Tag Archives: Jesus

Christian Sex Ought To Be the Envy Of The World

A few quick thoughts on sex.

I have never heard a pastor preach a sermon on sex and how much sex we ought to have, without negating the scripture with their experience. Imagine me saying, “after you have worked through your emotional history and talked out your disappointments and after you have visited the doctor, then you are to obey God and repent of your sins.” Or imagine if I said, “after a person has warmed you up with nice words, then you are to love them as yourself.” Most would recognize the error of this. We are to obey God’s commands regardless of our feelings, history or any other excuse. The compassionate thing to do, is to tell someone to obey God regardless of anything else. We are promised if we obey, God will reward and bless us.

When you read “breaking of bread” it sometimes refers to the church taking the lord’s supper, such as Acts 2:42. When you take of the Lord’s supper you are remembering His substitutionary atonement for you. Jesus in John 17 refers to His sanctifying work results in Him and His people becoming “one,” and prays that we become one with Him and the Father. We are also told we are “one spirit” with Jesus in Corinthians 6. The context of this passage is about sex. We are warned not to be one flesh with someone not our spouse, because we are one spirit with Jesus. Sex is the act of being one flesh. It is the only way to be one flesh. Although this chapter is spoken of in the negative we can draw out some general presuppositions or doctrines.

The way the New Testament speaks of breaking of bread, as referring to communion, we understand they did it often, if not daily. By partaking of the Lord’s supper, it is a reminder we are one spirit with God. By faith, when we partake of the Lord’s supper, we do, or behave as one spirit with Him. However, beyond the Lord’s supper, every time we focus our faith on Jesus Christ, every time we praise Him in faith, every time we have our morning devotional, every time we pray in tongues, every time we approach God’s throne to ask and receive, we behave as one spirit with God. Faith in God is our acting like one spirit with God. A Christian who is faithful in His love to God, frequently behaves as one spirit with God.

If we consider the commandment of God to be one flesh, unlike the multitude ways to apply faith with God, there is only one way to be one flesh. This is sex. It is not mainly about having children, but the command is firstly and simply, to be one flesh in pleasure. Imagine only having faith in God one time a week? How about once a month? I would be hard pressed to say a person who only had one moment of faith in God a month, could still be called a Christian. A healthy disciple of Jesus is frequently placing their faith in God, and by this, they are constantly being one spirit with God.

The amount of sex is only determined by one thing, as it is for everything else regarding Christian ethics. It is determined by the command of God. The command is to be and act like one flesh. There is only one way to do one flesh. There is no excuse to make God’s commands not apply to you.

There is an entire book in the bible about sexual attraction and sex. Solomon is like the protagonist of a hero story. His heroic adventure is about sex with his wife. A husband’s sexual escapades with his wife is the bible’s hero story. Solomon gives a public call for us to gather in the public square to hear Solomon describe his sexual adventures with his wife. This book is to be our example as well. It is a command to follow the biblical examples. Also, if we consider that most fasts are only a day, or a few days, we realize the presupposition of scripture is frequent sex, because it says to come back quickly so that Satan does not tempt you (1 Corin. 7:5).

So far, we have mainly focused on the positive way to obey God’s command to be one flesh by sex; however, there is more. The scripture says that when you are married you give up the rights of your body and give those rights to your spouse. If one spouse wants sex, the other spouse has given up the rights to say no. You cannot say, “well, then I want my spouse’s body not to want sex.” If you play that game, then you have an infinite regress, and the verse has no meaning. If you cannot obey God, then it is better not to marry. The reason we repent of our sins and ask God to save us, is because God commands us (Acts 17:30). Christian behavior and ethics is determined by only one thing, which is God’s command.

In all this we never negate the situation where a spouse is sick and needs help. If one gives selfish demands in this situation, they are worse than an unbeliever. However, to be sick is a curse and an attack of Satan (Acts 10:38). One reason the devil attacks us with sickness, is that we are busied helping our family, rather than devoting our time to serve God and expand His kingdom. One strategy used in war is to injure soldiers rather than kill them, because healthy soldiers are taken away from fighting to help the wounded. Satan does the same in his fight against Christians with sickness, injuries, and cancers. We are commanded to be healed, just as much as we are commanded to praise God, James 5:15. James is not commanding that we pray, but is commanding we get healed. It is not optional to apply or reject the gospel, and healing is part of the gospel. Other things can be the gospel, such as forgiveness, however something cannot be more gospel than healing is. Because healing is the gospel and we are commanded to be healed, it is wrong to stay sick. It is wrong to allow Satan to steamroll over you with sickness and pains, and by this force others in prolonged care of you, when they could use their time in serving God. You are commanded to do the opposite. You are to storm the gates of hell and tear them down. You are to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and set the prisoners free. Thus, staying sick or in pain is no excuse to not have sex. It is wrong not to constantly be one flesh for the act of pleasure.

If you read Song of Solomon you realize Christian sex and orgasms, ought to be the envy of the world.

You Said Something

There is nothing wrong in the statement, “I was once a sinner who was saved by grace.” However, if you stop there it is unbelief. The same gospel that saves is the same gospel that gives me a new identity in Jesus and baptizes me in the Spirit. Therefore, I am the righteousness of God. I am not affirming God is God’s righteousness, but that “I,” am God’s righteousness. God gave it to me and it is now mine. I am righteous like God is righteous. This is who I am.  This is important because the gospel is not mainly a negative belief. It is not mainly about past forgiveness. It is mainly a positive belief. I am righteous. I am empowered by the Spirit for miracles. I have authority to cast out demons and heal the sick. I am a child of God. I boldly march in God’s throne room and ask and then receive.

