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SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 48A]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Revelation 18:4 – 8, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
In ancient times, Almighty God (YHWH) had His prophet Micah give warning of a future judgment for all of mankind at Micah 3:8 – 12, [AV] “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. 9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.”
And Jude at Jude 4 warns of evil men creeping into the Christian faith, [AV] “4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” He goes on to inform us of the fact that they are reserved up for judgment at Jude 5 – 7, [AV] “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
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THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the lovi-lovi, or batoko plum, Flacourtia inermis, is a species of flowering plant native to the Philippines, but which has naturalized in tropical Asia and Africa.
Description
This is a medium-sized tree that may grow up to 15 meters. The mature leaves are oblong and elliptic in shape and glossy on the upper side, with a toothed margin. They are about 8 to 20 centimeters long and 3 to 15 centimeters wide. The young leaves are bright orange to reddish in color, turning green as they mature.
The fruits are produced in bunches and resemble cherries. The fruit is round and shiny, turning from light green to a deep red colour upon ripening. Each fruit measures 1 to 3 centimeter in diameter. The flesh is crunchy but sour and acidic in taste. The fruits are generally not eaten fresh but made as jams, preserves, and syrups.[1] [2]
Relatives
The family Salicaceae includes well-known species such as kei apple (Dovyalis caffra), paniala (F. jangomas), and rukam (F. rukam). [source - retrieved from on 5/23/2013]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
See picture of the fruit and other rare tropical fruits, go to, 繖鲢覯ꊝ
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse on Intolerance. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 49A]
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: Acts 17:26 – 27 [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, Almighty God (YHWH) is the Creator of all there is. Mankind came into existence at his command, and all should bring their lives in harmony with his purpose as clearly shown by 1 John 4:7 - 13, [AV] “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”
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[2] Discourse on Intolerance:
INTRODUCTION
Let's first consider what the dictionary states intolerance is so we can have a good understanding of the word:
Intolerance: (1) Incapacity or unwillingness to tolerate or endure, (2) The state or quality of being intolerant; bigotry. [source - Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN 0-308-10309-2/ 0-308-10310-6]
Some have the tendency to mix the giving of a loving warning to others with incorrect beliefs with intolerance, and in so doing are of course in error. Now, let's look at actual cases of intolerance so as to get a better understanding of what intolerance is through actual examples.
INTOLERANCE DESCRIBED IN ACTION
11. - The case of Giordano Bruno:
A good example of intolerance was the burning at the stake of Giordano Bruno an Italian philosopher for proclaiming that the earth revolved around the sun, the Copernican system, under the bummer charge of being a heretic. Why? Because the Roman Catholic church supported the concept of the Ptolemaic system, i.e., the sun revolved around the earth and they were unwilling to tolerate or endure anyone with contrary ideas. In fact, the bummer of a charge, heretic, literally means, one who holds beliefs or opinions contrary to an established religion. [source - Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN 0-308-10309-2/ 0-308-10310-6]. Thus this very bummer of a charge is nothing but true intolerance, 'primi facia.' Or put another way, intolerance is the denial of basic human rights to freedom of religious belief and life as shown by the above example.
12. - The case of William Tyndale:
William Tyndale was a righteous man brought up in the University of Oxford, who wanted his countrymen to have an understanding of God's (YHWH) Word. He perceived that the cause of the people's spiritual blindness, and of the errors and superstitutions of the Church, was ignorance of the scriptures. Thus Tyndale felt moved, by the Spirit of God (YHWH) to translate the Scriptures into English, his mother tongue, for the benefit of the common people. To do so, he had to go to Germany to do so, due to the intolerant seeking his life on the bummer charge of being a heretic.
When the New Testament was complete, Tyndale appealed to the learned for help, for the correction of accidental errors; but the dignitaries of the Catholic Church, indignant that the people should possess the Word of God (YHWH), clamorously inveighed against it as being so full of heresy, sedition, and inaccuracies, that its suppression was the duty of the faithful. They scanned it with a microscopic jealousy, and magnified the inadvertent omission of a letter into a flagrant and willful perversion of the original. The intolerant bishops and arch bishops were filled with wrath, not love as commanded at Matthew 22:36-40, " Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (American Standard Version; ASV). And did not rest until they had persuaded the king to take hostile proceedings in the matter. A proclamation was then issued, under authority, which condemned and prohibited Tyndale's translation, and they conspired together in hate and intolerance how they might entangle and murder its author. They in their intolerance and hate finally captured him and burnt him at the stake. His last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes!."
13. - Today, This intolerance against the true facts and those presenting them continues.
Of course the intolerant can no longer burn people at the stake who believe different than they or do not believe at all since the counterfeit so called Christian church no longer has that hateful intolerant power over the civil authorities. [source - "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," Editor, Maria Gentext King, Spire Books, Fleming H. Revell Co., Old Tappan, NJ; and Encyclopedia Britannica].
However, this intolerance against true facts persist today. Here is an example of the modern way the intolerant religious groups now operate:
"Regarding the situation with Edgar Goodspeed. The way it came across to me
was that beginning with individuals like ex-witness Bill Cetnar and Walter
Martin. WT antagonists pestered the man practically to his grave to get him
to withdraw his original statement he gave in support of the NWT N.T. portion
in the 1950's. To which he finally relented and did. I've heard his widow had
to reaffirm it from time to time even after he past. Even in death they'll
still hound you." [source - the wife of Edgar Goodspeed].
Speaks for itself.
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS DOWNPLAY THEIR INTOLLERANCE
Today this counterfeit so called Christian church downplays the Tyndale and Giordano Bruno sagas as isolated cases, but they were not. Here is a very small list of many thousands that clearly show this, and that is was NOT only sanctioned by, but often instigated at the direct orders of the top church leader, the Bishop of Rome himself.
1. The intolerant persecution of the Albigenses (Cathars) and the genocidal killing of over one million on the direct orders of Pope Innocent III.
2. The intolerant persecution of the Waldenses on the orders of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.
3. The intolerant persecution of Aymond de Savoy, a minister of Bourdeaux and finally his strangulation and burning.
4. James Cobard, a schoolmaster in the city of St. Michael was burned for speaking up for religious freedom.
5. Peter Chapot brought a number of French Bibles to France and sold them, and for this the counterfeit church authorities had him burnt at the stake.
6. A Genese youth, called Thomas, having rebuked a counterfeit Christian for profane swearing was burnt at the stake in Paris.
7. Simon Laloe, Matthew Dimonet, and Micholas Maile were burnt for professing a religion other than the counterfeit Christian one.
8. The Bishop of Rome launched a savage Crusade against the peaceful Muslims in Palastine.
9. The counterfeit Church launched an inquisition against all other faiths in hatred and intolerance and even burned Dr. Cacalla, his brother Francis, and his sister Blanche at Valladolid for having spoken against the inquisitors.
[ an on and on ]
1,000,001 The massacre of St. Bartholomew of the Hughenots at the directions of a hateful and intolerant counterfeit so called Christian church in 1572 a.d.
1,000,002 The intolerant and hatred against truth by the counterfeit Christians lead to the murder of John Huss a well known reformer by burning; and the pope, in conjunction with the Council of Constance, ordered the Romish clergy everywhere to excommunicate all who adopted his opinions, or pitied his fate.
1,000,003 And on and on acts of hatred and intolerance by counterfeit Christians directed by their leaders, bishops, arch bishops, cardinals, and the Bishop of Rome.
[sources - Encyclopedia Britannica; Encyclopedia Americans; "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," Editor, Maria Gentext King, Spire Books, Fleming H. Revell Co., Old Tappan, NJ; Writings of Caliph Saladin; Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN 0-308-10309-2/ 0-308-10310-6; "Violence and the Mass Media," Harper and Row 1968; "All in The Name of the Lord, " by Bill Stringfellow, Clermont Concerned Publications 1981; 'National Sunday Law," by A. Jan Marcussen, amazing Truth Publications; "The Story of Civilization." 11 vols. 1935-75, by Will Durant; "Age of Faith," by Will Durant]
CONCLUSION
As has been amply shown, intolerance is NOT the loving exposure of false belief and doctrines, but active hate and inability to countence others with other beliefs, be they right or wrong. It is the overt persecution, an inability to extend equal rights of others of basic human rights of freedom of thought and belief, and well being to others; or as the dictionary so well put it, the "incapacity or unwillingness to tolerate or endure" the opinions, beliefs, and ideas of others. This being shown by twisting and taking things out-of-context to discredit others.
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse on Mocking of True Christians. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 50A]
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:11 – 14, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
And as was recorded in Psalmss 119:66 - 68, [AV] “Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.” At this time the Hebrews were Almighty God (YHWH) chosen people due to his covenant with their forefather Abraham, yet they proved to be a stiff-necked people per Exodus 33:1 – 6, [AV] “And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: 2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. 4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. 5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. 6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.”
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[2] Discourse on Mocking of True Christians:
Today, unfortunately some individuals lead by the evil one enjoy mocking others just like the evilly disposed individuals who taunted Jesus (Yeshua) when he was being falsely convicted of wrong doing. This is as shown ar Mark 15:17-20, "And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on him. 18 And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 19 And they struck his head with a reed, and spat upon him, and they knelt down in homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross." (Revised Standard Version; RSV) and at Mark 15:29-32, " And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also reviled him." (RSV). Obviously these type of individuals care NOTHING for the truth and have a strong sadistic tendency about them.
Like the Jewish priest of the days of Jesus (Yeshua) they not only reject the truth for themselves, but try and mislead others by making false charges by means of scripture twisting and taking things out of context. This is made clear at Mark 15:1-15, " And as soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, "Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you." 5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate wondered. 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barab'bas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he was wont to do for them. 9 And he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barab'bas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?" 13 And they cried out again, "Crucify him." 14 And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barab'bas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified." (RSV). These individuals are not reasonable, nor do they care for real truth and fact.
One example of their twisting is the taking of parts of scriptures and/or other articles out of context to imply something quite different than what the scripture and/or article meant in context. They falsely call this evidence which of course it is not.
One such case is implying that are prophesying in the sense of making prophesy when that is not the case. Whereas, articles from which they have taken items out of context really were clearly referring to prophecy in the sense of explaining or teaching religious subjects correctly from the Bible. This is falsehood by deceit and false implication. This fact is clearly evident from the definition of prophesying found in the Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN 0-308-10310-6, published by Harper and Row which states with respect 'prophecy' more than one type or definition as follows:
1 - A prediction made under divine influence and direction.
2 - Any prediction.
3 - Discourse delivered by a prophet under divine influence.
4 - A book of prophecy.
5 - Public interpretation of Scripture, preaching.
In their evil false pretenses they imply definition #1 and take items out-of-context to back up their false implication, and claim this as evidence. However, the body of the article and/or scripture clearly shows that only definition #5 is the correct one. This is in reality just being deceitful with the evil intent of discrediting and mocking others.
Why do individuals act this way? Simple as explained at John 8:44, "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (RSV), which clearly shows why they have NOTHING to do with the truth; to wit, they are like their leader.
These individuals reject truth, but be not surprised as John 8:45-47 says, "But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." (RSV) REVEALS THEIR TRUE NATURE.
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SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 51A]
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. 25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Jeremiah 9:23 – 25, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This same truth is repeated in the Greek or New Testament at many places of which James 2:8 - 13, [AV] “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” So it behooves all of us to exercise love toward all, and to deal in justice with all.
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THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Lucma, Pouteria obovata is a tree in the Sapotaceae family. Confusingly, this is not the same plant that was formerly known by the same scientific name, the Andean Pouteria lucuma. The common name in Australia is the Northern Yellow Boxwood. It occurs in many parts of south-east Asia, Micronesia, and on islands of the Indian Ocean,[1] and has local common names there.
