I have heard it preached by different denominations that speaking in tongues is paramount to receiving access into Heaven. Many preachers have taught from their pulpits that tongues is this special, private language that only God can understand. 

Before we discuss entrance into heaven, we need to define speaking in tongues. As always, we will look to what the Bible has to say for understanding. The first occurrence of speaking in tongues occurred on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, 4 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak. 5 Now dwelling in Jerusalem were Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, the crowd came together and were confounded, because each man heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to each other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that we hear, each in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God.” 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other, “What does this mean?”

Throughout the entirety of scripture, the word tongues always means languages. More specifically, known languages. 

Speaking in tongues was the ability to speak in a language the speaker does not know, in order to communicate the gospel to someone who does speak that language. In the multicultural area of Corinth, it seems that the gift of tongues was especially valuable and prominent. The Corinthian believers were able to better communicate the gospel and God’s Word as a result of the gift of tongues. However, Paul made it abundantly clear that even in this usage of tongues, it was to be interpreted or “translated” (1 Corinthians 14:13, 27). A Corinthian believer would speak in tongues, proclaiming God’s truth to someone who spoke that language, and then that believer, or another believer in the church, was to interpret what was spoken so that the entire assembly could understand what was said.

This is not in agreement with those who view praying in tongues as a prayer language. To give you a brief summary, there are many who believe that speaking in tongues is a special prayer language that only God can understand. They get this from 2 Corinthians 14

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

Several question arise from this passage. 1 How could praying in tongues be a private prayer language is the scripture says it has to be interpreted? 
2) How could praying in tongues be for self-edification when Scripture says that the spiritual gifts are for the edification of the church, not the self (1 Corinthians 12:7)? 
3) How can praying in tongues be a private prayer language if the gift of tongues is a “sign to unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22)? 
4) The Bible makes it clear that not everyone possesses the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11, 28-30). How could tongues be a gift for self-edification if not every believer can possess it?

Some understand praying in tongues to be a “secret code language” that prevents Satan and his demons from understanding our prayers and thereby gaining an advantage over us. This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) The New Testament consistently describes tongues as a human language, and Satan and his demons are well able to understand human languages. 2) The Bible records countless believers praying in their own language, out loud, with no concern of Satan intercepting the prayer. Even if Satan and/or his demons hear and understand the prayers we pray, they have absolutely no power to prevent God from answering the prayers according to His will. We know that God hears our prayers, and that fact makes it irrelevant whether Satan and his demons hear and understand our prayers.

What do we say, then, about the many Christians who have experienced praying in tongues and find it to be very personally edifying? 

First, we must base our faith and practice on Scripture, not experience. We must view our experiences in light of Scripture, not interpret Scripture in light of our experiences. 

Second, many of the cults and world religions also report occurrences of speaking in tongues/praying in tongues. Obviously the Holy Spirit is not gifting these unbelieving individuals. So, it seems that the demons are able to counterfeit the gift of speaking in tongues. This is not to say that all who speak in tongues are filled with demons. But what this should do is cause us to compare even more carefully our experiences with Scripture. 

Third, studies have shown how speaking/praying in tongues can be a learned behavior. Through hearing and observing others speak in tongues, a person can learn the procedure, even subconsciously. This is the most likely explanation for the vast majority of instances of speaking/praying in tongues among Christians. 

Fourth, the feeling of “self-edification” is natural. The human body produces adrenaline and endorphins when it experiences something new, exciting, emotional, and/or disconnected from rational thought. The key word here is emotional. 

Simply put, speaking in a language you have never learned is 100% an act of the Holy Spirit. This is not something that can be conjured up in our own flesh. Tongues always has been and always will be for edification of the body of Christ and the communication of the Gospel. If it has nothing to do with someone hearing the Gospel of Christ, there is no need for it!  Last time I checked, God can hear me in the English language that I speak.

There are those of certain denominations and communities that want to shame those who do not speak in tongues and consider them to be inferior because they do not share that experience.  Many have even declared that a person cannot enter into heaven without speaking in tongues.  

As a matter of personal note, I do not believe that speaking in tongues is a private prayer language that only God can understand nor do I believe that there is a necessity for tongues today. We have so many tools at our disposal to communication the Gospel. If you don't believe that.... All of us have language translation apps on our phones.

There are those who want to shame those who do not speak in tongues and even those who declare that a person cannot enter Heaven without speaking in tongues. I've got a good Greek word for that.....bologna!!

Scripture is clear on how we receive eternal life and that is to believe on the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! Not speaking in tongues or any other "thing" we can do. By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 
 

Let me begin by saying that I know many women who serve in ministry. Their passion, hard work, and dedication rivals and even exceeds that of many men I have come to know the in the gospel ministry. 

Women are one of the greatest gifts that God has given the world. But in our passion to promote women, have we overstepped the Scriptures? It’s not uncommon for the church, as a whole, to over-correct itself when abuse occurs.