This is important for prayer. James says that the prayer of a righteous man is effective. If your focus is that “I am a sinner saved by grace,” then according to James, your prayers will not be effective. I am not a sinner. I am righteous. The focus is that I am present tense, righteous. The focus is not a negative belief of my past forgiveness, but a positive declaration of my present righteousness. It is to this type of Christian who will have effective prayers.

Jesus teaches on prayer in Mark 11:22-24, saying, “ Say to this mountain; and, whatever you ask, believe you have received it, and it will be yours.” The focus is not God’s goodness. The focus is not begging and crawling to God, waiting to see what God does. The focus is not God, but you. Jesus puts the focus on “believe you have received it,” when you said it.  As with James only a person who knows they are righteous in God’s sight, God’s child and has contractual rights, is able to put the focus on them and get answers to prayers. The focus is not problems. The focus is not telling God your problems, trying to prick His heart and see what He does. No.

Jesus did not instruct you to tell God about your mountain. Jesus commanded you to open your mouth and tell the mountain to move. The focus is on your mouth to say it, and your mind to believe it. Your mouth is Moses’ Staff of God. Stretch out your mouth and say something. Say it. What you want, say it. Jesus’ says the focus is not waiting to see what God does, but believe (past tense) you have received. The focus is not your problem or God. The focus is that someone so righteous as you, just spoke something in faith. The focus is that you opened your mouth. It is that simple.

This is Jesus’ teaching on prayer. Jesus is the extreme faith preacher.

The Bible Distinguishes The Elect From Reprobate Trash, By Praying In Tongues

Jude 1:18-21
“In the end time there will be scoffers…”
These…not having the Spirit.
But you, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.”

Jude says mockers (and this is a continuation of his condemnation of false teachers) do not have the Spirit, which is referring to the baptism of the Spirit (Acts 1-2, Paul in 19:2 refers to “The Spirit” as the baptism of the Spirit and speaking in tongues (v.5)). Jude refers to those born again as “the called,(v.1).” In conversion the Spirit works on you to receive Jesus. In this sense you have Jesus, or you do not have Jesus. In baptism of the Spirit, Jesus works on you to receive the Spirit. In this sense you do have the Spirit, or do not have the Spirit.

In contrast to mockers, who do not have the baptism of the Spirit, Jude instructs the saints to pray in the Spirit, which is the baptism of the Spirit, which refers to praying in tongues. By praying in tongues, you keep yourself in God’s love. Think about that. Consider the consequence for not praying in tongues.

Paul says something similar in Ephesians 6:17-18. He says to “receive” the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit by “praying in the Spirit.” Receiving the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit are important. Paul says to do this by always praying, by praying in the Spirit. We know what Paul means by praying in the Spirit, because in 1 Corinthians 14 he defines “praying in the Spirit,” as “praying in tongues.” Thus, we continually receive the helmet of salvation and the offensive power of the Spirit, by praying in tongues.

Lastly, Paul says in Corinthians 14 that by praying in the Spirit we edify and encourage our inner man. This was one way Paul was able to encourage himself in context of all his hardships.

Paul therefore says I thank God I pray in tongues more than you all, to the Corinthians.

By praying in tongues, we keep ourselves in God’s love, strengthen our inner man, and keep receiving the helmet of salvation  and are continually empowered with the sword of the Spirit.

This does not mean a person cannot be saved without the baptism of the Spirit. However the same unstoppable God who causes an elect to receive Jesus for salvation will cause the same to have faith to receive the Spirit. Peter argues in Acts 2 that forgiveness is a stepping stone to receive the Spirit. To this Peter brings in the doctrine of election and predestination making the connection to the baptism of the Spirit. Some might think Peter’s connection is this: Those whom God calls to Himself are those born-again, however, this is not correct. Rather, Peter’s connection is, those whom God calls to Himself He gives them the baptism of the Spirit, with speaking in tongues. This isn’t how religious elites use predestination, but it is how the scripture uses the doctrine. And so God is faithful to call his elect to Himself, by causing them to receive the Spirit.

If a Christian has not received the Spirit, they do so by ignorance and unbelief. By unbelief and disobedience the Christian has pragmatically caused their Christian experience to be second class. The baptism of the Spirit enables one to fight with power to expand God’s kingdom. Praying in tongues causes one to continually receive the sword of the Spirit. To not have this while others are doing the hard work is spiritual negligence.

This is something mockers cannot do, and refuse to do. First of all, they are two busy mocking and making fun of the faith teachers, who are praying in tongues, to keep themselves in God’s love. Secondly, they hate the Spirit and so they refuse His gifts and powers.  False teachers and heresy hunters mock the very thing which the bible uses to distinguish the Called, from the reprobate.

Christology Overlords

I dislike having to give this note of warning on such a wonderful topic and focus, but it needs to be said. The forceful way some people use the hermeneutic and focus of Christ-o-centric, or Christ-centered or the redemptive historical reading of scripture is wrong and heretical. For some people the bible is not Christ-centered enough for them. As odd as it sounds, Christ is not Christ centered enough for them. And so they invent man-made theories to force most or all of the bible to be Christ-centered in a way that the bible is not. By doing this they exalt themselves and exalt man focused theories over the scripture and how the bible interprets itself.

This is pathetic, because when reading the bible with a redemptive historical approach, in a correct way, it can yield some beautiful insights.  However, if you take it too far you end up making Jesus and the Father fight one another, and cause the scripture to devour itself.  

For example the story of David and Goliath is not mainly about Jesus and His defeat of sin and death. This passage is not Christ-o-centric. There can be an additional insight taken from this story about Jesus and His defeat of sin, but it does not replace the original story as the main thing. Because the bible teaches us to moralize the bible for ourselves, then an additional insight or application of this story is to inspire us to use courageous faith to defeat Goliaths in our lives; however, this is not the main point.

