Category Archives: Christian Anthropology

Paul Confronts the Genetic Code: The Preconditions of Intelligibility

I’m drawing these specific presuppositional arguments from Vincent Cheung’s “Presuppositional Confrontations,” “Captive to Reason,” “Ultimate Questions,” and especially “Paul and the Philosophers.” Full credit to him—he’s the one who helped me hone these tools. The opening pages of “Paul and the Philosophers” are gold: a clear, devastating summary of how Paul did apologetics. Go read them

Acts 17 records that while Paul waited in Athens, “his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols” (v. 16). The apostle didn’t stroll through the marketplace nodding at the philosophers’ cleverness or hunting for common ground in their latest metaphysical fashion. He confronted them with the revelation of the true God who “made the world and everything in it” and who “gives to all life, breath, and all things” (vv. 24-25). In “Paul and the Philosophers”, Vincent Cheung expounds this encounter as the biblical model for apologetics: “Challenge, Confrontation, and Conquest.”

The philosophers of Athens—Epicureans and Stoics—operated from presuppositions that could not sustain the most basic conditions of thought and experience. The same pattern repeats in every age, including ours. Some things never change—except when materialists try to make them change without a Cause.

Consider the video “Origin of the Genetic Code: What We Do and Do Not Know,” produced by the “Stated Casually” channel with Stephen Woodford. The presenters note that the genetic code functions as a genuine symbolic system (we’ll grant they are codes and a symbolic system for the sake of argument. This means we’re pretending here, because that’s what “for the sake of argument” means). That is, a language with codons as symbols, amino acids as referents, syntax, redundancy, and error-correcting mechanisms. They invoke signaling theory, co-evolution, RNA-world hypotheses, and probabilistic arguments to claim this code arose through mindless natural processes. They admit “vast unknowns” yet insist evolution suffices. But this is skepticism—and skepticism denies the law of contradiction. We’ll move on anyway.

In doing so they stand exactly where the Athenian philosophers stood: using the language of intelligibility while denying the only foundation that makes such language possible. One almost admires the gall—until one realizes they’re trying to get blood from a philosophical stone… or rather, intelligible code from a universe that’s philosophically non-intelligible code. LOL. Such a position is to be mocked and dismissed.

Non-Christian presuppositions are in rebellion against God and therefore distort and suppress the truth (Romans 1:18-20). The video’s materialist narrative cannot account for the preconditions of intelligibility it constantly employs. Materialism and empiricism are inherently circular: they use every point of intelligibility to construct their arguments, then attempt to “prove” those same points from within a system that cannot justify them. That’s wall-punching hilarious. Their premises always smuggle extra unproven information into the conclusion to make the intelligibility conditions appear to emerge from matter alone. They have no justification for using them. Let us press the matter point by point—because nothing says “I love philosophy” like watching someone saw off the branch they’re sitting on while claiming the branch grew itself.

When intelligibility is defined by materialism, atheism, observation, or empiricism alone, the result is not neutral inquiry but a closed loop that devours its own justification. The secular thinker must presuppose the very rational order, categories, the 3 laws of logic, and knowledge he denies in order to deny it. This is not a minor flaw—it is epistemic suicide. It’s like trying to debug the C++ while denying the laws of C++. Bold move.

Cause. Every effect requires a sufficient cause. If the genetic code is an ordered, functional system of information, then it is an effect. The video traces its “origin” through gene duplication, peptide-RNA interactions, and selection pressures, yet this merely pushes the problem backward. What is the real cause? As Vincent Cheung points out in Paul and the Philosophers, the Epicureans appealed to chance collisions of atoms; the Stoics appealed to an impersonal logos. Neither could explain why causation exists or why causes are orderly rather than chaotic. Only the biblical worldview answers: the self-existent Creator who upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).

The materialist uses cause at every step of his evolutionary narrative, then tries to prove that cause itself arises from blind matter. This is circular. He must already assume causal regularity (the very thing in question) to interpret his observations, then adds unproven information—that matter alone can produce ordered causation—into his conclusion. He has no justification on materialist premises for doing so. It’s like trying to lift yourself by your own bootstraps, except the bootstraps are made of unproven assumptions, the boots are on fire, and the fire was started by a random chemical reaction that somehow “knew” it needed to be dramatic.

Identity. Since the law of Identity relates to categories, we’re dealing with categories. A thing must be itself and not something else. The genetic code must maintain stable identities: adenine pairs with thymine, specific codons specify specific amino acids, the standard code persists across vast domains of life. The video discusses minor variations yet treats the code as a stable identity that “evolved once.” On materialist premises, why should any pattern remain identical across replications or generations? Without justification for Identity, the materialist cannot intelligently say that identity “x” stayed identity “x” while identity “y” became identity “q.” Why shouldn’t flux and contradiction reign in a world where chaos is the foundation? Only the immutable God—“I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)—grounds identity. The Bible teaches that grace is grace and works are works, and grace is not works and works is not grace.

The materialist uses identity throughout his account, then attempts to prove that stable identities emerge from matter in motion. This is circular. He presupposes the very stability he claims to explain, smuggling extra information into his conclusion that matter can sustain sameness over time. He has no justification for this move within his own system.

“Some may argue that categories are learned from repetition. They think that a person hears the word ‘cause’ whenever one event follows another, so eventually the mind learns the concept of cause from repeated patterns. This fails. To recognize a pattern already requires categories like identity through time and rules for connecting one case with another. Without those categories, the person would have nothing to tell him that the same kind of event has happened again, rather than just a meaningless string of flashes. Even the claim that a concept is ‘learned’ from many examples uses the very concept during the learning process.

This means that meaning itself requires fixed rational structure that is prior to and independent of any particular observation. Prior does not mean earlier in time… It means logically prior. If reason is to be reason, it must stand on something that does not depend on shifting feelings or human customs. This foundation must be universal… necessary… and rational in itself… If such a foundation exists, then human thought has an anchor… Without it, thought reduces to meaningless sounds with no right to claim belief.”

— Vincent Cheung, Paul and the Philosophers, p. 4

Probability and the numerator-denominator problem. The presenters repeatedly appeal to probability: the “likelihood” of functional proteins, the “probability” of certain codon assignments, the unlikelihood of design. Yet as Vincent Cheung reminds us, probability consists of a numerator (specific observations) and a denominator (the complete set of all relevant possibilities—the universal framework). Empiricism and induction can never know the denominator unless they are all-knowing. But if you’re all-knowing, you don’t need science or experiments—you already have knowledge. The act of science or experimentation is an admission you don’t have knowledge. Science is not knowledge. Science, by its own materialist, empiricist, observational method, makes knowledge impossible. It lies beyond any finite set of observations.

To claim the genetic code’s origin is “probable” under naturalism, one must already possess knowledge of the total range of possibilities—an omniscience the materialist does not have. The appeal to probability is therefore circular: the unbeliever uses the numerator while smuggling in an unjustified denominator. He adds extra unproven information into his conclusion—that a stable universal order exists from which probabilities can be calculated—while denying the only source of that order. He has no justification for the denominator on empiricist terms.

“Before you have knowledge, you cannot possibly know the denominator, the complete set of relevant possibilities. But without the denominator, you cannot calculate a probability at all. To establish the denominator, you would need knowledge larger than the present context, in fact, knowledge of the entire range of possible outcomes. At that point you would already have the very knowledge probability is supposed to deliver, and you would have no need for the experiment or the appeal to probability in the first place.

In practice, when people appeal to probability in this way, they are never doing real probability. What they describe is a sense of confidence, an intuition shaped by repetition or prejudice, or a pattern their minds have supposedly recognized. Then they dress this feeling in the language of numbers. But a feeling of confidence is not knowledge, and pattern recognition is not proof, especially when the pattern was derived from a defective framework. Probability without a true denominator is psychology disguised as epistemology.

Probability cannot serve as a path to truth. If you lack knowledge, you cannot establish the denominator, so probability cannot be applied. If you somehow knew the denominator, you would already possess knowledge far greater than the experiment offers, which makes the experiment irrelevant. In either case, probability does not solve the problem of knowledge. It assumes what it must prove.”
— Vincent Cheung, Paul and the Philosophers, p. 6

Difference and distinction. Intelligible thought requires real distinctions. Codons must differ from one another; start codons must differ from stop codons; the genetic code must differ from other biological signaling systems, or there is no intelligibility. Without grounded distinctions, language itself becomes impossible. The Athenian philosophers could not consistently maintain distinctions because their ultimate principles blurred all categories into flux or unity. The biblical doctrine of creation establishes real differences: God made the beasts “according to their kinds” (Genesis 1:25).

The materialist uses distinctions at every turn in his analysis, then tries to prove that real differences arise from undifferentiated matter. And yet again, this is circular. He presupposes the distinctions he claims to explain, adding unproven information into his conclusion that matter can generate and maintain genuine difference. He has no justification within materialism for doing so. Matter apparently has a very strong opinion about what counts as “different”—until it doesn’t. (LOL.)

Time and history. The video narrates a story of the code “emerging” over deep time through gradual processes. But time itself requires grounding. Why does time flow in one direction? Why is there a past, present, and future rather than eternal stasis or chaos? The philosophers of Athens offered cyclical or eternal views of time that could never ground genuine history. Scripture reveals time as the created arena where God consistently makes reality act in regular ways for His purpose.

The materialist uses time and temporal sequence throughout his narrative, then attempts to prove that time and history themselves emerge from matter. This is circular. He presupposes the temporal order he claims to explain, smuggling extra information into his conclusion that matter can produce directed, meaningful history. He has no justification on his own premises.

Motion—the ball in flight. Even the simplest act of perception exposes the problem.

“When the mind looks at a scene, it does more than take a mental picture. It interprets the scene using concepts such as identity, difference, number, relation, time, and cause. These concepts are not pulled from the scene itself. When a child looks at two apples, he uses the concept of number to know that they are two. When he follows a ball flying through the air, he uses time and continuity to track its motion. When he says that the ball broke the window, he uses the concept of cause. If he had to first create number, time, or cause from raw sensory data before using them, he could never begin to use them at all. Any attempt to ‘get’ them from experience would already need them to be in use. Interpretation comes with built-in categories that experience does not provide. This concerns the necessity of innate structure. Certain categories must exist for observation to have any meaning at all.”

— Vincent Cheung, *Paul and the Philosophers*

As Cheung shows, this simple act presupposes the intelligibility conditions that empiricism claims to derive from sensation. The materialist uses motion and continuity at every step of his evolutionary story, then tries to prove that ordered motion arises from matter alone. This is circular. He presupposes the very motion and regularity he claims to explain, adding unproven information into his conclusion that blind matter can sustain directed, continuous change. He has no justification within his system for this assumption.

Language and meaning. The video correctly identifies the genetic code as language. But language presupposes a mind—a speaker who intends meaning. Without an intelligent source, symbols collapse into mere physical motion of particles. Non-Christian worldviews cannot account for meaning. The materialist uses meaningful language and symbolic analysis throughout his presentation, then attempts to prove that meaningful language and symbols arise from matter without mind. This is circular. He presupposes the meaning and intentionality he claims to explain, smuggling extra unproven information into his conclusion that chemistry alone can produce genuine communication. He has no justification on materialist terms for treating meaningless matter as meaningful.

Science isn’t knowledge, because it’s anti-logic with a PhD. Science is without logic, and so it is just expensive storytelling in a lab coat.

These are not peripheral issues. They are the fatal flaws that render the entire video incoherent on its own terms. The presenters employ cause, identity, probability, difference, time, motion, language, and meaning at every turn; precisely the preconditions of intelligibility that only Christian revelation can justify. They use these tools to “prove” a naturalistic origin for the genetic code, yet they have no justification for the tools themselves. Their method is circular by necessity, because their first principle—random matter in motion without God—cannot produce or sustain rationality, intelligibility, order, or information. They borrow the Christian doctrines of providence, uniformity, and meaning while denying the Provider, always adding extra unproven information into their conclusions to make the intelligibility conditions appear to emerge from matter alone.

If the genetic code is indeed code, then it testifies against them. The video’s story is a modern retelling of the Athenian idols: sophisticated in appearance, but built on sand. Paul did not flatter the philosophers or accommodate their categories. He declared the Creator, exposed their ignorance of the “unknown god,” and called them to repent because God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained” (Acts 17:31).

To the makers of the video and all who share their presuppositions: your system cannot account for the intelligibility you employ in every sentence. You speak of cause, identity, probability, difference, time, motion, language, and meaning while standing on foundations your worldview has sawed off. You use these points to construct your argument, then circularly attempt to prove them from within materialism and empiricism—always smuggling extra unproven information into your conclusions—yet you have no justification for doing so. Repent. The same revelation that explains the intelligibility for all codes explains your need for a Savior.

Chance denies order yet relies on order to articulate the theory. Necessity cancels rational judgment yet uses rational judgment to defend it. Both erase the preconditions of meaningful time, logic, categories, intelligibility, morals, and knowledge.

God is the only response that does justice to the supposed genetic code and all other codes. All other explanations are variations on the idols of Athens—old and new. The truth remains: the God who made the genetic code has spoken, and His Word is the precondition of every word we speak, every code we decode, and every argument we advance. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Donuts & Coffee

Vol. 1

Oshea Davis
2026

Table of Contents

*1 He gives and takes away.

*2 God Took My Son!

*3 Why Are You Afraid?.

*4 Aim for the Stars and Faith Will Make You Hit Them!

* 5 Your Fame is the Gospel’s Priority.

*6 Head Held High.

*7 Theological Gaslighting.

*8 Jesus’ Real Test for Orthodoxy Isn’t What You Think.

*9 Belly Crawlers.

* 10 Mystery Box.

*11 It’s Not Hard to Believe.

*12 A Little Homemade Sacrifice.

*13 Not Your Eyeballs.