The tree was first described as Sersalisia obovata by Robert Brown in his 1810 work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae,[2] before being moved to its current binomial name by Baehni in 1942.[3] The specific epithet obovata refers to the reverse ovate shape of the leaf. There is discussion whether this plant should remain named as Planchonella obovata, with the Queensland herbarium supporting this.[4] A genetic analysis of material found that material from Papua New Guinea was isolated and was a sister to a group comprising material from Australia and Indonesia. Indumentum was present on the leaf surface of the Australian and Indonesian samples, and absent in material from Papua New Guinea.[5]
Pouteria obovata grows as a bushy-crowned tree reaching a maximum height of 10 to 20 metres (35-70 ft). The leaves hairy when young, with upper surfaces becoming smooth and shiny. They are roughly oval- to spear-shaped and measure 6–24 cm (2.4-9.6 in) long, and 1.5–15 cm (0.6-6 in) wide. Appearing from August to October, the tiny greenish-white flowers grow in clusters. Flowering is followed by round red or blue berries 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 in) in diameter. Each berry contains one to five seeds which are yellow when ripe.[6]
* It can be grown in conditions with good drainage with sunny aspect, and can be propagated by seed. The wood is used for turning and cabinet-making.[6]
References
1. ^ "Pouteria obovata". USA Department of Agriculture.
2. ^ "Sersalisia obovata R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
3. ^ "Pouteria obovata (R.Br.) Baehni". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
4. ^ "New names and taxa for Queensland plants, algae, lichens, bryophytes and fungi July 2007 to June 2008". Queensland Government - Environment and Resource Management. Department of Environment and Resource Management, State Government of Queensland. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
5. ^ Teguh Triono, Anthony H. D. Brown, Judy G. West, Michael D. Crisp (2007). "A phylogeny of Pouteria (Sapotaceae) from Malesia and Australasia". Australian Systematic Botany 20 (2): 107–18. doi:10.1071/SB06011.
6. ^ a b Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1997). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Vol. 7. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 357. ISBN 0-85091-634-8. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
Pictures can be viewed at:
1 - outeria_obovata_RGB_Sydney.jpg
2 -
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
When flowering or fruiting, this tree should be unmistakable. The flowers are small and white and are are arranged in clusters around the stems. I think this tree might have good potential for ornamental planting, especially if kept small. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
Round or oval, green fruit with a bright yellow pulp that is said to very appealing. Fruits can have an odd aftertaste. It is very popular in parts of South America. [[EXERCISE CAUTION BEFORE EATING AS IT IS RUMORED THAT SOME VARIETIES OF THIS FRUIT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR YOU.]]
Description: Medium sized tree from 25-50ft high. The lucuma is subtropical and naturally grows at elevations of 9000-10000ft in Peru.
Hardiness: It will tolerate several degrees of frost and grows well in cooler than tropical climates.
Growing Environment: Grow in full sun. Will adapt to dry locations.
Propagation: By seeds. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
The Encyclopedia of Nuts and Fruits says, “A number of green sapote relatives have edible fruit including sapodilla (Manilkara zapota van ... and lucuma (Pouteria obovata Baehni)” (source - retrieved from on //2013)
How this tree and other plants absorb water from the ground. Plants have developed an effective system to absorb, translocate, store, and utilize water. Plants contain a vast network of conduits, which consists of xylem and phloem tissues. These conducting tissues start in the roots and continue up through the trunks of trees, into the branches and then into every leaf. Phloem tissue is made of living elongated cells that are connected to one another and responsible for translocating nutrients and sugars (carbohydrates), which are produced by leaves for energy and growth. The xylem is also composed of elongated cells but once the cells are formed, they die. The walls of the xylem cells still remain intact and serve as an excellent peipline to transport water from the roots to the leaves.
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse on the Whether Christ is Divine. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1[ SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 52A]
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. John 18:37 – 38, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Pilate was a doubter that truth in the absolute sense really existed, and he clearly showed this conviction with respect what he said to Jesus (Yeshua). However his attitude overlooked reality as expressed at John 17:17 - 19, [AV] “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” And Jesus (Yeshua) also stated at John 8:31 – 36, [AV] “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son bideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Stating a truth most important to all genuine followers of his.
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Discourse on the Whether Christ is Divine:
Many claim are made with respect the Divinity of Jesus Christ, but when we use a little reasoning on the subject it is seen as much ado about nothing.
Sure he is divine as clearly shown by common sense as follows:
The son of a dog is a dog; whereas, a son of Almighty God (YHWH) is of course a god or godlike thus divine. This is clearly shown by the meaning of the word as follows:
(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
divine (GOD-LIKE) adjective
connected with a god, or like a god:
The Ayatollah described the earthquake in Iran as a divine test.
Some fans seem to regard footballers as divine beings.
England have fallen so far behind in the championship that their only hope of victory is divine intervention (= help from God).
Just because you've been promoted that doesn't give you a divine right (= one like that of a god) to tell us all what to do.
Oxford Dictionary
divine = /d"van/ adjective (-r, -st) 1 of, from, or like God or a god; sacred. 2 colloquial excellent. verb (-ning) 1 discover by intuition or guessing. 2 foresee. 3 practise divination. noun theologian. divining-rod dowser's forked twig. divinely adverb.
Wordsmyth Dictionary
1. a religious scholar or clergyman. Similar Words exegete , minister , cleric , clergyman , bishop , theologian , prelate , priest , religious
2. Definition 2. (cap.) God (usu. prec. by the). Synonyms Godhead {godhead (2)} , Divinity {divinity (2)} , Omnipotent {omnipotent} , Omniscient {omniscient} , God {god (2)} , Deity {deity (4)} Similar Words celestial
3. Definition 3. (sometimes cap.) the spiritual or godlike, as opposed to the earthly or worldly. Similar Words divinity
The American Heritage(r) Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. Divine
SYLLABICATION: di·vine PRONUNCIATION: /61/wavs/43/D0304300.wav/61/wavs/43/D0304300.wavd-vn ADJECTIVE: Inflected forms: di·vin·er, di·vin·est
1a. Having the nature of or being a deity. b. Of, relating to, emanating from, or being the expression of a deity: sought divine guidance through meditation. c. Being in the service or worship of a deity; sacred. 2. Superhuman; godlike. 3a. Supremely good or beautiful; magnificent: a divine performance of the concerto. b. Extremely pleasant; delightful: had a divine time at the ball. 4. Heavenly; perfect. NOUN: 1. A cleric. 2. A theologian. VERB: Inflected forms: di·vined, di·vin·ing, di·vines
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To foretell through or as if through the art of divination. See synonyms at foretell. 2a. To know by inspiration, intuition, or reflection. b. To guess. 3. To locate (underground water or minerals) with a divining rod; douse. INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To practice divination. 2. To guess. ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old French devine, from Latin dvnus, divine, foreseeing, from dvus, god. See dyeu- in Appendix I. V., Middle English divinen, from Old French deviner, from Latin dvnre, from dvnus.
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse On Determining True Christians from Counterfeit Ones: With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 53A]
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We must be careful in the usage of our tongue since it is a powerful instrument both for the good and the bad. As pointed out at James 3:5 - 9, [AV] “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” And this truth is also stated at Proverbs 18:21, [AV] “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” In other words the key is the controlling of our tongue to the benefit of others as pointed out at Psalms 19:14, [AV] “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Discourse On Determining True Christians from Counterfeit Ones:
Today many claim to be followers of Christ, but many individuals and groups that make that claim are really not his followers as they are not doing righteous works but evil ones.
One Hindu who writes under the pseudonym succinctly noted this fact by saying, "he difference is that the bible alone has caused the deaths of millions of people in the last 2000 years from pogroms, inquisitions and so on. The hundreds of Hindu religious texts put together have not caused any deaths worth mentioning. [source - a Hindu writing under the pseudonym of The Armchair Analyst]. Now remember, the Bible at Isaiah 9:6-7 calls Jesus (Yeshua), "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this." (American Standard Version: ASV); and this Prince of Peace said at Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (ASV).
Thus, clearly to be a true follower of Christ an individual or an organization must be seeking after peace and living their neighbors, and starting wars against them and/or murdering them would definitely show they were NOT true Christians:
Let's look at five principle features that distinguish between True and Counterfeit Christians:
(1) TRUE CHRISTIANS, Are peaceable as Mark 9:50 put it, "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another."(ASV). True Christians would seek to be at peace one with another. However John 16:33 says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (ASV), clearly showing that the world causes tribulation and not peace.
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS would however be causing much tribulation of the earth and bringing disparagement on God's (YHWH's) word, the Bible, by their actions that prove them no followers of Christ no matter that they claim to be his followers. These have started many bloody Crusades and genocides clearly showing they are NOT of Christ. Some examples are as follows:
"To this end he sent Cardinal Alexandrino, a man of very violent temper and a furious bigot, together with two monks, to Calabria, where they were to act as inquisitors. These authorized persons came to St. Xist, one of the towns built by the Waldenses, and having assembled the people, told them that they should receive no injury, if they would accept of preachers appointed by the pope; but if they would not, they should be deprived both of their properties and lives; and that their intentions might be known, Mass should be publicly said that afternoon, at which they were ordered to attend.
The people of St. Xist, instead of attending Mass, fled into the woods, with their families, and thus disappointed the cardinal and his coadjutors. The cardinal then proceeded to La Garde, the other town belonging to the Waldenses, where, not to be served as he had been at St. Xist, he ordered the gates to be locked, and all avenues guarded. The same proposals were then made to the inhabitants of La Garde, as had previously been offered to those of St. Xist, but with this additional piece of artifice: the cardinal assured them that the inhabitants of St. Xist had immediately come into his proposals, and agreed that the pope should appoint them preachers. This falsehood succeeded; for the people of La Garde, thinking what the cardinal had told them to be the truth, said they would exactly follow the example of their brethren at St. Xist.
The cardinal, having gained his point by deluding the people of one town, sent for troops of soldiers, with a view to murder those of the other. He, accordingly, despatched the soldiers into the woods, to hunt down the inhabitants of St. Xist like wild beasts, and gave them strict orders to spare neither age nor sex, but to kill all they came near. The troops entered the woods, and many fell a prey to their ferocity, before the Waldenses were properly apprised of their design. At length, however, they determined to sell their lives as dear as possible, when several conflicts happened, in which the half-armed Waldenses performed prodigies of valor, and many were slain on both sides. The greatest part of the troops being killed in the different rencontres, the rest were compelled to retreat, which so enraged the cardinal that he wrote to the viceroy of Naples for reinforcements." [source - Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Chapter 6].
"Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) was concerned with the growing influence of Catharism, and saw that it threatened the authority of the Church. He saw the movement as a heresy that needed to be eliminated, as were Arianism and Manichaenism in earlier times. In 1204, Innocent III tasked Abbot Arnaud-Amaury [Arnold-Amalric], head of the Cistercian Order, to be a special legate to investigate Catharism in Languedoc. The papal legate used the cloister in the monstery of Fontfroide as his main outpost. Some regular clerics were also sent by the pope. One from Spain was Domingo de Guzmán, the future St. Dominic and founder of the Dominican Order. Domingo attempted to apply the Cathar's austere methods in his promotion of orthodox Christanity, and he had some success in converting a few Cathars. The progress was inadequate, and the Church decided to use force to either convert or to eliminate the declared heretic followers of Catharism.
The pope asked Philippe II Auguste, the French king (and a cousin to comte Raymond VI de Toulouse), to take action against high nobles in southern France who permitted Cathars to openly practice their faith. Philippe II did not comply, as he was facing a more direct threat from an alliance of the English king, Flemish nobles and the German Emperor. [See link to Bouvines War at the end of this webpage.]
In 1206, the pope's legate, Amaury, sent his assistant, another Cistercian monk, Pierre de Castelnau, to Provence to form a league of knights to fight Catharism. Castelnau invited comte Raymond VI of Toulouse to lead this host. Raymond saw no value in such a campaign against this community that was widely spread and well ingranied in his lands. He rejected the "idea of waging war on his own subjects," and Castelnau called for Raymond VI's excommunication. The pope ratified the excommunication of Raymond in May 1207. On 13 January 1208, Raymond met with Pierre de Castelnau at Saint-Gilles, in Provence. The monk and Raymond argued and exchanged threats.