We must understand that the loving, nurturing role of a woman is vital to the health of the church in the same way that it is vital to the health of a child. God has designed the male-female relationship to complement one another; one gender is not better than the other, but we do have different roles. To reject these God-given differences can lead to an unbalanced view.

Second, many misunderstand male leadership as God designed it; it’s not a glorified position, it’s the position of a servant. A servant is called to protect, lead, and guard the church. We are to serve those God has entrusted to us. If there is a loud noise at home in the dead of night, do we encourage our wives to investigate? I hope not. God has called men to the position of servant leadership and protector.

Third, we see from Genesis 3:16 that God ordained a leadership role for the man. However, throughout the years, men have neglected their God-given roles of leadership in the home and church. When men cower back from that role, who has been left to step to the plate? It has been godly women! Men must rise to the call of servant leadership. This type of leadership is not domineering or abusive; it’s kind, gracious, and humble. Pastors are to serve those in church, not lord over them. God’s design is not focused on “better than” or “superior” even though abuse has tarnished it.

The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11–12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13–14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to them, teaching them publicly, and exercising spiritual authority over them.

There are many objections to this view of women in pastoral ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11–14 nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, then the majority of Jesus’ disciples would not have been qualified. 

One common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching men (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus). Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, and women were the authorities in that branch of paganism—therefore, the theory goes, Paul was only reacting against the female-led customs of the Ephesian idolaters, and the church needed to be different. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention the standard practice of Artemis worshipers as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11–12.

Another objection is that Paul is only referring to the context of husbands and wives, not men and women in general. When looking at 1 Timothy 2: 8-14, this cannot be referring only to husbands and wives. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9–10)? Of course not. Verses 8–10 clearly refer to all men and women, not just husbands and wives.

Yet another objection to this interpretation of women in pastoral ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. It is true that these women were chosen by God for special service to Him and that they stand as models of faith, courage, and, yes, leadership. However, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue of pastors in the church. 

Some use Chloe in the New Testament as an example of women being pastors. They say that she was a house church leader according to 1 Corinthians 1:11, but the Scripture doesn’t say that; it says “from Chloe’s household.” Another woman referenced is Priscilla. She and her husband, Aquila, ministered together. Another example is Lydia in Acts 16. Her entire household was baptized and her home became a meeting place for early Christians.

Although these women are mentioned, the context does not support the role of elder/pastor. The terms for pastor, bishop, or overseer were not used to describe them. Deborah, in the Old Testament, is another example used to support the idea of women as pastors. She was a powerful Old Testament figure who judged the nation of Israel for a season, but we cannot use this text to support the New Testament role of pastor, or “bishop,” of a church.

In the Greek, the word for bishop is episkopos and the word for pastor is poimen; both terms refer to the same office, and they both come from masculine nouns that mean to shepherd or to care for. The qualifications for male leadership are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. The Bible does not outline character traits for female pastors, nor does it use the words episkopos or poimen when describing their role. For those who agree with the position of women pastors, where does the Bible list the character traits needed for this role?

Men are given the positions of pastors and elders because God gave them the role of leading and dying for their family and the church. I believe that Christ coming into the world as a man was strategic for this very reason: to lead, shepherd, and die for. It has nothing to do with the culture of Paul’s day because the male/female role began at creation; it’s not about “better,” it’s about design. How did God design us? First Timothy 2:11-13 talks about women not usurping the headship of men.

For further explanation, we need a more careful exegesis of Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, God cursed the serpent, brought cursing on Adam and brought cursing on Eve. Verse 16 tells us To the woman He said,

“I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth,
and in pain you will bring forth children;
your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

That last phrase indicates that a woman's desire will be to rule over her husband. We all can understand what that means. You would be lying to say you have never heard the expression 'we know who wears the pants in that family". Many times this is to indicate that the wife runs the house or finances or whatever else she desires. Why does she desire to do that? Because of sin. But if we take an honest look, not an emotional look, at the scripture, the God-given design is for men to lead in the home and in the ministry of the church. 

The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes the reason why women cannot be pastors perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for,” giving the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11–12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived” (verses 13–14). God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. The order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33) and in the church. 

The fact that Eve was deceived is also given in 1 Timothy 2:14 as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This does not mean that women are gullible or that they are all more easily deceived than men. If all women are more easily deceived, why would they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? The text simply says that women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. God has chosen to give men the primary teaching authority in the church.

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helping/serving. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3–5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them. This view has nothing to do with option, male dominance, abuse of authority, or male chauvinism, but everything to do with principles given in Scripture that allows each role to complement the whole. Times change, but truth does not.

Having been in the gospel ministry for the past 25 years as a pastor and minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have had the opportunity to preach and participate in many funerals. Whenever there is a grieving family, I often hear phrases like, God got another angel, or they finally got their wings.  

Phrase like these are usually well meaning, but they are not biblical. I respect a person's sorrow and grief and their desire to honor and remember their loved one, but we do not become angels when we die and go to Heaven.