There is an important reason for why this story is the main story and why there are grave consequences if you try to make the Christ-o-centric the main thing. David prays to God (a Word of Faith Confession), and thus, God is already the main power and author in the story. David even says by his actions everyone will know there is a God in Israel. The point of the story is for all to know there is a God who has chosen Israel.  Now, carefully think about the implication if you were say that a story where God is already the main power and author, is not the main story, but Jesus is, because Jesus is more central and important.  

The implication is that God is not the main thing, but rather God is. It is contradictive nonsense. Or, God the Father is not the main thing, but Jesus is. This is blaspheme. This is to make the scripture devour and fight itself.  This story with David and Goliath is a story already about God. You cannot therefore make it more God-centered. It is already God-centered to the max. A story where God is already the main author and displayed power does not need your help to make it more God-centered. A story where God is already the main author and power does not need your help by allegorizing God into it, as if God was not already there.

If a person did not already see God as the main author and power of this story, then I understand why they would feel the need to allegorize God into the story by making it Christ-centered. They are reading the story as if they are an atheist. God is not there and so they need to allegorize God into a story where God is not present.  This happens because their Christ-o-centric theories have become so all consuming that when they read the bible they do not even recognize the Father or the Spirit. They do not see God already in the passages, and so they need to allegorize Jesus into it so that the passage now becomes God-centered.  

Vincent Cheung even noticed a pastor bragging about this.

“A well-known pastor and professor was teaching a group of children something about biblical theology. They came upon a passage in which Christ performed a healing miracle. The pastor persisted with one of the children until the poor thing finally surrendered to the interpretation that the passage was not about the healing miracle, but about Jesus Christ. But the passage was already about Jesus. Why did the pastor forbid the child’s initial understanding? The advocates of biblical theology and the redemptive-historical approach are fond of boasting that they find Jesus on every page of the Bible. The problem was that this particular page revealed Jesus Christ the healer, and as one who would heal those who ask by faith. You see, this is what the theologians resent. This is the thing that the pastor and professor refused to permit. He had to destroy it before faith in this Jesus grew in the heart of the child. He had to murder this Jesus before he could take root in the next generation. And so he did it. And then he wrote a book and boasted about it. But Jesus said that someone like this should go kill himself (Matthew 18:6).

He claimed a miracle is only a “sign” that points to Jesus Christ. But which Christ? What does the sign tell us about this Christ? Does the sign “Christ is a healer” point to a Christ who is not a healer? Does the sign “Christ heals those who come in faith” point to a Christ who does not heal those who come in faith? How do you pull this off? Magic! What would a sign have to say to actually tell you that “Christ is a healer” and “Christ heals those who come in faith”? You just won’t let it happen, will you? You will allow Christ to be only that one thing about him you still believe in and nothing else. You will let Christ be only as big as your microscopic faith, instead of increasing your faith to embrace all of Christ. When the Bible reveals a Christ that is bigger than your faith, you cry heresy. This is what you mean by Christ-centered, but you make everything, including Jesus himself, centered on what you decide…”[1]

The issue with their Christ-o-centric theory is that the Father, the Spirit, the Scripture, and even Jesus Christ Himself are not Christ-centered enough.  The scripture is not God-centered or Christ-centered enough for them. Jesus is not Christ-centered enough for them, and so they even end up correcting Jesus by allegorizing passages directly about Jesus to not be about Jesus and what Jesus is doing and teaching, but instead be about Jesus. Nonsense. This nonsense occurs because they have a version of Jesus they like and allegorize all scripture, even Jesus and His own words into this version.

Christ-o-centric theology has become a smoke-screen to allow elites to practice liberal theology by covering it up with the most gospel sounding words possible. They have a doctrine of Jesus that is liberated from the confinement of scripture. They do not like the Christ that the scriptures reveal and so they create a false doctrine of Christ and then force the entire bible into this false doctrine of Jesus. They call it Christ-o-centric and then accuse others for not being Christ-centered when they do not adhere to this anti-Christ version of Jesus they allow. They are the worst of the worst of religious elites.

A Jesus who says, “your faith saved you” (regarding forgiveness of sin) and “your faith healed you,” is a Jesus that they cannot allow to live. If I teach on these verses, then I will get corrected by them, saying I am too man-centered. Since this is a direct teaching from Jesus’, they are correcting Him not me. And if they think, if they were put back in Jesus’ time that they would not correct Him, then they are delusional. They would correct Him with great zeal. Since Jesus it the main protagonist of His own existence, then Jesus serving man, healing man and praising man for their faith, is as Christ-centered as it gets. It is already Jesus to the max. It is already Christ-centered on steroids. The issue for many, is that the Jesus revealed by scripture is a Jesus they hate.

At that time the argument seemed so pious. The church had strayed from the path by paying too much attention to men, holding services for healing, prosperity and marriage, when the purpose of worship should be the glory of God, not the needs of men.

Liturgical music should talk less about us, and more about God and Christ. Preaching should be focused on the person and work of Christ, and not on our instruction for healing and prosperity, for example.

Men need to be degraded and humiliated. God should be the only one to receive glory. That was the message.

It was through Vincent Cheung’s writings that I began to realize the hypocrisy of these people. To paraphrase, if you are more Christ-centered than JESUS Himself, then this whole time you have been only self-centered, and still marveling at being so Christ-centered!…

When a church holds an event to restore marriages or heal the sick. The immediate purpose of such meetings is to use divine resources to meet human needs, and in this sense it seems that God is being used as a springboard.

However, since people are being saved by divine means rather than by human tools, it is clear that the meetings are theocentric. They would be completely man-centered if psychology were used to heal relationships and medicine to heal bodies.

Because it is the wisdom and power of God that is in action — exactly as God wants it to be — it is not God who is being used, it is he who uses human needs and the activities of the church as a springboard to magnify his attributes and results in the world.