The next morning (14 January), Pierre de Castelnau was assassinated as he was departing the town. His assassin was believed to have been an agent of comte Raymond VI. Pope Innocent III reacted by proclaiming a crusade against the 'sinister race' of Languedoc. His Bull offered indulgences for combatants declared that the heretics' lands were open to be taken. This latter offer enticed many knights from far who needed, or merely sought more land." [source - The albigensian Crusades - 1209-1255, by Société de l'Oriflamme][for more information, read, "La Croisade contre les Albigeois 1209-1249, Pierre Belperron. Librairie Plon, Paris, 1942; and Librairie académique Perrin, 1967 and Pierre des Vaux-de-Cerny. Edited by P. Guébin and E. Lyon, 3 vols., 1926-39. A young monk who was eyewitness to much of the crusade until 1219. An English tranlstion, with notes, by W.A. and M.D. Sibly has recently been published: The History of the Albigensian Crusades (Boydell, Suffolk, 1999)].
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, thus as can be seen, True Christians, individuals and groups, would be seeking peace with their neighbors; whereas, Counterfeit Christians, individuals and groups, would be seeking to make war on their neighbors. Therefore, many none Christians consider Christianity and the Bible responsible for much tribulation since they fail to realize that those doing these evil things may think they are followers of Christ, but in reality they are followers of the arch enemy of his Father, God (YHWH). This opinion of none Christians was shown by one Hindu in the introduction.
(2) TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE TOLERANT of their neighbors who many not believe and/or think as they do. This point is made in James 3:13-18, "Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace." (ASV).
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS ARE IN-TOLERANT, and this in-tolerance was manifest in many wicked acts such as the well known Crusades and many other lesson evil acts. Let's look in brief at a few examples:
The Christian persecution and extermination of Jews, from the late 4th century in the Roman Empire to 1917 CE in the Ukraine.
The Nazi Holocaust which systematically killed about 6 million Jews, 400,000 Roma (Gypsies), an unknown number of Jehovah's Witnesses and others on religious grounds.
The Sudan government's current war of extermination against Christians and Animists in the southern part of that country.[example of Muslim intolerance].
Intolerance promoted on a grand scale by Counterfeit Christians in the name of Christianity by a so called Christian leader who claimed to be the Vicar of Christ on earth, a false claim as clearly revealed by his and his groups actions. "When the reformed religion began to diffuse the Gospel light throughout Europe, Pope Innocent III entertained great fear for the Romish Church. He accordingly instituted a number of inquisitors, or persons who were to make inquiry after, apprehend, and punish, heretics, as the reformed were called by the papists.
At the head of these inquisitors was one Dominic, who had been canonized by the pope, in order to render his authority the more respectable. Dominic, and the other inquisitors, spread themselves into various Roman Catholic countries, and treated the Protestants with the utmost severity. In process of time, the pope, not finding these roving inquisitors so useful as he had imagined, resolved upon the establishment of fixed and regular courts of Inquisition. After the order for these regular courts, the first office of Inquisition was established in the city of Toulouse, and Dominic became the first regular inquisitor, as he had before been the first roving inquisitor.
Courts of Inquisition were now erected in several countries; but the Spanish Inquisition became the most powerful, and the most dreaded of any. Even the kings of Spain themselves, though arbitrary in all other respects, were taught to dread the power of the lords of the Inquisition; and the horrid cruelties they exercised compelled multitudes, who differed in opinion from the Roman Catholics, carefully to conceal their sentiments.
The most zealous of all the popish monks, and those who most implicitly obeyed the Church of Rome, were the Dominicans and Franciscans: these, therefore, the pope thought proper to invest with an exclusive right of presiding over the different courts of Inquisition, and gave them the most unlimited powers, as judges delegated by him, and immediately representing his person: they were permitted to excommunicate, or sentence to death whom they thought proper, upon the most slight information of heresy. They were allowed to publish crusades against all whom they deemed heretics, and enter into leagues with sovereign princes, to join their crusades with their forces.
In 1244, their power was further increased by the emperor Frederic II, who declared himself the protector and friend of all the inquisitors, and published the cruel edicts, viz., 1. That all heretics who continue obstinate, should be burnt. 2. That all heretics who repented, should be imprisoned for life. [source - Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Chapter V].
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE between True Christians who are tolerant and Counterfeit Christians who are in-tolerant as clearly shown by the actions of both groups. However, there is sometimes a fine line between religious in-tolerance, and the legitimate criticism of wrong religious practices; therefore one can be tolerant of those of other beliefs, but can denounce wrong practices and doctrine.
(3) TRUE CHRISTIANS DO NOT PERSECUTE TRUE SCIENCE. True followers of Christ knew long before the development of modern science that the earth did not ride on the back of a giant sea turtle as some ancient people believed since at Job 26:7 it says, "He stretcheth out the north over empty space, And hangeth the earth upon nothing. " (ASV), and yet they never persecuted and/or murdered those who believed the giant turtle theory although sometimes the believers in the giant turtle theory caused them much tribulation.
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS, on the other hand, caused great tribulation and even burnt some not believing their pseudo-science foolishness at the stake. Let's look at one account of such activity where they burnt Giordano Bruno at the stake for saying the earth revolved around the sun and not what they believed, that the sun revolved around the earth.
"Four centuries ago today, on February 16, 1600, the Roman Catholic Church executed Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher and scientist, for the crime of heresy. He was taken from his cell in the early hours of the morning to the Piazza dei Fiori in Rome and burnt alive at the stake. To the last, the Church authorities were fearful of the ideas of a man who was known throughout Europe as a bold and brilliant thinker. In a peculiar twist to the gruesome affair, the executioners were ordered to tie his tongue so that he would be unable to address those gathered.
Throughout his life Bruno championed the Copernican system of astronomy which placed the sun, not the Earth, at the centre of the solar system. He opposed the stultifying authority of the Church and refused to recant his philosophical beliefs throughout his eight years of imprisonment by the Venetian and Roman Inquisitions. His life stands as a testimony to the drive for knowledge and truth that marked the astonishing period of history known as the Renaissance-from which so much in modern art, thought and science derives.
In 1992, after 12 years of deliberations, the Roman Catholic Church grudgingly admitted that Galileo Galilei had been right in supporting the theories of Copernicus. The Holy Inquisition had forced an aged Galileo to recant his ideas under threat of torture in 1633. But no such admission has been made in the case of Bruno. His writings are still on the Vatican's list of forbidden texts." [source - The Infinite Worlds of Giordano Bruno by Antoinette Mann Paterson, 1970].
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE between True Christians who have never persecuted and/or murdered scientist for their scientific holdings, and Counterfeit Christians who have.
So any individual or group who calls themselves Christian, yet persecutes and murders scientist is Counterfeit Christian.
(4) TRUE CHRISTIANS RECOGNIZE THAT SATURDAY IS THE SABBATH DAY, as mentioned at Exodus 20:8-11, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (ASV). Now, the Sabbath day here spoken of was Saturday, not Sunday, as clearly shown by the word for Saturday in Spanish and several other languages derived from Latin, 'Sabado.' it was the seventh-day Sabbath (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) that was kept by all of God's faithful servants in both Old and New Testament times. So clearly the Sabbath day is Saturday, not Sunday, and all True Christians recognize this even though they may hold their meetings on other days for convenience sake.
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS, on the other hand, maintain that Sunday is the Sabbath day. Why? "The reason was the Pagan emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Constantine embraced; howbeit only on his deathbed. However, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" (*1). Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" (*2).
Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential (*3).
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for a Trinity or a Duality and to have the pagan holy day of the Unconquered Sun declared the Sabbath. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed. (*4).
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4, Authorized King James Bible; AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
The Roman Catholic church even admits that it alone authorized the change. Note: "Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the church [Roman Catholic] outside the Bible" (*5). Also, the proceedings of the Council of Nicea of 325 AD openly declare that they have changed the Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday. (*6). Also, Dr. Edward Hiscox, the author of 'The Baptist Manual, states, "There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was NOT Sunday.....It will be said, however, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week...where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament." So we can clearly see from a Protestant source that they know the correct day of the week for the true Sabbath, but have accepted the day assigned by an apostate church, while knowing of the wrong, hook-line-and-sinker; thereby, joining and accepting the products of apostasy.
Of course, we can not earn salvation through any special day. Salvation is a gift from God (YHWH) and the Son of God (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua). He does, however, give this gift to whom he considers worthy due to their obedience, and denies it to the disobedient. The Apostle Paul brought this fact out at Hebrews 5:9, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (AV); On the other hand, he wrote, 1 Corinthians 6:9, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulteres, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind." (AV)."[source - The Sabbath and Apostacy:, by Iris the Preacher, 2004]
"As can readily be seen, the apostate church on their own switched the Sabbath from the God (YHWH) appointed day of Saturday (which actually means Sabbath as can readily be ascertained if you look at that day in the Spanish language, Sabado) to Sunday (the Day of the Sun) without any authority from God (YHWH) to do so. In other words they usurped God's (YHWH's) exclusive prerogative in an extreme act of defiance and disobedience; And most of the Protestants went along with this brazen act of defiance against the rights of Almighty God (YHWH) and adopted the fruits of this defiant, disobedient act by the apostate church they claim to rail against for themselves. This shows disobedience on the part of all who accept this lie and act of defiance and disobedience.
REFERENCES:
*1 - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6
*2 - Lamson, Newton & Durant, Will, "Caesar and Christ," cited from Charles Redeker Caesar and Christ, W. Duran (page 595).
*3 - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366).
*4 - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.
*5 - Catholic Verginian, October 3, 1947.
*6 - Proceedings of the First Great Church Council at Nicea in 325 AD." )."[source - The Sabbath and Apostacy:, by Iris the Preacher, 2004]
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE then is that True Christians accept Saturday as the Sabbath day and do NOT seek to usurp God's (YHWH's) authority; whereas, Counterfeit Christians challenged God's (YHWH's) authority and declared Sunday to be the Sabbath in direct opposition to the word of God (YHWH).
(5) TRUE CHRISTIANS show love seven days a week in keeping with what Jesus (Yeshua) said at Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (ASV). This in realization of God's (YHWH's) as shown at 1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (ASV).
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS, often referred to as Sunday Christians as they go to church on that day and put on a façade of righteousness and love as a show to the world that they are pious, but on Monday they are just as likely to 'stab you in the back' as not to if they feel it is to their advantage to do so. They do not in most cases know true Christian love as taught by whom they claim is their leader. The Bible correctly spoke of them when Jesus (Yeshua) said to this type in his day at Matthew 23:27-33, " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?" (ASV).
Today many of their leaders, like the Pharisees of old as Jesus (Yeshua) stated at Matthew 23:1-5, "Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat: 3 all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, [these] do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not. 4 Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders [of their garments]," (ASV); and at Mark 12:38-40, "And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and [to have] salutations in the marketplaces, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts: 40 they that devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation" (ASV)
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE then is shown by the fact that True Christians show genuine love; whereas, the Counterfeit Christians only show an outward expression of love, but really do not love . They want the adoration of others and their attitude was warned against Jesus (Yeshua) himself at Luke 20:46, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts;(ASV).
In fact, this was specifically warned against at 1 Timothy 4:1-3, "But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth." (ASV).
CONCLUSION:
Jesus (Yeshua) spoke in a parable about the True Christians which he likened to wheat and the Counterfeit Christians which he likened to tares at Matthew 13:24-30, " Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? 28 And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn." (ASV) .
