YDELHEID: DIE EERSTE SONDE TEENOOR GOD

Grant Swart

Alles tevergeefs, sê die Prediker, alles tevergeefs, dit is alles tevergeefs! (Prediker 1:2). Die Hebreeuse woord vir “ydelheid” word hier vertaal as “alles tevergeefs”, en beteken letterlik “damp” of “asem”. Dit kan ook as “betekenisloos”, “leegheid” of “nutteloosheid” vertaal word. Die prediker hierin is Koning Salomo, en hy vertel ons dat, nadat hy alles wat die wereld kan aanbied ondersoek het, hy bevind het dat dit alles betekenisloos is. Dit is nutteloos om wereldse doele na te jaag, want hulle verdwyn almal met ons laaste asem. Daardie grondslag help ons om te verstaan hoe die woord ydelheid op ander wyses in die Bybel gebruik word.

In die Griekse Bybelteks is die woord vir ydelheid “kenodoxia”, wat letterlik “leë heerlikheid” beteken. Dit beliggaam die oortuiging dat ‘n mens verdien om bewonder te word as gevolg van ‘n mens se vermeende voortreflike skoonheid, krag, status, talent of voorneme.

Romeine 8:20 sê dat die hele skepping aan nietigheid onderwerp is as gevolg van God se vloek. Toe Adam gesondig het, het God alles vervloek wat Hy gemaak het (Genesis 3:17–19). Met ander woorde, perfeksie het verlore gegaan. Ydelheid bring mee dat die mens daardie perfeksie self weer wil najaag. Die hele skepping skiet nou tekort aan sy oorspronklike doel; eerder as om in harmonie met God te werk, het bewoners van die aarde op mekaar en teen God gedraai. Ons steier steeds van die gevolge van daardie vloek. Alles wat bedoel was om reg en uitstekend te wees, is onderstebo. Die chaos en waansin van die wêreld soos ons dit ken, is te wyte aan die feit dat God die skepping aan nietigheid onderwerp het (Romeine 8:21).

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The BIBLICAL Role Of A Woman

I was given the links to these two short video clips, by a friend and and sister in Jesus Christ. This one of the best biblical explanations concerning the place and role of the woman in the church and as a Christian wife and  mother. I thought it good enough to share with you all. There might be somebody out there who would benefit from better understanding our place and role in a Biblical sense. It is also our duty to adhere to the Word and it clearly spells out what the Lord expects of women.

In today’s post-modern society with women’s liberation movements world wide it is not correct for us to agree with and adhere to the world, but to follow our Lord’s instructions. The teaching of the Apostle Paul spells it out so clearly in his words in 1Tim 2:12  “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet”. Often I have encountered women who say that this verse indicates to them that women should be reduced to being pregnant and in the kitchen, and be a slave to her husband although this is not at all what Scripture tells us. It is my prayer that these short clips bring joy and peace to the hearts of those women who do not understand this teaching. Blessings in His name. Elmarie

To see the video clips ….

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FALLING STARS AND CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER

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Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
(Jude 1:9-13 KJV)

In the preceding verses Jude describe the false teachers and enemies of Christ which have infiltrated the church, “creeping in unawares”. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, they deny the gospel of substitution, they defile the flesh, despise authority and speak evil of the apostles, pastors and church leaders without any just cause. Their motive in discrediting the true preachers is to exalt themselves and draw away disciples to themselves. Continue reading

REPENTANCE: Legal vs. True

Repentance

Grant Swart

If our forgiveness was dependent on what we as sinners could do (or refrain from doing), in order to repent, who would be so bold as to claim that they could achieve it sufficiently as to gain recognition by a perfectly Holy God? Is repentance something we can and should do in order to be saved, or is repentance a gift granted to those who are saved by God?

All too often one hears the instruction issuing forth from religious zealots: “You must repent, you must turn from your sin, you must turn to God, or…!”. In my country, as I suppose it is in many others, many will-worshipping churches have coined a new favourite phrase: “Turn or burn!”, and in some Afrikaans congregations the translated phrase, “Draai of braai”, is bandied about with even more self-righteous enthusiasm. As if it were simply up to the listener to do the turning, and God will have no choice but to accept those who turn!