Before we dive into the discussion on angels, we need to have a clear understanding of how a person get's to Heaven in the first place. Many people believe that their good works are going to get them to Heaven.  

In fact, I had a man share with me one time about how he envisioned entrance into Heaven. He shared that there would be a scale and if our good outweighs our bad, then we would be granted entrance into Heaven. That is in direct opposition to what the scripture declares.  

Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

In Romans 11:6 God tells us (and I am paraphrasing) that salvation is by grace and not works, if it is by works, then God's grace is not really a free gift. 

Paul tells us in Galatians 3 that all who rely on getting to Heaven by works are under a curse. Why? Because God's standard is not goodness. God's standard has always been perfection and none of us are perfect after the flesh. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. This is the reason Christ Jesus had to be born of a virgin, come in the flesh, live a sinless life, so he could be the perfect substitute for you and me. Now when we place faith in Him and His work on the cross, our faith is counted as righteousness and we can be granted entrance into Heaven. It has nothing to do with our good works.

There is a false gospel being preached that everyone goes to Heaven when they die, but the Bible tells us that not all who say unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Jesus told us that the work and will of God is to believe on Him who He sent....that is Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is the only pathway to entrance into Heaven.

With that nailed down now, do we become angels when we die and go to Heaven? Simply put, NO! 

Those who believe that humans become angels when they die have a distorted idea about the nature of humanity and angels. Humans are physical beings with a spiritual soul, made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Angels are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14) who can only become physical if God ordains that their work requires it. Humans are born with a sin nature and sin throughout their lives. Because of this, God arranged a plan of redemption that angels can't even understand (1 Peter 1:12).

Angels are similar to humans in some ways. They were created by God (Colossians 1:15-17). They have intelligence (2 Corinthians 11:3), emotion (Revelation 12:17), and will (Jude 6). They are meant to praise God (Luke 2:13), serve God (Revelation 22:9), and work for His kingdom (Acts 8:26). When they need a physical representation, they often appear human (Daniel 8:15), although not always (Ezekiel 1:5-11). And they know the Scriptures (James 2:19; Revelation 12:12).

At no point does the Bible indicate that humans become angels after death. At death, the body and soul of a human are separated. The soul of the believer goes to be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8), and the soul of the unbeliever goes to a place of torment (Luke 16:22-23). At the end times, believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) will receive new, glorified bodies and spend eternity in paradise (Revelation 21:1). Unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15) will be judged and cast into the lake of fire. No work as an angel is mentioned.

You see, these bodies we live in now are under a curse. It is the reason that there is disease, sickness, and even death. All of us are dying from the moment of our birth. If you don't believe that, look at your high school yearbook photo! One day, these bodies will give out because we are under the curse of sin. But one day, the scripture declares that when Christ returns we will be given eternal bodies, ones that are not susceptible to disease or sickness where we will ever praise and worship God. It makes no mention of us floating around on clouds or getting wings or anything like that. 

The Bible also says that in heaven we will be higher than the angels–and the reason is because we will be like Christ. The Bible says, “Do you not know that we will judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3). While this verse may be referring to the rebellious angels who chose to follow Satan, it still implies that our status after death will be above that of the angels.

God created humans and angels as different beings for different purposes. Occasionally, our paths cross as we work together for the kingdom of God. In heaven, we will glorify God with the angels, but we will never become them.

One of the most important parts of scripture to understand is the creation account in Genesis. Many people, even good Christian people, dismiss the creation account as secondary. While we can get caught up in the debate and lose focus on the spreading of the Gospel, I want to posit that what a person believes about the creation account plays a significant role in how the view theology in general and most importantly, how they view the Gospel.

For the sake of this vlog, we obviously do not have time to dive into each of the views of creation and dissect them all so we will read what the scripture has to say and take it at face value.  

We do not have time to dissect the four major theories of creation but they are the gap theory, the day-age theory, the framework hypothesis, and a literal 6-day creation. 

Genesis 1 gives us the biblical account of creation and I encourage you to read through the entire chapter. The 1st day God created light and separated light from darkness, Day 2 God created the sea and the sky, Day 3 He create land and plant life, Day 4 He created the sun, moon, and stars, Day 5 He created the birds and aquatic life, Day 6 He created land animals and human beings, and on the 7th day, He rested from His work.  

So the book of Genesis tells us that God created every living thing that creeps on the earth in a 6 day time period. Where things begin to go amuck, is when people begin to interpret the scripture in all kinds of weird ways. We have been taught in school, on TV, and in books that the earth is millions and millions of years old. However, we do not find that time period in the scripture. If a person is going to believe the the earth is millions of years old, believe in evolution, and believe the Bible, then they have to place those millions of years somewhere in the creation account. 

Some want to place the millions of years before Genesis 1:1, Gap theorists want to place them in a gap between verse 1 & verse 2, still others want to spread the millions of years out over the 6 days of creation. What are all of these views doing, they are adding to scripture and Proverbs 30:6 tells us not to add to His word lest He reprove you and you be found a liar.