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COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 54A]
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; Ecclesiastes 3:7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This scripture points out an important truth with respect interpersonal relations; to wit there is both a time to speak and a time to remain silent such as when others are speaking we should remain silent as a mark of respect. And Job 6:24 - 25, [AV] points the need of controlling ones tongue, “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?” For example we should keep quiet about confidential matters by being discrete and discerning per Proverbs 20:19, [AV] “He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” Restraining our tongue is a course of wisdom per Psalms 4:4, [AV] “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”
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THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Lucma, Pouteria obovata is a tree in the Sapotaceae family. Confusingly, this is not the same plant that was formerly known by the same scientific name, the Andean Pouteria lucuma. The common name in Australia is the Northern Yellow Boxwood. It occurs in many parts of south-east Asia, Micronesia, and on islands of the Indian Ocean,[1] and has local common names there.
The tree was first described as Sersalisia obovata by Robert Brown in his 1810 work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae,[2] before being moved to its current binomial name by Baehni in 1942.[3] The specific epithet obovata refers to the reverse ovate shape of the leaf. There is discussion whether this plant should remain named as Planchonella obovata, with the Queensland herbarium supporting this.[4] A genetic analysis of material found that material from Papua New Guinea was isolated and was a sister to a group comprising material from Australia and Indonesia. Indumentum was present on the leaf surface of the Australian and Indonesian samples, and absent in material from Papua New Guinea.[5]
Pouteria obovata grows as a bushy-crowned tree reaching a maximum height of 10 to 20 metres (35-70 ft). The leaves hairy when young, with upper surfaces becoming smooth and shiny. They are roughly oval- to spear-shaped and measure 6–24 cm (2.4-9.6 in) long, and 1.5–15 cm (0.6-6 in) wide. Appearing from August to October, the tiny greenish-white flowers grow in clusters. Flowering is followed by round red or blue berries 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 in) in diameter. Each berry contains one to five seeds which are yellow when ripe.[6]
* It can be grown in conditions with good drainage with sunny aspect, and can be propagated by seed. The wood is used for turning and cabinet-making.[6]
References
1. ^ "Pouteria obovata". USA Department of Agriculture.
2. ^ "Sersalisia obovata R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
3. ^ "Pouteria obovata (R.Br.) Baehni". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
4. ^ "New names and taxa for Queensland plants, algae, lichens, bryophytes and fungi July 2007 to June 2008". Queensland Government - Environment and Resource Management. Department of Environment and Resource Management, State Government of Queensland. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
5. ^ Teguh Triono, Anthony H. D. Brown, Judy G. West, Michael D. Crisp (2007). "A phylogeny of Pouteria (Sapotaceae) from Malesia and Australasia". Australian Systematic Botany 20 (2): 107–18. doi:10.1071/SB06011.
6. ^ a b Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1997). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Vol. 7. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 357. ISBN 0-85091-634-8. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
Pictures can be viewed at:
1 - outeria_obovata_RGB_Sydney.jpg
2 -
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
When flowering or fruiting, this tree should be unmistakable. The flowers are small and white and are are arranged in clusters around the stems. I think this tree might have good potential for ornamental planting, especially if kept small. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
Round or oval, green fruit with a bright yellow pulp that is said to very appealing. Fruits can have an odd aftertaste. It is very popular in parts of South America. [[EXERCISE CAUTION BEFORE EATING AS IT IS RUMORED THAT SOME VARIETIES OF THIS FRUIT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR YOU.]]
Description: Medium sized tree from 25-50ft high. The lucuma is subtropical and naturally grows at elevations of 9000-10000ft in Peru.
Hardiness: It will tolerate several degrees of frost and grows well in cooler than tropical climates.
Growing Environment: Grow in full sun. Will adapt to dry locations.
Propagation: By seeds. (source - retrieved from on 1/19/2013)
The Encyclopedia of Nuts and Fruits says, “A number of green sapote relatives have edible fruit including sapodilla (Manilkara zapota van ... and lucuma (Pouteria obovata Baehni)” (source - retrieved from on //2013)
How this tree and other plants absorb water from the ground. Plants have developed an effective system to absorb, translocate, store, and utilize water. Plants contain a vast network of conduits, which consists of xylem and phloem tissues. These conducting tissues start in the roots and continue up through the trunks of trees, into the branches and then into every leaf. Phloem tissue is made of living elongated cells that are connected to one another and responsible for translocating nutrients and sugars (carbohydrates), which are produced by leaves for energy and growth. The xylem is also composed of elongated cells but once the cells are formed, they die. The walls of the xylem cells still remain intact and serve as an excellent peipline to transport water from the roots to the leaves.
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Sequel to Determining True Christians From Counterfeit Ones. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 55A]
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. Proverbs 15:28, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We need to use discernment with respect when is and when is NOT the right time to speak. We should reflect on when is the right time to speak and discern whether the matter is serious enough to say something. We should carefully ferret out the facts so as to know reality and not be speaking about something before we have all the facts. False accusations can cause serious bad feelings and offend others very deeply. It is never wise to approach the offender when we are upset and perhaps might speak a bit rashly and as Proverbs 15:29 says, “the heart of the righteous studieth to answer…” So we must be patient and perceptive with others and speak the right words at the right time.
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Sequel to Determining True Christians From Counterfeit Ones:
In the original article, Discourse On Determining True Christians from Counterfeit Ones, the most salient distinguishing feature between the two groups was one sought peace and to be peaceful with all in neighborly love, the true Christians; whereas, the other group, the counterfeit Christians, as a group were constantly fomenting war and crusades and other violent acts against their neighbors. As said in the original article,
"Today many claim to be followers of Christ, but many individuals and groups that make that claim are really not his followers as they are not doing righteous works but evil ones.
One Hindu who writes under the pseudonym succinctly noted this fact by saying, "he difference is that the bible alone has caused the deaths of millions of people in the last 2000 years from pogroms, inquisitions and so on. The hundreds of Hindu religious texts put together have not caused any deaths worth mentioning. [source - a Hindu writing under the pseudonym of The Armchair Analyst]. Now remember, the Bible at Isaiah 9:6-7 calls Jesus (Yeshua), "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this." (American Standard Version: ASV); and this Prince of Peace said at Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (ASV)."
In the original article, the five most visible salient distinguishing features between the two groups were discussed. These were, (1) the peacefulness of one group vs. the other, (2) difference in tolerance between the two groups, (3) true Christians do NOT persecute others over pseudo science, (4) true Christians recognize Saturday as the Sabbath, and (5) true Christians practice neighbor love seven days of the week.
This article will likewise deal with five (5) a little less salient features that distinguish the two groups from each other. Let's now start with the first one:
(1) TRUE CHRISTIANS are interested in truly assisting others in knowing more about our savior Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, and are NOT always asking money to build ever bigger edifices and paying ever larger salaries to their ministers. The recognize that the Bible said freely give at Matthew 10:8, "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give." (ASV).
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS, on the other hand, their leaders are always asking for more money and many of them live in great luxury. We can see them in action every Sunday on the radio and the television and their message is always the same, they need more money for God (YHWH). In between this pitch, they superficially discuss some Biblical subject as a cover-up for their money grabbing; who has not for example heard of Praise the Lord Group and Jimmy and Tammy?
But it is not only the so called TV evangelist, the brick and motor churches of the creeds do also. I had one Catholic tell me that he gets pitched for money several times during a service; this is not the exception, but the general rule in all religious services of the mainstream religions (creeds) and in most of the others also. Most pass a contribution plate where everyone can see what they gave so as to 'shame' more money out of everyone, and most never give an accounting for it.
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, True Christian groups on the other hand never pass a contribution plates and always give an accounting for where or what the money is used for. Also, they do not pay salaries to their ministers as do the creeds.
(2) TRUE CHRISTIANS as previously mentioned serve as ministers and in other functions on an entirely voluntary basis and do NOT draw a salary as they are mindful of what Jesus (Yeshua) Christ said at Matthew 10:8 quoted above and of Revelations 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely" (ASV) shows that the waters of life should be free.
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COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANS, on the other hand, their ministers and clergy serve for the salaries they draw clearly overlooking what the Apostle Paul said at 2 Corinthians 11:9, "and when I was present with you and was in want, I was not a burden on any man; for the brethren, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want; and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and [so] will I keep [myself]." (ASV); and 2 Thessalonians 3:7, "For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 neither did we eat bread for nought at any man's hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you:" (ASV).
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, Thus can be seen, one group gives freely and assist others to learn about our savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, without burdening those being taught; whereas, the counterfeit Christians have leaders that are in effect teachers for hire. Remember 2 Peter 2:15, "forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;" (ASV) and Jude 11, "Woe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah." (ASV).
(3) TRUE CHRISTIANS, Do not participate in traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH) such as many of the traditions and celebrations of this ungodly world. They are aware of what Jesus (Yeshua) Christ said at Matthew 15:1-9, "Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given [to God]; 6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men." (ASV), and are careful NOT to follow traditions that transgress the word of God (YHWH).
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIAN, Go along with the spirit of the world and keep the traditions and celebrations of the world that transgress the word of God (YHWH) such as the celebration of the birth of the Unconquered Sun masquerading as a Christian holiday which it is not. Well does Jesus' (Yeshua's) parable at Matthew 13:13-23 apply to these, "Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. 18 Hear then ye the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, [then] cometh the evil [one], and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. 20 And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; 21 yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. 22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (ASV).
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, True Christians keep the word of God (YHWH); to wit, the Bible as their standard; whereas, the counterfeit Christians strive after the things of the world and keep the traditions of the world and participate in its celebrations and their deceitfulness is shown to be just that at Mark 4:19, "and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." (ASV).
(4) TRUE CHRISTIANS, Only follow the Bible all the way, not halfway or not at all as the various creeds with their false doctrines do. True Christians have no creed and/or church doctrine, but accept and comprehend that the Bible is entirely consistent - both New Testament and Old Testament - and practical for guidance in the way of our lord for our day.
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIAN, On the other hand have their many creeds and false doctrines and often venerate that which is no god at all. They run after the false things of the world and have the teachings of men instead of the teachings of God (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) for their guidance as shown by 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (ASV). They teach such doctrines of mankind as the Trinity and Apostolic Succession thus venerating the lie instead of God (YHWH). They willfully over look 1 John 2:15-17, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (ASV).
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, True Christians follow the Bible and accept the Bible as the Standard God (YHWH) has provided to live by; Whereas, counterfeit Christians do NOT truly accept the Bible and definitely do NOT live by it. They seek after that which belongs to the world and their creeds and false doctrines they love, but make for themselves false prophets and teachers as warned about in 2 Peter 2:1, "But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." (ASV).
(5) TRUE CHRISTIANS, Clearly set themselves apart from the world knowing that the entire world lies in the hands of the Devil as revealed at 1 John 5:19-21, "19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21 [My] little children, guard yourselves from idols." (ASV); and are ever mindful of Ephesians 2:2, "And you [did he make alive,] when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, 2 wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; 3 among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--" (ASV).
COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIAN, However, seek to be a part of the world and its friend in direct violation of the counsel given at James 4:4, "Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God." (ASV); and 1 John 2:15-16, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (ASV). False Christians do not keep their form of worship free from the world in keeping with James 1:27, "Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (ASV).
A CLEAR DIFFERENCE, The true Christian recognizes that the entire world lies in the power of the Devil and they do NOT seek its association socially as revealed by 1 Peter 4:3-4, "For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: 4 wherein they think strange that ye run not with [them] into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of [of]:" (ASV); and KEEP the clear admonition given at 1 John 2:15, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. " (ASV). Whereas, the counterfeit Christian seek the things of the world and DISREGARD the admonition given at Matthew 6:19-33, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. 22 The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? 26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith? 31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (ASV).
