The Bible Standard - Re-Discover the Truth.

Today we began reading the letter the Hebrews.  Many of its verses are full of meaning!  It is important to grasp the flow of reasoning – and not to take one phrase or sentence out of its context.  The writer was most probably Paul; but since it is written primarily for the Jews – and he had fallen out of favour with many of them because he worked among the Gentiles and was converting so many, but had not (as they thought he should) taught them to keep the Jewish laws and practices, Paul was unpopular. This may explain why this epistle (more suitable to call it a book) was circulated without the author being named.

He starts by telling them “God spoke to the fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heirof all things” [1 v.2]  and “after making purification for sins (i.e. dying for our sins) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” [v.3,4]

It was Centuries later that theologians in the by then ‘Roman’ church came up with the concept referred to as ‘the mystery of the Trinity’ – and the man-made creeds which then resulted confuse human understanding. The creeds seem to have influenced translators a little  in their rendering of Greek prepositions, en, dia, etc, But read the total context and we will grasp the obvious flow of Paul’s reasoning.

Verse 8 is interesting, it is the only verse in the Bible in which Jesus is called ‘God.’ (apart from when the astonished and doubting  Thomas said, “My Lord and My God”)  Verse 8 and 9  quote Psalm 45 verses 6 & 7 which prophesy about Jesus that “Your throne O God is forever and ever … you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God. has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”  Jesus represented God, he said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” [John 14 v.9], but he wasn’t the Father. In the same way in Old Testament times  angels represented God on special occasions.

Do true believers represent Christ?  Well Jesus told Paul on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” [Acts 9 v.4]. Jesus has “ransomed people for God … and you have made them a kingdom … and they shall reign on earth.” [Rev. 5 v.9,10] and will surely represent Christ in a special way at that time.  The 2nd chapter in Hebrews presents us with a heart-searching challenge and question, “… we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it … how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” [v,1,3]     .

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 From Daventry Christadelphians Bible Class Nov 2019 

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Many Christians are now questioning the validity of the Genesis account and are making efforts to interpret these early chapters of Genesis to fall in line with modern evolutionary teachings.    Theistic evolution is not a scientific theory, but a range of views about how the science of general evolution relates to religious beliefs in contrast to special creation views.

"A FAMINE ... OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD" Nov. 28th "Behold, the days are coming," the Lord GOD told the prophet, as we read today in Amos ch. 8 v.11, "when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.' And what God 'sent' happened! Verse 7 is significant, "The LORD has sworn ... 'Surely I will never forget any of their deeds." And what godless deeds! And so it happened in those distant days. And it happened again in the days of Christ - when the nation came under the control of the Romans - and was later destroyed because they did not recognise their Messiah. These lessons in history are a warning for our world today - but nobody is listening - there is "a famine ... of hearing (and reading) the words of the LORD" In Amos' day there were copies of God's word available, we read in Nehemiah earlier this month of the neglected book being found and the reformation that followed. And there had been prophet's like Amos, but no one took any notice of them, and so, today's chapter ends, "they shall fall, and never rise again." And so it happened – especially to Samaria - the ‘deaf’ tribes we noted - are called here - "the guilt of Samaria" [v.14] What of "the guilt" of this world? It's godlessness grows ever greater! But, may we 'hear' it said of each other, as Paul says in his letter to Philemon, which we also read today, "I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective ... " [v.5,6]. When it is effective it prevents any "famine... of hearing the words of the LORD" amongst us - and we will surely have " an inheritance that is imperishable ... who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed ..." [1 Peter 1 v.4,5] We realize more and more, because we read and absorb God’s word every day, the need to “approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” [Ph’pians 1 v.10,11] Let us make sure you and I are feeling “filled” a little more – each and every day – and there is no “famine” amongst us.

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RUSSIA – MODERN ASSYRIA (Bro Philip Weatherall – Daventry UK)

God has stated that there are three methods he has chosen to reveal his mind to us. In Hosea 12:10 he states, ‘I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.’ One such use of similitude is the way by which the characteristics of Assyria are mirrored in the relatively recent history of the Soviet Union and Russia. Through Scripture and supplementary archaeological discoveries, the features of the Assyrian Empire of old are compared with the modern-day characteristics of Russia. In this study, we will more readily see that the role that Russia is to play in the invasion of Israel, as set out in Ezekiel 38, is almost upon us…and perhaps identify a specific reason for Gog’s grand move to take a spoil and to take a prey.