The Day-Age theory is another view that seeks to place the millions of years within the 6 day creation period. This is the idea that a day is like a 1000 years. They get this from 2 Peter 3:8 where is says that a day with the Lord is like 1000 years. But the verse goes on to say that 1000 years is like a day, so it cancels out their argument!

This seems to be the only time in scripture where people have a problem with the interpretation of the word day. They believe when the word day is used in Genesis that it doesn't literally mean a 24-hour time period, but it can mean a much longer time than that.  

Outside of Genesis 1, in the OT, the word day is used with a number 410 times. In every instance it means an ordinary day. Outside of Genesis, the word morning and evening appear together without the word day, 38 times and every single time it means an ordinary day. The word evening and morning appear together with the word day 23 times outside of genesis and in every single instance it means an ordinary day. The word night appears with the word day outside of Genesis 52 times and in every instance it means an ordinary day.  

If you read the creation account the language that is used is the evening and the morning were the first day, the evening and the morning were the second day, the evening and the morning were the third day, the evening and the morning were the fourth day, the evening and the morning were the fifth day, the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

What more could God do to convince people that it was an ordinary day? They say that the word day could mean 1000 years. But my question is, where does that get applied to other areas of scripture? 

When was the last time you were in a bible study and listening to the story of Jonah when he was in the big fish for three days, when has anyone ever stood up and said, wait a minute, a day with the Lord is like 1000 years, maybe Jonah was in the fish for 3000 years.

Or you are studying the book of Joshua and he marched around Jericho for 7 days and someone says wait a day with the Lord is like 1000 years, so Joshua marched around Jericho for 7000 years. That doesn't make sense.

What makes sense is the God created the world in 6 literal days just like the scripture says.  

Why is it important to have a correct interpretation and view of the first two chapters of Genesis? Because if the Bible can’t be trusted in the first two chapters, what makes it trustworthy throughout the rest of the book? 

The first eleven chapters of Genesis set the stage for the rest of the biblical story. You can’t understand the unfolding narrative of Scripture without Genesis 1–11. There is so much foundational material in these chapters for the rest of the Bible—e.g., creation, the fall, sin, the certainty of judgment, the necessity of a Savior, and the introduction of the gospel. To ignore these foundational doctrines would render the rest of the Bible as unintelligible and irrelevant.

Christian theology is based on the historical accuracy of the Genesis account. The concept of marriage comes right out of the creation account (Genesis 2:24) and is referenced by Jesus in all three Synoptic Gospels. Our Lord Himself acknowledges that man was created male and female “from the beginning of creation” (Matthew 19:4). These statements, to be comprehendible, rely on the historical accuracy of the Genesis creation account. Most importantly, the doctrine of salvation depends on the existence of a literal person named Adam. 

Twice in the Pauline Epistles (Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15), Paul links our salvation in Christ with our identification in Adam. In 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, we read, 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came by man, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

The entire human race is in a fallen state by virtue of being “in Adam” through natural birth. In similar manner, those whom God has chosen for salvation are saved by virtue of being “in Christ” through spiritual birth. The in Adam/in Christ distinction is crucial to a proper understanding of Christian soteriology, and this distinction makes no sense if there were no literal Adam from whom all humanity descended.

Paul argues in a similar vein in Romans 5:12 and says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned”. This verse is the linchpin in the argument for total depravity, and, like the 1 Corinthians passage, it depends on a literal Adam for it to make any kind of sense. Without a literal Adam, there is no literal sin and no need for a literal Savior.

Without believing the literal Genesis account of creation, how can a person believe that we needed a real Savior to die on a real cross to take away our very real sin.  

Justice means getting what you deserve without favor. “Social justice” means getting what you don’t deserve because you are favored.

We see justice demanded of God's people in Isaiah 1:17, Proverbs 31:8-9, Exodus 23:1-9, Leviticus 19:15, James 1:27 and elsewhere in the Scriptures. 

Social justice is different. This is a state or doctrine of egalitarianism” which is the notion that all social, economic and political “inequalities” must be removed from society. As it is defined by our culture, “social justice” is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. THIS iteration of “justice” is NOT commanded in Scripture. 

Justice pursues what is right according to an absolute, impartial standard. Social justice pursues what is lacking for certain groups of people based on what is possessed by others. 

Justice is driven by what is morally acceptable, or what God says is right. Social justice is driven by what is socially acceptable, or what the people say is right. 

Justice is objective. Social justice is subjective. Justice involves matters that can potentially impact anyone. Social justice involves matters that are believed to only impact specific groups. 

Social justice doesn’t resemble biblical justice at all. Actually, it is injustice, and believers must oppose it.

According to our culture, tolerance is one of the key virtues of today. Those who do not tolerate other ideologies, beliefs, worship practices, sexual preferences, and choices in life are considered to be intolerant. 

It doesn't stop there. Those who are labeled as intolerant are also considered to be racists, bigots, and haters. This is the reason that many "Christians" are shy away from confrontation on these issues and will not speak out against false religions, or stand on biblical truths, because they do not want to be outcasts from society. 