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] Discourse On Paradigm Differences. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 56A]
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. Proverbs 15:28, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We need to use discernment with respect when is and when is NOT the right time to speak. We should reflect on when is the right time to speak and discern whether the matter is serious enough to say something. We should carefully ferret out the facts so as to know reality and not be speaking about something before we have all the facts. False accusations can cause serious bad feelings and offend others very deeply. It is never wise to approach the offender when we are upset and perhaps might speak a bit rashly and as Proverbs 15:29 says, “the heart of the righteous studieth to answer…” So we must be patient and perceptive with others and speak the right words at the right time.
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[2] Discourse On Paradigm Differences:
[b]INTRODUCTION TO PARADIGM DIFFERENCES:
This writing will contrast the differences between two religious organizations, one stuck in a paradigm rut for over 1,700 years, and one that 'thinks outside the box' and develops new paradigms to go along with new Bible learning. It will show by the actions of the one stuck in the paradigm rut that in effect the Devil has gained control over it just as outlined in 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (American Standard Version; ASV).
Paradigm shifts are necessary for any individual and/or group who wishes to advance and most of all take advantage of new learning; however, most groups and/or organizations cling to outdated and usually wrong paradigms and throw up a wall to any incoming data that does NOT AGREE with their particular paradigm. Now many may ask what is a paradigm shift and that is defined as is a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change. As in 1962, Thomas Kuhn wrote "The Structure of Scientific Revolution", and fathered, defined and popularized the concept of "paradigm shift" (p.10). Kuhn argues that scientific advancement is not evolutionary, but rather is a "series of peaceful interludes punctuated by intellectually violent revolutions", and in those revolutions "one conceptual world view is replaced by another. [source - Kuhn, Thomas, S., "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Second Edition, Enlarged, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970(1962)].
Let's better illustrate this with an example by Kuhn on a paradigm shift some made when new data proved the old paradigm was wrong, and how one major organization opposed getting out of a paradigm rut, this will be later dealt with in detail. "Agents of change helped create a paradigm-shift moving scientific theory from the Plolemaic system (the earth at the center of the universe) to the Copernican system (the sun at the center of the universe), and moving from Newtonian physics to Relativity and Quantum Physics. Both movements eventually changed the world view. These transformations were gradual as old beliefs were replaced by the new paradigms creating "a new gestalt" [source - Kuhn, Thomas, S., "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Second Edition, Enlarged, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970(1962) (p. 112)].
The resistance to the Copernican system by one organization stuck in a paradigm rut and the un-Christian extremes this organization went to under the control of Satan to kill the messenger.
Special note whose information will become very relevant after reading this article:
REALITY, a religious congregation does NOT have criminal investigation capability; nor does it have any other punishment it can melt out to proven evil offenders except throwing them out of the congregation. It does NOT have the legal authority to incarcerate anyone or execute them. The congregation’s primary responsibility is to serve Almighty God (YHWH) in spiritual matters.
Yes, of course evidence must be provided such as witnesses that such an act actually transpired and this for very good reason. The preventing of false accusations against innocent people that occur with too great a frequency such as the criminal case in Texas where one man spent over 16 years in prison on the basis of only one witness, only to be found innocent when advanced DNA technology proved him innocent.
Now, the society clearly does NOT have DNA technology, but instructs all alleged victims to report the matter to the appropriate civil authorities, i.e., police, sheriff, state prosecutor, etc. Now really what more can a victim or congregation expect as a religious congregation is NOT a star chamber or criminal investigation unit.
Of course privacy with respect to handling congregation matters with respect to possible disfellowshipings (the throwing out of evil ones from the congregation) is required to
protect possibly innocent individuals falsely accused, and to give possibility for the evil one to reform. A good example of a very evil one that reformed was Saul, who later reformed his way and was acceptable to Jesus (Yeshua) Christ to be appointed an Apostle, the Apostle Paul. Hindering a person’s reforming definitely would be wrong and unloving.
Other religious groups try to cover-up wrong doing by transferring evil ones to other congregations that do NOT know of their evil ways, but NOT the JWs.
ORGANIZATION STUCK IN A PARADIGM RUT:
Let's look at a religious organization that became stuck in a paradigm rut that let Satan take complete charge of their organization to reinforce their paradigm rut instead of following Christian principles expressed by Jesus (Yeshua) at Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second like [unto it] is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (American Standard Version; ASV); and by what it says about his Father, God (YHWH) at 1 John 4:8, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (ASV).
--1 ST. EXAMPLE--
Now lets look at how this so called Christian organization got stuck in a paradigm rut, over pseudo-science with respect the Plolemaic system (the earth at the center of the universe) when they, if they were truly Christian should not even have worried over the latest flavor of pseudo-science thinking of the day.
This organization, while claiming to be Christ's organization on earth, caused great tribulation and even burnt some not believing their pseudo-science foolishness at the stake. Let's look at one account of such activity where they burnt Giordano Bruno at the stake for saying the earth revolved around the sun and not what they believed, that the sun revolved around the earth.
"Four centuries ago today, on February 16, 1600, the Roman Catholic Church executed Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher and scientist, for the crime of heresy. He was taken from his cell in the early hours of the morning to the Piazza dei Fiori in Rome and burnt alive at the stake. To the last, the Church authorities were fearful of the ideas of a man who was known throughout Europe as a bold and brilliant thinker. In a peculiar twist to the gruesome affair, the executioners were ordered to tie his tongue so that he would be unable to address those gathered.
Throughout his life Bruno championed the Copernican system of astronomy which placed the sun, not the Earth, at the centre of the solar system. He opposed the stultifying authority of the Church and refused to recant his philosophical beliefs throughout his eight years of imprisonment by the Venetian and Roman Inquisitions. His life stands as a testimony to the drive for knowledge and truth that marked the astonishing period of history known as the Renaissance-from which so much in modern art, thought and science derives.
In 1992, after 12 years of deliberations, the Roman Catholic Church grudgingly admitted that Galileo Galilei had been right in supporting the theories of Copernicus. The Holy Inquisition had forced an aged Galileo to recant his ideas under threat of torture in 1633. But no such admission has been made in the case of Bruno. His writings are still on the Vatican's list of forbidden texts." [source - The Infinite Worlds of Giordano Bruno by Antoinette Mann Paterson, 1970].
So clearly this organization was stuck in a paradigm rut of their own making due to not obeying the word of, but the pseudo-science traditions of men that Jesus (Yeshua) warned against at Matthew 15:6, "he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. " (ASV); and Matthew 15:3, "And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? " (ASV).
Clearly this organization stuck in a paradigm rut since 325 A.D. when they first compromised true Christian belief to win the favor of a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconguered Sun rather than to follow the clearly given directions of Jesus (Yeshua) given at Mark 7:8, "Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men." (ASV). This also in clear violation of Colossians 2:8, "Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: " (ASV). Now let's look at the facts of this compromise with the Devil in detail.
--2 ND. EXAMPLE--
Mainstream religions through the ages have anything in common be they so called Christian or pagan? Absolutely, history shows that one mainstream religion evolved into another one while maintaining many of the beliefs of the one before it, but simply changing the name of the God(s). No where is this more self evident than with respect to the doctrine of the Trinity. In has been with us since at least the time of ancient Sumeria as shown by The historian H. W. F. Saggs explains that the Babylonian triad consisted of three gods of roughly equal rank. Their "inter-relationship is of the essence of their natures." Is this positive proof that the Christian trinity descended from the ancient Sumerian, Assyrian, and Babylonian triads? (*1). No. However, Hislop furthers the comparison: "In the unity of that One, Only God of the Babylonians there were three persons, and to symbolize that doctrine of the trinity they employed...the equilateral triangle, just as it is well known the Romish Church does at this day." (*2).
Yes, the concept of a trinity has been a prevailing belief for a very, very long time perhaps longer than most Christians would imagine. While worshipping innumerable minor deities, triads of gods appeared in all the ancient cultures of Sumer, Babylonia, Egypt, India, Greece and finally Rome. The "mysteries" of the first universal civilization, Babylonia, were transported down in time. The names of the gods changed. The details of ancient incomprehensible religions changed, but the essential ideas were the same. The Sumerians worshipped Anu (the Father), Enlil (the god of earth) and Enki (the lord of wisdom). The Egyptians worshipped Amun who was really three gods in one: Re was his face; Ptah his body and Amun his hidden identity "combined as three embodiments or aspects of one supreme and triune deity." (*4 - page 201).
Now with respect the next evolution of mainstream religion, the Egyptian, Egypt's history is nearly as old as Sumeria's. In his Egyptian Myths, George Hart shows how Egypt also believed in a "transcendental, above creation, and preexisting" one, the god Amun. Amun was really three gods in one. Re was his face; Ptah his body; and Amun his hidden identity (*3). The well-known historian Will Durant concurs: "In later days Ra [sic], Amon [sic], and Ptah were combined as three embodiments or aspects of one supreme and triune deity." (*4). A hymn to Amun written in the 14th century BC distinguishes the Egyptian trinity: "All Gods are three: Amun, Re, Ptah: they have no equal. His name is hidden as Amun, he is Re before [men], and his body is Ptah." (*5). Certainly is not this positive indicator that the Christian trinity descended from the ancient Egyptian triads? However, Durant submits that "from Egypt came the idea of a divine trinity..." (*6). Laing agrees when he says that "it is probable that the worship of the Egyptian triad Isis, Serapis, and the child Horus helped to familiarize the ancients with the idea of a triune God and was not without influence in the formulation of the doctrine of the trinity as set forth in the Nicene and Athanasian creeds." (*7). And The Encyclopedia of Religions goes even farther when it states that as Christianity "came in contact with the triune gods of Egypt and the Near East, it developed a trinity of its own." (* .
The next evolution or more correctly one concurrent with the Egyptian but originating also from the early Sumeria was the Babylonian. A very important evolution of spread originated from the Babylonian trinity that ultimately spread to Rome by way of the Etrusans. The Etruscans were a group that all indicators indicate as having originated in Babylon. As they slowly passed through Greece and went on to Rome, they brought with them their trinity of Tinia, Uni, and Menerva (*9). This trinity was a "new idea to the Romans," and yet it became so "typical of Rome [that] it was imitated in the capitolia of Italy. . . (*7 - page 26)" Even the names of the Roman trinity: Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, reflect the ancestry. Is this positive proof that the Christian trinity descended from the Etruscan and Roman triads? No, but an extremely significant indicator of this fact. However, Dr. Gordon Laing convincingly devotes his entire book Survivals of the Roman Gods to the comparison of Roman Paganism and the Roman Catholic Church. (*7). Pelikan adds to Laing's work when he states that the early church fathers used and cited the Roman Sibylline Oracles so much that these were called "Sibyllists" by the 2nd century critic Celsus. (*10). There was even a medieval hymn, "Dies irae" which prophesied the coming of the day of wrath on the "dual authority of David and the Sibyl." (*10 - page 64-65).
Now let's consider the ancient Grecian world; And in order to fully understand it, we need to digress to gaining an understanding of the origins of the word Trinity and the two types that existed in the ancient world and evolved into the Trinity of mainstream so called Christian religions. First, the word trinity comes from the kemetic language. It consist actually of two words: hemt (three) and neter (which carries the concepts of gods). Therefore, Trinity defines a concept of three gods.
Ths pantheon of Gods is composed of two categories of Gods. We have the creator and self-created Gods on one side and the creator gods that are non autogenic on the other. The creator Gods that are self-created are those who form the first group of trinities. The gods that are not self-created then form the second group of trinities. The Gods of the second trinity exist only in the context of a group of Gods composed of a God-father, a Goddess-mother, and a God-son. They are somehow considered very close to the human nature. The original second group of trinities came from a story known as the holy drama, and is composed by a God-father called Wsr (Osiris) and a goddess-mother Aishat (Isthar or Isis) and the God-son Heru (Horus). It is the second group of trinities that taught humanity the concept of a family, giving a man and woman the idea of a spiritual union with the goal of procreation. We should observe that the importance of the trinities is such that they became a serious problem for the monotheistic religions that are stubbornly talking about the creation of the world by one single god while they are still maintaining the concept of a trinity.