*14 Proof Your Insides Are Clean.

*15 Storm The Throne Room..

*16 Be Patient Cop-out

*17 But Here’s The Gut-punch.

*18 Rebuke Like The Book Says.

*19 Existence Exists.

*20 Shadow It & Be Done With It.

*21 Carnal Cheeseburgers.

*22 Set Apart For God.

*1 He gives and takes away

Yeah, at the ultimate ontological level it’s straight facts. By His Word alone everything is created and holds together (Colossians 1:17). No rival power exists. God forms light and darkness, peace and calamity (Isaiah 45:7). Sovereign over it all—no debate, no committee.

But watch this: when the same God promises to define a slice of His creation a certain way, because He is truth and the law of non-contradiction, it slams the door shut on exceptions or alternatives. He does what He says.

The gospel is finished. Jesus didn’t leave a tab open. To take away bad and give good, is the whole point of substitutionary atonement. Think about that. He took the sickness, wiped the sinful record clean, crushed every besetting sin, absorbed the poverty, fixed the broken relationships, and pulled us out of obscurity. He became the curse so we could walk in the blessing (Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:4-5; 2 Corinthians 8:9). So yes, God takes away, but He did so in the atonement, so that He can forever give good to you.

For His kids, “gives and takes away” flips the script, because the whole point of substitutionary atonement is to for God to take way bad and give good. In Acts 10:38 the Spirit defines sickness is bad and healing as good. Thus, God does not give you sickness; that’s Satan’s priesthood. The taking away is reserved for the junk—disease, lack, shame. The giving is nonstop: righteousness, divine healing, supernatural wealth, Holy Spirit power, answered prayers that hit like lightning, and miracles that make the devil file for unemployment.

So next time someone waves Job around like it’s your contract, just smile and say, “Wrong contract, bro. The Lamb already paid it in full.” Now walk in what’s yours. Jesus already did the taking from you in the atonement, and he took all your bad, all your sins, all your curses and all your sickness. He already did the giving in the atonement; giving you all the good, both now and forever. The God who gives and takes away has already decided—and He decided for you. 🔥

*2 God Took My Son!

Uh..no, He didn’t.

Jesus already took care of all the bad stuff once and for all (Acts 10:38) — things like sickness (Isaiah 53), sin (Isaiah 53), poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9 and 9:8), and every curse (Galatians 3). In exchange, He hooked us up with riches, righteousness, healing, and the full blessings of Abraham’s gospel!

So when someone says about a Christian who left this earth too soon (before that long, satisfying life we’re promised, Psalm 91, Abraham’s gospel.), “God took my child” or “God took my spouse”… they’re missing the mark. If that person was truly in Christ, God “received” them with open arms, sure, but He didn’t “take” them. The real culprit who did the taking was Satan, using the curse and unbelief as his sneaky weapons of choice.

Quick reminder: the only truly unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And even though healing is a straight-up command (James 5), believing the gospel is commanded, and Jesus straight-up invited us to pray for anything we want and actually receive it — failing to get healed is not the unpardonable sin. A Christian can die sick and still be saved. But let’s be crystal clear: it wasn’t God who cut their time short. It was Satan and unbelief that opened the door. Taking your health and life is Satan’s priesthood not Jesus’. Premature death is Satan’s middle finger at Jesus’ atonement. Jesus is not flipping the bird at his own gospel; that’s Satan’s job.

Because here’s the deal: our God is the Giver, not a Taker! Sure, in a broad sovereign sense you could say God “takes away,” but for His elect? Jesus stood in our place so that the Father “takes away from Him,” so that God doesn’t “take away” from us. God took away health, love, wealth, every good thing from Jesus; and finally, the Father took away Jesus’ very life. That’s the whole point of substitution. God did some taking from me, but it was at the cross. Jesus was substituted to let God take away from Him, so that God now only gives to us. That’s how the gospel works.

My old man died with Jesus, and so in this sense, God did take my old life… but that transaction already happened at the cross in Jesus. That old man is dead and gone! A new man lives. And this new man is the recipient of the other side the substitutionary atonement; God only gives good to this new Oshea, he does not take.

That’s the beautiful point of substitution: Jesus took the hit so you wouldn’t have to experience God “taking” from us, because He let the Father take from Him. In exchange, God now only wants to pour every good thing into your life.

So tell me… are you finally catching what the gospel is really all about?

*3 Why Are You Afraid?

It was a real storm. Waves crashing over the boat. Disciples thinking, “We’re toast.” Jesus? Snoozing like it’s nap time. They wake Him in panic: “Lord, save us! We’re drowning!”

His reply? “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”

Then one word from Jesus and the wind and waves shut their mouths. Dead calm.

Humanly speaking, from a starting point of empirical observation, then Yeah, fear made sense. However, it only makes sense, if you are without God, and your worldview is human limitations, based on human observation. But here’s the punchline they missed—and we can miss too, if we are not watchful: you’re not just human anymore. That old man is dead and gone. You’re a child of God, blessed with Abraham’s blessing (Galatians 3:13-14), baptized into the same authority Jesus carried. You carry the Name that makes demons flee, sickness bow, and creation obey. That changes everything.

Picture it: you look up and a tornado is dropping on your house. You cry out, “God, help! Can’t You see I’m about to die?!” And Jesus opens a window to heaven, and looks you dead in the eye—in front of your family and friends—and says, “Bro… why are you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?”

Och! Here is a question. Would you still follow Him if He rebuked you like this? I mean, Jesus didn’t even acknowledge your intense feelings; rather, Jesus was dismissive of them as stupid. The man Jesus, is telling you to calm your emotions down. He says your faith is pathetic, it is the case of your fear. Jesus says your emotions of fear is not acknowledged or wanted by God. Because He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. That same rebuke is also coming to you when you face a deadly storm, or deadly whatever it is. He’s not being mean for mean’s sake—He’s reminding you who you are.

Jesus’ presupposition is wild: He expects you to stand up, speak to that “deadly” thing, and tell it to chill out and shut up. Not because you’re special, but because the promises already belong to you. Faith isn’t wishful thinking—it’s your legal right to command the chaos.

So next time the waves hit, skip the unbelief panic party. Believe Jesus and rebuke the wind. That’s your new normal as a Christian.

*4 Aim for the Stars and Faith Will Make You Hit Them!

It’s wild how even Christians have swallowed the lie: “Aim low and call it humility.” Most folks grab their God-given dreams, load up a shotgun with birdshot, and blast just past their own feet. Boom—they hit dirt. Then they high-five themselves like they just conquered the universe. “Look at me, suffering under God’s sovereign hand!” Meanwhile half the pellets ricochet and smack them in the face. Newsflash: Scripture never throws a parade for dirt-aimers.

Flip open Hebrews 11. The heroes didn’t point at their shoes—they locked eyes on the stars and let faith launch the arrow straight to Orion’s Belt. Take that Roman centurion, the ultimate outsider. Jesus had already said His focus was Israel first. Ground level was all the man “should” expect. Nope. He marched right up, stared Jesus down, and fired at the moon: “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”

Jesus didn’t sigh and say, “Bro, one miracle at a time.” He was astonished. “I haven’t seen faith like this in Israel!” The centurion didn’t stop there. While the first miracle was still mid-air, he upgraded the request—right there, no distance, no delay. Jesus grinned and publicly bragged about him.

Here’s the doctrine, straight up: The higher you aim, the more God likes it. Faith doesn’t cap your requests; it catapults them. Hit Orion’s Belt? Great—now ask for Andromeda in the other pocket. Jesus doesn’t roll His eyes at bold faith; He boasts about it before men and angels.

You can never aim too high or too often. The only mistake is aiming too low, too seldom.

So tell me… what stars are you locking onto today? Fire that arrow. Faith’s got the velocity.

The stars never looked so good, nor so close.

* 5 Your Fame is the Gospel’s Priority

One of the major things God promised Abraham was to make “his” name great—not just to hype His own fame (though Abraham’s elevation would glorify God too). “I will make your name great,” the Lord straight-up declared (Genesis 12:2). Boom. Direct promise.

Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ—who took our curse upon Himself and redeemed us from it (Galatians 3:13)—we’ve inherited that exact same Abraham’ package! Christ became our cures, as a substitute, to give us the gospel of Abraham.

The full Gospel isn’t just forgiveness of sins (which is more technically the doorway to the gospel); it includes God making “your” name famous on the earth. Fame, favor, and footprint are baked into the blessing of Abraham we now own by faith.

Dying unknown, in total obscurity and absurdity? That’s no holy humility badge—that’s a curse straight out of Satan’s playbook. It’s the ministry of his dark priesthood, the thief who comes to steal your fame, rob your health and wealth, kill your destiny, and destroy your impact (John 10:10). He loves keeping you small so the world never sees the Royal Priesthood in you.

As Vincent Cheung points out in Our Prosperity in God’s Program, “ Receive things from God for your own benefit. If it stops there, God is honored because he has blessed one person. You can then consciously participate in the expansion of the kingdom of God. However, even if you do not concern yourself with the situation any further, you will naturally further God’s program. He will take this and increase the effect to benefit more people and to magnify himself with it. Just by receiving from God for yourself, more and more, again and again, you will do more for God than the counterfeit Christians who seem to suffer much for their religion, but who refuse to receive from God and forbid others to receive. They hinder the gospel and bring shame to the name of Jesus.”

Even if we were only focused on our own fame, by faith in Jesus, it will always have indirect effects is magnifying God’s kingdom. Thus, it is good to the fame God promised in Abraham’s gospel, when is given to us in Jesus’ gospel. The gospel preached to Abraham was about his fame, his wealth, his health and him being highly favor in all he did, and not God’s. The gospel has many aspects about it that are concerned with your fame and increase, not God’s. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians, 2:7, the gospel was predestined for your glory. Because we deny pantheism, thus, directly referring to these aspects of the gospel that helps, increases and blesses the elect, the gospel is for our glory not God’s. Now of course God as designed it so that our glory and increase ultimately glorifies God. This is gospel. Without it you don’t have the gospel.

Once you are walking in faith, health, wealth, answered prayers and miracles, you will find you stop thinking about yourself, because you are doing so well, and all fear and stress to climb up are gone, and this freedom will lead you to show compassion and help others. Seeing your own hearts desires come into reality will help and free you to say, “God you have blessed me so much, I want more directly focus on expanding your Kingdom against the remaining darkness. How can I help?” The point is simple. Simply by receiving the good things promised, such as health and wealth, you expand God’s kingdom. Anything done in faith, no matter what it is, establishes God’s kingdom more and more. On this point alone, receiving miracle health and miracle money for yourself, still establishes God’s kingdom.

By seeking your own fame and increase in faith, you directly bless yourself, your family and friends.

This is why I remind us: How little the faithless value the Gospel and God Himself. They think so small of themselves and then force the promises of God through the tiny pinhole of their limited self-view. But newsflash—you are “not” the measurer of reality. God and His promises are!

We must measure our ability and destiny by God’s Word and our new identity in Christ Jesus: Abraham’s seed, co-heirs with the King, destined for greatness. Stop playing small, saints. Let the Father boast about you. Step boldly into the fame He promised and make some divine mischief for His glory!

*6 Head Held High

Maturity isn’t you scraping together some spiritual tip to hand God like a nervous waiter at the cosmic buffet. Nah. Maturity is you, as a full-blown son, leaning back and receiving every endless, jaw-dropping blessing He’s already dying to unload on you (1 Corinthians 2:6-12). The Spirit isn’t some vague vibe; He’s the insider who searches the deep things of God and shouts, “Hey kid, this feast is yours—dig in!”

Picture the prodigal kid. He finally drags himself out of the pig pen. Most of us stop there: “Sorry, Dad, I’ll be your servant now.” But real maturity? That’s when God’s Spirit pumps iron in your soul so you don’t just limp home begging scraps. You stand tall, eyes locked on the Father, and let Him slide the signet ring on your finger—full authority, baby. He drapes the BEST robe over your shoulders—righteousness that screams “I belong here.” He buckles the sandals on your feet—so you can walk like royalty, not crawl like a hired hand. Then you march straight into the house, head high, grin wider than the banquet table, because you’re not a guest. You’re the son. You’re the prince. The party is for YOU. Paul says the gospel was predestined for your glory!

And here’s the fun part (because heaven throws better parties than any pig-pen after-party ever could): the Father’s not keeping score. He’s not waiting for you to “earn” the fatted calf. He’s already running toward you with arms wide, robe flapping, ring ready. 1 Corinthians 2:12 spells it out—“We have received… the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” Freely. No strings. No performance review. Just pure, ridiculous generosity.

So stop tip-toeing around like you owe the King rent. Maturity looks like you receiving the ring, the robe, the sandals—and then throwing your head back and laughing with the joy that only sons know. You belong at this table. Act like it. Grab the blessings. March in. The Father’s already popping the champagne.

*7 Theological Gaslighting

To stay at the foot of the cross is to functionally deny the Resurrection and the Ascension. “Gospel-centered” movements? Come on—they’re straight-up theological gaslighting dressed in pious robes. They use shiny Christian lingo to trap believers in spiritual poverty and powerlessness, like it’s some noble virtue.

The “Gospel” isn’t a dusty historical biography of a dead man hanging on a tree. It’s the current, active decree of an enthroned King who’s very much alive and ruling right now. A theology that fixates on the bloody mess of Calvary while ignoring the present “occupied throne” is nothing more than a dead man’s religion. It’s like showing up to the victory party and obsessing over the scar from the battle that was already won—comical, if it weren’t so tragic.

If Christ is enthroned and we are “seated with Him” (Ephesians 2:6), then the benefits of the atonement—including physical healing and material provision—aren’t optional extras or “maybe someday” blessings. They are your legal rights as a co-heir, paid for in full. Jesus became sin so you could become righteousness. He became a curse so you could walk in blessing. He bore your sicknesses so you could walk in divine health. He became poor so you could be rich. That’s not prosperity hype; that’s Isaiah 53, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:13-14, and 2 Corinthians 8:9 screaming at us from the page.