If you listen to me long enough you will find that I do not care if I am an outcast or if people consider me to be intolerant. I am not looking to deliberately offend anyone, but if the truth of God's word offends, then it shouldn't be a surprise because Christ himself told us that they hated him, and if we proclaim truth, the world would hate the followers of Christ too. 

The original definition of tolerance and the way in which the word is used now are quite different. Originally, tolerance meant to acknowledge that others have differing beliefs and accept that it is their right to do so. In this way, Christians are to absolutely be tolerant. Recently, tolerance has come to mean accepting that those other beliefs are true—something Christians absolutely cannot do. Unfortunately, the world no longer defines "tolerance" as acknowledgement that others have a differing belief. It has come to mean full acceptance of those beliefs. Of course this definition makes no logical sense because to embrace this type of tolerance precludes any personal opinion or belief. 

Christians are not to endorse religious beliefs that run counter to what the Bible teaches. It amazes me in our culture today that many Christians are doing everything they can to please and appease the world while being a follower of Christ. Christ told us in Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

Now Christ obviously did not come to purposefully divide and cause dissention, so what does that mean. Simply put, the truth of God is dividing. The word of God is polarizing. You either believe it, by faith, or you reject it, there is no middle ground. I can take you to people right now where fathers hate sons and mothers hate daughters because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth divides. The kingdom of light is in conflict with the kingdom of darkness.

As Christians, we are often called narrow-minded and prejudice because they believe that there is only one true way to receive eternal life but is this “one way” belief of our own origination or imagination? No, this is what Jesus said; “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 

He never said I am one of the ways, I am one of the truths and I am one of the ways to eternal life; rather He said that He is the way, the truth, and the life and there is no other. If we believe that there is only one way to be saved, we only believe what Jesus said and this is Jesus’ teaching, not ours. If people disagree with us about this, it is really their disagreeing with Jesus. 

Clearly, this is what the Scriptures teach, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:13). This necessarily means that if someone calls on the Lord’s name they will be saved. The antithesis of this must also of necessity be true; “Whoever does not call on the name of the Lord will not be saved.” There is only one name given to men, women, and children by which they can be saved and that name is Jesus Christ’s (Acts 4:12). It should not amaze us that Jesus is the only way to be saved but considering the sinfulness of mankind, it is amazing that there is any way to be saved at all!


Is there Objective Truth?
I’ve heard this statement frequently; “Well, that may be true for you but that is not true for me. What you believe makes it true for you but it doesn’t make it true for me.” The problem with tolerance as it is now meant is that it rejects the possibility that objective truth exists. The Bible teaches that truth does exist, that God is truth, and that we are to follow in His truth. John 1:14 and 17 says that Jesus, who came from the Father, gives us truth. John 8:32 and Romans 6:16-23 says that the truth sets us free from the control of sin.

The Bible is also clear regarding those who hide or distort the truth in the name of tolerance. Romans 1:18 says whoever suppresses the truth will receive the wrath of God. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus says that our mission is to teach others of the truth about Him. First Corinthians 13:6 (NIV) says, "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." John 14:6 says that Jesus is the truth. While Christians can acknowledge the right of others to have different beliefs, we cannot allow those beliefs to go unchallenged for one simple reason: it is not loving, and Jesus calls us to love (Luke 10:25-37). 

It's inevitable that the world will call believers intolerant, but we can mitigate the damage by being intolerant in the way God tells us to. First, we must know what we believe (1 Peter 3:15). Second, we need to know how to teach what we believe. Second Timothy 2:23-26 says:

But avoid foolish and unlearned debates, knowing that they create strife. 24 The servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all people, able to teach, patient, 25 in gentleness instructing those in opposition. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

In the heat of the moment, faced with personal attack and rejection, it's easy to forget the reason we speak truth. It is not so that we'll be proved right and vindicated, but in the hope that the truth will set another free.

Should a Christian be tolerant of others' religious beliefs? Yes, in the classical sense. The Bible teaches that many will reject God. We should be prepared to accept that, as well as the fact that those who reject God will reject His followers. Christians should not be tolerant in the modern sense. We should not endorse the belief that all religions lead to God, that truth is a personal construct, or that everyone's beliefs are valid. Jesus is the truth. Christians are called to tolerate – and even to love – people without accepting their false beliefs.

If we understand that it is not our responsibility to save people who are lost and outside of saving faith, we should be more understanding of the beliefs of others. Without the Holy Spirit to reveal a person’s need for the Savior, there is no way that we can convince them by arguing that their belief or religion is false. No person will ever argue their way into God's kingdom. It is not our responsibility to save anyone…it is their response to His ability, although it is our responsibility to tell them. We can point them to Christ but God alone does the saving (John 6:44) 

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14). The point Paul is making here is that we cannot convince people that they are wrong. We can tell them about Jesus and point out that their sins have the wrath of God abiding on them. We can tell them that Buddha is not the way to be saved but until the Spirit of God convicts them of their sin and convinces them that Jesus is their only hope to be saved, they are “not able to understand.”


