romans 6:23; compare 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).
I was in the flesh (Romans 7:5; 8:8).
I was in danger of perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Luke 13:3,5).
I was a natural man who considered the things of God as foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14).
I was under God's curse (1 Corinthians 16:22).
I was blinded by the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4).
I was part of this present evil world (Galatians 1:4).
I was dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13).
I was walking according to the course of Satan's world (Ephesians 2:2).
I was a child of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).
I was a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
I was without Christ (Ephesians 2:12).
I was an alien from the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).
I was a stranger from the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12,19).
I was one who had no hope (Ephesians 2:12) and no foundation (Luke 6:48).
I was without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12).
I was far off (Ephesians 2:13).
I was walking in the vanity of my mind (Ephesians 4:17).
I was one whose understanding was darkened (Ephesians 4:18; Romans 1:21).
I was alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18; Colossians 1:21).
I was ignorant (Ephesians 4:18).
I was blind and hardened (Ephesians 4:18).
I was given over to unbridled lust (Ephesians 4:19).
I was corrupt according to deceitful lusts (Ephesians 4:22).
I was once of the darkness and of the night (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 2:11).
I was in the realm and under the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13; Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18).
I was one who did not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:5).
I was foolish (Titus 3:3; Romans 1:22).
I was disobedient (Titus 3:3).
I was deceived (Titus 3:3).
I was one who served various lusts and pleasures (Titus 3:3).
I was one who lived in malice and envy (Titus 3:3).
I was one who was hateful and was hating one another (Titus 3:3).
I was a sheep who had gone astray (1 Peter 2:25).
I was one who lived in the flesh to the lusts of men (1 Peter 4:2).
I was one who walked in lasciviousness, lusts, abominable idolatries, etc. (1 Peter 4:3).
I was sensual, having not the Spirit (Jude 19).

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In light of our former, unsaved state and condition, notice how important the little word "but" is in these precious passages:

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" (Ephesians 2:2-5).

"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:3-5).

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:12-13).

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Now that you know what was true of you when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, now see the things that are true for you - from God's Word - when you asked Christ into your heart and found God's pardon and forgiveness.

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215 THINGS THAT ARE TRUE OF ME NOW THAT I AM SAVED

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The Kingdom of heaven is at Hand!

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GWZ I.F.

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The Gospel of John Challenge