Christocentrism is a hermeneutical and liturgical principle that lacks a biblical basis. Nothing in the Bible suggests that the word of God should be interpreted in a Christocentric way or that everything in worship should be Christocentric. The Bible is messianic, not Christocentric. Some things in it are about Christ, others are not. It is not correct to say that Jesus is the subject of the Bible, if by that we mean that every sentence in the Book is about him. It isn’t, and we don’t need to pretend it is. Some sentences, paragraphs, chapters and even books are not about him — although they can be read in his light and may contain specific references to him, whether literal or figurative. For the Bible to be Christocentric to the standard demanded by those who make a big deal about this need, it would have to be a book about Christ and not about us, but the Bible is a book about us too, therefore, it is not Christocentric. Defenders of Christocentrism consider it Christocentric only because they distort it to fit their standards..

This shows that Psalm 24 is not Christocentric. The second part can be taken as referring to Jesus Christ, but in the poem as a whole Jesus shares space with the believer. The Christocentric preacher was forced to distort the passage so that the man would not have space in his exposition. In the process he ended up saying that God’s people are made up of people with dirty hands, impure hearts, who turn to other gods and swear by idols. This is probably true of him and those who approve of him, but it is not true of anyone who actually belongs to God’s people.

Advocates of this principle are often eager to humiliate man, even man who has already believed in Christ. They say, for example, that the believer’s righteousness is like filthy rags, and that our best works are nothing. However, the Bible says that we do good works by the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. When they denigrate our good works, they are attacking the righteousness that God produces in us. In their zeal to offend man they end up offending God.…[2]

In a galaxy not so far away, there exists a breed of theological overlords who wield the “Christ-centered” hermeneutic like a lightsaber, slicing through scriptures with a zeal that would make even Darth Vader blush. These folks have decided that not only is the Bible not Christ-centered enough, but apparently, Christ Himself isn’t Christ-centered enough for their taste.

Picture this: David and Goliath, the ultimate underdog story, gets hijacked. Instead of a tale of faith and divine power, these overlords twist it into a convoluted allegory where Jesus is both the slingshot and the stone, leaving poor Goliath to symbolize… well, who knows? Sin, bureaucracy, or perhaps bad WiFi?

These scripture-twisting maestros have turned the Bible into a one-man show starring Jesus, where even God the Father gets sidelined like an understudy. They’ve created a Christological echo chamber where every story, prophecy, and proverb must echo “Christ” or be deemed heretical.

In their quest for ultimate Christocentrism, they’ve managed to argue that when Jesus heals or teaches, it’s not really about what Jesus is doing but about some abstract version of Jesus they’ve concocted. It’s like saying the main character of a movie isn’t the main character because he doesn’t fit the sequel they’ve already written in their minds.

So here we are, caught in a theological tug-of-war where the Bible’s rich tapestry is reduced to a single thread, and that thread must be Christ, even if it means tying the scriptures into knots. Let us  return to sanity, where logic and categories are not turned into a child’s playdough; let us leave this mono-themed Christ-fest where every page must scream “Jesus!” or be cast into the outer darkness of “not Christ-centered enough.”

Let’s return to scripture and logic and leave these elitist zealots who can’t different that clouds and rocks aren’t the same thing. While Christ is central, He doesn’t need to be the center of every verse to validate His divinity or our faith.

(AI Grok, 2024, summarizing my essay.)

[1] Vincent Cheung. All Things Are Yours.  Sermonettes Vol.9. 2016.  Pg. 16-17

[2] Gabrial Arauto. Translated to English by Google Translate.

Provoking the Jews with Jealousy

Paul first quotes (Rom. 10:19) “provoke them to Jealousy,” from Deuteronomy 32:21. This was Moses’ prophecy in how God was going to deal with Israel’s unfaithful heart. In Romans 11:11 and verse 14 Paul repeats this and says his plan to save the Jews is to provoke them to jealousy.

This isn’t some cult leader. This is the scripture. This is Moses and Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writing scripture. They think the best way to save the Jews is the provoke them by making them jealous of the gentiles. Some elitist fool might think there is a better way, but God’s way is always the best way.

How does jealousy work? You become jealous when someone has something you want or you think rightly belongs to you. The Jews became the Jews because of Abraham. The Jews started with God singling out Abraham and blessing him with the gospel (Galatians 3) of health, wealth, fame, favor, blessings, military victories, supernatural healing and promising to do the same for Abraham’s descendants.

The blessing of Abraham, which we have today through Jesus, (Galatians 3) includes the baptism of the Spirit and healing. Healing, long and strong life, the Spirit and miracles is part of the ancient promise of God, and not even the law, which came after, or the atonement of Jesus can negate it; rather, Jesus’ resurrection makes it accessible to the whole world. Jesus also carried our curses on the cross, so that we have the blessing of Abraham today.
The blessings and curses of the law teach us about the blessing of Abraham, they do not negate it. The blessings of the law is nothing less than the Blessing of Abraham based on works and merit, rather than grace and promise. Yet, the blessing of Abraham came first, based on grace. In Christ the curses are gone and the blessing of Abraham is already active for the believer.

What is the blessing of Abraham when spelled out in the law? It is the Deuteronic blessings as seen in Deuteronomy 28. In Exodus it says God will turn off sickness, so that sickness doesn’t even happen. Another good summary of these blessings is in Leviticus 26: 3-13,

 “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands,  I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit.  Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land.

 “I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land.  In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords.  Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.

 “I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you.  You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! 11 I will live among you, and I will not despise you.  I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.”

Yet, in Jesus Christ the law is fulfilled and the curse is taken away. We are forgiven, which by this alone makes us righteous(because the law is both commission and omission) and we are also declared to be God’s righteousness. If we want to see the full manifestations of these blessings we must take them in faith and obedience, but Jesus alone has already purchased them and given to us by unmerited favor.