2WATCH THE NEWS WITH BIBLE IN HAND ( Bro Pete Owen – Mumbles UK)

“As Britain teeters on the edge of Europe and Europe looks to its east for allies, we see the work of the angels in aligning the nations before the return of the Lord.

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This School of the Prophets was held in Texas 2018 It dealt extensively to demonstrate how the structure of the Word of God and how trustworthy and reliable the divinely inspired scriptures are. The Chiastic structure of God’s word was examined along with many other fascinating aspects of just how beautifully compiled the record is Such as Parallelism and inverted Parallelism

Description:  How to have faith Is the first talk of a 3-part series that examines our relationship with our Heavenly Father. God does not expect us to have blind faith. We are encouraged in the word of God to test and try all things!  Prophecy (God foretelling) the future is key to building up belief in what He’s promised us!

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"NOTHING IS PURE"  Nov. 27

We do not know as much about Titus as we do about Timothy, but Paul left him in Crete to help the many converts there. Paul writes to him, “to Titus, my true child … in the common faith” [1 v.4]  Of course the faith was only “common” in the sense that it was becoming common to believe the message. But that brings its own problems, as some want to join a common enterprise for less than good reasons and real conviction.

Titus had been left in Crete (v.5) ”so that you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town” and these elders must be “above reproach” and have “one wife … and his children are believers” [v.6].  Those he appoints should be “hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.  (they) must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that (they) may be able to give instruction on sound doctrine and also rebuke those who contradict it.” [v.8,9]

Then, as now, true believers shine as lights in a dark world.  We recall what Paul wrote to those in Corinth, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” [2 Cor. 4 v.6]  But do our hearts react to this light in the right way? Sadly not, we need to be constantly aware of the true nature and wonder of that divine light. At Crete some were not, Paul was aware some were “upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” [v.11]

Paul makes the point, “to the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.  They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” [v.15,16]

Our actions must match the things we profess.  We show to God by how we live, by what we do with our time, also by what we read and watch, whether what we profess is really genuine. God sees all! (Remember Balaam’s admission when forced to acknowledge the true God! – read Numbers 24 v.2,4)

We are not expected to be perfect, but we are in training for perfection!  In this training period we are covered by the wonder of His grace.  Notice how Paul expresses this.  “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives …” [2 v.11,12]   Our Lord is the ultimate example, he “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous …” [2 v.14]

Do you feel in your heart that you are in the process of becoming pure?

BUT UNDERSTAND THIS”  Nov. 26

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“But understand this,” that is how today’s reading of 2 Timothy Chapter 3 starts.  It is familiar as a chapter often used talks about “last days” events.  The chapter brings out two particular points.  First, the first verse says that there will be times of special stress, when life is perilous and this happens “in the last days”.

The second significant point it makes is that “all scripture is “breathed out (inspired) by God” and is therefore “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” [v.17] making us “wise for salvation” and that Timothy has had the benefit of being acquainted with them from childhood.[v.15]  This spells out the primary reason why we should read the Bible every day.  The Bible reading system is invaluable for it is not wise to only read the parts we find attractive and interesting to us.  We need a balanced meal and the commitment of regular spiritual meal times.

Looking back again at the first verse, we see it is a flow on of thought from Chapter 2 (men have put the chapter breaks into unfortunate places at times).  In Chapter 2 Paul is writing about bad influences on the attitude among believers – and chapter 3 says they will get worse in the last days!  Attitudes in the world at large, will affect believers who will be “lovers of self … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” [v.2,5] While we can point to evidence of this among the main churches and the bad press they receive all too often, such as the R.C. Priests. It is vital we realize Paul is primarily addressing those who are trying to serve Christ!

The warning “the time is coming” is again put very frankly in the 4thchapter, a time when “people will not endure sound teaching … and turn away from listening to the truth …” [v.3-4] How clear it is that that happened – as an unbiased study of the history of Christianity reveals.   Finally, Paul is aware he is about to die, but how wonderfully he spells out his conviction of his future life in verses 7 and 8, a reward he will be given “on that day” [v.8].  Can we have the same hope “laid up” for us as for Paul?  We must not let these perilous times destroy us.