Acceptance is primary in our culture. This is especially seen in the LGBT lifestyle. Not accept someone who participates in a homosexual lifestyle is pure evil in the eyes of the world. A persons religious beliefs are no different. However, I will not accept that homosexuality is an alternate lifestyle. I will only accept that God is pleased with marriage between one man and one woman. I do not and will not accept that there are multiple ways to get to Heaven. I will not accept that there is salvation in any name other than through Jesus Christ. While I stand firm on those beliefs, I do not hate those who believe in or practice those things. 

When thinking about beliefs that are different than ours, many Christians fail to see what is most important. Is our goal to see them come to Christ? If so, then how will will we win them with arguing, ostracizing them, and writing them off? We would be in this same state of disbelief in Christ except the Spirit of God revealed these things to us. We are in no way superior to those who don’t believe. We are only in a better position on the coming Day of Judgment and that is only because Jesus became sin for us so that when the Father sees us, He sees Jesus’ own righteousness and not our sinfulness (2 Cor 5:21). That is not something that we did but it is what God has done. For those who believe in Muhammad’s way, Confucius, Buddha, Mormonism, or Jehovah’s Witnesses, we must realize it is only by the grace of God that we are not in the same belief systems ourselves. When we understand that salvation is fully a work of God and that God receives all the glory for our being saved, we will be more tolerant of those who differ in their beliefs. If we understand these things, we can tolerate others; indeed it should motivate us to pray for them so that their blindness can be removed so that they are able to see the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.


Conclusion
We can accept a person's right to believe whatever they choose without compromising what we believe. We can also do this without arguing, fussing, and fighting. Just because I refuse to verbally or physically fight with someone over their religious beliefs doesn’t mean that I agree with what they believe. And for the record I need to say this to a whole bunch of people. Just because I disagree with someone's religious beliefs, that doesn't make me a racist, bigot or hater. We have got to relearn something in our society that just because we disagree it doesn't mean we have to hate each other. 

Yes, there are some people that I will not fellowship and cannot walk with in this life, but we should still love people, even those who disagree with us. There is hope for everyone. 1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us that "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." That means that no one is outside of the saving arms of Jesus Christ. Conversion can happen and they can be changed. But I will guarantee they will not be changed if we argue fuss and fight with them and write them off. We must still share with them that Jesus is the only way but if they don’t believe in Him, then all we can do is pray that the Spirit of God reveals this to them. This doesn’t lesson our responsibility to proclaim the gospel but we should understand that it takes the Word of God, from a person of God, mixed with the Spirit of God, to make the children of God, and for the glory of God.
 

We are seeing some unprecedented times in America today.  The country is taking extreme measures to slow down the "pandemic" or should I say plandemic!  And many of the measures being taken are limiting individual freedom and violating rights guaranteed by our constitution.  

We are seeing people being arrested for trying to go back to work, mothers being harassed by police because they take their children to the park, citizens being physically removed from public transit because they refuse to wear masks.  

I'm going to try and remain calm for this vlog because these things infuriate me.  First amendment rights are being violated by not allowing dissenting voices to challenge the current narrative and by not allowing people to gather for worship.  I believe the 1st amendment states "or prohbiting the free exercise thereof"  2nd amendment rights are being violated by governors restricting individual gun carrying rights.  To what extent should the Constitution be violated?  The answer.....NEVER.....period!

Our rights should not be violated for any reason!  Otherwise we are not free.  This goes for all Americans.  

As a pastor and teacher of the Bible, we cannot overlook Romans 13 in the scripture.  

To put it in simple words for those who may not have read this Chapter of the Bible, it calls for Christian people to be obedient to governing authorities.  

God's word consistently calls us to obey and support our governing authorities.  

Paul urged that "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).    

His instruction to Christians living in Rome was clear: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment" (Romans 13:1-2).

The apostle then stated that "the authorities are ministers of God" (v. 6) and urged his readers: "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed" (v. 7).

Peter added: "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good" (1 Peter 2:13-14).

It would seem clear, then, that Christians are to submit to the authority of the government, seeing its exercise of power as God's will for us. However, there's more to the story.

Is there ever a time for civil disobedience?  Is there ever a time when Christians should stand against tyranny?  Are there biblical examples?  The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes!  

In Acts 4, Peter and John were ordered to stop preaching the gospel by the Sanhedrin, the highest authority in Judaism. Their response: "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (vv. 19-20).

After Peter was arrested again for preaching the gospel, he was again bold in his civil disobedience: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). His faithfulness to God led to his martyrdom by Rome. Paul suffered a similar fate: imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:6) and execution.

And so, two apostles who counseled Christians to obey the state were executed because they would not obey the state.

Theirs are not the only stories in Scripture.

In Daniel 3, the Babylonian king erected a golden image and required all people to worship it. The Jewish exiles Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego testified before the idolatrous king: "We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (v. 18). You know what happened to them.