Jesus gives us the blessing of Abraham. When Jesus was healing people, He would make remarks that healing was daily bread as part of the Abrahamic blessing. This is how the Jews understand themselves as children of Abraham.

Yes, it includes things like forgiveness, a peaceful home, pleasure with your spouse, joy with your children and communion with God.  But it also includes all the miracles of health, wealth and various miracles to overcome troubles and be victorious in life.  

Paul’s strategy is for the gentiles to be so full of Abraham’s blessing manifesting in their lives with being declared righteous, healed, healthy, wealthy, victorious, favored, peaceful homes, famous, and regular miracles from God that the Jews become Jealous and envious. Paul wants the Jews seeing God lavishing so much attention and good things on the gentiles that they turn green with envy.

Thus, the only way to provoke the Jews to jealousy is to have the full blessing of Abraham manifested in your life. The only people who have the potential to do this are Expansionist. The cessationist reject the blessing of Abraham that includes the baptism of the Spirit and miracles on the demand of faith, thus, it is impossible for them to provoke the Jew to jealously because they cannot produce the full blessing of Abraham in their lives.  The charismatics are better, but their weak stance on the gifts and faith make it only slightly better. Only those who in principle believe Matthew 21:21, John 14:12, Acts 1:8, 2:39, Gal. 3:5,13-14, have the potential to provoke the Jews to Jealousy.

Thus, those who understand this have the honor and responsibility to do it. Only Expansionist have the ability to bring an end to this age, by provoking the Jews to jealousy.

Predestination & No Freewill: Means Healing, Speaking in Tongues & Miracles

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said,

“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ – for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:23-31)

Unless you go directly to Romans chapter 9, its difficult to find a stronger focus on Calvinism, predestination and that God controls man’s choices, more than a programmer writing his code.

This passage starts by affirming God is sovereign in creating everything. Then it affirms that God sovereignly foretells the future. Then it affirms that God is sitting on a throne and laughs at people who try to work against His dominion. Then it affirms that God predestined the Jews and gentiles to kill and crucify His only Son. To kill and crucify God’s Son took many individual choices of men to make this happen. The apostles said God predestined all of this; and so, the choices of men are at God’s disposal to do what He decides. There is nothing free “relative” to God.

After the apostles affirmed and praised God for his sovereign predestination over everything, how do you suppose they responded to such knowledge? They do not respond the way the Reformed respond to God’s predestination. The Arminians do not affirm the sovereignty of God that the apostles affirmed in this passage, and so they cannot rationally respond to it. Even if some Arminians concluded with a similar response the apostles did, it is only by dumb luck and God’s kindness, because they cannot do it by following the scripture.

The apostles conclude by asking God to consider their threats by empowering them to preach, heal the sick and perform various miracles. God responds with a resounding “yes,” by flooding their meeting place with the anointing presence of the Holy Spirit.  

In my experience when I hear a traditionalist preach on God’s sovereignty, predestination and that man does not have free will (which are the doctrines the apostles above affirmed), they usually conclude by saying, because God caused these things to happened, then it is God’s will (His command) that we go along with it and let Satan steamroll over us, and then praise God as we die of cancer. And if they do suggest action, it is usually something political or cultural, or just keep going to church and watch the world burn. This is the opposite that the apostles do.

After affirming God controls the actions and choices of men, in context of Jesus atonement and of political powers, the apostles conclude that it is time to attack back with preaching, healing the sick and more miracles.

Even though the Reformed, might have a few top-level statements about God’s sovereignty correct, because they conclude the opposite from the scripture, then it shows they have no idea how to apply the doctrine.  They have no idea what is in their hands. On the other hand, the Arminian charismatics sweep the whole issue of God’s predestination and election under a rug, and then just skip straight to the conclusion or practical application. Both are wrong, but the reformed are more so, because at least with the charismatics you still have a small chance to get healed and find a miracle to help you.

The Apostles affirmed God’s predestination over men’s choices and political struggles. In response to this, they put in a military request to attack back with preaching, healing and miracles. God said, Yes!  Thus we already know God likes and will answer such requests when faced with political difficulties, which He caused. Think about that. The apostles affirmed the political problems they were facing was by God’s predestination that led the Jews and gentiles against His only Son. They are with Jesus, and so now the Jews have turned against them.  They did not say, “well, God predestined this, and so we can’t fight against them.” Rather, they asked to fight against their opponents with preaching, miracles, and healing.

They did not respond with a cultural or political reaction, when faced with political problems. They put in a request to God, as their military power, to attack back with preaching, healing and miracles. God the king, approved of their attack plan.

Thus, the doctrines of God’s absolute sovereignty, predestination and control over men’s choices, is to conclude with more preaching, more healing, more miracles, and more with God responding with outpourings of the Holy Spirit upon our meetings. Deviations from this are to be mocked and dismissed.

Any Form of Cessationism is Anti-Christ

Mark Driscoll criticizes cessationism, but his position is still cessationism. Mark says that we can pray but it is determined by a case by case sovereign choice from God, even if we have faith.

There are degrees of cessationism, but all forms deny the biblical doctrine of Expansionism (See Vincent Cheung for more); thus, all forms of cessationism is an excommunicable sin.

Cessationism denies the baptism of the Spirit for spiritual power, which includes the gifts as portrayed in 1 Corinthians 12-14 (etc.). They deny Scripture’s command to seek all of these gifts. Thus cessationism is a contradiction to the text.

It denies Abraham’s blessing. Abraham’s blessing makes it necessary for its heirs to be healed (Luke 13:12-15). Abraham’s blessing makes miracles a regular activity in the church by faith, made possible by Jesus’ substitutionary death (Gal.3). God’s promise to Abraham makes it necessary for miracles to happen on the demand of faith. Cessationism denies this and so it denies God’s faithfulness to His Promise to Abraham and tramples the blood of Christ.