Cross-centered theology is vile precisely because it weaponizes the cross as a shield to protect unbelief. By obsessing over the suffering, these theologians explain away zero miracles, unanswered prayers, and powerless Christianity as “God’s sovereign will to suffer.” Doctrine of demons, plain and simple. It’s a sophisticated way to remain an atheist while still using Christian vocabulary—trading the tangible power of the living Christ for historical sentimentality and a permanent pity party.

To fix your gaze on Calvary, is to fix your eyes where Jesus is not. And it is precisely this reason why the faithless keep a cross-centered view, because it keeps them from having to look Jesus in the face. They don’t like Jesus. They don’t want to lock eyes with Him, and they will teach you to practice their unbelief. Hebrews says for us to walk boldly with our heads held high to the throne of grace. Why? Because that it where Jesus is. We walk with our heads held high so that we lock eyes with Jesus, because we knew He loves us and wants to see us. He made us co-heirs and children of God, princes of heaven, because He loves us. He wants you to open the throne room doors and the first thing He wants to see is not the back of your head on the ground, but the white of your eyes and confident smile. The throne is where Jesus lives. There is no other way to have a relationship with Jesus, other than the one who is on the throne, not the cross.

Do you know this Jesus? There is no other Jesus, but this one.

Time to flip the script, family. The New Testament writers were obsessed with the throne, not the tomb. Cross-centered? That’s the entry door for newbies. Throne-centered? That’s full armor—advancing the Kingdom with miracles, healings, and unshakeable faith. Jesus isn’t still bleeding on a hill. He’s seated, victorious, and inviting you to rule with Him. Stop camping at the cross and start reigning from the throne. The King is alive. Act like it.

*8 Jesus’ Real Test for Orthodoxy Isn’t What You Think

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:7-8)

That’s the test. Straight from the King. Not “Do you have the right paragraph about the cross?” Not “Can you quote the atonement correctly while sounding humble?” Jesus made answered prayer the litmus test for real orthodoxy.

James 5 spells it out: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Then he drops examples—forgiveness, healing the sick, commanding the weather to stop or start. Same chapter. Same breath. The righteous man gets results because he actually believes he is righteous.

Here’s the genius (and the gut-punch): only someone who truly trusts the finished atonement passes this test. Jesus became sin, curse, and poverty so you could become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; Isa 53). When you believe that, your heart stops condemning you. You stand bold at the throne of grace and get what you ask. Sickness hears your voice and leaves. Rain hears your voice and obeys. That’s not “name it claim it”; that’s New Covenant normal.

A religious Pharisee can fake “cross-centered” language all day. He can preach Christ crucified with tears and still have zero power. But he can’t fake results. The faithless by definition fail here; because this test demands faith, not footnotes.

That’s exactly why the creeds, the seminaries, and half the pulpits quietly buried Jesus’ test. If you knew John 15:7-8 was the standard, you’d see the fraud in 4K. No power, no fruit, no answers? Not my disciple, says Jesus. Simple. Brutal. Liberating.

Make no mistake—any creed from the past that fails to include to Jesus’ own test of orthodoxy isn’t orthodox, no matter how many fanboys foam at the mouth defending it. If a theologian insists that some man-made confession is the standard of sound doctrine while completely ignoring the King’s litmus test of abiding, asking, and receiving undeniable answers, they’ve just lifted their skirt and exposed their spiritual adultery to you. Cut them out of your life. Excommunicate that influence. Wash yourself from them, lest you partake of their destruction.

So test yourself. Abide. Ask big. Watch the Father glorify Himself through you. The same atonement that made you righteous now makes your prayers unstoppable. That’s the orthodoxy Jesus demands from disciples. 🔥

*9 Belly Crawlers

Staying on the ground and plucking dirt and gravel out of your mouth is the curse God gave the devil. To live like that is to define yourself in relation to Satan, not Christ. We are not talking about legitimate persecution directly for the sake of the gospel.

When God has called us to wield His divine armor and weapons (Eph 6, Acts 1-2, John 14-15), and take ground for the kingdom of God, faith-fumblers think debasing themselves under pain, poverty, sickness, suffering and defeat is glorifying to God. I would agree such things do glorify God, if God is your mortal enemy and He hates you; in this I would concede.

If God is your friend whose Son already took away our poverty, sins, sickness and pain on Himself, as a substitute in the finished atonement, then God is not glorified. If you experience those things Jesus already took away from you, then it is not glorifying to God for you to experience them as double jeopardy.

There is someone who is glorified if a Christian does experience those things Jesus took away, and that is Satan. When Satan helps a Christian to experience the pain, suffering, poverty, sickness that Jesus already took, it is Satan’s middle finger at the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To accept pain, defeat, death, sickness, poverty, besetting sins, loneliness, as suffering under the hand of God, so that you are so humble you are face down in the gravel, means you are imaging Satan not God. To be so masochistic and humble as to find yourself spitting out dirt and gravel is the very curse God placed on Satan to be a snake. To be a belly crawler is not humility before God. To be a belly crawler is to image your father, the devil. Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan (Acts 10:38), which means He came to destroy sickness. To be so sick you find yourself bent low, is to image the works of the devil, not God.

Imagine how stupid you must be to be a bastard snake of Satan, face down in the dirt, thinking you are imaging God? You cannot even tell the difference between God and the devil and you want to school people in theology? That’s hilarious.

Look at the substitutionary atonement. Isaiah 53 says Jesus bore our sicknesses and carried our pains—by His stripes we are healed. Paul says He became poor so that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Cor 8:9). He became sin for us so we become God’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). All these from the same finished work! You can’t pick and choose which parts of the atonement you like. Accepting what Jesus took away is trampling that atonement.

God’s sovereignty means reality obeys His word, and by faith we command it like Jesus taught us—sickness goes, provision comes. James tells us the prayer of faith saves the sick. Stop focusing on the dirt in your teeth and lock onto the promises already yours in Christ.

Rise up, sons and daughters. Stop crawling, and Approach the throne boldly as co-heirs, with your head held high.

* 10 Mystery Box

“Your Will Be Done” Isn’t a Cosmic Shrug—It’s Jesus-Style Obedience!

Mark 14:35 (LEB): “Yet not what I will, but what you will [God’s Command].”

John 14:31: “So that the world may know that I love my Father… just as the Father has commanded me, thus I am doing [heading to the cross].”

John 10:18: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down voluntarily… This commandment I received from my Father.”

Jesus didn’t pray “Your will be done” like some fatalistic sigh—“Whatever, God, zap me if You feel like it.” Nah. In His own context, it meant: I will obey Your direct command. Full stop. Ontology (God’s absolute causality) is presupposed, sure—but Jesus wasn’t passively surrendering to fate. He was locking in on the command and executing it with joy.

That’s why the same Jesus who sweat blood still marched to the cross. He loved the Father by doing the command.

Fast-forward to us. When you say, “This is God’s will for my life,” don’t sound like a defeatist robot. If you’re like Jesus, it means: What exact command (or promise—which is a command) am I obeying right now?

Sick? “I’m sick, so let God’s will be done” should not mean curling up in holy resignation. James 1 commands: Ask in faith and get wisdom. James 5 commands: Pray the prayer of faith and get healed. That’s the command! So when you say “God’s will be done” over your body, you’re saying, “I’m obeying the command to receive healing and wisdom—right now, by faith!”

God’s will isn’t a mystery box you peek into hoping for the best. It’s the Bible’s commands staring you in the face. Jesus modeled it perfectly: voluntary, authoritative, commandment-driven obedience. He laid down His life on command and took it back on command.

So next time life hits—sickness, confusion, lack—don’t pray like a passive observer. Pray like the Son: “Not my feelings, but Your command be done in me.” Then stand up, believe the promise, and watch the command activate. Healing isn’t “maybe someday if God feels like it.” It’s “by His stripes you were healed” (Isa 53:5). Wisdom isn’t “I’ll suffer till God decides.” It’s “ask in faith and it will be given” (James 1:5-6).

This is the Jesus way.

*11 It’s Not Hard to Believe

I heard a song today drop the line, “It’s hard to believe.” I get the heart behind it—trying to cheer up a struggling believer and keep them standing. Sweet sentiment. But the statement itself? Straight-up wrong.

It is not hard to believe.

Despite what your circumstances scream, despite the storm, despite every feeling yelling otherwise—faith is never truly difficult for the one born from above. If you haven’t been renewing your mind, you’re neck-deep in unrepented sin, or you’re clutching wrong beliefs about God and your identity, then yeah, your experience can feel like a grind. But that’s not faith being hard. That’s just the flesh throwing a tantrum against the new creation.

Here’s the truth that flips the script: Once you’re regenerated, the most foundational worker of your faith isn’t you white-knuckling it. It’s Jesus and the Holy Spirit doing the heavy lifting. Your new creation mind has already been created in the true knowledge of Jesus. It’s done. Finished. God’s sovereign masterpiece, not your weekend DIY project.

You are not the author and perfecter of your faith—Jesus is (Hebrews 12:2). Think about that for a hot second. Is it hard for the mind of Jesus to assent to the Word of God? Of course not. Then it’s not hard for you either, because you have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). He authors it. He establishes it. He perfects it. Faith isn’t you manufacturing belief like some heroic effort; it’s simple assent to what God already declared true about you in Christ.

So stop buying the “faith is a daily struggle” narrative. It’s like a fish complaining that swimming is exhausting. In Christ, believing is your new normal—effortless, supernatural, and already wired into your born-from-above DNA

*12 A Little Homemade Sacrifice

Therefore, Paul quotes Moses in Deuteronomy 9:4. The word of faith tells us that Jesus is our High Priest who redeems us. He does the hard work to reconcile God and man together, so that, upon being reconciled, man might fully enjoy the lavish blessings of their heavenly Father.

“For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, ‘Don’t say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, “Who will go down to the place of the dead?” (to bring Christ back to life again).’” (Romans 10:5-7)

Consider the moment you sin—or you yet again fell to that same besetting sin that keeps showing up like an uninvited guest.

Do you immediately start the mental beat-down? You replay the failure on loop, hoping the self-punishment will somehow “make it right” or at least make you feel spiritual enough to approach God. Or maybe you berate yourself just enough to earn a tiny crumb of divine approval, so your conscience will let you limp forward and ask for forgiveness.

If so, congratulations—you just offered a little homemade “sacrifice.” You just pulled Jesus down from heaven. You just yanked Him up from the grave. Again.

You turned the gospel upside down. The law says, “Do this perfectly or else.” Faith says, “It is finished. Come boldly to the throne of grace.” One demands you climb; the other declares the ladder has says you have already been teleported to the throne of grace.

Jesus didn’t leave reconciliation half-done so we could finish it with emotional self-flogging. He reconciled us completely. The Father is not up there waiting for you to feel bad enough. He is the One who runs to the prodigal while the boy is still rehearsing his sorry speech.

So do you fear God at all?

Real fear of the Lord isn’t terror that makes you perform. The fear of God says, “This God who spared not His own Son—how much more will He freely give me all things?” It’s the confidence that lets you run to Him the moment you stumble, not because you’ve punished yourself enough, but because the occupied throne of grace speaks better things than any self-inflicted guilt ever could.

Stop dragging the resurrected Christ back into your mess to die again for your feelings.

He’s alive. The work is done.

The door is wide open.

Walk in—right now—and enjoy the lavish blessings of your Father.

No more homemade sacrifices.

Only faith. Only rest. Only Him. Only regular miracles. Only faith to move mountains without fear

*13 Not Your Eyeballs

The Resurrection: Proved by Scripture, Not Your Eyeballs

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Paul doesn’t lean on an empty-tomb selfie, a crowd of eyewitnesses, or “history says so.” Nope. He slams it home: Jesus rose **according to the Scriptures**. Psalm 16 is all the proof you need—“You will not let your Holy One see decay.” Boom. Done. He resurrected because the Bible says so. Full stop.

Jesus’ resurrection is not proved by sensation or observation. It’s revealed by the infallible Word of God. Even when the Bible records people seeing the risen Lord, it’s Scripture’s testimony that makes those observations credible—not the eyeballs themselves. Observations are shaky starters at best. Remember the Moabites in 2 Kings 3:22? They looked at water and swore it was blood. Your senses can straight-up lie to you. Human history and “I saw it with my own eyes” make terrible foundations for truth.

We live by faith, not by sight. God’s revelation is the only reliable starting point of knowledge. Period.

This isn’t dusty theology for Sunday school. It’s rocket fuel for your everyday life. In a world that screams “prove it with evidence or it didn’t happen,” we stand unshaken because God already said it. No need to beg your five senses for permission to believe. The same Scripture that raised Jesus from the dead is alive and speaking over you right now.

So let this truth hit you fresh today: the King is alive—not because somebody saw Him, but because the Bible declares it. Speak His promises. Expect miracles. Walk in the power that raised Christ.

*14 Proof Your Insides Are Clean

I dropped the essay “The Prayer Exam: Jesus’ Real Creed of Orthodoxy.” But let’s cut the fancy historical lingo, which i used to relate to those whoes epistemology is history not the word. Let us use Biblical term. Jesus already gave us the sharper picture with His washed-cup illustration.

The religious crowd polished the outside of the cup till it gleamed, while the inside stayed rotten with greed and and unbelief. Jesus called them out: “Blind Pharisees! First clean the inside!” (Matt 23:25-26). That’s the real discipleship exam. Not a historical creedal pop quiz or impressing the gatekeepers with memorizing cross-sounding phrases. It’s a divine paternity test: Are you a child of God or still carrying the family resemblance of the devil?