The ancient Trinities of the Greek's were composed of the God-son Perseus, born from Zeus and Danae; Hercules born from Zeus and Alcmene; Apollo born from Zeus and Leto; Dionysos born from Zeus and Semele; Minos born from Zeus and Europe; Aesculapius born from Apollo and Coronis. (*11-A).
It if from an evolutionary merging of ancient Greek trinities and Roman trinities that in themselves partially evolved from the Greek, but with a precedence being taken by the Etruscans' of their trinity of Tinia, Uni, and Menerva. (*9). This trinity as previously mentioned, became the ancient Roman Trinity of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, which was campaigned by the mainstream religions of the empire of that era. Even the names of the gods in this Trinity reflect from whence it came. (*7). This one is of extreme importance to us of the modern era as it evolved into the Trinity of the mainstream so called Christian religions of today. This Trinity consisted of Jesus born from Yahweh and Mary. However, this new concept of trinities that is presented by the new Christian authorities only comes to add on the contradictions that were undermining the psychological stability of the human of the modern society. The Trinity of the modern time that the religions want us to accept is composed of a God-father, a God-son and a mother that is purely human and considered virgin. (*11).
However since the mother, the Virgin Mary, she is a human, she cannot be classified as a Goddess, and that will not complete the concept of trinity. In this evolution, the religious authorities had to use a little creativity to overcome this; the concept of personalizing the power or force of the supreme God (YHWH), Yahweh. To do this, something new had to enter the equation. What was this?
Whereas, the Gods of the first trinities stayed really far away from the philosophical and political arguments of the society, but the leaders used that fact to kind of drown them in the collective memory of the society. The world has been created in stages. The Gods of the first trinity are recognized by the fact that the first two of them have created the four elements (fire, air, water and matter) and the third God has used them to fashion and create everything that exists. The gods of the first trinity do not intervene in our daily lives, but they guarantee the harmony of the universe. They some-how occupy a very important place in the spiritual essence of anything that exists. By recognizing their exist-ence, we are illuminating the universal conscious on the makers of this world that we are trying to redefine. (*11).
At this point, we need to pause and regress a little. One may ask, How do we know these trinities are not just misrepresentations of the real threeness of God? (After all there were "flood stories" in every culture too reminiscent of the Genesis account.) Assyrian clay tablets now available have most strikingly confirmed the narrative of Scripture which give us revealing insight into our questions (*12). Where did the idea of a three-in-one God originate? After the flood, Nimrod a descendent of Noah's son Ham settled in Asia: "And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel out of that land went forth Asshur [mar., "he went out into Assyria"] and builded Nineveh" (Genesis 10:8-11). "Mighty hunter" was the title given to the great conquering warrior-monarchs of the time. In rebellion of God's command to disburse and people the earth, Nimrod built the Tower of Babel, became very powerful and was even worshipped. We now know the ancient Babylonians worshipped the first person in the Godhead, the Great Invisible, also the Spirit of God incarnate in the human mother and also the Divine Son. Nimrod was this "Son," the first king of Babel, Babylon. And so in this the first notion of a triune God was born. (*7).
In the immediate centuries before the advent of Jesus Christ, we see Plato even in his deeply philosophical mode proposing a trinity of sorts. ("The Supreme Reality appears in the trinitarian form of the Good, the Intelligence, and the World-Soul"). Through all cultures, this perversion of the truth about God was handed down. (*7).
One God (YHWH), One culture, however, escaped this corruption of truth. From the line of Shem, Noah's other son, Abraham was called out of "Ur of the Chaldees" (Genesis 11:31; 12:1,2), the ancient Babylonian empire. His descendants were given the revelation of God by Moses from Mount Sinai. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4). No Hebrew scripture supports the idea of a trinity god. Some verses have been pressed into use by Trinitarians, but without success. For example, in the creation account, Genesis says, "God [elohim, plural.] created the heavens and the earth" (1:1). However, the plural does not have to do with number; it is "plentitude of might" (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, The Soncino Press). In any case, the verb "created" is singular, and would not indicate two gods, let alone three. Even the New Catholic Encyclopedia admits that the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught in the Old Testament (Vol. XIV, 306). And the world renown "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia" says, under the article on the Trinity in it, "The term 'Trinity' is NOT a biblical term....In point of fact, the doctrine of the Trinity is a purely revealed doctrine...As the doctrine of the Trinity is indiscoverable by reason, so it is incapable of proof from reason." (*14).
While he walked the earth, Jesus clearly acknowledged, "My Father is greater than I" (*15) and that it was his Father who sent him, "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me" (*16). He consistently acknowledged God as the source of power for his miracles and finally implored his Father, "yet not my will but thine be done." (*17) he be the one sent and also the Sender and why would he pray to himself that not his will but His other will be done? It seems the Trinitarians only answer, "It's a mystery"?
If the trinity is supposed to be an unexplainable "mystery," why do the apostles always talk about revealing mysteries to Christians? "I would not have you ignorant of this mystery [about Jewish blindness] (*1 the revelation of the mystery (*19) the mystery hidden God hath revealed (*20 1 Corinthians 2:7) Behold I show you a mystery (*21) "having made known the mystery of his will" (*22) "to make known the mystery of Christ" (*23) "make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (*24), etc. So how did the Christian Church accept a mystery of a trinity? This will be shown in the next part.
--history of political intrigue and deceit that evolved the trinity into so called Christianity--
To understand how the Trinity wormed its way into so called Christianity we need to know the political and social climate of the first three centuries after the passing of Jesus (Yeshua) and his apostles, and why true faith deteriorated into compromise; and then total acceptance by the mainstream so called Christian groups, not withstanding its violation of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Now let's look at that period and try an insert ourselves mentally into it.
In the early church the apostles needed to refute another rising belief system gnosticism. It considered matter to be evil and sought salvation through knowledge. Gnosticism also focused on the "mysteries" meant only for the intellectuals to understand. Christ, the gnostics said, entered Jesus at baptism and left just before he died on the cross. The Apostle John particularly addressed this budding heresy: "Many false prophets, have gone forth into the world, You gain knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the anti-christ's [inspired expression] which you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world." (*25). Jesus' humanity was repulsive to gnostics. After the Apostles died, Christians responded to gnosticism by claiming not only did Jesus Christ come in the flesh as the Son of God.
By the third and fourth centuries, Christians were weary of Pagan persecution. The temptation was to compromise. Besides, the Pagan emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Constantine embraced; howbeit only on his deathbed. However, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" (26). Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" (*26).
Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential (*28) .
Now let's see how Constantine got the Trinity. As previously shown, The Roman Empire at this time was being torn apart by religious differences between pagans, mostly Sun God worshippers, and Christianity. Constantine the Emporer was a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, but he was a very pragmatic individual and saw the need to bring religious unity to his empire. The central doctrine of the pagans was the dogma of a Trinity that they had received from earlier pagans in Babylon (Chaldea). In this, the pagan Emperor, Constantine, saw a possibility for unifying his empire if he could only lead the majority of the Christians to accept a Trinity or a Duality. He knew however that he had to make them think it was their own idea. To this end, he, the Roman emperor Constantine summoned all bishops to Nicaea, about 300, but even though it was the emperor's direction, only a fraction actually attended.
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for a Trinity or a Duality. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree
that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed. (*29).
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4 AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
Their solution was to create a creed making it illegal for anyone to believe Jesus was not the same as God by inventing the notion of a Trinity. This intellectual tower remained in full force for well over a thousand years, until the Reformation. (*29).
Contrary to popular belief, it was not Constantine's fourth century Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that formalized the "Doctrine of the Trinity." The Athanasian Creed in the fifth century finally included the three, "the godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal So likewise the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet they are not three Gods, but one God." Furthermore, this creed added that belief in the trinity "is necessary to everlasting salvation." Strong belief led to action. "Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years ([A.D.]342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome." (*30).
The fact is so called Christianity never conquered paganism--paganism conquered Christianity. (*31).
[sources -
*1 - Saggs,H. W. F. "The Greatness that was Babylon: A Sketch of the Ancient Civilization of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley." New York: New American Library. 1968.
*2 - Hislop, Alexander. "The Two Babylons: Or, the Papal Worship." 1853. 2nd American ed. Neptune: Loizeaux. 1959.
*3 - Hart, George. "Egyptian Myths." Austin: U of Texas. 1990.
*4 - Durant, Will. "Our Oriental Heritage". New York: Simon. 1935. Vol. 1 of The Story of Civilization.11 vols. 1935-75. (page 201)
*5 - Hornung, Erik. "Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many." Trans. John Baines. Ithaca: Cornell UP. 1982.
*6 - Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75. (page 595)
*7 - Laing, Gordon Jennings. "Survivals of Roman Religion.". New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1963.
*8 - The Encyclopedia of Religions.
*9 - Carter, Jesse Benedict. "The Religious Life of Ancient Rome: A Study in the Development of Religious Consciousness, from the Foundation of the City Until the Death of Gregory the Great." New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1972. (page 16-19).
*10 - Pelikan, Jaroslav. "The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition" (100-600). Chicago: U of Chicago P. 1971. Vol. 1 of "The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine." 5 vols.
*11-A - heraldmag.org
*11 - Morodenibig, Naba Lamoussa. "Light From the Trinities."
*12 - Edersheim Bible History (page 59-62).
*13 - New Catholic Encyclopedia, (Vol. XIV, 306).
*14 - International Encyclopedia of the Bible," Vol. 5, (page 3012).
*15 - The New Chain-Reference Bible, 4 th. Ed. (King James Bible), (page 116 in NT, John 14:29)
*16 - The Holy Bible (King James Bible), American Bible Society, NY (page 10 in NT, Matthew 10:40).
*17 - The Holy Bible, The Douay Version of the OT-The Confraternity Edition of the NT, John C. Winton Co., Philadelphia, Pa., (page 109 in NT, St. Luke 22:42).
*18 - The Holy Bible, The Douay Version of the OT-The Confraternity Edition of the NT, John C. Winton Co., Philadelphia, Pa., (page 205 in NT, Romans 11:25).
*19 - The Holy Bible, The Douay Version of the OT-The Confraternity Edition of the NT, John C. Winton Co., Philadelphia, Pa., (page 210 in NT, Romans 16:25)
*20 - The Holy Bible, The Douay Version of the OT-The Confraternity Edition of the NT, John C. Winton Co., Philadelphia, Pa., (page 213 in NT, 1 Corinthians 2:7).
*21 - The Holy Bible, The Douay Version of the OT-The Confraternity Edition of the NT, John C. Winton Co., Philadelphia, Pa., (page 227 in NT,1 Corinthians 15:51).
*22 - The New Chain-Reference Bible, 4 th. Ed. (King James Bible), (page 202 in NT, Ephesians 1:9).
*23 - The New Chain-Reference Bible, 4 th. Ed. (King James Bible), (page 206 in NT, Ephesians 6:19).
*24 - The New Chain-Reference Bible, 4 th. Ed. (King James Bible), (page 210 in NT, Colossians 1:27).
*25 - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 revision, (pages 1517 and 1519, 1 John 7; also 1 John 4:1-3).
*26 - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6
*27 - Lamson, Newton & Durant, Will, "Caesar and Christ," cited from Charles Redeker Caesar and Christ, W. Duran (page 595).
*28 - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366).
*29 - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.
*30 - Durant, Will, "Age of Faith,"
*31 - Jonas, Hans, "The Gnostic religion: the message of the alien God and the beginnings of Christianity," 2nd ed., 1963.]
As we have seen how one so called Christian group has been stuck in a paradigm rut, a trap set by none other than Satan the Devil to ensnarled them and make them his followers whilst many of their members do not comprehend who has successfully controlled their group since 325 A.D. in a paradigm rut that becomes ever deeper and harder to break out of with each passing year.