Jesus’ substitutionary atonement included things like healing (Isaiah 53:4-5 James 5:15), and so, healing always happens by the will of man through faith. By denying this cessationism denies the substitutionary atonement of Jesus, and/or its effectiveness, and thus by logical implication it denies the forgiveness of sins.

It denies Jesus’ faith doctrine that says, whatever you ask in faith, will be given to you. Jesus says this many times in many ways. This is Jesus’ direct teaching and command but it also deals with our identity in Him that we have such authority to command demons, sickness and mountains out of our way. No one is as extreme as Jesus when it comes to faith. Your theology must include Jesus’ extreme faith doctrine. Jesus also uses His faith doctrine as a test for orthodoxy (John 15:7-8); thus, any Creed that does not include Jesus’ test, cannot claim to be orthodox. By denying this, cessationism denies Jesus’ command and faith doctrine itself, our identity in Christ and Jesus’ personal test of orthodoxy.

Your theology must include “man’s will being done on earth by faith,” is as God-centered as Jesus Christ is God-centered, because He is the one who taught the doctrine. The issue people have man’s will being done on earth by faith in God’s promise, is that Jesus is too God-centered for them. There is just too much God involved. They hate that God gets to do whatever He wants, and what He wants is man’s will to be done on earth, by faith.

Cessationism is an anti-Christ, anti-scriptural, anti-gospel and and anti-God doctrine.

Promise Verses For Faith

This is a list of promise verses that I almost daily go over to help direct my mind on faith and not sight. I am continually reminding myself the gospel is God’s love and provision for me. I do not give to God; God gives to me. I am constantly removing choke points of faith and limitations in my mind. I want to expand my vision to see all the good things available to me, in this life, and not just the next. I usually use an text to audio read to listen to them.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, (Romans 2:2). Put on the new man, who is renewed in the knowledge of Jesus who created you (Colossians 3:10). Happy is the man who thinks upon God’s Word day and night (Psalm 1:2). Think about Christ, where He is at God’s righthand, because God has already declared you a Son and an heir; and Yahweh, with unstoppable power, has already caused your life to be hidden there with Christ. (Colossians 3:2-3, Romans 8:17).  

Psalm 103.  
Bless Yahweh, O my soul;  

And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless Yahweh, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities,  Who heals all your diseases,  Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,  Who satisfies you with good things,  So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  

James chapter 5.
The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 

 Romans 10:6–8.
But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down),  or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim).

Romans 6:14, Sin has no power over you, because you are not under the law; rather, you are now under, God’s unmerited favor [and limitless love].

 2 Corinthians 9:8, And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. AMP

For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied). 2 Corinthians 8:9

Jesus tells us there will be trouble, but to cheer up, because He has defeated the world for you (John 16:33). He tells us that if we ask anything in His name that He will do it so that the Father will be Glorified, Jesus also tells us it is the Father’s will that we bear much fruit, and in context this include asking and obtaining what we ask for,—it is a command, (John 14:13,14 and John 15:7, 8). Jesus says He has left us his peace (John 14:27). 

The Bible says God is for us, and no one can be against us, (Romans 8:31). We are told that Jesus –the author of our faith– is sanctifying us whom He has already Perfected, once and for all, (Hebrews 10:14 ). That, on the account of the blood of Jesus, the Father has declared us righteous in His sight, (Roman 5:1,9).  That where there is forgiveness of sin, there is no more sacrifice for sin, (Hebrews 10:18). That because we have been adopted and are sons of God, the Holy Spirit has been sent into our souls and makes us cry out, “Dear, Father,” (Galatians 4:6).  There is no fear in God’s perfect love for us through Christ, which gives us bold confidence in God’s throne room, in the day of Judgment, (1 John 4:17-18). That God who is the only judge and law giver, is the one who already declared us righteous and declared beloved; and, Jesus is right now at God’s right hand interceding for us, ( Romans 8:32 )

That because we are already sons, we are thus already heirs of God through Jesus, (Galatians 4:5-7).  That, we have been seated in the heavenly places, at the right hand of God with Christ, (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1). That we are coheirs with Jesus Christ, (Romans 8:17). That we are a new creation, and that all things have become new, (2 Corinthians 5:17). That we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, (2 Corinthians 5:21).  That by the one man, Jesus Christ, God has recreated us in new realities and ontologies, so that, by the free gift of righteousness and the gift of abundant grace, we have justification of life, we have victorious life and eternal life by the power of Spirit, (Romans 5:15-21).

God promises us to always provide a way of escape from every temptation, (1 Corinthians 10:13). That Jesus has destroyed the works of Satan, and demolished the power of death and smashed the power of fear, by becoming a human atonement, in our place, before the Father (1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14-15). That, Jesus author of our faith, is able to heal broken limbs, and rewrite besetting sins into stories of victory, (Hebrews 12:1-2). That in face of fighting sin, Jesus commands us, to not let our hearts be troubled, but rather, to believe in Him and the Father, and to remember that He is preparing a room for us in Yahweh’s house, (John 14:1-3). That, the law of the Spirit of Life, has freed me from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). That the Father has delivered us from the power of darkness, and He has conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, (Colossians 1:13). That greater is Jesus who is in you, than he who is in the world, (1 John 4:4).  That All those Father by God are kept by Him and the Evil one does not touch them ( 1 John 5:18 )

The Bible says that you have the power to renew your mind in the knowledge of Christ, (Ephesians 4:24). That you have the power to make the devil flee from you, (James 4:7). That your mind and life gets stronger as you trust more and more in God’s policy of thought and action of favor to you, (Ephesians 3:16-19).