But, Oshea, how does answered prayers prove you are clean, as a proof of orthodoxy? The blind man testified that God does not listen to sinners.

The proof your insides are clean? The Prayer Room Exam. You step in, pray for miracles—command sickness to leave, speak to storms, tell mountains to move—and they happen. That’s your Father answering because you’re family, supercharged by the Holy Spirit. Only a born-from-above, Spirit-empowered superhuman clears this bar. The natural man can’t fake these results, no matter how shiny his theology looks on the outside.

Even if you’re genuinely saved, immaturity or bad doctrine can make you flop the exam right now. Get in the closet, feast on the Word, renew your mind, and grow. Jesus grows His kids.

But the faithless theologians and pastors strutting in positions of authority? If they can’t pass the test, they have zero business lecturing the body of Christ. Their “orthodoxy” is demon dogmatics and their cup? Inside? Still dirty. They forfeited the right to lead when they forfeited the power.

Ultimately it’s a worldview showdown. Through faith and God’s Word you see and operate in a different reality—one where asking and receiving is normal (John 15:7-8, John 14:12). The unbelieving eye sees a closed, mechanical universe where “realistic” prayers politely end with “if it be Thy will” and miracles are for yesterday.

Abide in Me. Let My words abide in you. Ask big. Get big. Bear fruit.

*15 Storm The Throne Room

Hebrews is all about Contract Theology.

How does it instruct us to apply Contract theology?

Ask—and receive! Not just ask in some half-hearted mumble, but boldly receive the material help, provision, healing, and blessings the New Contract purchased for us right now. This is how you actually do Contract theology. Don’t be the guy who stares into the mirror of God’s Word, admires the reflection of a perfected, highly favored royal son, then walks away broke, sick, or defeated like nothing happened. We must apply what we saw, or it all becomes meaningless head noise.

“Let us therefore come BOLDLy to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Dear brothers and sisters, we can BOLDLy enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.” (Hebrews 10:19 NLT)

The writer of Hebrews doesn’t say “crawl back to the cross like a worm.” He says storm the throne room—because there’s a Man seated there, our Man, our High Priest-King, who already settled the sin issue and now rules everything for the church (Heb. 8:1). Jesus became poor so we could be rich (2 Cor. 8:9). He bore our sickness so we could walk in health (Isa. 53:4-5). The substitutionary atonement didn’t just forgive; it gave us contractual rights as sons and daughters.

The New Covenant is God’s unbreakable “I will be your God and you will be My people” promise. Our part? Faith that doesn’t just hope—faith that takes. Stop tiptoeing around the throne like you’re bothering the King. Stride in with boldness! Need finances? Healing? Breakthrough? Ask specifically and receive the grace to help—right in your time of need.

This is the victorious life: not passive spectators, but co-heirs who know how to apply the mirror. See who you are in Christ, then live it out loud.

Let’s do Contract Theology the Hebrews way—boldly approaching, joyfully receiving, faithfully applying. What need are you bringing to the throne today? Go get it!

*16 Be Patient Cop-out

Ephesians 3:20 Is NOT Your “Be Patient,” Cop-Out

I keep seeing this twisted spin on Ephesians 3:20: “God will give you more than you asked for… just be patient and trust Him.”

Bro, that’s not the Spirit talking. That’s unbelief wearing a pious mask, forcing the Bible through a filter of delay and disappointment. The faithless love doing that—shoehorning their worldview of slow-motion answers into Paul’s explosive declaration.

The way Jesus heals all those sinners in instant healing, and then combine this with His extreme faith doctrine, teaches us that patience’s for miracles is strange, abnormal and out of place. Instant miracles is regular and normal.

It is true if you are immature, working out bad doctrine, that you will need time to renew your mind and so patience is needed. Jesus tells us to pray and never give up.

However, Paul isn’t saying “less and later,” in the context of this passage. He’s shouting that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us.” Superabundantly more! Not less in quantity, not slower in timing—more and faster.

Take sickness as the test case. You pray, “Lord, heal me this week.” The carnal mind adds time qualifiers like a safety net. But Paul’s doctrine? Expect this very instant. Why? Because Jesus healed everyone instantly—blind eyes popped open, demons fled on command, lame men leaped up mid-sentence. No waiting room. No “I’ll get to it.” And Jesus said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” God’s default timing isn’t reluctant patience; it’s immediate, overwhelming, too much power.

Right before verse 20, Paul prays your inner man would be strengthened through the Spirit so you can grasp the height, depth, length, and width of Christ’s love. That’s the key. If looking at God’s love doesn’t convince you of instant miracles and instant help, you don’t yet know His love. You need to renew your mind on what that love actually is—not some vague, sentimental “maybe someday” feeling, but the aggressive, promise-keeping, mountain-crushing force that raised Jesus from the dead.

Get that revelation down deep and your faith gets strong. Then stop hedging your prayers with doubt-filled time clauses. No more “if it’s Your will… in Your timing.” Expect instant answers because you know who He is!

Jesus never gave less or slower—why would the Father?

The God of “immeasurably more” is not slow. He’s ready

*17 But Here’s The Gut-punch

The woman bent over for 18 years—Jesus calls her a “daughter of Abraham,” and on that single fact He declares it was “necessary” for her to be healed (Luke 13:16). Not because He needed to perform a sign to prove His ministry or ink a future contract. No. It was straight-up fulfillment of the ancient promise God swore to Abraham.

That one line drops a wrecking ball on every weak theology that treats healing like a maybe-someday bonus. But stay with me—this isn’t about dismantling cessationism today. It’s about something far more personal and freeing.

Her healing wasn’t waiting on Jesus to show up. It wasn’t waiting on His earthly ministry, a special prayer line, or a new revelation. Everything she needed was already hers the moment she belonged to Abraham’s family by covenant. She had the full “yes” of God baked into her identity. Those eighteen years of staring at the dirt? Completely unnecessary. If she had simply taken the gospel of Abraham by faith in the first month, she could have stood up straight seventeen years and eleven months earlier. Jesus met her that Sabbath and fanned the spark of faith that was already available—but the promise had been hers the whole time.

Same story with the woman who bled for twelve years. She drained her bank account on doctors (huge red flag—she wasn’t seeking the Giver, she was trying to purchase what God only gives). From Eden to Abraham, the pattern never changes: God gives, man receives. Abraham didn’t negotiate or pay for the blessing—he believed. You can’t buy the gospel of Abraham; you can only receive it by faith.

She suffered until the day she heard about Jesus, reached out, and engaged the promise. Her faith saved her on the spot. But here’s the gut-punch: as a daughter of Abraham, she could have been healed the very first day the bleeding started.

Child of Abraham through Jesus—you already are and already have everything you need to be healed. You don’t have to put up with sickness. You don’t have to negotiate with symptoms or audition for what’s already yours. Faith is simply agreeing with God and receiving your true identity.

Stop suffering what you don’t have to. The promise is still speaking. It’s still “necessary.”

*18 Rebuke Like The Book Says

Yet again I heard the charismatics say it is wrong to harshly rebuke and criticize other ministers. The Bible does not teach this. This is a knee-jerk reaction from them, because of all the Reformed heresy hunters coming after them. The prophets, apostles and Jesus all harshly rebuked and cruelly criticized false teachers and ministries. We are commanded to do so.

Today I heard one of them say that you should not correct the doctrine of another minister unless you have a personal relationship with them. This is nonsense. The scripture shows the prophets, apostles and Jesus all rebuking the doctrine of those they had no personal relationships with. The command to privately confront a brother for a wrong is about personal issues and not about false doctrines.

Look, let’s cut through the fluffy nonsense. Jesus didn’t schedule a coffee chat with the Pharisees before dropping “You brood of vipers!” (Matt. 12:34). He didn’t slide into their DMs for a “personal relationship” before calling them whitewashed tombs and sons of hell (Matt. 23). Zero sugar-coating, full harsh-rebuke mode—exactly how He always rolled with false teachers. Paul named names publicly, exposed their doctrines, and told whole churches to stop tolerating that garbage (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Gal. 1:8-9; 1 Tim. 1:20). Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal in front of the entire nation. The Old Testament prophets roasted kings and false priests without a single “Hey, can we grab lunch first?”

The Matt. 18 “go to your brother privately” rule? That’s for personal offenses between you and another believer—not for public false doctrine that poisons the flock. False teaching isn’t your neighbor’s loud music; it’s a wolf in the sheep pen. You warn the sheep first, loud and clear, and also you deal with the wolf. Scripture commands us to expose, mark, and avoid false teachers (Rom. 16:17; Titus 1:13; Eph. 5:11). Love for the church demands it. Love for Jesus demands it.

The charismatics crying “be nice!” are just reacting to the Reformed crowd’s relentless persecution. Fair enough—they get hammered. But don’t let their fear rewrite the Bible. We’re not called to be polite doormats while doctrine gets torched.

Pray in tongues, stay white-hot in love for Jesus (Jude 20-21), then open your mouth and rebuke like the Book says. The elect know the power and the love of God this brings.

Let’s obey the actual commands instead of inventing new ones to dodge the heat. Fire up that rebuke game, saints—the church needs it.

*19 Existence Exists

“Stop wasting time wishing your circumstances were different. It is God who ordained them. Learn how to be faithful in every circumstance…”

Oh, let’s run that pious-sounding advice through the Bible and watch it explode like a dollar-store firework on the Fourth of July.

Hannah, just embrace the childless life and call it God’s perfect will—no temple prayers, no vows, no tears, and definitely no child. Hezekiah, when Isaiah drops the death prophecy, just roll over, die quietly, and let the grave praise Him. Jacob, quit that crazy all-night wrestling match with God; be satisfied with the blessing you already stole and shuffle on without extra blessings, you greedy, blessing-hoarding bastard. Canaanite woman, Jesus already gave you the theologically airtight “dogs don’t get the kids’ bread” argument—stop embarrassing yourself and let your daughter keep foaming at the mouth like it’s open mic night in Gehenna. Those unnamed folks lying in the street hoping Peter’s shadow would heal them? Charismatic man-centered nonsense—just moan in pain for God’s glory. Blind men causing a public scene? Shut up already and beg for coins like good little fatalists. Sinner drowning in addiction? God sovereignly ordained your birth in Adam—be “faithful” in your chains.

This isn’t exaggeration. This is sola circumstances, sola suffering, sola Satan cosplaying as deep spirituality. It’s using God’s decree as an excuse to ignore His commands.

But Jesus Himself tells the parable of the persistent widow who bugs an unjust judge until he caves just to get some peace. “Pray and never give up,” He commands. Even when God sovereignly ordains a bad situation, the ethic is not passive acceptance. The ethic is what Jesus commands: bombard heaven until it changes! The promise attached to the command is that heaven will answer and give you what you ask. That’s the faith the Son of Man will be looking for when He returns—faith that doesn’t roll over, but moves mountains, heals the sick, casts out demons, and turns bad circumstances into miraculous victory laps.

God’s sovereignty is at the same time a comfy blanket to rest under; but it’s also the rocket fuel for bold, persistent faith that tells those God-ordained circumstances to f#@k right off and hurl themselves into the sea.

The faithless love reminding us “God decreed the trial”; but honestly, that doesn’t say much. In the ultimate sense, God causes all things. So saying “God decreed, ordained, or caused X” is basically just saying “something exists.” Since, God causes all things, saying “God decreed X” is like saying “existence exists.” If you’re talking about anything at all, then yeah, it exists—even if it’s only in your imagination. It’s true, but it adds zero new information. God relates to us not through bare causality, but through His commandments and promises.

James says that because of God’s sovereignty and our lack of knowledge, don’t boast about tomorrow—you don’t know what’s going to happen. But James also says that with faith you can have certainty: God will give you wisdom if you ask, and the sick will be healed by a prayer of faith. So if tomorrow you lack wisdom or get sick, you can know for certain that with faith you will receive wisdom and be healed. The faithless twist James’ teaching on God’s sovereignty to cancel out faith and God’s promises: the very things James affirms. James uses God’s sovereignty to motivate us to pray in faith for certain results, like wisdom and healing, not to make us passive.

He also commanded us to use our faith to change the outcome (Matt 21:21, Mark 11:24, John 15:16). The mountain might be God-ordained, but Jesus commands us to speak to it, make it obey us and to get out of our way. This is the Jesus way. This is the Father’s way. And it is our way. Stop divining ethics from your pain like a spiritual Ouija board. Obey God’s commands like a good son or daughter. The command is to get healed, get a son, get a spouse, get a miracle, and get the help you need.

What “God-ordained” trials are you staring at right now? Time to pray in faith like it depends on your obedience—to make that trial shut up and die already.

Sola, Jesus’ Extreme Faith Doctrine.
Sola, obedience to God’s commands.
Sola, God Causes All Things.
Sola, All Things Are Possible for a Man with Faith.

*20 Shadow It & Be Done With It.

Jesus healed all who came to Him. In Acts, those filled with faith the power of the Spirit healed all who came to them. Faith and Spirit so empowered them that even their shadows and handkerchiefs carried the healing virtue of Christ. Peter didn’t have to lay hands or preach a long sermon—his shadow was enough. Paul didn’t have to command the sick to line up; aprons that touched his skin were carried away and diseases left people, evil spirits fled. This is what I call “shadow it and be done with it.” The critics who mock “name it and claim it” preachers are dead wrong—but for the opposite reason. Name it and claim it doesn’t go far enough. When mustard sized faith and baptism of power hits you, you don’t even need to name it. Just walk by and let the shadow do the work. That’s the tangible, unstoppable authority Jesus promised His church.

Think about it. Jesus bore our sicknesses and carried our diseases exactly like He bore our sins (Isaiah 53:4-5). The same substitutionary atonement that makes forgiveness certain makes healing certain.