Three chapters later, Daniel refused to pray to the Persian king and was thrown into the lions' den as a result.

Some people even think that Jesus was the ultimate pacifist.  

They like to think of Him as the first hippie, throwing flowers and exclaiming, “Peace and love, man!” That may be the Jesus of their imaginations, but that is not the Jesus of the Bible. The Jesus of the Bible was loving. He was forgiving. He was compassionate.

But the Jesus of the Bible also administered justice. He made a whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He told His disciples that as the days were getting more dangerous, they may need their swords (see Luke 22:36-38). It’s called self-defense. A Christian can defend himself or herself. It’s also acceptable for a nation to defend itself from those who want to harm it.

There is a place for self-defense. You have your rights as an American citizen.

John R. W. Stott was one of the most respected evangelical theologians of the twentieth century. In his commentary on Romans 13, he asks:

"Granted that the authority of the rulers is derived from God, what happens if they abuse it, if they reverse their God-given duty, commending those who do evil and punishing those who do good? Does the requirement to submit still stand in such a morally perverse situation? No. The principle is clear. We are to submit right up to the point where obedience to the state would entail disobedience to God. But if the state commands what God forbids, or forbids what God commands, then our plain Christian duty is to resist, not to submit, to disobey the state in order to obey God."

As Christians we have been commanded to have a gentle and quiet spirit.  Many Christians take that and use it to believe that we are to be doormats for everyone to walk on.  While there is a command to turn the other cheek, mess with my children and something is going to happen....you get what I am saying.  Mess with my wife and you are gong to know something!  

The command to turn the other cheek and live in quietness, gentleness, and submission, is not a command to have people run over us, nor is it a command to lay down and take abuse.  That even applies to those in authority over us.

You and I are citizens of two countries. We live in a secular nation with secular leaders we are to support and obey. But we also live in a spiritual society with an omnipotent King whose authority is supreme (Psalm 2:10-11).

Jesus taught us to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).

But when we are forced to choose, we must obey our highest authority.

Peter encouraged us to "show proper respect to everyone." What does this entail? "Love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17 NIV). We are to love each other, and we are to honor our secular leaders. But we are to fear only God.

In our contemporary American society, we face a much different world than that of the Roman Christians.

Paul doesn’t write to command unquestioning obedience to whatever power Christians happen to fall under, because those powers are human, fallible, and sometimes need to be changed. Rather, Paul wrote to remind Christians to always respect the concept of authority. We’re not to be anarchists. When we resist, we resist people, not the authority that they represent—that is always needed for human society to function.

So what does holy resistance look like?

This is not to sound gushy and sentimental, but it must come from a place of love, not anger.  And yes, I get it.  I am angry at the ungodly governing authorities that are stealing away our freedom.  I am angry that there are those who wish to Lord over us, and I will not idly stand by and watch us fall into tyranny, the very thing we fought against to start this great nation.  But as a believer, our heart should always be a heart of seeing people come to repentance and faith.  

You see, God is the ultimate authority for the Christian, not the government, not the President, not any Governor, mayor or any other human being.  This is undisputed. But governmental authority is also necessary in a fallen world. And while these human authorities may ultimately become corrupt or inept, we are given leave to change these authorities, and even, when needed, completely change the systems they control.

But Paul shows us that we must never cast aside the notion that someone will have authority. That is a spirit of rebellion. That is anarchy. It doesn’t work, and God knows it. That is what Paul communicates in Romans 13.

Before you ever decide to resist authority, I have a question.   Before you rush to stand or take up arms or grab our torches and pitchforks, can I ask you have you even prayed about it?

Have you brought your concerns and requests to the Lord?  That is the first thing you should do.  Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in [b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

No, we do not have a king, but don't you think that God would have us pray for our leaders?  Abraham pleaded to God on behalf of the nation. Moses sought the Lord on behalf of the children of Israel.  What about Elijah, Solomon, David, and Nehemiah, YES, they all prayed and sought the Lord to intervene, and it worked!  

I am afraid that many of us, myself included allow our emotions to rule us when we should be on our knees repenting and praying and pleading for the nation and those in authority over us.  

So if, as a Christian, you disagree with the way America—or whatever your country may be—is being led, do something about it. But do it in love. Do it with the idea that authority, itself, is a Godly concept.

Yes, we are to honor authority, but blind obedience to those who are over us is not what God has called for.  We have a God-given, not man-made right to say not to and we should resist those things we believe are oppressive and immoral, no matter how costly or difficult.  

Galatians 5:1 tells us For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Dear brother or sister, personally, I will not be placed under that yoke of slavery and bondage.  Christ's entire purpose for coming to this earth was to make us free.  In fact, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  

I cannot tell you what you should do as a matter of your conscience.  And I also know that many Christian people will disagree with me.  That is fine.  But what I can tell you is that whether you ever choose to stand against authorities, I cannot and will not allow those who are corrupt in power to place me under the very chains that Christ came to deliver me from.  