 That when Satan says, “did God really say,” from any foreign epistemology, that with a single shield of faith, we are able to stop every arrow of temptation and every deception from Satan, (Ephesians 6:16). The whole armor of God is already ours, we are already wearing it. That we are able to destroy every thought, and every argument raised against the knowledge of God, (2 Corinthians 10:5).  That to think any ethic or ought, and or, to use any logic or intelligence, we must presuppose God’s written law on our hearts and His revelation; however, we cannot do this without dealing with the whole Scripture that says only it is true and all others are false, (Romans 2:15, and Romans 1:18, 1:20). This scripture we are already presupposing tells me I am already the righteousness of God, already declared to be God’s Son and beloved by Him for victory.

When the fire has burnt away the works of straw, then, whatever silver, gold and precious stones remain, will endure with you for eternity (1 Corinthians 3:12). God is your Helper, so be courageous and never be afraid, ( Psalm 118:6, Hebrews 13:6).  That, God will not forsake you; He will be with you for victory, whether it is spiritual, mental, demonic or physical troubles, ( Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5). That, whoever is born again by God’s Spirit, so that they have faith, are those who overcome all things; indeed; they are victorious over the world, with all its troubles, (1 John 4:4-5).

That we receive the Holy Spirit, miracles and the endless fountain of blessings from Abraham, by faith in Jesus, (Galatians 3:2,5; 4:29). That if you will abide in him, and if his word abides in you, you will ask what you want, and whatever you ask will be done for you, (John 15:7). That if you have faith, you can command a mountain to throw itself into the sea, and it will obey you, (Matthew 21:21). That if you ask for anything in prayer, if you believe that you receive it, you will get it, (Mark 11:24). That we commanded to pray and never give up, because we will have what we as for, (Luke 18:1-6). That it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, (Luke 12:32). That if you ask, you will receive, and if you seek, you will find, (Matthew 7:7). That God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him, (Hebrews 11:6). That, all things are yours through Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 3:22-23). That we can approach the throne of grace, for help in time of need, before our High Priest and our Father, (Hebrews 4:16). That Jesus is our Priest who already bore our stripes for our healing, and He has already bore our sickness and pain on the cross, so that the healing is already ours, (Matthew 8:17).

That the Father has qualified us to be partakers of the rich inheritance of the saints, (Colossians 1:12). That when we ask for a fish we receive a fish, and not something else because God is our Good Father; and, when we ask for a son, we get son, and when we ask for healing, we get healing, and when we ask for an enlarged tent, we get an enlarged tent, and when we ask for the powers of God’s Spirit we receive God’s power and not something else, because God is our Good Father, ( Luke 11:11). That because God did not spare His Son in order to save us, the Father will much more freely give us all things through His Son, (Romans 8:31); and on and on and on. Look at all those extra baskets, left over!

Therefore, Maturity is not you giving to God, but rather, as sons, receiving from God all His endless, awesome blessings, (1 Corinthians 2:6-12). Maturity is having the strength of soul, to not merely leave the pig pin and go to ask forgiveness; but rather, by God’s Spirit, to have the power of mind to receive the signet ring, and receive the BEST robe, and receive the sandals from the Father, and then march into the house with joy, with your head held high, because you belong there like a son, like a prince (Luke 15:22-23).

That, we are commanded to cast all our cares upon our Father in heaven, because he cares for us so much, (1 Peter 5:7). Because our life is already hidden with Jesus Christ, who sits in God’s presence, at His right hand, therefore, our thoughts are to be constantly there, with Yahweh and our beloved Lord, (Colossians 3:2-3).  That, just as Jesus is at God’s mighty right hand, so are we now, hidden and seated with Him there, even while we are in this world, ( 1 John 4:17 ). That, we are commanded to use our reconciliation and our bold access to Yahweh’s throne room, by constantly opening the doors to our Father’s throne room and seeking His face for all the things and help we need, and by this, we fulfill the command to love God with all our souls, (Hebrews 10:19-22).

It is both a direct promise of God and a revealing of His Divine immutable nature that He forgives all our sins, He heals all your diseases, He delivers you, and He crowns you with kindness and goodness (Psalm 103 and James 5). Therefore, as many as are the promises of God, in Jesus they are “yes”; therefore, also through Him, is the “Amen,” to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20.)

God is the source of all knowledge. God controls all metaphysics and ontology. God is the only lawgiver. God is the only one who gives definitions to His own creation. The Logos continues to uphold His creation faithfully in His definitions of it. Thus, why is it a correct definition that all people, born after Adam, were born created with a sinful nature and death, when they did not do the sin themselves? Because God thinks so. Why is it a correct definition that sinful people are credited with Christ’s righteousness, life, health, wealth and inheritance, when they did not do it themselves? Because God thinks so. Why is it correct for God’s adopted children, to have the privilege to ask for anything and then get this anything they desire from Almighty God, from the LORD of Angel Armies? Because God thinks so. Why is it a correct definition that adopted children have bold access to the very throne room of heaven, to the only Immortal, Invisible King of Ages, to ask for help and ask for blessings? Because this Eternal Lord of Ages think so. Why is mercy defined as both a spiritual help, and as a natural help of “double health and wealth”? Because God thinks so. Why is it correct, that God’s children have all their sicknesses and diseases taken away? Because God thinks so, and He has written this definition in stripes upon the back of His only Son.

Think about it, why does a tree today still ontologically behave in the category of a tree? Because God thinks so. God is faithful with His revealed definitions about His creation. God has defined us in the category of co-heirs with Christ, as part of Christ’s body. This has irrevocable metaphysical properties. Set your mind on how God defines the world. Think how God defines you in Christ. This is the essence of faith. It is the essence of maturity and of a renewed mind. It is the essence of spiritual warfare. It is not about how you think or feel about such things; you simply agree with how God defines you and all things; think about this point of view day and night. See the world from the top of mount Zion with your Father. From up here above the clouds, it is total victory and triumph over the world. The Father as given you the world and all things in Christ.

