Author: Grant

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Slave, or child?

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Translated and adapted by Grant Swart from the original work of Johannes de Koning 

RELIGIOUS SLAVE, OR CHILD OF GOD?

– the all important truth in understanding Christian freedom

Is your relationship with God that of a slave, or a child? It is an important question and one about which Galatians 4:1-10 makes one ponder.

“1. Additionally, I need to state the following: While an heir is still a minor, his position does not differ markedly from that of a slave, even though the inheritance belongs to him.

2. Until such time as determined by his father, he will remain under the supervision of guardians and his possessions will be controlled by his managers.

3. That is how it is with us as well. While we were yet spiritually immature, we were slaves of legalistic religious rules.

4. Once the time which had been determined by God had arrived, He sent His Son to us. He was born of an earthly mother and from the time of His birth, He was subject to the Law,

5. in order to pay the penalty for our freedom from the Law and so that we could become adopted children of God.

6. Because we have become His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son to our hearts, and He calls out from us, “Abba!” which means, Father!

7. You are therefore, no longer a slave, but a child of God, and because you are His child, God has also made you His heir.

8. There was time when you did not know God during which you were slaves of useless idols.

9. However, since you have come to know Him, or rather, since He now knows you, why would you revert back to those inferior and pitiful legalistic religious rules? Do you want to become slaves Continue reading →

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Slaaf of kind?

broken-chain

Johannes de Koning

SLAAF OF KIND?

– die belangrike waarheid vir die verstaan van Christelike vryheid.

Is jy in jou verhouding met God ’n slaaf of ’n kind? Dis ‘n baie belangrike vraag waaroor Galasiërs 4:1-10 mens ernstig laat dink.

“1. Hierby wil ek nog dít sê: Solank ‘n erfgenaam nog minderjarig is, verskil sy posisie nie werklik van dié van ‘n slaaf nie, al behoort die hele erfenis aan hom.

2. Tot die dag wat sy pa bepaal het, staan hy onder toesig van voogde en word sy besittings deur bestuurders beheer.

3. En so is dit ook met ons. Toe ons nog geestelik onmondig was, was ons slawe van wettiese godsdienstige reëls.

4. Maar toe die tyd wat God daarvoor bepaal het, aangebreek het, het Hy sy Seun gestuur. Hy is uit ‘n vrou gebore en van sy geboorte af was Hy aan die wet onderworpe

5. om ons, wat aan die wet onderworpe was, los te koop sodat ons as kinders van God aangeneem kon word.

6. En omdat ons sy kinders is, het God die Gees van sy Seun in ons harte gestuur, en in ons roep Hy uit: “Abba!” Dit beteken: Vader!

7. Jy is dus nie meer ‘n slaaf nie; jy is nou ‘n kind van God. En omdat jy sy kind is, het God jou ook sy erfgenaam gemaak.

8. Daar was ‘n tyd toe julle nie vir God geken het nie en slawe was van nikswerd afgode.

9. Maar noudat julle Hom leer ken het, of liewer, noudat Hy julle ken, hoe val julle dan nou weer terug na daardie minderwaardige en armsalige wettiese godsdienstige reëls? Wil julle van voor af weer slawe Continue reading →

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TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION

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Grant Swart

I pray that it is my humble and heartfelt intent to write concerning an earnest directive which believers have been given, and that is, to truthfully pass on to those who do not know the Lord, the liberating and glorious facts concerning the means of salvation which the Gospel proclaims. When we consider all which constitutes the doctrine of salvation in the Gospel, it is impossible to disentangle it from the truth about God, the truth about men, the truth about sin, and the truth about Christ.

So often today the word “salvation” is used in very loose terms, ascribing to it many man-centered, phony ideas and fanciful doctrines which sound reasonable and very appealing to man’s conscience and which man readily accepts. Many of these are simply intended to soothe man’s guilty conscience, and leave him with a false comfort that man himself remains the ‘captain of his soul’ and in control of his eternal destiny. However, biblical truth about salvation is that man is not in any position to determine or secure his own salvation, by means of a decision or by applying his will or effort.

One is not likely to hear from the mouths of most preachers, that man is hopelessly unable to choose to follow God, or to decide to allow God into his life. Contrary to what many billboards around our country proclaim, man cannot, and indeed will never want to, turn back to God, unless he has been called to do so by God. Continue reading →

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Die Kruis red; die Kruis verlos. Die ware Evangelie van geloof.