ORGANIZATION NOT STUCK IN A PARADIGM RUT:
Now let's look at an example of a religious organization that is NOT stuck in a paradigm rut , but instead constantly studies the Bible, the Bible being the Standard for God (YHWH) acceptable religious belief and not creeds and doctrines of men. While those so called Christian organizations who have fallen in the Devil's trap of a paradigm rut are no longer true Christians; there is a group that is NOT a part of so called mainstream religion, as would be expected due to what futurist Joel Barker said paraphrased as follows, "Data that did not go with preconceived notions is filtered out and stops us from seeing reality or making break through solutions or developing new ideas or re-thinking and making corrections in previous ones to fit with new learning or data."
Since as the foregoing in this article clearly shows how most get into paradigm ruts we must look for a group that can make paradigm shifts as new learning and/or data is received to identify a true Christian organization. Of course, this organization would NOT be a part of so called mainstream any more than 'break through' innovations in industrial science by industrial leaders in an industry. Whereas, Nokia made the break-through to digital portable communications while being a small outfit on the fringe of mobile phone communications, but the former leader, Motorola, was still in the analogue mobile communications paradigm rut, a small religious group, Jehovah's Witnesses, was capable of making rapid paradigm shifts to come in line with advanced Bible learning and new MS (ancient manuscript) finds that mainstream groups ensnared in the Devil's paradigm rut traps could not make.
As an example, a long time ago they said, the following:
These two quotes from your early publications show what were the "mayor events" the JWs thought would take place:
1897 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874," Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 4, page 621.
1899 "...the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Revelation 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." The Time Is at Hand, page 101 (1908 edition).
Yet with new Biblical learning and study of recently found MS not only readily accepted the incoming data with no attempt to filter it out, but quickly were able to change their paradigms to be in accord with it as can be seen by anyone who reads their current publications. They now realize the true significance of the marked year 1914 and also realize that Jesus (Yeshua) return would NOT be visible as they once thought. They are the true Bible scholars as they continue to search and study all new information and input data with a view of NOT filtering out that which does NOT agree with their previous thinking, BUT WITH A VIEW TO BRINGING THEIR CURRENT THINKING INTO LINE WITH revealed new information.
Of course this is in line with what Thomas S. Kuhn said in his book, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Second Edition, Enlarged, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970(1962) when he said, my paraphrase, "Agents of change are driving a new paradigm shift today [such as Jehovah's Witnesses]. There signs are all around us testifying to this fact today. For example, the introduction of the personal computer and the Internet have impacted both personal and business environments, and is a catalyst for a Paradigm Shift. We are shifting from a mechanistic, manufacturing, industrial society to an organic, service based, information centered society, and increases in technology will continue to impact globally. Change is inevitable. It's the only true constant." [source - Kuhn, Thomas, S., "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions", Second Edition, Enlarged, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1970(1962)].
Update on 1/18/2011:
Vatican warned Irish bishops not to report abuse, Associated Press – 27 mins ago, [source - retrieved from on 01/18/2011]
DUBLIN – A 1997 letter from the Vatican warned Ireland's Catholic bishops not to report all suspected child-abuse cases to police — a disclosure that victims' groups described as "the smoking gun" needed to show that the church enforced a worldwide culture of covering up crimes by pedophile priests.
The newly revealed letter, obtained by Irish broadcasters RTE and provided to The Associated Press, documents the Vatican's rejection of a 1996 Irish church initiative to begin helping police identify pedophile priests following Ireland's first wave of publicly disclosed lawsuits.
The letter undermines persistent Vatican claims, particularly when seeking to defend itself in U.S. lawsuits, that Rome never instructed local bishops to withhold evidence or suspicion of crimes from police. It instead emphasizes the church's right to handle all child-abuse allegations and determine punishments in house rather than give that power to civil authorities.
Signed by the late Archbishop Luciano Storero, Pope John Paul II's diplomat to Ireland, the letter instructs Irish bishops that their new policy of making the reporting of suspected crimes mandatory "gives rise to serious reservations of both a moral and canonical nature."
Storero wrote that canon law, which required abuse allegations and punishments to be handled within the church, "must be meticulously followed." Any bishops who tried to impose punishments outside the confines of canon law would face the "highly embarrassing" position of having their actions overturned on appeal in Rome, he wrote.
Catholic officials in Ireland and the Vatican declined AP requests to comment on the letter, which RTE said it received from an Irish bishop.
Child-abuse activists in Ireland said the 1997 letter demonstrates that the protection of pedophile priests from criminal investigation was not only sanctioned by Vatican leaders but ordered by them.
"The letter is of huge international significance, because it shows that the Vatican's intention is to prevent reporting of abuse to criminal authorities. And if that instruction applied here, it applied everywhere," said Colm O'Gorman, director of the Irish chapter of human rights watchdog Amnesty International.
Joelle Casteix, a director of U.S. advocacy group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, described the letter as "the smoking gun we've been looking for."
Casteix said it was certain to be cited by victims' lawyers seeking to pin responsibility directly on the Vatican rather than local dioceses. She said investigators long have sought such a document showing Vatican pressure on a group of bishops "thwarting any kind of justice for victims."
"We now have evidence that the Vatican deliberately intervened to order bishops not to turn pedophile priests over to law enforcement," she said. "And for civil lawsuits, this letter shows what victims have been saying for dozens and dozens of years: What happened to them involved a concerted cover-up that went all the way to the top."
To this day, the Vatican has not endorsed any of the Irish church's three major policy documents since 1996 on safeguarding children from clerical abuse. Irish taxpayers, rather than the church, have paid most of the euro1.5 billion ($2 billion) to more than 14,000 abuse claimants dating back to the 1940s.
In his 2010 pastoral letter to Ireland's Catholics condemning pedophiles in the ranks, Pope Benedict XVI faulted bishops for failing to follow canon law and offered no explicit endorsement of Irish child-protection efforts by the Irish church or state. Benedict was widely criticized in Ireland for failing to admit any Vatican role in covering up the truth.
O'Gorman — who was raped repeatedly by an Irish priest in the 1980s when he was an altar boy and was among the first victims to speak out in the mid-1990s — said evidence is growing that some Irish bishops continued to follow the 1997 Vatican instructions and withheld reports of crimes against children as recently as 2008.
Two state-commissioned reports published in 2009 — into the Dublin Archdiocese and workhouse-style Catholic institutions for children — unveiled decades of cover-ups of abuse involving tens of thousands of Irish children since the 1930s.
A third major state-ordered investigation into Catholic abuse cover-ups, concerning the southwest Irish Diocese of Cloyne, is expected to be published in the next few months documenting the concealment of crimes as recently as 2008.
Irish church leaders didn't begin telling police about suspected pedophile priests until the mid-1990s after the first major scandal — involving the Rev. Brendan Smyth, who had raped dozens of children while the church transferred him to parishes in Dublin, Belfast, Rhode Island and North Dakota — triggered the collapse of the Irish government. That national shock, in turn, inspired the first victims to begin suing the church publicly.
In January 1996, Irish bishops published a groundbreaking policy document spelling out their newfound determination to report all suspected abuse cases to police.
But in his January 1997 letter seen Tuesday by the AP, Storero told the bishops that a senior church panel in Rome, the Congregation for the Clergy, had decided that the Irish church's policy of "mandatory" reporting of abuse claims conflicted with canon law.
Storero emphasized in the letter that the Irish church's policy was not recognized by the Vatican and was "merely a study document."
Storero warned that bishops who followed the Irish child-protection policy and reported a priest's suspected crimes to police risked having their in-house punishments of the priest overturned by the Congregation for the Clergy.
The 2009 Dublin Archdiocese report found that this actually happened in the case of Tony Walsh, one of Dublin's most notorious pedophiles, who used his role as an Elvis impersonator in a popular "All Priests Show" to get closer to kids.
Walsh was kicked out of the priesthood by a secret Dublin church court in 1993 but successfully appealed the punishment to a Vatican court, which reinstated him to the priesthood in 1994. He raped a boy in a pub restroom at his grandfather's wake that year. Walsh since has received a series of prison sentences, most recently a 12-year term imposed last month. Investigators estimate he raped or molested more than 100 children.
Storero's 1997 letter — originally obtained by the RTE religious affairs program "Would You Believe?" — said the Congregation for the Clergy was pursuing "a global study" of sexual-abuse policies and would establish worldwide child-protection policies "at the appropriate time."
Today, the Vatican's child-protection policies remain in legal limbo.
The Vatican does advise bishops worldwide to report crimes to police — in a legally nonbinding guide on its website. This recourse is omitted from the official legal advice provided by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and updated last summer. That powerful policymaking body continues to stress the secrecy of canon law.
The central message of Storero's letter was reported secondhand in the 2009 Dublin Archdiocese report. The letter itself, marked "strictly confidential," has never been published before.
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 57A]
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Psalms 103:3, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
After the Apostles had received the Holy Spirit and after his resurrection on the third day, Jesus (Yeshua) appeared onto them an said at John 21:20 – 23, [AV] “And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Clearly showing that He had the power to forgive sins and could pass this power onto his Apostles.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Discourse On Anti-God Individuals Asking Question On Composite Scriptures in The New Testament:
INTRODUCTION ON COMPOSITE OR SUMMARIZATION SCRIPTURES:
Many anti-God (YHWH) individuals intentionally ask questions on composite scriptures in the New or Greek Testament asking to what scripture they refer in the old. They do this as they well know a composite scripture is a summarization of not one but several scriptures in the Old or Hebrew Testament. One such case is Romans 5:12, "Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:- " (American Standard Version; ASV). Which is a composite or summarization of not one, but many scriptures in the Old or Hebrew Testament. To fully understand how this composite or summarization was put together by the Apostle Paul, it would be most advantageous to first gain an understanding of exactly what sin is.
WHAT IS SIN:
With respect sin, Sin is disobedience and/or a falling from perfection. It is defined as:
1. Sin as Disobedience:
1. A fairly exact definition of sin based on Biblical data would be that sin is the transgression of the law of God (YHWH) per 1 John 3:4, "Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness" (ASV). Ordinarily, sin is defined simply as "the transgression of the law," but the idea of God is so completely the essential conception of the entire Biblical revelation that we can best define sin as disobedience to the law of God. It will be seen that primarily sin is an act, but from the very beginning it has been known that acts have effects, not only in the outward world of things and persons, but also upon him who commits the act.
2. Affects the Inner Life:
Hence, we find throughout the Scriptures a growing emphasis on the idea of the sinful act as not only a fact in itself, but also as a revelation of an evil disposition on the part of him who commits the act per Genesis 6:5, "And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (ASV).
3. Involves All Men:
Then also there is the further idea that deeds which so profoundly affect the inner life of an individual in some way have an effect in transmitting evil tendencies to the descendants of a sinful individual Psalms 51:5-6, " Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; And in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom. " (ASV) and Ephesians 2:3, "among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:-- " (ASV). Hence, we reach shortly the conception, not only that sin is profoundly inner in its consequences, but that its effects reach outward also to an extent which practically involves the race. Around these various items of doctrine differing systems of theology have sprung up.
4. The Story of the Fall:
Students of all schools are agreed that we have in the Old Testament story of the fall of Adam an eternally true account of the way sin comes into the world Genesis 3:1-6, "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. (ASV).
The question is not so much as to the literal historic matter-of-factness of the narrative, as to its essentially psychological truthfulness. The essential thought of the narrative is that both Adam and Eve disobeyed an express command of God. The seductiveness of temptation is nowhere more forcefully stated than in this narrative. The fruit of the tree is pleasant to look upon; it is good to eat; it is to be desired to make one wise; moreover, the tempter moves upon the woman by the method of the half truth. God had said that disobedience to the command would bring death; the tempter urged that disobedience would not bring death, implying that the command of God had meant that death would immediately follow the eating of the forbidden fruit. In the story the various avenues of approach of sin to the human heart are graphically suggested, but after the seductiveness of evil has thus been set forth, the fact remains that both transgressors knew they were transgressing Genesis 3:2 previously quoted. Of course, the story is told in simple, naive fashion, but its perennial spiritual truth is at once apparent. There has been much progress in religious thinking concerning sin during the Christian ages, but the progress has not been away from this central conception of willful disobedience to the law of God.