Peter applied election in Acts 2:38-39—repent and be baptized so that you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you, your children, and all whom the Lord our God calls to Himself. Election isn’t a doctrine to debate in a classroom; it’s the guarantee that if God has called you, the faith and power is yours right now to heal the sick and cast out demons. James 5:15 says the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. No maybe. No “if it be Thy will.” The same sovereignty that guarantees forgiveness also guarantees healing when you ask in faith without doubting.

Sensory thinking wants you to focus on the pain, the symptoms, the doctor’s report. That’s fleshly nonsense. We focus on the finished work. We focus on the promise that by His stripes we were healed. The baptism of the Spirit is the promise of the Father poured out that makes divine power tangible in the here and now. It’s spiritual physics—flip the switch of faith and reality obeys. You don’t beg God to heal; you command sickness to leave because the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.

So get filled. Get baptized in power until your shadow becomes dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. Walk down the street believing the good news that total salvation includes healing, prosperity, and authority over every work of the devil. Lay hands on the sick, send a handkerchief, or just walk by—shadow it and be done with it. Jesus healed all who came. The early church healed all who came. The same promise is for you today. Do not limit God. Believe the good news, receive it by the same faith that receives forgiveness, and watch reality bow.

*21 Carnal Cheeseburgers

Watched the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice again—still a delight, but that wedding scene? Oof!

The traditionalist pastor looks the couple dead in the eyes and declares, “Marriage is not the place to satisfy man’s carnal appetites.”

Bro. Did he even read the Bible before putting on the collar?

Carnal, in its basic definition means “of the senses.” God wired us with five of them and then said, “Go enjoy this creation I made for you.” And in the beginning God called all those sugar filled fruit trees and sex as, “good.”

Oneness in marriage is exactly the God-designed place to satisfy those sexual appetites—loudly, joyfully, and often. Song of Songs isn’t some polite metaphor for “Jesus and the church”; it’s an entire book the Holy Spirit titled “The Song of Songs,” celebrating hot, sweaty, sensory-overloaded romance between a man and a woman. The Bible doesn’t blush. It celebrates.

Paul straight-up tells the Corinthians: if you’re burning with lust, get married (1 Cor. 7). Not “pray it away.” Not “just think about heaven.” Get married and enjoy the orgasms.

Think about food for a second. God didn’t give us taste buds so we’d choke down nutrition like robots consuming electricity. He gave us double-bacon cheeseburgers, medium-rare ribeyes, and warm chocolate chip cookies so we’d smack our lips, say “Thank You, Father,” and enjoy the carnal pleasure without crossing into gluttony.

Picture a man holding his double bacon cheeseburger, saliva running down his chin, stomach grumbling, muttering to himself, “I’m not here to gratify my carnal appetites—I only need this for nutrition.” Lol! That guy’s an idiot. Instead, he should thank God and look forward to gratifying those carnal appetites in the right way, without gluttony.

Sex in marriage works the same way. If you’re not looking at your spouse like you look at that burger—with eager anticipation to enjoy and satisfy your carnal desires—you’re both an idiot and disobeying God’s command.

You’re not “using” your spouse any more than you’re “using” your cheeseburger. You’re obeying the Creator who invented pleasure and stamped “very good” on the whole package—and told us to enjoy it with thanksgiving.

If someone is being used, its us being used by God to obey Him by enjoying the good things He made.

The lie that marriage is only for procreation, or only for “higher spiritual purposes,” or only for “dying to self” is straight demon business. It’s the same ascetic garbage that tells Christians they should feel guilty for enjoying anything God made good.

So if you’re single and burning? The Bible’s advice is still the same: either marry and enjoy the feast, or stay single and serve with undivided focus. But once the ring is on? Go enjoy the banquet. God isn’t watching from heaven with a stopwatch and a frown. He’s the One who wrote the menu.

Carnal appetites in marriage? Carnal appetites with food?

Absolutely. With thanksgiving, in the right context, and zero shame.

That’s biblical.

And way more fun than whatever that traditionalist pastor was selling.

*22 Set Apart For God

Exodus 16:22-30.

“He said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord… See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day.’” (NET)

Boom. First mention of the “Holy Sabbath” in Scripture—and it’s not a rulebook lecture. It’s God dumping so much miracle bread on His people that they could stay home, kick their feet up, and cease from work. The double portion wasn’t a cute bonus; it was the very reason the day became holy. God worked overtime so they could rest. That rest, powered by outrageous material provision, set them apart to Yahweh. It made them a cut-above every other people on the planet. Material supply made them more set apart for God. It was sanctification for them. It was holiness. Think about that.

Fools love to cancel blessings with one verse. They’ll spiritualize everything until the only thing left is “well, at least we have Jesus.” But Scripture doesn’t subtract—it stacks. Yes, in Jesus’ atonement He became our spiritual provision: forgiveness, sanctification, adoption, righteousness. Yet the first mention still stands loud and clear: God’s holy Sabbath was birthed in abundant material miracle supply. The spiritual never erases the material; it makes it greater. We get even more miracle material supply now in the finished atonement of Jesus.

So let’s stop acting like paupers and start acting like the holy people God already calls us. Faith grabs every basket—physical miracles, financial overflow, bodily healing, emotional peace, all of it. When we receive the double (and triple) portion He’s already baked in, we cease from frantic striving and step into the rest that sets us apart.

God isn’t stingy. He’s the ultimate Over-Provider who doubles down so His kids can chill in His goodness. Let’s be true children of God and, by bold faith, obtain ALL His provisions—and in doing so become the holy, cut-above people the world can’t ignore.

Your Words Always Carry Authority

Sometimes the faith preachers can go too far in their teaching on words, confession, and giving Satan authority through your words of unbelief. Most of the mistakes boil down to one of two things. First is their demonic doctrine of Arminianism. Their denial of the Bible’s sovereignty leads them to say God gave up some of His power and authority and handed it to man, and then man passed it to Satan, and so on. The second is a borderline superstition about words. Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14). This did not cancel His ability to raise him from the dead, because Jesus said it along with the statement, “we will go and wake him up” (John 11:11). Jesus did not say he was dead in unbelief, fearful that Lazarus could not be raised from the dead, but as a statement made on the human level of observation. Jesus said what could be observed, but contradicted empiricism by faith: “We will go and wake him up.”

With that being said, there is some truth to what is being said, and we need to address it. Proverbs 18:21 declares that life and death are in the power of the tongue. The most obvious way to see this is in salvation. If you believe and confess with your tongue, you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). However, sometimes the confession of the tongue can be as simple as tears. For Jesus said to the woman who washed His feet with her tears, and to whom He said all her sins are forgiven, “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:50). Jesus, the most God-centered man who ever lived, did not say, “God saved you”; no, He said, “Your faith has saved you.” Thus, we see it is more than just words, but words backed up by faith.

Moses said, “I present before you life and death; choose your path” (Deuteronomy 30:19). And the way we choose is by unbelief or faith. If unbelief, then words of unbelief will follow. If faith, then words of faith in God will follow. This is why Jesus said to the woman, regarding the forgiveness of her sins, “Your faith has saved you,” rather than saying “God saved you.” Faith-filled words or unbelief-filled words determine the course of your life. Your position in life is finalized by your confession.

Talk about a divine mic drop—your tongue’s basically a cosmic remote control; hit ‘faith’ for blessings, or ‘unbelief’ for the eternal buffering screen.

God Is Sovereign and Still Is

Because God has not given up any of His direct and absolute control over all things, He therefore still does all that He wants. He defines His own creation and establishes connections and cause and effects. He was sovereign when He made the promises, and so He is sovereign and faithful to do them, no matter how incredible they are.

Thus, when God made the earth, God gave dominion of the earth to man, commanding man to steward it (Genesis 1:28). God did not stop being the only real cause of all things, but on the relative level, because God is in control of all things, it was His choice to put the earth under man’s authority and stewardship. Adam did not ask for this authority and dominion. It is because God is sovereign that Adam had this responsibility and authority even though Adam did not ask for it.

Because the earth was given to man, when Adam sinned, much authority and power was transferred over to Satan, by God’s choice and design. Even though Adam did not ask for the stewardship and responsibility of managing the earth, it was his because God sovereignly made it so. Thus, even if Adam did not want the responsibility for his choices and words of unbelief to result in earthly authority being transferred to Satan, he had no choice in the matter because this dynamic was established by God. The devil said to Jesus, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to” (Luke 4:6). Jesus did not refute Satan. After Jesus’ resurrection, He said to the disciples, “All authority has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus took it back, and all those united to Him not only have the original authority and stewardship given to Adam, but much, much, much greater; it is as great as the authority Jesus has. Jesus has made us royal priests in Him forever (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6). We are not just sub-heirs, but co-heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17). We are united to Jesus’ body; therefore, because all things, including all powers, authority, rulers, and dominions are under Jesus’ feet, they are under our feet (Ephesians 1:22-23). Jesus has given us the privilege and authority to use His Name to ask for whatever we want and get it (John 14:13-14, & ch 15, and 16). He has endowed us with the power of the Holy Spirit; the same Spirit that empowered Him (Acts 1:8).

As a believer, I did not ask to be made a royal priest in Jesus. And yet, this position of authority and power is mine, whether I want it or not. By my words, as a royal priest, I can command sickness to leave and rebuke Satan to his face. I do not go in and out of being a royal priest who can use Jesus’ name. I always have this position, whether I want it or not. Thus, my words always carry royal priesthood weight and authority because in God’s mind, He thinks I am a royal priest in Jesus. For example, if a king mutters to himself, “I want some water,” even if he did not intend for a servant to go get him water, a servant will get him water, because the word of the king is law. This is exactly what the Canaanite woman did with Jesus’ word (Matthew 15:21-28). Jesus’ word put her as a dog in the house, under the table. Thus, the woman demanded some crumbs, because it was Jesus’ word that put her there, even if Jesus did not intend for her to get healing. Even though the woman hijacked Jesus’ word, on the other hand, she honored His word as that of a King, whose word is law. Jesus was in a position of authority, and the woman was demanding that Jesus honor His word.

Sovereign God hands out authority like candy at a parade—Adam fumbled it to Satan, Jesus snatched it back, and now we’re co-kings; just don’t trip over your own tongue, or you’ll end up cursing yourself.

This is what we mean by our words having life and death. It is not that we have inherent power in our words, but God in His sovereign choice has put us into positions of authority and power, whether we want it or not. It was this way from the beginning with Adam. Adam lost much of this authority, but God began to give it back starting with Abraham, and in Jesus much more has been given to the believer. It does not matter if you acknowledge your position of authority and power, because God in His mind thinks you are in a position of authority and power, therefore, God will see to it personally that the words you speak will bring death or life to you. It is because God is sovereign and we are accountable to Him that words bring life and death. It is because God is sovereign that I have the power to command sickness to leave, to shut the mouths of demons, and tell mountains to fly away (Mark 11:23).

This results in a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can curse yourself with death, pain, sickness, shame, and demons, or you can bless yourself with life, peace, prosperity, the Holy Spirit, health, and glory. Even if you shut your mouth, just your tears are enough for God to use His sovereignty to ensure they either damn or bless you.

There is only one word in the Bible for demon possession, and it means to be demonized, and it includes anything from being slightly harassed to outright possession. Because Adam sinned in a position of authority, this led God to give man’s authority over to the devil, and this allowed Satan to demonize mankind. For example, in Acts 10:38, Peter says Jesus healed all those being victimized by the devil. Thus, much sicknesses are caused by demons, and so sickness is largely caused by being demonized. If you are sick, then it is likely due to being demonized, although sometimes it can be just God’s curse at the fall (Genesis 3:16-19).

This is why words are so important. If the doctor says you have stage 4 cancer, and in unbelief and fear you repeat this, because God thinks you are in a position of authority, you have just authorized death and pain for you. You have given permission for demons to demonize you. If you say, “getting old means I get arthritis and feeble and fall,” then it will be true for you. You have chosen death. You have chosen unbelief and curses. God thinks you are a steward in authority over the earth, He thinks you are royalty, He thinks you are a priest, and so your words of unbelief have authorized your flesh to be sick, weak, and in pain.

Once you realize you are always in a position of authority and power, then the intelligent thing to do is use your words to confess the goodness of God over yourself, and use the Name of Jesus to get good things from God.

This is why Christianity started with Abraham, whose very name is a confession of faith in God: “I am the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). Christianity started with faith-filled words in God’s good promises of health, wealth, fame, and blessings. Both the Old and New Testaments say this: “We believed and so we have spoken” (2 Corinthians 4:13; Psalm 116:10). This is Christianity 101.

Satan knows this and so he has demonized the faithless into confessing death, and by confessing unbelief they are doing Satan’s job for him. They will say, “We are the worst of sinners,” and so they are (1 Timothy 1:15, but misused here). God thinks they are in a position of authority (even if it is only a mere shadow of the stewardship Adam once had), and so they authorize their souls and actions to be sinful and unrighteous. They say things like, “This sickness is sent by God to teach me something.” The ten spies of the Israel came back from spying on the Land and gave a truthful report about their observations saying, “we are small, and the people are giants, we can’t do this.” It was correct; however, God was angry because God’s promise contradicted their observations. They chose their observation over God’s promise. God made their words to be a self-fulling decree. Thus, God in His sovereignty makes unbelief a self-fulfilling prophecy of sickness, because God considers our words have weight

Think about it. The faithless and traditionist mock the faith preachers for decreeing and prophesying. Yet, just like the 10 spies, they decree they are sick and are too weak to defeat stage 4 cancer, because that is what the doctor confessed. They prophesy about how old age makes them feeble and how arthritis bends their hands; they decree this because they already observe how their bodies hurt. They decree that they are small, but confess that sickness and old age are giants. They prophesy that sufferings from everyday troubles of life will eat away at their life, libido and happiness. And just like the Israelites who confessed their own smallness, defeat and sufferings, God made their decrees reality, and made their prophecies manifest. They speak against the faith teachers for decreeing, but their mouths pour out an onslaught of decrees and prophecies, but in the negative. And we see it come to pass. They see their confessions manifest, not because they have inherent power in words, but because the sovereign God thinks their decrees have authority and power. Their lives are a living testimony of the power of decrees and the reality of prophecy. Their doctrine is against decreeing, but their lives are a constant endorsement of it.