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TULIP en Die Ware Evangelie

tulip logo image

Totale onvermoë dood in jou sonde

Uitverkies sonder voorwaardes

Lewe aflê vir Sy Skape Alleen

Innerlike onweerstaanbare genade

Preserveer vir ewig

 

Isa 53:11  Weens die moeitevolle lyde van sy siel sal Hy dit sien en versadig word; deur sy kennis sal my Kneg, die Regverdige, baie regverdig maak; en Hy sal hulle skuld dra.

Dit was Volbring en wat die God van die Kosmos gekom het om te doen, was Hy mee tevrede; dat diegene wat Hy regverdig wil maak, het Hy volkome regverdig gemaak. Nie een gaan verlore wat Hy in Sy ewige Raadsplan vir Sy Bruid kies nie. Sy plan was nie gefnuik deur enige van Sy skepsels nie, want Hy is nie in hulle hande nie maar hulle in Syne. Die vlekkelose Bruid is nie die een wat Jesus Christus nie geweet het wie dit gaan wees nie, en tot met die wederkoms eers, Sy versluierde een met verbasing sal aanskou nie. Nee, God weet wie is die Bruid, want Hy het hulle elkeen gekies voor die grondlegging van die wêreld af, om ʼn reine Bruid te hê, wat Hy vlekkeloos en heilig kom maak het.

Inleiding

Toe die wet daar was, was dit maklik om te verklaar hoekom sommige die ewige lewe beërwe en hoekom sommige deur die wet geoordeel word. Dit was wit of swart, hemel of hel, God se skaap of die duiwel se bok, verlore of gered deur die wet te gehoorsaam of die wet te oortree. Dan was dit jou skuld dat jy verlore gaan, of dit was jou goedheid en getrouheid wat jou die hemel laat beërwe, “getroue dienskneg kom staan hier by die skape, ontroue gaan na die ewige verderf voorberei vir die duiwel en sy engele”. Nie dat die wet enigeen gered het nie. Die nuwe evangelie is nie veel anders in sy sienswyse nie, jy gehoorsaam die “wet” van “keuse maak”. Continue reading →

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Depression and the Christian (Article 2)

depression 2

Depression and the Christian (Article 2)

Re-posted on For the Love of His Truth by Grant Swart

I have copied this same introduction paragraph from Article 1 on this blog. If you have already read this introduction, please page down to read Article 2 below, which is one of the best I have seen on this subject.

Depression is certainly not something which should be taken lightly, true depression is absolutely devastating and debilitating. It can snuff out all sense of worth and quality of life like a candle in a gale force wind. Depression is not limited to any specific group or type of person, age group or gender. Depression can “attack” all people just as easily as the common cold can. I speak from personal experience, as there have been times in my life when depression has overwhelmed me. I praise our merciful and gracious Lord for having provided me with the means and people who helped me to overcome this terrible condition.

I have encountered so many people who suffer from all manner and degree of depression. Almost all of them suffer with this terrible condition and bear the burden unnecessarily, either due to not recognizing depression, not knowing how to deal with it and where to seek help, or because either their family and friends, and possibly even their church, do not know how to deal with the problem.  Continue reading →

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Depression and the Christian (Article 1)

depression 1

Depression and the Christian (Article 1)

Re-posted on For the Love of His Truth by Grant Swart

Depression is certainly not something which should be taken lightly, true depression is absolutely devastating and debilitating. It can snuff out all sense of worth and quality of life like a candle in a gale force wind. Depression is not limited to any specific group or type of person, age group or gender. Depression can “attack” all people just as easily as the common cold can. I speak from personal experience, as there have been times in my life when depression has overwhelmed me. I praise our merciful and gracious Lord for having provided me with the means and people who helped me to overcome this terrible condition.