Those who do not have Christ, hear these warnings and are left terrified by their own inability to do what the preacher expects of them. They have heard the stern instructions, but have no understanding of it, no idea of where to start, or how to go about this seemingly impossible task. How can they turn to God when they do not know Him, do not know where He is, or who He is? How could they possibly repent without God’s help and without the guidance of His Holy Spirit? Continue reading

MIGHT GOD YET GRANT REVIVAL?

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“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” (Proverbs 29:2)

There is no question that our nation, along with the rest of the world, is a nation under the judgment of God. As far as I know, throughout the world, in every nation under the sun, the wicked rule. Perhaps you think that is a strong statement. Politicians in every democratic society of which I am aware…

  • Openly promote homosexuality, asserting that any objection to that deviant perversity is bigotry.
  • Do everything possible to promote fornication and unwed women giving birth to children, or even worse murdering unwanted, inconvenient children.
  • Use every means possible to eradicate any mention or thought of the Lord Jehovah, our God, and our Savior Christ Jesus as God the Lord, while rushing to pass laws protecting Islam, Hinduism and atheism.

 

Yes, the wicked rule everywhere; and when the wicked rule the people mourn.

 

(Proverbs 29:2) “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

 

When the wicked rule, the people they oppress “mourn,” the people moan, and groan, and sigh before God under the tyranny of the wicked. The people mourn, groan and sigh, as John Gill wrote more than 250 years ago, “under their tyranny and oppression, and because of the sad state of things; the number of good men is lessened, being cut off, or obliged to flee; wicked men and wickedness are encouraged and promoted; heavy taxes are laid upon them, and exorbitant demands made and cruelty, injustice, and arbitrary power exercised; and no man’s person and property are safe.” Continue reading

WILL WORSHIPPER

free choice

Grant Swart

Why this article?

“Will worship” and “will worshippers”. Terms I use on occasion when I write on certain aspects concerning the subject of the salvation of the sinner. It is imperative that followers of Jesus Christ understand Biblical teaching of how salvation of the sinner is accomplished, in order for them to impart the truth of the Gospel to all who would believe in Him and have everlasting life. It is our duty, and it is so because the Word of God instructs us in that matter.

Salvation can either be brought about by the effort of the sinner, or by means of a co-operation between the sinner and God, or it can be by the will and grace of God alone.

Eternal life, or eternal damnation. The biblical comprehension of this matter is ultimately important, because the means by which the sinner attains salvation (eternal life / spiritual life beyond physical death), could be determined either by a subservient God who is reliant upon the actions and decisions of the sinner, or by a sovereign God who acts independently from the eternally damned sinner whom He saves. Theological expressions for these two opposing viewpoints are “synergism” and “monergism”, but I will leave that to remain of academic interest for now, as there are other factors which would need to be included, were we to proceed along that route.

My employment of the terms “will worship” and “will worshipper”, is of course by no means unique to my writing, as there are other esteemed writers who made use of the same terms long before I did. I use the terms with specific intent, because they accurately describe the belief system of those who oppose the biblical doctrine of salvation by the grace of God alone, and who uphold the heresy that salvation is in part or in totality, reliant upon human will, works or values.

I use the terms to describe those who cling to and proclaim the pride-filled heretical and impossible notion, that salvation of the spiritually dead sinner is dependent upon a decision made by that same spiritually dead sinner, powered by his own over-valued understanding of free will and imaginary ability. Continue reading

WHAT DOES OUR DAY REQUIRE OF US?

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Listen to sermon !

Turn with me to the Book of 1st Chronicles. I want us to think about a very important question. It is a question which should be of concern to us all. It is especially important for all who are endeavoring to serve Christ in the generation in which we live – WHAT DOES OUR DAY REQUIRE OF US? As I preach the Gospel, I try to address those issues that are relevant to us. I try to answer questions that men and women are asking. Surely this is a question you and I should ask ourselves. — WHAT DOES OUR DAY REQUIRE OF US?

(1 Chronicles 12:32) “And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.”