It does not matter if you do not want your self-deprecating statements, or observations about how your body feels, to be self-fulling prophecies, God in His sovereignty ensures your words authorizes them to be so. This is how God is using His sovereignty, so deal with it. Deal with it by speaking faith filled words in God’s blessings.

Satan’s sneaky script flip—get the faithless yapping negativity, and poof, they’re self-sabotaging superstars; meanwhile, God’s like, “I glued the mic to your hand, it will amplify your words, so think carefully what you will say!”

There is a reason Jesus preached so much. Faith comes by hearing the word of truth (Romans 10:17). By hearing the truth, our hearts are filled with faith. When our hearts are filled with faith, we open our mouths and confess His blessings over our lives. In the Gospels, Jesus kept saying things like, “Ask what you want using my Name and get it” (John 16:23-24). And then, “What you SAY, if you believe, then you will get it.” And if you “SAY to this mountain it will move” (Mark 11:23).

Notice how many times Jesus says, “SAY.”

Mark 11:23-24: “Truly I tell you, if anyone SAYS to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they SAY will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you [SAY] for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Lastly, we are instructed to always be praying, praying in tongues, rejoicing, and praising God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 14:2). God knows that He sees us in authority and so commands us to continually be saying faith-filled words about His goodness, salvation, and blessings over us. Our faith, our words, and confessions need to catch up to our identity in Christ, to our high position of already sitting in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2:6), and to our position as always being a royal priest. Our words have power and authority because God is sovereign, and because He loves us. Jesus enjoys seeing the people He died for use His Name to say and command good things for themselves.

Just as speaking sickness opens a foothold for you to be demonized (Ephesians 4:27), speaking in tongues is a foothold for the powers of God to flood into your life.

Your words are like spiritual WiFi passwords: Mutter curses and invite demonic hackers; confess faith and unlock God’s unlimited data plan of miracles.

God Did Not Ask Or Consult Me

You did not ask to come into existence. Its not about you. Reality is God’s playdough, and He creates reality how He wants for His own goals. I was given the gift of existence whether I wanted it or not.

Reality is God’s Lego set, but unlike Legos, He created the stuff to build the stuff. H2O does not naturally make water; it acts like water because God decided to make it consistently behave that way. Reality is God’s arbitrary choice.

Some try to play down God’s sovereignty for various reason, but some do it because they think it hurts our ability to have faith and work miracles. This is a shame, because the bible specifically uses election and predestination as a foundation for more faith and miracles and answered prayers.

This is also true when we consider sin and righteousness. Take for example Romans 9 and 5. We are told God chooses to love one and hate another based on His own choice and not based on the good or bad choices of the person. God molds each person from a neutral lump of clay, for His own goals. In Romans five we read Adam fell, and thus, this fall includes God being the ultimate cause. There is no dualism in the bible. Man is responsible because man is not free, but under God sovereign control and command.

In romans 5, it says all people after Adam are born sinners, or born with a sinful mind already in them. Because God is the only cause in reality, He therefore creates every person after Adam with a sinful mind. Because we reject pantheism, then it means God caused the sinful nature, but is not sinful Himself. God is not what He creates or causes. God is not a tree, even though He creates a tree and causes it to be a tree.

The same God who created you caused you to be born as a sinner. I did not ask to be born I did not asked to be born with a pre-installed sinful mind. God did this all on His own. I was never asked or consulted.

The list of sins in my mind is irrelevant. God said He is the judge of reality, and only His on thoughts about my list of sins or obedience is the list that matters. God never asked me about this, or asked if I wanted this. Its His Legos, its His playdough, its His program, its His story.

Same God who caused all of this is the same God who caused me to be righteous. Out of favor to me, God sent His only Son to be a propitiation for my sins. In the Father’s mind, my sinful list was transferred to Jesus’ list, and so the Father punished Jesus for having my sinful list. In addition to this Romans 5 says, in the Father’s thoughts, He considered Jesus’ righteous action to be transferred to my list, as if I did it. Because of this, my sinful nature is removed, I get born from above with God’s mind, and I rule in life with Jesus.

Just as with everything preceding this, I did not ask God to send His Son out of love for me. God did not ask me or get my permission. He just did it, because reality is His personal Lego set. He put me together. He originally put me with the bad guys, in the Lego playground He made. However, later He gave me a new Lego head and relocated me in the good-guys part of the Lego set. He did not ask or consult me about it. He did it, because He wanted to. When God gave me faith, it was when God was letting me know the good things He did for me.

The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is to bulldozer over any sense of lack and over any consciousness of sin.

It is about God, not you. When Satan or your old way of thinking wants to condemn you, or remind you of past sins, the goal is to make it all about you. The goal is to make you fight a battle on the wrong hill. The hill that matters, which will determine who wins or loses, is God’s actions, not yours.

As Romans 5 says, it is the gift of unearned favor and righteousness that makes me rule in life with Jesus. Just as the gift of existence was given to me without my asking or consent, and likewise, the gift of unmerited favor and the gift of Jesus’ righteousness was given to me without my asking or consent. It is about God’s work, not mine. The Holy Spirit causing me to believe this is God letting me know about what He did for me. Just as the gift of existence does not come and go for me, the gift of unmerited favor and my righteous standing, and sonship, and my royal priesthood does not come and go. Just like a child pulling off a red leg piece, from a Lego man, and then replacing it with a green leg piece, God did this for me in Jesus Christ. Being righteous is my definition, my identity and my reality. It is about Him, not me. It is about what Jesus already did for me, and what is already me and already mine.

In the sense of affirming reality and my definition, then it is about me. God has already finished the atonement and caused me to be born from above. I am already a new creation, with new definitions. I am the righteousness of God. I am what I am, by the grace of God, but I am still what I am. I am the righteousness of God. I am a royal priesthood. Jesus has given me the royal authority to heal all sickness and cast out all demons. Jesus has given me the position to boldly march into His royal throne room to ask and receive. Jesus has given me the position to sling His Name around to ask whatever I want and get it. It is about God and not me. This reality is God’s Playdough, and this is how God has shaped and made me.

Thus we have boldness in the Day of Judgment. Because just as Jesus is, so are we in this world. God’s love is perfected in us, when we have no fear, but only faith, joy and confidence, for all the good things God has done for us.

The God of Real Good Real Estate

The Christian God is a God of wealth and for our present focus, a God of good Real Estate. In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. We are told every day how God made the earth better and better real estate. After making a perfect and good real estate God created man. God gave the dominion of this luxury real estate to man. God commanded man to use his dominion, to dominate the earth, to be blessed and multiply. God gave the world to man. However, man sinned against God, by believing the word of a snake over the word of God. The first doctrine man learned in this, was the doctrine of faith. Man should have believed God.

God cursed man for his sin. Because man had dominion of God’s rich real estate, God’s curse greatly effected this aspect in two primary ways. First, this good real estate was cursed with corruption. This premium real estate that worked with man, now worked against him. Second, the dominion of the earth that was given to man, God revoked and transferred into the hands of the devil (Eph. 2:2, Luke 4:6).

However, not all was lost. After man learned the importance to believe God and not other epistemologies, God made a promise that a savior would be born from a woman, who would destroy the devil. An important consequence of the savior destroying the devil would arise. The devil would lose his dominion over the earth that he received because of man’s sin.

The start of God transferring His premium real estate back to man, started with Abraham. God promised Abraham an onslaught of good things, and among these good things was the world itself. Paul says in Romans “God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on [righteousness] that comes by faith.”[1] Paul summed up all the good things promised to Abraham by boiling it down to good real estate. Also, Abraham did what Adam did not. Abraham believed God.

God started the entire world transfer with promising Abraham a specific piece of good real estate. When Abraham’s children were later slaves to the Egyptians, God told Moses that He must bring the Israelites to the “Promise” Land, because God “promised,” Abraham that land. God is faithful to His promises. Jacob must possess his inheritance.

In Jesus Christ the gentiles have been grafted into God’s promise to bless Abraham. Paul argues, it was a promise based on grace, not works, and is received by faith. Jesus’ atonement does not make it obsolete, but ensures those who are saved by His atonement also receive the blessing of Abraham. Paul sums up the blessing of Abraham as the Spirit and miracles.

Paul also makes a substitutionary contrast with Jesus taking on our curses, and giving us the blessing of Abraham. Part of the curses that came with the law was bad real estate and/or having no real estate. One curse was to have your real estate filled with wild animals that would attack and harass you. Jesus was not only nailed to a tree, as a curse of the law itself, but had a crown of thorns on His head. This symbolized the curse of the ground from Genesis, which mentions thorns. In exchange Jesus gave us the blessing of Abraham.

We can see how the blessing of Abraham overrides the curse of Genesis, when Issac reaped 100-fold in a time of famine and drought. The curse should have worked against Issac. The land was not producing and was doing its job to work against man. But Issac, through the blessing of real estate, override the curse and produced 100-fold. The passage goes on to say that Issac was made wealthy because of this. His blessing over real estate made him wealthy. This wealth from real estate was God’s mercy and love to Abraham and his descendants. This wealth made him the envy of kings. It gave Abraham and his descendants fame and gave them audiences with powerful people.

Because the blessing of real estate from the start was a “good” thing, and because it was a “good” thing given to Abraham, and a “good” thing ensured by the atonement of Jesus, it means it is a good thing for God’s children to be people of wealth and real estate. It is good in and of itself, and it is good because by such, Christians can richly fund the advance of the gospel. Rather than giving only 10%, they can give 20, 30 and 60% of their abundance to the gospel. Even if a Christian is a masochist, who likes being poor, they should stop being so selfish with their so-called faith and by it gain wealth and real estate, so they can give it all away, to the gospel, worthy widows and ministries.

Also, heaven is a real place. It is real, real estate. God’s elect have houses there. They have fantastic real estate promised them. Jesus is not invisible. He sits on a real throne, on the best real estate. Hell is also real. It is the worst sort of real estate. It is a land you do not want to live on.

The Christian God is a God of real estate. It was so from the beginning. It was so in Abraham, and it is so through Jesus Christ. We need to take off our limited, self-debasing thinking and embrace the God of real good, real estate. It is given freely by God, by unmerited and undeserved favor, and is received freely by faith in Jesus Christ.

[1] Roman 4:13 NLT [] by author.

Receiving God’s love

“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28NIV)

“But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages to our glory,” (1 Corinthians 2:7 LSB)

“She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:39-42 NLT)

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:14-20 NLT)

For many this seems like the opposite of Christian ethics. Does not James say religion is taking care of widows and orphans and staying unpolluted from worldly lusts? This is correct, but it is only partially correct. I do not want to undermine the importance of this. If a man does not work to supply for his family he is not even a Christian but worse than an unbeliever. Paul has guidelines for helping widows who have been faithful Christians. Orphans need help and guidance. The New Testament constantly stresses the need for sexual purity and how our relationships are founded on the same forgiveness and kindness that God showed us. But in the category of ethics such things are in the category of human interactions. God has also given commands in how we are to view our relationship with Him.

The first commandment is to love God, with all your mind soul and strength. Some infer this to mean that our relationship with God is about us giving to God, but this is a mistake. Loving God with everything does have this broad idea of giving God the best of your intellect, time, focus and admiration. This leads us to the study of the Word and theology. However, when we give our time and focus to the Word and theology, we realize it says that “Love is not that we loved God but that He loved us and gave us His only Son.” We realize “Jesus chose us” and not that we chose Him. We read that Martha was serving God and God was serving Marry, and God said Marry chose the “better part.” Marry was letting God serve her, and Jesus approved this as the better. Jesus said He came to “serve man.”

When the scripture says it is more blessed to give rather than to receive, it is referring to human relationships. It is not referring to our relationship to God. Jesus said that Marry chose the better thing by receiving from Him rather than giving to Him. In our relationship to God it is better to receive from Him and not give. The gospel is one immeasurable gift God gives to us. God serves and glorifies man. As Paul says so boldly in 1 Corinthians 2, God “predestined” the gospel to glorify man. The gospel values, honors and glorifies man. It is not that man is already these things or already possesses these, rather, it is Jesus’ finished atonement that conveys these things on His chosen ones. God wants us to approach Him knowing He will serve us in giving, helping and freely supplying all the good things He has promised.

Even with sanctification it is better to receive. The New Contract says God promises to write His laws on our minds. Hebrews 12 says our sanctification is looking to Jesus who is the author and perfector of our faith. We do not “give” better performance to God in sanctification; rather, we look to God to be faithful to do what He promises, and we “receive” sanctification from Him by faith. This does not mean we do not work and consider how to obey God better. It means as we strive for these things, we look to God to give us the sanctification He promised. By faith we receive sanctification power. We do not work to get sanctifying power, we receive this power by faith and then because we have the power, we walk in godliness.

Paul says in Ephesians that His prayer is that we can know and receive the length, width, depth and height of God’s love for us. He does not pray that we love God with our length, width, depth and height, but that we receive His great love. His prayer is that we both know how great His love is and experience this great love, here and now (not just later in heaven). By receiving His love we become complete with His life and fulness. We do not become complete by giving Him our love, but by receiving His love. Since the blessing of Abraham and the gospel has good things that effect the inner man, body, finances, relationships and ministry, we therefore know, experiencing God’s love is receiving fruitfulness in all these areas. When we receive fruitfulness in all these areas by faith, we are made stronger and grow more into God’s fullness.