I have encountered so many people who suffer from all manner and degree of depression. Almost all of them suffer with this terrible condition and bear the burden unnecessarily, either due to not recognizing depression, not knowing how to deal with it and where to seek help, or because either their family and friends, and possibly even their church, do not know how to deal with the problem. Continue reading →

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Die mens se status voor God

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DIE MENS SE STATUS DEUR DIE HISTORIESE BETROKKENHEID VAN GOD SE RAADSBESLUIT

    Toestand Voor En Na Die Sondeval

Status Integritatis

Adam en Eva is met integriteit geskape. Met ʼn ware vrye wil om te kies om God te dien. Met die moontlikheid om te sondig en die moontlikheid om nie te sondig nie. Dit is geskape in liefde. Die boom van kennis kon hulle nie van eet nie, dit was al voorwaarde tot ʼn ewige lewe in die Paradys. Hulle was nie onskuldig geskape nie omrede hulle dan nie kon sondig nie. Dit was hulle toestand voor hulle val. Toe misbruik hulle, hulle vrye wil en sondig en is hulle dood in hulle sonde. Johan Heyns stel dit sekuur:

“Satan plant in die hart van die vrou twyfel oor die juiste bewoording, twyfel insake die presiese strekking daarvan, en twyfel veral ook aan die billikheid en regverdigheid van die goddelike gebod. Hy maak in haar hart hoogmoed wakker deur te suggereer dat hulle soos God, kan weet wat goed, en kwaad is. Hy prikkel haar begeerte en verlei haar, deur ʼn leuen te vertel, ten slotte tot daadwerklike ongehoorsaamheid aan en ongeloof in God. En, so staan die naakte sonde in sy historiese aanvang dan voor ons: Continue reading →

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Die Ware Evangelie

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Welkom by die eerste Afrikaanse artikel op For the Love of His Truth. Indien u in kennis gestel wil word van ander Afrikaanse artikels wat op hierdie blog verskyn, kliek op “Sign me up!” heel bo in die regter kolom op die tuisblad.

Mag die God wat genadig en barmhartig is vir jou begelei deur sy Gees tot alle waarheid, kennis, insig en mag u sy genade begryp in Christus Jesus.

1.      Die plan van God met die mens en skepping 

Openbaring 4:11 “Here, ons God, U is waardig om die heerlikheid en die eer en die mag te ontvang omdat U alles geskep het; deur u wil het alles ontstaan en is dit geskep.” 

God het geskep omdat Hy wil skep. God skenk dit aan die mens om te geniet en te gebruik. Isaiah 45:18 So sê die Here, Hy wat die hemel geskep het, Hy wat alleen God is, Hy wat die aarde gevorm, gemaak het, dit gereed gemaak, geskep het, dit gevorm het, nie om leeg te wees nie, maar om bewoon te word: Ek is die Here; daar is geen ander nie. 

Die mens is geskape om in die lewe van die mens, God te weerspieël.  Eseg.20.41”Ek sal my in julle as die Heilige laat ken voor die oë van die nasies.”  

Die mens was by sy skepping wel met die moontlikheid, maar nie met die noodsaaklikheid van volharding in die goeie nie, toegerus.  Bybels gesproke is dit egter so dat die mens nie hoef te misluk nie, maar wil misluk, en daarom is sy ondergang nie sy lot nie, maar sy skuld. Continue reading →
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Charismaticism: fraud, lies, arrogance and deception

rotten-apple 1

Grant Swart

Since the initial publishing of the accompanying article, significant developments have taken place within the charismatic movement, and none for the better. The deception and lies of this enormous cult have taken on far greater proportions and the claws of the heretical movement have been sunk into a much broader section of, what is seen to be, the Christian faith, with damning, tragic and devastatingly sad consequences.

Even significant parts of the Reformed church, much of which was regarded as the guardian of relatively ‘safe’, conservative and sound doctrinal Christianity, has been infected by this cancerous and Satanic movement. New Calvinism, or Reformed Charismaticism, is fast becoming the latest fad in many church circles, who seem to have become bored with upholding the truth in the Word. Increasing the support for this demonic charismania, we have international conferences, the enormous influence of multi media and “heavyweight” proponents such as John Piper, CJ Mahaney, Kevin De Young, Mark Dever, Mark Driscoll, Albert Mohler, Tim Keller, Joshua Harris and Ligon Duncan driving the deception deep into the flesh of the church.

The fact that so few church leaders are speaking out CLEARLY and without ambiguity against this deception is cause for great concern to believers. It is even worse when our spiritual leaders are prepared to support and embrace the lies, fraud, arrogance and deception of these ravenous wolves in the charismatic sphere of the church.