It was the peculiar honor of the sons of Issachar that — “they were men that had understanding of the times.” Continue reading

Useless Religion

Useless without Christ

Listen to sermon : 

Many years ago J. C. Ryle wrote, “There are two ways a man may lose his own soul. [1] He may lose his soul by living and dying without any religion at all. He may live and die like a beast, prayerless, godless, graceless, and faithless. This is a sure way to hell. [2] He may lose his soul by taking up some useless kind of religion. He may live and die contenting himself with a false Christianity, resting on a baseless hope. This is the most common way to hell that there is.”

I want to talk to you about USELESS RELIGION. You may ask, “Pastor, What is useless religion. Surely, any religion is better than no religion.” Not so! — Useless religion is far worse than no religion, because useless religion convinces unregenerate men and women that all is well with their souls when nothing is well. In the practice of useless religion, men, women, and children eat and drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord’s body, not knowing who Christ is, what He came into this world in human flesh to do, what He actually accomplished by His obedience unto death as the sinners’ Substitute (Most people do not know what He did or why He did it.), where He is now, or how He saves sinners by His grace and righteousness, through His blood.

  • All false religion is useless religion.
  • All useless religion is idolatry.

Open your Bible to Habakkuk 2:18-19, and you will see that God’s prophet Habakkuk, writing by Divine inspiration, denounced the useless religion of Babylon as soul-damning idolatry. Continue reading

“Christ Is All!”

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Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
(Colossians 3:11 KJV)

“Christ Is All!”           

Colossians 3:11

     It is not possible for any mortal to comprehend the  full scope of those three words, but here are ten statements that might help to enlarge our understanding of them. After you have read this brief article, carefully study each statement, asking God the Holy Spirit to seal these words to your heart – “Christ is all!”

1. Christ is all to be known (John 17:3; Phil. 3:10). If you know Christ you know enough, even if you are ignorant of other things. If you do not know Christ it is nothing to have all other knowledge.

2. Christ is all to be chosen (Matt. 13:44-46) . There is no way to obtain this treasure and purchase this Pearl, but by selling all that you have. If you would save your life, you must lose it to Christ. Continue reading

“Messiah the Prince”

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Daniel 9:25

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
(Daniel 9:25 KJV)

The man Gabriel appeared to Daniel, assuring him of the coming of Christ and of our Savior’s great accomplishments as our Savior at God’s appointed time (Daniel 9:20-24). By the accomplishment of these six great feats of grace, “Messiah the Prince” is identified. He who accomplished these things is the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior.

Transgression Finished

First, Gabriel told Daniel that when the Christ appeared, He would, by the sacrifice of Himself, “finish the transgression.” That is precisely what our blessed Savior did when our transgressions were laid on Him and borne by Him, and he carried them all away in the stream of His precious blood when He made satisfaction for us. They shall never be seen or brought up again!

Sins End Continue reading

Scofield “Bible” (Part 3) – C.I. Scofield: Dispensational Scalawag

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Grant Swart

This is a short follow-on to Parts 1 & 2 Scofield “Bible” – A Handbook for Genocide AND Scofield “Bible” (Part 2) – Re-defining the darkness of fraud, conspiracy and heresy of a brief series I have posted over the past few weeks, which deals with the Scofield Reference “bible”, its author Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, and the massively popular heretical dispensational beliefs it continues to spawn.

Scholarly Bible believing Christians cannot accept a view of Scripture as put forward by the Scofield Reference “bible” (and a God who would have contrived it), and are those who speak out against the spiritual, geo-political, ethnic and religious consequences of such an astonishingly narrow and mistaken world-view as that of Dispensational Pre-millenialism. They also experience with sadness the realization that such enormous energy and devotion have been poured into such a misguided enterprise. More often than not, these “Bereans” would themselves have been introduced to the heretical conspiracies of dispensational pre-millenialism by the worldly church and would have discovered the truth about the kingdom of God and the second coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ only through conscientious and inspired study of Holy Scripture.

While this article describes C.I.Scofield as the scalawag he chose to be, it can be argued that most of the famous dispensationalists world-over and throughout the historic existence of the dispensational heresy, can be regarded as such to a lesser or greater extent, due to their proclaiming such a gross misrepresentation of Scriptural prophecy.  Among these world famous dispensational teachers have been some otherwise truly remarkable pastors and Christians. However, details pertaining to the lives and of the dispensational protagonists are of less significance to the Christian, than the heretical teachings which constitute dispensationalism.