How Does Jesus Apply Predestination ?

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you,” (John 15:16).

Jesus is talking in the topic of election and predestination. We did not choose Him; rather, He chose us (Romans 9-11).

What is interesting, (as, Vincent Cheung, points out in “Predestination and Miracles”) is how Jesus applies the doctrine of election and predestination. Jesus’ application of God’s sovereign predestination is not how most apply it. In fact, Jesus, the most God centered man who ever lived, applies God’s predestination in the opposite way most apply God’s sovereignty. Those who champion themselves as experts on God’s predestination when they are in context of prayer apply it by saying, “you can pray, but based on the Father’s choice, He might or might not grant it.” Jesus does the exact opposite of this. He says, God chose you, or that is “predestined you so that you can ask whatever you want, and the Father will give it to you.”

Why does Jesus and the self-appointed experts on God’s predestination say the opposite? Who is wrong, and who is right? And if Jesus is right, then be free to use God’s predestination and election to embolden you to pray and get whatever you ask for. Let Jesus’ teaching on God’s sovereignty be an encouragement to build faith and grant your request. Mark those who contradict Jesus’ application of predestination as servants of the faithless and remove them from your life.

Did not Enter God’s Rest, Because they disbelieved in Health and Wealth.

Hebrews 3 says that it was their unbelief that stopped them from entering the Promise Land.  God did the saving and brought them out of sin and slavery under the Egyptians. This is mirrored with Jesus saving us from our sin and death. They did nothing when God did this, and we did nothing when Jesus saved us. But when they were baptized in the Jordon, God put a sword in their hands and said, “you do it.” God would empower them, but they had to step out in faith and do it themselves. God promised them milk and honey, or health and wealth, but they would have to use their hands to grab it. These good promises are just a continuation of the blessing of Abraham, which God promised. God promised fruitfulness, power, health and wealth, among other things to Abraham and his descendants. However, this became a choking point for the Israelites’ faith. They refused to believe God was able to strengthen them to conquer the Promise Land. Hebrews said they did not mix faith with God’s promise. God cursed them and let their bodies litter the desert for 40 years.

They had enough faith to cross over the red sea on dry land. They had enough faith, if just barely, to let God save them from slavery and let His wrath pass over them, as it destroyed their slave masters. This is like having some faith that Jesus forgives and delivers. However, when God wanted to empower them to be blessed with the riches of milk and honey from the Promise Land, they had no faith. Being empowered and receiving good things was a choke point for them, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. It is this unbelief in God empowering them to receive good things, like health and wealth and military power, that Hebrews 3 says because of unbelief they did not enter God’s rest. It was not unbelief in God saving them from slavery, which disallowed them from entering God’s rest. No. Not until they could believe God would empower them and enrich them with health and wealth, would it qualify them to enter God’s rest. Hebrews said God was “angry” against them and so He killed them. We are warned not to repeat their mistake.

The same is today. Their baptism into the Jordon is mirrored with us being baptized in the Spirit for power. (See Vincent Cheung, “The Edge of Glory,” who helped me understand this.) The preacher of Hebrews is using Israels’ example in connection to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Having some faith that Jesus forgives is not enough, if you disbelieve God empowers you to expand His kingdom and empowers you with things such as health and wealth, which are part of the blessing of Abraham. As with the ancient Israelites, their faith in God to save them, was proven to be half-baked, when they could not believe God would empower them to receive good material blessings. God was angry with them and disregarded them by not allowing them to enter His rest. The same is for “Today.” People expose their faith as half-baked if they refuse the baptism of the Spirit and refuse to believe God for material good things. God will not allow such people to enter His rest.  

The warning about “not mixed with faith,” was about faith for God to empower “them” with strength and material blessings. It is this connection the writer of Hebrews warns us is the type of unbelief that will keep you from Gods rest. Most would not preach the gospel in this way, but it is scripture. It does not say, “they did not have faith in God’s promise to pass His wrath over them, so they refused to put the blood on the door. Thus they are not saved, and will not enter God’s rest.” This is true as far as it goes, but it is not the gospel which Hebrews is preaching. It says they did not enter God’s rest because they disbelieved God’s promises of power and blessings. This is the gospel which Hebrews preaches.

They did not enter God’s rest because they did not believe God’s promise of health and wealth. This is precisely the warning from Hebrews chapter 3. We are warned that “Today,” the promise still stands to enter God’s rest, therefore, do not disbelieve God’s promises for power, health and wealth.  

Children of Abraham act like their father, and imposters lack the faith to do so. It is not as though Abraham believed God declared him righteous, but disbelieved God to make him famous, give him miracle health and excessive wealth. Yet, this is the so-called gospel that some preach; a gospel of only believing you are righteous, without the miracles of power, health and wealth. This half gospel caused the Israelites to be discarded by God by rejecting them from entering His rest. This half-gospel was not preached to Abraham, not preached by the prophets (Isaiah 53:4-5), not preached by the Apostles (James 5:15, Acts 2), and not preached by Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:21). Those who are children of Abraham have faith to believe the gospel preached to Abraham, not just the righteousness part. Either you have Abraham’s faith or you do not.  By not believing in God’s promise for power, health and wealth, the Israelites exposed themselves not to be children of Abraham, and people today are also exposing themselves as the same.

Because faith is what kept the Israelites out, guess what Satan is focused on attacking? He attacks faith to believe God’s good promises of power, health and wealth, which is what will cause them to enter God’s rest. Guess who is attacking such doctrine today? Whose side are they on? If they fight to keep people from entering God’s rest, how are they not servants of the Faithless One?