The subtle horror of this deception is leaving great gaping wounds on the hearts of our people. The lifeblood of the church continues to bleed away, yet the faithful know that at the core of the church, Jesus Continue reading →

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GET ANGRY! It’s the deeply offensive Bishop of Rome (Part 3)

Roman Catholic church 6

Grant Swart

Roman Catholic doctrine steeped in pagan tradition, and the Roman Catholic Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, should present every Christian saved by the grace of God with good reason to get angry. Angry? Really, should a Christian get angry over this?

Certainly, very angry indeed, as our Lord instructs. The three articles which follow below will explain. In the light of the fact that tolerance of all religious systems is taking precedence over truth, millions, if not billions of people are being duped into believing that there are many roads which lead to God, and that all religions worship the same God. Nothing could be further from the truth. Continue reading →

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GET ANGRY! It’s the deeply offensive Bishop of Rome (Part 2)

Roman Catholic church 7

Grant Swart

Roman Catholic doctrine steeped in pagan tradition, and the Roman Catholic Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, should present every Christian saved by the grace of God with good reason to get angry. Angry? Really, should a Christian get angry over this?

Certainly, very angry indeed, as our Lord instructs. The three articles which follow below will explain. In the light of the fact that tolerance of all religious systems is taking precedence over truth, millions, if not billions of people are being duped into believing that there are many roads which lead to God, and that all religions worship the same God. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When it comes to defending the truth of the Gospel, Christians should stop being such limp-wristed, quivering, overly cautious, meek little men, uttering whimpered politically correct complaints. We have the protection of the One Almighty Omnipotent Father God, we partake in the nature of the bravest of Sons ever to walk the earth, we have the examples set by those early saints who stood immovably for the Faith and who were martyred in the most gruesome ways imaginable, so why are we so sickeningly tolerant of the world which is clearly in opposition to our Faith? Speak up, man, get angry, be a courageous Follower of Christ, not Arminian will-worshippers, use the Scripture which is your sword, stand squarely and immovable.

The “human right” to worship all forms of false gods, Continue reading →

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GET ANGRY! It’s the deeply offensive Bishop of Rome (Part 1)

Roman Catholic church 5

Grant Swart

Roman Catholic doctrine steeped in pagan tradition, and the Roman Catholic Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome, should present every Christian saved by the grace of God with good reason to get angry. Angry? Really, should a Christian get angry over this?

Certainly, very angry indeed, as our Lord instructs. The three articles which follow below will explain. In the light of the fact that tolerance of all religious systems is taking precedence over truth, millions, if not billions of people are being duped into believing that there are many roads which lead to God, and that all religions worship the same God. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When it comes to defending the truth of the Gospel, Christians should stop being such limp-wristed, quivering, overly cautious, meek little men, uttering whimpered politically correct complaints. We have the protection of the One Almighty Omnipotent Father God, we partake in the nature of the bravest of Sons ever to walk the earth, we have the examples set by those early saints who stood immovably for the Faith and who were martyred in the most gruesome ways imaginable, so why are we so sickeningly tolerant of the world which is clearly in opposition to our Faith? Speak up, man, get angry, be a courageous Follower of Christ, not Arminian will-worshippers, use the Scripture which is your sword, stand squarely and immovable.

The “human right” to worship all forms of false gods, has become globally regarded as an essential element in most of society. This is known as interfaith pluralism and it is from the depths of hell itself.
Continue reading →

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SANCTIFICATION: Why & how can God accept sinners into His Presence?

sanctification

Grant Swart

DEFINING A BIG WORD: SANCTIFICATION

Firstly, we should define what the word sanctification means. Put simply, sanctification is the act or process of being made or becoming holy. To sanctify is literally ”to set apart for special use or purpose”, figuratively “to make holy or sacred”, and etymologically from the Latin verb sancitificare which in turn is from sanctus (holy), and facere (to make).

The fancy word, etymology, simply means the study of the history of words and where they originated from, but of course you knew that, didn’t you?

Sanctification means taking something that is common and ordinary and setting it apart, for God’s purpose and for His service alone. According to the Scriptures and the experience of saved believers, sanctification is an act of God, not something which is done by man.

In Scripture sanctification is mentioned in many places, underlining the importance of the sanctified condition. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of sanctification in John 17 while He prayed: 16-19 “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” Continue reading →

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Internet investigators, Conference fashionistas and Tattle-tale heroes

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Grant Swart

   

(1 Ti 4:16) “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;    continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

   

                     (2Ti 2:14-17) Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.