Paul wants our inner man strong. Paul says by receiving His great love for us, Christ lives in our hearts more and more. We receive His love by faith. The explanation is simple. By faith we receive His love, then Christ lives in our hearts more, and the outcome is that we become stronger in our inner man. To be stronger in our inner man is to be more mature and more developed as a Christian. This happens not in our giving to God, but in faith receiving His love for us.

Paul then says that God will answer our prayers exceedingly and beyond all that we ask. This shows us what type of application Paul had in mind when instructing us about knowing and receiving His love. The application is to ask and have God give us much more than we ask. Think about all the extra baskets left over from the feeding of the 4 and 5 thousand. According to Paul this application is how you experience God’s love. Asking for good things and God giving these to you in overflow is how you experience God’s love; this is how you become stronger in your inner man. This is how you mature as a Christian and how Christ lives in your heart more and more.

When you ask for healing and God heals you of cancer and you also feel stronger than ever, then you become stronger in your inner man, mature as a Christian and are more complete with God’s fullness. When you ask for financial help and God causes 7 times more money to be sent to you, then you become stronger in your inner man, mature as a Christian and are more complete with God’s fullness. When you ask God to bless your spouse or children with their heart’s desires and God gives them more than they dreamed, then you become stronger in your inner man, mature as a Christian and are more complete with God’s fullness.

Vincent Cheung helped me to understand this better in his essay, What is Mature doctrine, saying:

“As Paul said, “However, we do speak a message of wisdom among the mature…what God has prepared for those who love him…that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:6, 9, 12). What is mature doctrine? It is not what we do for God, but what God does for us (1 John 4:10).

Jesus said that a person cannot be his disciple unless he first counts the cost, and then renounces everyone and everything to follow him (Luke 14:26-33). This is not the pinnacle of spiritual maturity, but it is the beginning. This is what spiritual infants do. We repent of our transgressions and reorient our lives on Jesus Christ. We become God-centered…

Although the gospel demands total commitment, since the beginning it is not about what we do for God, but what God does for us, in all areas of our lives, by Jesus Christ (Romans 8:31-32). We truly come to know him as the Father that Jesus talked about, the one who is greater than all (John 10:29), the one who supplies everything (Psalm 103:2-5, Matthew 7:32-33, Philippians 4:19)…

Therefore, spiritual maturity must entail learning more about the benefits that God has given us in Christ, and then receiving and experiencing them (1 Corinthians 2:12). For this reason, Paul prayed that Christians would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know God, to know the gospel hope and inheritance, and to know the super-surpassing power that God has put to work in us, which is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:15-22). He prayed that Christians would be strengthened with power in their spirits, to have power to grasp all the dimensions of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Do they teach you how to receive things from God by faith? Jesus taught these things as gospel, intertwined with the doctrines of faith, the atonement, and the Fatherhood of God (Matthew 6:32-33, 7:7-11, 8:16-17, Mark 9:23, 11:23-24, Luke 8:50, 18:1-8, John 11:40, 15:7, 15:16, 16:26-27, and many more). .. It takes spiritual power to grasp the magnitude of divine love toward us. Learning more and more about God’s love for us in more categories is not for babies, but adults, because it takes spiritual strength and maturity to grasp it.

If you are selective about the blessings of God, then you are spiritually feeble and immature. If you accept his forgiveness but reject his healing, then you are weak. If you embrace his discipline but refuse his prosperity, then you are a baby. You are not some epic apologist, some defender of the faith. You are just a crybaby…”[1]

It is interesting that Paul defines a “message of wisdom for the mature” is about knowing and receiving all the free blessings God has given us. If you listen to many theologians (past and present) they seem to say the opposite. They teach denying yourself and fearing God is wisdom for the mature, but this is reversed. Such things is wisdom for babies to start on the good path. Vincent is correct. To deny yourself, to fear God and follow Him, rather than your selfish lusts, is the beginning of wisdom not the maturity of it. The fear of God is the beginning, not the maturity of wisdom. The fear of God will start you on the path of wisdom and it will keep you firmly planted on it. Because the fear of God will keep you on the path of wisdom it is always relevant to remember the fear of God; but again, it is not the height of wisdom. Mature wisdom is receiving all the free goodies of God.

As Vincent says, “it takes spiritual strength and maturity in the inner man to receive from God.”[2] The bible teaches that it takes power in the inner man to fear God and deny yourself, but it takes even more power in the inner man to receive free goodies from God like healing and prosperity. Those who receive healing, prosperity and miracles from God prove they are mature in their inner man, and they prove they can handle at least some level of higher tier wisdom. Those who rebuke the “health and wealth” guys, if they don’t want to be hypocrites, at the very least must prove they have greater wisdom and more inner maturity by more healings, more prosperity and more various miracles. However, one who teaches Expansionism and God’s true level of absolute sovereignty has the correct place to rebuke the health and wealth guys, along with cessationist.

According to Paul you cannot claim to be spiritually mature and able to handle greater wisdom if you don’t prove it by receiving God’s freely given blessings in your life. You can give your money to the poor and help widows and receive forgiveness, but if you cannot heal the sick, cast out demons and receive various miracles, you are not mature and you cannot handle greater degrees of wisdom. You are still a baby who needs to be instructed.

Because denying yourself and the fear of God is the starting of wisdom, pastors who keep their message on this level either think their listeners are babes in Christ who never grow, or they are deliberately keeping their listeners stunted and deformed. When the bible tells us to run the race as if to win it, these pastors keep Christians crawling on all fours with wishful hope they might cross the finish line dead last. I am saying this nicely, because my rebuke could be ruthless here. Remove yourself from such teachers. They are your enemy, not friends. They are your worse type of enemies. They are brutal taskmasters employed by Satan. They are worthless at applying mature doctrine. They are trash who refuse to receive God’s love and free blessings. There is no healing, no casting out of demons and no obvious signs of God working miracles to help then. They know they are garbage with no proof of God’s love on them. They instruct you to be twice as worthless at receiving God’s blessings as they are to make themselves feel better. They trample Christ to hide their feelings of jealously.

Thus, even if history prizes certain Christians in the past as heroes, if they did not heal the sick, cast out demons and receive regular miracles from God, they cannot by definition of scripture be wise and mature. Scripture, not historical fame, defines if a Christian was wise and mature.

As shown in the previous section on the gospel, the gospel includes for this life healing, prosperity and excessive fruitfulness for all areas of life. Even if forgiveness of sins is a greater blessing in the gospel, in the since it takes one from hell to accepted, yet God commands us to receive all gospel blessings. It is not optional to obey commandments. To disobey and disbelieve any promise of God is not maturity, but immaturity and stupid. It takes a strong inner man and higher wisdom to believe the entire finished gospel and receive all its benefits. It takes a little wisdom to receive forgiveness but refuse the rest of the gospel. It is mature wisdom to receive all of the gospel.

Lastly, consider the Lord’s Supper. This is something Christians do all the time or should be doing constantly. It is the only repeated religious thing we do. The whole Old Testament religious activities has been boiled down to this one thing, the Lord’s Supper. What is it that we do in our one religious activity? We remember and receive God’s love for us. This is Christianity. We do not give to God, God gives to us.

In a correct understanding of ethics (God’s commands), this is the beginning and foundation of ethics. God commands us to be saved by faith in His Son, to receive His forgiveness, receive His love and receive all good blessings. It is on this ethic we receive strength to do other ethics that involve human interactions and purity. Receiving God’s love is the primordial ethic.

[1] Vincent Cheung. What is Mature Doctrine.
From the ebook, Fulcrum. 2017. Pg 69-70.

[2] Paraphrased from source.

Because we Know God Served us

“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
Hebrews 8:13

“After He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being Sanctified.”
Hebrews 10:12-14

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.”
Hebrews 10:1-3.

God has once-and-for-all forgiven and forgotten your sins as a believer. This forgetting is not spiritual Alzheimer’s. God knows all things. However, God unlike us, has perfect and compete mastery of His mind. Thus, if He chooses not to consider our sins (i.e. to forget), then He does so with perfect control of His Mind. There will not be a moment when something triggers Him, and He then considers all your sins “against you.” This is something Christians need to imitate their Father more in. They need to have mastery of their minds so that the emotions they experience is by their own control and timing, rather than their emotions controlling them like dumb animals.

Hebrews 8 says “where there is forgiveness, there no longer remains a sacrifice.” If our future sins needed to be forgiven, then there would remain a need for a sacrifice to remove them. But if they are already forgiven by Jesus and accepted by the Father, then there is no need for any more sacrifices. Jesus sat down because it was finished.

In Romans 6 Paul says for us to reckon yourself dead to sin, or assent to this as a truth about you. We are not perfect, as both James and John remind us in their letters. Thus this is essentially a “Word of Faith confession,” on faith and not by sight. By faith we assent and declare we are sinless and dead to sin. If we did this by our experience, then we could not say this. It is by faith in God’s promise alone we can say this.

Hebrews 10 says that if worshipers are truly forgiven, then they would not be “conscience” about their sin. As with God, it is not as if we cannot technically remember our sins, but because we know they are forgiven, and God has declared us righteous, we do not recall and consider them anymore. In fact, the bible’s meaning for “do not worry,” means “do not think” about this or that. The passage goes on to say that Jesus has already, “perfected” us who are being sanctified today. We are perfect in God’s eyes. This is the only real relevant thing that matters.

Thus, if you are mindful of your sins today, more than how righteous, how perfect, blameless, favored, a child of God and a co-heir with Jesus, then you are weak in your inner man; you are weak regarding faith in the finished work of Jesus.

Why then do we confess our sins to God, you ask?

The simplest reason is the most obvious, which is why I guess people miss it. God commands that we do. Jesus gives a daily prayer (The Lord’s prayer) that has in it our confession for mercy. Even if we are given no explanation as to why, this is all the reason we need to know. Christian responsibility is solely on God’s command and nothing else.

Even though God does not consider our sins against us, and we are not conscience of our own sins, because they are forgiven, yet we are still in a relationship, fellowship and communion with God. We love Him. We fellowship with Him daily. We communion with Him more than or own family. We love Him so much. He saved us. He is the world to us. If we sin, it was against Him. It is good as ask forgiveness and mercy from Him. Also, the devil can use this against us. However, if we confess our sins, God is “just” (not merely merciful) to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. This cleansing is about our conscience toward God, and renewing our thinking. It is not about the official record against us, or that God suddenly considers our sins against us. It is not as if the Father takes the List Jesus nailed to the cross, and daily rewrites new sins on it, until we confess. It was nailed to the cross because our entire record was delt with and finished. Our confession helps to protect us. Thus, there is no room for the devil to accuse us. It renews our mind by reminding us that all our sins past, present and future are already forgiven, and we are holy in God’s sight. This is putting on the new-man.

We ask, not because our futures sins are not forgiven. We ask from a position of victory and superiority. God as removed all our sins and Jesus at that place and time, endured the punishment for them. In God’s mind, (which is the only Mind that matters) He considers all our sins punished on Jesus, therefore they were. The receipt was printed off and nailed to the cross. It is done.

Many focus on sins way, way, way too much. They do this because they do not actually believe they are forgiven, and so they can’t move on from that point. Forgiveness of sins is the doorway of the gospel. The content of the gospel are the many blessings, miracles, favor, healings and prosperity. Many stands at the doorway of the gospel and stop. They never enter in the gospel. They think they are honoring the Master of the house by admiring the door, but the Master is sitting at the table waiting for you to come in and dine with Him. He is only pleased once you enter and partake of the table. To stand at the door and never partake of His good things, is a dishonor and insult to the Master of the gospel.

The same with endless prayers. You have the authority to use Jesus Name one time and command Satan and sickness to leave. One mention of the Lord’s prayer is all you need to ask forgiveness. If you want to ask more, I will not tell you not too, but only say watch your own mind and ask if you are being sin or righteousness conscience.

Many are sin conscience. But we just went over the fact that if we are truly forgiven, we are NOT sin conscience, but rather righteousness conscience. I do not know another man’s conscience, but they must be honest with themselves. You are commanded to be constantly conscience of your righteousness, your sonship and companionship with God, not sin. Satan is constantly mindful of our sins. Many act like their father the devil.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 5 say our old man is already gone, dead and does not exist. We are now, a new creation. If you are not a new creation you are still unsaved. A few verses later Paul elaborates on what this “new creation” is by saying we are the righteousness of God. Do not think on the old man. This why Satan, tries to deceive Christians to label themselves with titles outside of Jesus Christ, to keep them weak and defeated. He does this with sinners (I am pathetic, a vile sinner, a slut, a grasshopper) so that it is harder to accept the truths preached by Christianity.

At any rate, we think about reality. If someone is born-again and keeps thinking about the old man in unrighteousness, they are delusional and disconnected form realty in their mind. They are in essence putting the old-man thinking back on and taking the new-man off.

The reality is that I am the righteousness of God. We are commanded to put off the old man, and its way of thinking, and put on the new-man and its thinking. This new man thinks he is the very righteousness of God and not merely a sub-heir, but a co-heir with Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of Power. This is who I am.

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:16

If you are sin conscience, do not expect to “boldly” approach the throne to receive help. We hope such persons will have help despite their disobedient, cowardly and non-bold approaching, but for us we will be conscience of our righteousness when approaching the throne. By this we will approach boldly. We will not serve God like Martha, because we know God served us and gave us His favor, sonship and righteousness. Thus, we will sit at His feet and keep receiving His unmerited supply. We can boldly receive this because we know we are so righteous and perfect and glorious. Because God’s unmerited favor is the foundation for all our good things, His praise will forever be on our lips and His worship on our tongues.

Nazism, Communism and Christianity

Hitler used the emotional pull of nationalism (appealing to nationalism is something almost all governments in all times have done—in some form– from its people since the dawn of time), as a slip of hand, to enforce his Darwinian Eugenics.

