Thu, Dec 29th - 3:46PM
Is History Repeating Itself?
In Germany in the early 1930s there were numerous political parties, but the major parties were the Communist party and the Nazi party. What was the real difference between those two parties? Both were merely different forms of socialism. Many believe that fascists (e.g., Nazis) are right-wingers and fascism is a right-wing movement because they merely compare fascism to communism. This is similar to comparing a scalene triangle and an isosceles triangle without comparing any other shapes. If you merely compare the triangles to each other it is only possible to notice the differences, but if you compare both triangles to a square or a circle the similarities between the two triangles stand out. If we merely compare fascism and communism with each other, the superficial appearance of free enterprise can make fascism appear to be right-wing, but if we compare fascism and communism to the social system of free enterprise and limited constitutional government it becomes clear that fascism and communism are different forms of socialism. In America today the Democrats tend to lean toward communism and Republicans tend to lean toward fascism, and choosing between the two parties is often a question of which form of socialism is to be preferred.
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Mon, Dec 12th - 9:57AM
Put Not Your Trust In Princes
"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." -Psalm 118:9
"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." -Psalm 146:3
All too many, even many Christians, think we should trust politicians. Many insist on trusting a politician if he professes certain beliefs and values, belongs to a certain political party, religion, fraternity, or appeals to selfish interests, & many will even become devoted followers of a politician because he makes eloquent or pretty speeches, even if he doesn't actually say anything. We are not supposed to trust politicians, we are supposed to hold public officials accountable.
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Fri, Dec 9th - 9:43AM
They Are Not Above Scrutiny
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (I John 2:27) As is true today, when John wrote the First Epistle of John there were a lot of divisions, programs, heresies and fads becoming prevalent throughout Christendom, and many false teachers working to corrupt the church. Deceivers often claim to have a special enlightenment or illumination, superior insight, or spiritual key to understanding or claim that one needs a superior spirituality or special revelation (which they claim to have) to know the truth, which is the reason for the warning in I John 2:27. While there is more to life in Christ than the initial experience (new birth) that occurs at faith and repentance, we must be wary of those who downplay the significance of Scripture and claim a special revelation or anointing that other genuine believers do not have. While there are difficulties in the Bible the Bible was written to be read and understood by ordinary people and God's truth is not hidden from everyone except for a few clever individuals. The Holy Bible is the final authority, and the truth can withstand questions and critical analysis. (Acts 17:11; I Thessalonians 5:21; II Timothy 3:16)
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Thu, Dec 8th - 8:34PM
My People Are Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6)
The effectiveness and influence of the Church is hindered by widespread neglect and indifference toward the Bible on the part of Christians. All too often the one claiming that something is or is not a sin or truth has little or no knowledge of what Scripture says on the subject, and culture, trends, and society are often allowed to cloud judgment on issues instead of studying the Bible and respecting the Word of God. It is amazing that so many Christians readily accept an unscriptural or anti-biblical teaching or theory as truth because it is considered new or modern or is endorsed by the world and easily dismiss a Bible teaching or standard as wrong or irrelevant if it is considered old-fashioned or unpopular. It has become common for Christians to assume that something they read in a book or magazine, hear on the radio, or see on television or in a movie makes them an instant expert on a topic or subject and that this expertise or enlightenment eliminates the need to study to learn what the Bible teaches or to check to see if their assumptions or theories line up with Scripture, especially religious broadcasting, pop psychology, and the latest junk on TV talk shows. Many are quick to assume that an expert opinion, documentary, or media presentation is above scrutiny. Modern Christians often put culture and trends above Scripture and submit to the indoctrination of the society in which they live and adapt to its cultural expectations and values. The reasons that most Christians give for their beliefs and convictions demonstrate an adaptation to culture above Scripture, and the teachings taught in most churches regarding what is true or false, moral or immoral, or proper or improper demonstrate an adaptation to culture above Scripture. (Jeremiah 6: 16,19; 8:8-9; I Timothy 1:5-7; II Timothy 2:14-15; 3:16) This leads to false teachings that appeal to the sinful nature and selfish desires and leads to counterfeit spirituality and a spiritual sounding legalism or asceticism that rests salvation and spirituality on self instead of Christ, makes extra-biblical or unscriptural theories and preferences into doctrines and measurements of spirituality, and puts theories and preferences above the Word of God. (Colossians 2:6-8,20-23; I Timothy 4:1-7; II Timothy 4:2-4)
Even though Christ never disobeyed or contradicted the Bible, the professed Bible-believers of His day despised and condemned Him for disobeying and contradicting their pet theories and man-made measurements of spirituality. The Pharisees & Sadducees did not die off in the first century; their modern counterparts just have different titles. (Matthew 16:6,12)
Stop and think: Is your "knowledge" a result of personal Bible reading and study, or is your Biblical or theological "knowledge" merely an accumulation of traditions, assumptions, theories, and second-hand information? You might be surprised. Try applying these questions to specific beliefs and issues: What does the Bible say about this, and what Bible truths or principles are involved? (Psalm 33:4; II Timothy 2:14-15; 3:16) What is the origin of this teaching or belief? (Psalm 33:10; Romans 12:2; Colossians 2:8) Was this true in the distant past and will this be true in the distant future? (Psalm 33:11; Proverbs 19:21; Ecclesiastes 1:9-10; James 1:17) Have I personally studied the Bible to learn what the Bible clearly teaches? (Proverbs 2:3-6; II Timothy 2:15)
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Mon, Dec 5th - 8:55PM
Deceivers
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.” (I Timothy 1:5-7)
A characteristic of cults and deceivers in the church is they often distort the Word of God and major on minors. They are often so preoccupied with riding a religious hobby horse and proving themselves right and everyone else wrong that they lose sight of the overall Bible message and teachings. They may appeal to the authority of Scripture or make reference to Jesus, but they use facts and scriptures the way a drunkard uses a lamp post, for support and not illumination, using the Bible merely to argue or give their pet theories a semblance of Bible truth while distorting Scripture or downplaying the significance of Scripture.
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Name: Arnold Saxton