NO, this doesn't mean that I am ready to take up arms, nor does it mean that I have a mind and spirit of disobedience.  What it means it simply this, one day if it ever comes to defending my family, myself, or any brothers and sisters in Christ, I am ready.  Why?  For whom the Son has set free, is free indeed.  

The first 5 words we dealt with in part 1 were faith, grace, salvation, law and gospel. If you missed that teaching, feel free to go back and watch part 1. Let's take a look at the next five words.

6. Righteousness
Mankind at large has this idea that God is satisfied with goodness or being good. However, God's standard has never been goodness, it has always been perfection. Because we have sinned and have fallen short of God's standard of perfection, we are not right with Him. We are not righteous. 

What puts us in even more of a tough situation, is that there is nothing we can do to earn right standing with God. Romans 3 tells us that the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

This is why we needed Jesus Christ to become the substitute and died on the cross for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

There is only one way to be made right or righteous in the sight of God and that is through faith in the only begotten son of God, Jesus Christ and his work on the cross.

7. Justification
What does being justified mean? Romans 5:1 says Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

The word literally means to be rendered innocent or found not guilty. Even though we have messed up and have done sinful things, through Jesus Christ, while we are guilty, Jesus took our guilt and shame, and the punishment for our sin became guilty in our stead. Through faith we are justified freely by His grace.

8. Propitiation
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Romans 3:24-25 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The word propitiation literally means appeasement or to be satisfied. Because God is holy and His standard is perfection, He cannot overlook our sin. We have broken His commandments and deserve punishment. This is why He sent Jesus to be the propitiation, or satisfaction for the penalty of our sin. Jesus went to the cross and died as a substitute for you and for me. 

Isaiah 53:11 tells us the God saw the anguish of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and is satisfied. That is propitiation. 

9. Imputation
The word imputation means to credit to ones account. The great transfer that has taken place is between us and Christ. 

In 2 Corinthian 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This scripture explains that there are two imputations or credits that have taken place in the work of salvation. First is the imputation of our sin to Christ. At the cross Jesus took our sin and punishment and it was transferred off of us. 

The second imputation happens when we place faith in Jesus Christ. We are credited or imputed with Christ's perfection and are viewed by God as if we have never sinned. What a great salvation!

10. Sanctification
The word sanctify means to set apart. When we place faith in Christ, we are then sanctified and set apart, positionally with Jesus Christ. But the fact is, we still sin when we are saved. As a believer, we should be striving to be set apart for the work of Christ and growing to maturity in the faith. 

John 17:18-19 Jesus said, As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

God started the work of making us like Christ, and He is continuing it (Philippians 1:6). This type of sanctification is to be pursued by the believer earnestly (1 Peter 1:15; Hebrews 12:14) and is effected by the application of the Word of God in our lives. It literally means that every Christian should be striving for holiness in their lives based on all that Christ has done for them in salvation.
 

Here are 5 words every Christian should know—and be able to explain—in order to "be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).

1  Faith

Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  It involves not only mental assent or belief in who Jesus is, but also a heart trust and belief in what He has done for us to provide salvation.  

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

2 Grace

Grace is one of God’s attributes. It is an essential attribute of His character. It literally means the favor of God towards the unworthy. 
We deserve death, and eternal punishment because of breaking God's law. If you don't believe that, read Romans 1. It shows us that we are totally dead, blind, and wretched because of this, we needed God's grace. 

God's grace is a free gift to us. Because we are unworthy and in need of help, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sin.

God extended favor to us while we deserved punishment, that is grace!
 

3 Salvation

In the Christian doctrine of salvation, we are saved from “wrath,” that is, from God’s judgment of sin (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). Our sin has separated us from God, and the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Biblical salvation refers to our deliverance from the consequence of sin and therefore involves the removal of sin.

Who does the saving? Only God can remove sin and deliver us from sin’s penalty (2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5).

How does God save? In the Christian doctrine of salvation, God has rescued us through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation.
 

4 Law

The law of God was added because of transgressions and was given to show us what sin is.  We would not have known sin but by the law.  The law was God's way of showing us how messed up we are and driving us to Jesus Christ.  The law also serves the purposes of restraining evil and showing us what is pleasing to God. Even though we will fail at this many times, Christians should also strive to keep God's law in joyfully thanksgiving for all God has done for them in Christ.

5 Gospel

The Gospel is the good news of what Jesus did to redeem his people (his birth, life, death, and resurrection) and inaugurate the kingdom of God and the new creation (1 Cor. 15). It is good news because we are unable to save ourselves, as all our works are tainted by sin and we are all guilty in Adam (Rom. 5:12-21).

Let me give you 5 quick reasons we can know the Bible is reliable and true.

1. The Bible Claims to be the Word of God

2. Ancient Manuscript Evidence authenticates the Bible

3. Archeological Evidence validates the Bible

4.  Fulfilled prophecies confirm the authenticity of the Bible

5.  The Consistent Message of the Bible