It is not my intention to discuss in this article, all the specifics which constitute the eschatological heresy of Dispensational Pre-millenialism. Continue reading

Scofield “Bible” (Part 2) – Re-defining the darkness of fraud, conspiracy and heresy

Scofield Jesuit

Grant Swart

The life of often referenced dispensationalist Cyrus Ingerson Scofield is characterized by dishonesty, scandal, lies, fraud, adultery, forgery and disgrace. However, I wish to make it abundantly clear once again, that my series of posts of which this article forms a part, should by no means be regarded as an attempt to pass judgement on the private life, sins, criminality, convictions, indiscretions, iniquities, personal shortcomings, lies and fraudulent lifestyle of the man. In this regard let us call to memory the words of the Apostle Paul as we contemplate the content of this series of articles: (Romans 3:20-24) For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it– the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Scofield may have been all of those sinful things, or he may have been none of them. How many Christians are not guilty of some, if not all of the same sins? Scofield may have been a believer in Jesus Christ, although very little of his life bears testimony to that probability, least of all his Bible notes. However, none of that can change the fact that the reasons for the existence of the heretical teachings held within the Scofield Reference “Bible” were fraudulent and deceptive. The teachings and ideas contained in his notes resulted in the heinous lies which have been instrumental in supporting some of the greatest heresies and filthy atrocities in post reformation Christianity. Whether the wayward lifestyle of the man had much to do with his teachings and expository deficiencies, or not, does not alter the reality that the Scofield Reference “Bible” is a work which re-defines the darkness of the fraud which spawned it’s heresies, conspiracies and deceptive messages. 

**Generally speaking, dispensationalists tend to cherish his teachings without any concern whatsoever for what kind of man Scofield really was. For some reason, his admirers consider it unethical or possibly even contemptible to expose embarrassing little known secrets about the man. Facts should not be buried because they make people feel uncomfortable. Neither C.I. Scofield nor his work are above reproach and considering the impact he has had on Christendom, his life should be examined. The type of person that he really was will have a major influence on the theology that he taught.

As was the case with the previous article by a different author, which I posted regarding the Scofield Reference “Bible” (see https://fortheloveofhistruth.com/2013/08/25/scofield-bible-a-handbook-for-genocide/), I do not necessarily endorse or subscribe to all of the thoughts and work of the author of this attached article. So, I ask those opposed to this work, to please refrain from playing the tired “guilty by association” card in these instances, these matters have been considered. However, differences which may exist are not sufficient reason for me not to regard what follows, as a thorough and honest article aimed at exposing the filthy theology which the Scofield Reference “Bible” has spawned, and the devastating results it has had within the church and around the world. For those reasons, I am grateful to the author/s concerned. Continue reading

Self-righteousness

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“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Self-righteousness is the subject of the parable before us. I cannot imagine a subject more disgustingly repugnant, or more commonly and universally indulged. Luke gives us an inspired introduction to the parable in verse 9. —“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” That which our Lord here denounces is self-righteousness. The purpose of our Lord in this parable is to show the folly and danger of self-righteousness. Continue reading

Prominent Christian Leader Rebukes Desmond Tutu For His Unbelief

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ACDP leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe

Meshoe slams Tutu over ‘homophobic God’

2013-07-31 08:41

Cape Town – ACDP leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe has slammed Archbishop EmeritusDesmond Tutu for his “homophobic God” statement, The Cape Times reported on Wednesday.

“Archbishop Desmond Tutu is out of order when he alleged that God is a homophobic God, and that he finds fault with scriptures that teach that homosexual life style is a sin before God,” the African Christian Democratic Party leader was quoted as saying.

“We ask Archbishop Tutu not to confuse people who respect the scriptures, and advised him to keep his unbelief to himself if he does not believe in the teaching of the Holy Bible.”

He was reacting to Tutu’s comments on Friday, at the launch of a United Nations campaign to promote the fair treatment of lesbians and gays.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE !!

And also read what Desmond Tutu said here :

Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu prefers Hell to the God of the Bible

Reprobation Asserted

John 10

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
(John 10:26 KJV)

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There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
(John 10:19-29 KJV) Continue reading