       (Eph 4:29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

       (Eph 4:12-14) to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

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 PREACH WHAT GOD HAS TAUGHT YOU:

Make it your business to know the doctrine of the Holy Bible. Make it your business to proclaim the amazing grace of God, glorify God by speaking the Gospel of His Son, not by spending the majority of your time mentioning names of false and deceived men who are spreading their falsely charismatic messages based on demonic and secular motivation. Teach only simple, clear and considered Biblical Truth to those whom you wish to guide. You cannot expect the immature and the misguided to recognize falsehoods, which you think you have so cleverly have uncovered by your following the tabloids and the adverts stuck on the walls of foyers of worldly churches, unless they FIRST fully understand the Truth. The Truth is not based in our opinions, or in the opinion of the speakers we tend to idolize, but in Scripture.

In this regard, let your discussion, correspondence and intentions be centered around only the inspired doctrine of God. Don’t add to that the opinions of men. Let those who by the providence and Grace of God have excess time on their hands, expend their priceless excess energy and time on edifying and supporting other believers with absolute facts about our sin, God’s grace and Christ’s atonement. Be like the sheep who hear the voice of the Shepherd, the voice which speaks with perfect clarity from the Scriptures, don’t act like those who partake in riotous demonstrations Continue reading →

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Santa Claus, Antichrist and Angus Buchan: more interesting than the Book of Proverbs?

Controversy Cycle 1

Grant Swart

It never ceases to amaze, how controversial personalities and questionable professing Christians succeed in occupying the thoughts, imagination and time of those who regard the internet news feed as a worthy place to spend a lot of their valuable time. It is evident that the debate about characters and events such as Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, The Elephant Room, Rob Bell and Passion 2013, takes on a greater importance for many, than does for example, the studying and discussion surrounding the wonderful wisdom and humour held within the Book of Proverbs.

The statistics on this blog represent no exception. As administrator, I was able to gain access to those. The following list should be indicative of what I have just said. These are the names of the controversial personalities attached to the most widely read articles on this blog over the past year or two. The list tells its own story:

Santa Claus (father Christmas)

Antichrist

Angus Buchan

TB Joshua

Rick Joyner

Rick Warren

John Piper

Joseph Prince

Eugene Peterson (author of The Message)

Bill Johnson

Beth Moore

Ann Voskamp

Kay Arthur

I do concede that, on the greater scale of things, this blog cannot be representative of global tendencies, but these stats are nevertheless disturbing, particularly as there are so many more expository articles on this blog, than there are articles of tabloid interest.

While I realize that it is not any sort of requirement or justification, I wonder how many of the people who have read and commented with much fervour on the blog postings regarding the above personalities, are able to fill in (more or less) the missing words from these well-known Bible verses?

OK, so let us try, beloved readers:

1) “I will lift up mine eyes unto the….., from whence cometh my …… My ….  cometh from the …., which made …… and earth…”

2) LORD, how are they increased that……. me! many are they that …… up against me.

Many there be which say of my soul, There is no….. for him in God

One more try, this time, from the most beautiful benediction from the Book of Jude. Simply fill in the blanks in your mind’s eye:

Now to him who is able to keep you from…….. and to present you blameless before the presence of his…… with great……, to the only God, our ……, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, …….. and ………., before all time ..… and  forever. Amen

It seems unacceptable that, when placed on a balance, the time set aside by Christians to partake in conferences, debates, forums and discussions surrounding controversial personalities and subjects, it far outweighs that which is spent in contemplating God’s Grace and applying the simplicity of His Sovereign will to our lives.

I wish there to be great blessings of peace in your lives, and less strife and confusion over subjects and people who cannot as much as influence the passage of a single day in Creation.

Irrespective of how many seats on international jet-liners, people such as CJ Mahaney, John Piper or Benny Hinn fill, or how many hotel rooms they rent as they criss-cross the globe, or how many deceived souls they draw into their conference halls, the form of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ will remain unaffected (Matthew 16:18).  Maybe Rick Warren or Louis Giglio will have a street, a building or a new model of some four cylinder Korean car named after themselves,  but in terms of that which they successfully merchandise to the unbelieving world, they are worthy only of our disregard.

Blessings to all.

elephant and mouse

 

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