5. The Freedom of Man:
In this early Biblical account there is implicit the thought of the freedom of man. The idea of transgression has sometimes been interpreted in such wise as to do away with this freedom. An unbiased reading of the Scriptures would, with the possible exception of some passages which designedly lay stress on the power of God (YHWH) per Romans 8:29-30, " For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. " (ASV). , produce on the mind the impression that freedom is essential to sin. Certainly there is nothing in the account of the Old Testament or New Testament narratives to warrant the conception that men are born into sin by forces over which they have no control. The argument of the tempter with the woman is an argument aimed at her will. By easy steps, indeed, she moves toward the transgression, but the transgression is a transgression and nothing else. Of course, the evil deed is at once followed by attempts on the part of the transgressors to explain themselves, but the futility of the explanations is part of the point of the narrative. In all discussion of the problem of freedom as relating to sin, we must remember that the Biblical revelation is from first to last busy with the thought of the righteousness and justice and love of God (YHWH) per Genesis 6:9, "These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, [and] perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God." (ASV), tells us that because of justice or righteousness, Noah walked with God). Unless we accept the doctrine that God is Himself not free, a doctrine which is nowhere implied in the Scripture, we must insist that the condemnation of men as sinful, when they have not had freedom to be otherwise than sinful, is out of harmony with the Biblical revelation of the character of God. Of course this does not mean that a man is free in all things. Freedom is limited in various ways, but we must retain enough of freedom in our thought of the constitution of men to make possible our holding fast to the Biblical idea of sin as transgression. Adam may have been free to sin or not to sin, but, "in his fall we sinned all." We shall mention the hereditary influences of sin in a later paragraph; here it is sufficient to say that even if the first man had not sinned, there is nothing in our thought of the nature of man to make it impossible to believe that the sinful course of human history could have been initiated by some descendant of the first man far down the line.
6. A Transgression against Light:
The progress of the Biblical teaching concerning sin also would seem to imply that the transgression of the law must be a transgression committed against the light per Acts 17:30, "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:" (ASV), To be sinful in any full sense of the word, a man must know that the course which he is adopting is an evil course. This does not necessarily mean a full realization of the evil of the course. It is a fact, both of Biblical revelation and of revelation of all times, that men who commit sin do not realize the full evil of their deeds until after the sin has been committed per 2 Samuel 12:1-13, "And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds; 3 but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As Jehovah liveth, the man that hath done this is worthy to die: 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the word of Jehovah, to do that which is evil in his sight? thou hast smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." (ASV). This is partly because the consequences of sin do not declare themselves until after the deed has been committed; partly also because of the remorse of the conscience; and partly from the humiliation at being discovered; but in some sense there must be a realization of the evil of a course to make the adoption of the course sinful. E.g. in estimating the moral worth of Biblical characters, especially those of earlier times, we must keep in mind the standards of the times in which they lived. These standards were partly set by the customs of the social group, but the customs were, in many cases, made sacred by the claim of divine sanction. Hence, we find Biblical characters giving themselves readily to polygamy and warfare. The Scriptures themselves, however, throw light upon this problem. They refer to early times as times of ignorance, an ignorance which God Himself was willing to overlook per Acts 17:30, "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: " (ASV) .
Even so ripe a moral consciousness as that of Paul felt that there was ground for forgiveness toward a course which he himself later considered evil, because in that earlier course he had acted ignorantly per Acts 26:9, "verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." (ASV), and 1 Timothy 1:13, "though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;" (ASV).
7. Inwardness of the Moral Law:
The Biblical narratives, too, show us the passage over from sin conceived of as the violation of external commands to sin conceived of as an unwillingness to keep the commandments in the depths of the inner life. The course of Biblical history is one long protest against conceiving of sin in an external fashion.
(1) Prophets.
In the sources of light which are to help men discern good from evil, increasing stress is laid upon inner moral insight per Isaiah 58:5, "Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Jehovah? " (ASV), and Hosea 6:1-7, "Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. 3 And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. 4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early away. 5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are [as] the light that goeth forth. 6 For I desire goodness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings. 7 But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me." (ASV).
The power of the prophets was in their direct moral insight and the fervor with which they made these insights real to the mass of the people. Of course it was necessary that the spirit of the prophets be given body and form in carefully articulated law. The progress of the Hebrews from the insight of the seer to the statute of the lawmaker was not different from such progress in any other nations. It is easy to see, however, how the hardening of moral precepts into formal codes, absolutely necessary as that task was, led to an externalizing of the thought of sin. The man who did not keep the formal law was a sinner. On such basis there grew up the artificial systems which came to their culmination in the New Testament times in Pharisaism. On the other hand, a fresh insight by a new prophet might be in violation of the Law, considered in its literal aspects. It might be necessary for a prophet to attack outright some additions to the Law. We regard as a high-water mark of Old Testament moral utterances the word of Micah that the Lord requires men to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him at Micah 6:8, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (ASV). At the time this word was uttered, the people were giving themselves up to multitudes of sacrifices. Many of these sacrifices called for the heaviest sufferings on the part of the worshippers. It would seem that an obligation to sacrifice the firstborn was beginning to be taught in order that the Hebrews might not be behind the neighboring heathen nations in observances of religious codes. The simple direct word of Micah must have seemed heresy to many of its first hearers. The outcome, however, of this conflict between the inner and the outer in the thought of transgression was finally to deepen the springs of the inner life. The extremes of externalism led to a break with moral realities which tended to become apparent to the most ordinary observer. The invective of Jesus against New Testament Pharisaism took its force largely from the fact that Jesus gave clear utterance to what everyone knew. Those who thought of religion as external gave themselves to formal keeping of the commandments and allowed the inner life to run riot as it would per Matthew 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone." (ASV).
(2) Paul.
With the more serious-minded the keeping of the Law became more and more a matter of the inner spirit. There were some who, like Paul, found it impossible to keep the Law and find peace of conscience as shown in Romans the 7 chapter. It was this very impossibility which forced some, like Paul, to understand that after all, sin or righteousness must be judged by the inner disposition. It was this which led to the search for a conception of a God who looks chiefly at the heart and judges men by the inner motive.
(3) Jesus.
In the teaching of Jesus the emphasis upon the inner spirit as the essential factor in the moral life came to its climax. Jesus honored the Law, but He pushed the keeping of the Law back from the mere performance of externals to the inner stirrings of motives. It is not merely the actual commission of adultery, for example, that is sin:
It is the lustful desire which leads to the evil glance; it is not merely the actual killing of the man that is murder; it is the spirit of hatred which makes the thought of murder welcome per Matthew 5:21 & 27, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: " and "Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery:" (ASV). Paul caught the spirit of Jesus and carried the thought of Jesus out into more elaborate and formal statements. There is a law of the inner life with which man should bind himself, and this law is the law of Christ's life itself per Romans 8:1-4, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (ASV). While both Jesus and Paul recognized the place of the formal codes in the moral life of individuals and societies, they wrought a great service for righteousness in setting on high the obligations upon the inner spirit. The follower of Christ is to guard the inmost thoughts of his heart. The commandments are not always precepts which can be given articulated statement; they are rather instincts and intuitions and glimpses which must be followed, even when we cannot give them full statement. [based on amplification of source -" [International Encyclopedia of the Bible]
Now some of the scriptures impinging on this in the first two books of the Torah are:
Ge 4:7 - (ASV)
If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it.
Ge 18:20 - (ASV)
And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Ge 20:9 - (ASV)
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
Ge 31:36 - (ASV)
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me?
Ge 39:9 - (ASV)
he is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Ge 42:22 - (ASV)
And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore also, behold, his blood is required.
Ge 50:17 - (ASV)
So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for that they did unto thee evil. And now, we pray thee, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Ex 10:17 - (ASV)
Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat Jehovah your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
Ex 16:1 - (ASV)
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
Ex 17:1 - (ASV)
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to the commandment of Jehovah, and encamped in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
Ex 20:20 - (ASV)
And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before you, that ye sin not.
Ex 23:33 - (ASV)
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
Ex 29:14 - (ASV)
But the flesh of the bullock, and its skin, and it dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin-offering.
Ex 29:36 - (ASV)
And every day shalt thou offer the bullock of sin-offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou makest atonement for it; and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
Ex 30:10 - (ASV)
And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.
Ex 32:21 - (ASV)
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
Ex 32:30 - (ASV)
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto Jehovah; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.
Ex 32:31 - (ASV)
And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Ex 32:32 - (ASV)
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Ex 32:34 - (ASV)
And now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.
Also, Psalms 51:1-17 throws additional light on it and forms part of the composite simple explanation given by the Apostle Paul at Romans 5:12 as follows, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in thy sight; That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; And in the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; [And] my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 16 For thou delightest not in sacrifice; Else would I give it: Thou hast no pleasure in burnt-offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (ASV).
AS does the writing by Jack Sequeira
" The teaching of the two Adams is one of the most neglected and misunderstood doctrines of the Bible. Yet it is vitally important to our salvation because the eternal destiny of all who have ever lived is closely connected with these two men-Adam and Christ, who is the "second Adam."
As we saw in the previous chapter, God created all mankind in one man-Adam (see Genesis 1:27, 28; Acts 17:26). Likewise, Satan ruined all mankind in one man -Adam (Romans 5:12, 18; 1Corintians 15:21,22). And God redeemed all mankind in one Man-Christ Jesus, the second Adam (see 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:3, 2:5, 6) Scripture is clear that "in Adam all die " and that "in Christ shall all be made alive " (1 Corinthians 15:22).
It is my conviction that we can never fully understand all the implications and privileges of our salvation "in Christ " until we come to realize our situation "in Adam. " Two New Testament passages-Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:19-23; 45-49 explain in detail this important teaching of two Adams. Lets look carefully at what they have to say." [source - Beyond Belief by Jack Sequeria]
As does the writing Lehman Strauss , Litt.D., F.R.G.S.
"The Bible teaches that sin entered the human race with Adam's transgression. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Adam was the doorway through which sin entered to all of his posterity because the "one man" in Paul's statement is Adam. Adam was the first man and the father of all men, so by virtue of the solidarity of the race, when Adam sinned the entire race sinned in him. Imputed sin is not the only basis for judgment, but the idea of the imputation of Adam's sin to all mankind is a clear part of the teaching of Paul's statement. It is true that we all are sinners by choice, but this is not the point of discussion here. Our concern is with the entrance of sin into the human race and to what extent it affected Adam's posterity. God has made it clear in His Word that this all came about through the disobedience of the first man who stood and acted as the representative of his entire posterity.
That Adam's fall entailed disastrous consequences upon himself and his descendants is the plain teaching in both the Old and New Testaments. David said, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5). Now we know that David is not so much as suggesting that the sexual relation between his mother and father, whereby he was conceived, was a sinful act. In substance he is saying the same thing that Paul is saying in Romans 5:12, namely, the natural depravity of the parents is transmitted to their offspring. The connection is natural and real. "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies" (Psalm 58:3). The account given in Genesis 3 is the basis for the whole argument, so that David and Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit as was Moses, are in agreement that sin entered the human race through the one man Adam. Sin entered through the disobedience of one man and thereby penetrated to all men. All men commit sins because all are infected with the sin principle. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). "What is man, that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?" (Job 15:14).".[source - The Doctrine of Sin By: Lehman Strauss , Litt.D., F.R.G.S.]
Therefore as I have shown, any question based on a composite statement/fact in the Greek Testament (NT) from the Hebrew Testament (OT) takes time to show its source in the OT since it is a composite made up not of a single scripture, but of several, i.e., they are summarizations of more than one scripture.
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