When the Japanese government wants to protect the Japanese way of life and its borders through rallying the people, (thus engage in nationalism) it is not as though they are now Nazis. When Israel says it ought to protect their way of life and its borders from those around them (i.e. nationalism), it is not as if they are Nazis. Or does nationalism make Jews Nazis? That would be a logical fallacy in more than one way. If a liberal gets their wish and this very hour the government is transformed into their ideal form of government, does it make them a Nazi or fascist because they are now proud or like their government? But I digress.

Nationalism is a tool to be used. It is a sub, sub category of other philosophy questions: it is not an ultimate question about First Principles of knowledge, Logic or of Metaphysics or Ontology or Ethics.

In America, biblical principles were used to form the government, although it was only partial, for there were other philosophies used as well. For example, I do not believe the bible supports a democracy. This is where things get a little convoluted. To “conserve” (i.e. conservatives, or conservatism) means to stay with your initial or original starting point, or standard or epistemology. This is often called the “right.” To be liberal means to liberate from this original starting point because you believe all or part of it is false. This is often called the “left.”

Therefore when referring to the scripture, it is always wrong to be liberal, and always right to be a conservative. However, with governments, this get complicated because their starting points are often mixed and or unclear. Since the Western world was so heavily influenced by Christianity, and the much modern liberal movement (for the last 100 years) is about liberating Christianity from the government, homes and culture, we will broadly define the terms from this point, although there is more to it.

Thus any philosophy of government that liberates from biblical principles is “liberal,” “left,” and any attempts (as imperfect as they are) to stay with biblical ones are conservative or right. Thus, Nazism and Communism are both far left or liberal governments, for both heavily liberate from the Biblical and its worldview.

Totalitarianism is ruling a people, with all power given to one or a few. King David as a king ruled by totalitarianism. Jesus does as well. But neither King David or Jesus are Nazis or Karl Marx. Just because a star is round and an apple is round, does not make them the same thing. Since the bible is the starting point for all knowledge, then any correct aspect of government was first stolen from the bible, and then corrupted with additional speculations from men.

We will deal with Nazism in particular, but fascism is the same. It is categorically impossible to say fascism(or Nazism) is right and communism left because both fascism and communism are founded on the epistemology of empiricism and the metaphysical of Darwinism’s evolution and survival of the strongest. Hitler’s form of fascism argues a more direct connection from Darwinism to fascism but fascist like Mussolini went from Darwin to Nietzsche to fascism. Nietzsche using Darwinism said God is dead and man is a “superman” who rules by strength and not weak things such as kindness. Thus all forms of fascism is a denial or contradiction of Christian epistemology, metaphysics, logic and ethics. All forms of fascism are liberal to all Christian foundations and doctrines about reality. Every answer of ultimate questions that Christianity gives, fascism liberates from it.

Let us go over the basics of these government’s ultimate questions.

**Nazism: is Darwinism plus Eugenics with the ethic that they ought to force natural selection and survival of the fittest with totalitarianism. Fascism, in general would replace direct Darwin ethics with Nietzsche ethics, which are founded on Darwinism.

Nazi Epistemology – Empiricism (knowledge through sensation).
Nazi Metaphysis – naturalism and natural selection
Nazi Ethics – People OUGHT to enforce a natural selection for the good of man by totalitarianism. (or Fascism (Nietzsche: The new superman ought to rule by might)

**Communism: is Darwinism plus the theological idea that man is inherently good, plus the ethic that man ought to have this goodness in man ensured by the force of totalitarianism.

As a side note I must say as irrational as Hitler was in making a “ought” from descriptive premises of metaphysics, at least I understand his invalid, inductive direction. He sees survival of the fittest (thinks he does), and then metamorphoses (invalidly) this into an ethic. Marx was beyond stupid and irrational. He believed in evolution and Darwinism, but instead of embracing survival of the fittest as an ethic as Hitler did, he decided to neutralize the metaphysics he affirmed as an ethic. LOL? So he both invalidates what he affirms as a metaphysics, and then metamorphoses this into an ethic. Its like saying, “humans are organic. This is a human. Therefore, we will use government to replace their bodies with non-organic material, because it is morally good to not have an organic body.” Beyond stupid. There are so many category fallacies its hard to keep up.

Communism Epistemology – Empiricism (knowledge through sensation)
Communism Metaphysics – is naturalism and Darwinism.
Communism Ethics – it is morally good to oppose survival of the fittest observed in Darwinism and use government to force (people who are born inherently good -whatever that means) to be economic and social equals.

**Christianity: The scripture is the only starting point. Metaphysics is God’s absolute and direct control over all things. And ethics is God’s command.

Christian Epistemology – Contradicts Empiricism.
Christian Metaphysics – Contradicts Naturalism, national section and contradicts that man is inherently good.
Christian Ethics – contradicts government “ought” to use force to ensure natural section, and contradicts that government “ought” to enforce the inherent goodness of man by equalizing economic and social levels.

Thus, Christianity has no contact with Nazism or Communism in any important aspect of ultimate questions. To conserve to Christianity would be to liberate from both Nazism and Communism. Also to conserve to either Nazism or Communism would to be liberate from Christianity.

The question is who does have contact with the important philosophy topics of these two systems? American liberals. Liberal theologians.

Who has empiricism for their Epistemology?
Who has naturalism or Darwinism for their metaphysics?
Who has Nietzsche as their ethics?

Those who do, have foundational contact with Nazism/fascism and communism the ultimate questions of life. These are liberal, left government philosophies, for they liberate from the ultimate questions given by scripture and conserve to anti-biblical epistemologies and metaphysics.

The Order of the Divine Decrees

This is cannibalized from my now retired book: The Divine Decrees(2007, 2013). This book was mainly about going over Jonathan Edwards book: “The Divine Decrees in General and Election in Particular.” I showed how Edward’s was a supralapsarian in the doctrine of God’s decrees broadly, but tried to make a hybrid in the particular points. Therefore, Gordon Clark and Vincent Cheung[1] are better at teaching on this topic, for they are consistent to a logical order. Thus, this original appendix was the result from studying all three individuals.

This is an important aspect of Christian ontology and so I wanted to put a basic essay on this topic here. The order of the God’s decrees is in philosophy jargon, the logic of ontology. It is the logical order of how God directly controls all reality.

Defining the terms:

With the assumption that most who have an interest in this Biblical doctrine will know the terms supralapsarian and infralapsarian, I shall move on; and if you do not know, these will be explain in context through other terms. These terms are loaded terms and so I will prefer not to use them, but I do mention them so that some might have a vague reference point of where I am coming from. The lack of this distinction of God’s purpose or goals and historical execution[2] has caused more than a small amount of confusion. Let us remedy this.

When God’s decrees are laid out from Top to bottom or that is, when they are laid out from the perspective of what God chose as His goals first, then we call this the, “Purpose perspective.” This is what some know as supralapsarian.

When God’s decrees are laid out from the Bottom up or that is, when they are penned down from the perspective of executing His goals we call this, “historical perspective.” Although, in the truest since this is not a description of decrees; rather, it is the execution of the decrees: that is, it is the historical execution of God’s intended goals.

In our reach for a complete biblical understanding of God’s decrees we need to have the purpose order, for it is the natural meaning of decreeing or planning. The perspective of God’s “purpose” is greater not only because it is the natural meaning to plan something, but also the historical order is derived from it. In fact, when we think about an all Sovereign God planning, (not reacting) is this not in terms of choosing ones goals first? This is why the perspective of God’s goals or purpose in the Decrees are so important and to which the Bible addresses. I would even go as far to say the historical perspective of God is an incorrect doctrine, if left by itself, because in light of an all Sovereign God “decrees” naturally point to purpose rather than history. Without the “purpose” perspective in the decree the historical perspective turns God into a God of reaction rather than a God of total sovereign design and working out His original intended goal from top to bottom. Likewise, without the historical, the purpose perspective looks incomplete for the God’s decrees regard why and how God ordered public reality.

Regarding the purpose or goal perspective what God chose as His first goal is last in execution, and what God purposed last in his goals comes first in execution or history. I will explain this more.

Take for example a kid after thinking about life decides he wants to be a great baseball player. This is his first “purpose,” or goal that is. His second choice to support the first is that he needs to be an All Star baseball player, so that he can be a great player. Thus, his third choice in purpose is to get great averages in hitting (etc.) so that he gets chosen to be an All Star. His next is purpose is to be drafted to play in the Major League. His next purpose is to start playing baseball at his local high school. See, what he first intended was accomplished last in order, while that which was purposed last was accomplished first in history or in execution. Ecclesiastes 7:8, “The end of a thing is better than its beginning,” because the end was the original goal.

This analogy with the baseball player is in the perspective of “purpose.”

Now back to purpose and execution.

For the sake of argument, what is important is that both are to be taught from scripture and that the “purpose” be ordered Top to Bottom and the “historical” be ordered from Bottom to Top. The purpose order needs to be shown as the natural meaning of God Decreeing and the historical order as the effect of this being executed. The lists need to make sense when read in either direction, whether from the perspective of purpose, or from the perspective of execution. (Or in an argument, The purpose (p) is the antecedent, and the historical is the consequent(q)) Furthermore, the decrees encompass all things, so it is impossible for a simple list to include everything. Depending on what topic or doctrine I was teaching on I could focus or bring to light these in the decrees: both in the purpose or historical. What needs to happen is someone puts emphasis on God’s election in a historical perspective and then they emphasize God’s election in the purpose perspective in another sermon or book, then the ordering needs to agree with each other.

Below is a simple list of decrees. The first section is from God’s Purpose perspective (top to bottom) and the second is the Historical perspective (bottom up.) You will see how the second list mirrors the first so that what is decreed first in Purpose is executed last in order Execution.

TOP DOWN, ORDER of PURPOSE

1.) Glory. God decrees out of delight in Himself, to create the full displaying of His Glory in a public creation. God decrees to do this particularly by creating the world for His Son: that is, for His Son to be the only living fountain, the Head, the first born, central axis, the Preeminence in all things in His public universe; the invisible God glorifies Himself by making His Son the Public Supremacy.

2.) Jesus Christ. God decrees to elect Christ to become the Central public-Person; that is, He becomes the preeminence before a public audience. Therefore, God decrees to elect His Son to be the uniting-savior for a special group, and likewise for the sake of this first group God elects Christ to be a Rock for which another group will be crushed upon. His uniting-mercy given to one group will lead them to be in the perfect place live in public-joyful love to Christ, and the damnation for another group will support this. Thus, Christ is elected to be glorified as the central dividing line for all public minds, both human and spiritual, because by this Christ becomes the Central pubic Supremacy.

3.) Election. God then Decrees to unconditionally elect and give infinite happiness to a certain number of persons by unconditionally electing them for and through His Son for salvation; and furthermore, by this they are given both existence and the guarantee for eternal happiness, for from infinite happiness by them being for His Son’s glory by being in His Son, God thought of a certain number. Furthermore, God elects a certain number of others who He will not show His love to; rather, He decrees to support those in His Son those this certain number: this supporting is by having His wrath and justice displayed one day in them. (Before the twins were born or had done good or bad choices it is written: Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.) Both will be, for there is no other power in the metaphysical.

4.) The Fall. To imprison the whole human race to the slavery of sin and disobedience—so that the pervious decree of unconditional elect practically works out, so that the previous decree of Jesus’ public Saving and judging comes into fruition, so that Christ becomes the central-public-supremacy in a rejoicing public audience who are untied to Him.

5.) Creation. God decrees to bring into being a grand universe suitable and perfect for the grand exhibition of God’s glory through Christ’s public supremacy.

BOTTOM UP, ORDER of EXECUTION

6.) Creation. God decrees to bring into being a grand universe suitable for the grand displaying of His glory; a gift worthy for His only Son, by giving Christ public supremacy.

7.) The Fall. God decrees to imprison the whole human race to the slavery of sin and disobedience, by creating Adam in such a way he would not be able to rest all temptations.
8.) Election/calling. I say election, but at this point, because we are in history it would be more apt to call it summing or calling. God now elects or summons for mercy from the disobedient human race the particular people, whom He decreed originally to crown with His infinite love. Furthermore, to fulfill His election of the reprobate, God now chooses the level of wickedness that each vessel of wrath will fall while on earth.

9.) Jesus Christ. In order to accomplish the election of Christ, God calls His Son, to come into the world and provide perfect righteousness, complete forgiveness, and the purchasing of the Holy Spirit for so by this costly mercy and special uniting the elect becomes the perfect audience to ascribe the best eternal love and public praise unto Christ’s supremacy: and likewise, God calls Christ to be a rock for which the non-elect will be crushed upon for the praise of His Son’s supremacy. The result is that Christ becomes the historical and future center point of the universe before a public audience best suited for His praise, by their enjoyment of Him.

10.) Glory. The sending of His Son a second time for the final and compete separation of the people of wrath and children of His love, so that Jesus will have all evil closed off from His presence and the final intimate gathering of His chosen people (and all elect creatures) to Himself—to the Father. In this Jesus truly becomes the Public Supremacy before all public eyes, and in becoming so He (the image of the Father) causes His invisible Father to be glorified as the Supremacy.

Scripture:

Ephesians 1:9, “having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-in Him.”

Colossians 1:18, “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence (Supremacy).”

1 John 4:9, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Proverbs 16:4, “The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.”

Romans 9:21, “Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 (namely) that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory.”

Romans 11:27, “For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?” “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

—–Endnotes—–

[1] I would recommend, Vincent Cheung’s essay, Supralapsarian. This essay is from this, Systematic Theology, book.

[2] This particular two word contrast of ‘purpose vs execution’ about ‘top down and bottom up,’ I got from Vincent Cheung, see chapter on Supralapsarianism, in Systematic Theology: 2010, pg 114-118.