Tag: romans

  • Apostles Sent to the Gentiles with a Letter of the Council

    Apostles Sent to the Gentiles with a Letter of the Council

    Will any of the Twelve travel to Antioch Syria from Jerusalem? Or will the Apostles send their Epistle to the Gentiles with other reliable messengers?

    A.D. 49 – Jerusalem Judea in Roman occupied Syria

    Who are these Apostles to the Gentiles?

    Recall that the current crisis of the Church involves both Jews and Gentiles and that the Church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to clarify the Law of Moses.

    A Council of Church Leaders meets under leadership of the Apostles of Jesus, the risen Christ witnessed my the Twelve and many leading men of Jerusalem.

    Acts 15:19-20a – James: Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them..

    Acts 15:

    22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers..


    ἀπόστολος – apostolos – apostle

    a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

    This is exactly what the Council of Jerusalem has ordered.

    in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers

    • of Barnabas
    • of Timothy
    • and Silvanus

    They SEND these apostles with their epistle of encouragement and specific instructions to the Church and its other leading men in Antioch, obeying Christ’s command to go into all the world — theirs, a gentile world — with the Gospel.

    • ἀπόστολος – Apostle
    • a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders
      • specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ
    • ἀπόστολος apóstolos, ap-os’-tol-os; from G649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”) (with miraculous powers):—apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

      ἔθνος – ethnos

      The KJV translates Strong’s G1484 in the following manner: Gentiles (93x), nation (64x), heathen (5x), people (2x).

      We have recently spent time on this on Paul’s first missionary journey, but for clarity definitions which apply here:

      • in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles
      • Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians
      Acts of the Apostles Missions trips of Paul, Barnabas, Silas and several others
      ACTS on Mission

      Paul

      The Church is already quite familiar with Saul of Tarsus or Paul; who following his first mission from Antioch to the Gentiles along with Joseph of Cypress (Barnabas) has precipitated this Council in Jerusalem.

      In a later Epistle of Paul to the Romans he writes:

      Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

      Letter of Paul to the Romans 11:13-14 ESV

      Think about it, my fellow gentile brothers and sisters in Christ.

      1. Paul identifies himself as an apostle. The Council sent both Paul and Barnabas as apostles for this next mission to the Gentiles.
      2. The Apostle Paul also magnifies his mission is to the Gentiles (although a remnant of Jews will be saved).

      On their first missionary journey the Apostle Paul had proclaimed Christ to the Jews first and then preached the Gospel to the Gentiles.


      Barnabas

      Acts 9 Joseph of Cypress aka Barnabas 'son of encouragement' meets Saul of Tarsus

      Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

      – Acts 4:36-37 ESV

      It was Barnabas, a trusted Jew of the priestly line, who brought Paul to the Apostles after his encounter with the risen Christ (and having heard their former nemesis preach Christ crucified and risen to the Jews in Damascus).

      When a report came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem after some men of Cyprus and Cyrene spoke to the Hellenists in Antioch (and a great number turned to the Lord), they sent Barnabas to Antioch. – from Acts 11:20

      Judas called Barsabbas

      Βαρσαβᾶς – Lexicon :: Strong’s G923 – barsabas

      Barsabas [or Barsabbas] (i. e. son of Saba)

      (Not to be confused with another important disciple and deacon of the church in Jerusalem * possibly also present with its leading men of the Council, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus [Acts 1:23] put forth along with Mathias as a candidate to replace Judas Iscariot in the Twelve Apostles.)

      2. the surname of a certain Judas: Acts 15:22, (B. D. under the word Judas Barsabas].

      * Could Luke’s wording indicate that both were present & this Barsabbas is Judas son of Saba rather than Joseph son of Saba? (And might they even be biological brothers? [again, my speculation])

      Silas

      Σιλᾶν – Lexicon :: Strong’s G4609 – silas

      Contraction for Σιλουανός (G4610) – Silvanus, the same man who in Acts is called Σιλᾶς (which see): 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12.

      Silas or Silvanus is a Roman Citizen (as is Paul) sent with the Apostle to the Gentiles on this second mission and other journeys to preach the Gospel to all the world of the Roman Empire.

      A.D. 49 – 51 Secondary Missionary Journey with Paul

      The Council Adjourns

      Acts 15:22b-29 Text of the Council’s Epistle

      They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

      23 with the following letter:

      “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders,

      to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.

      Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

      We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:

      that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

      30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch…


      ACTS of the Apostles TO BE CONTINUED…

      in Antioch Syria…

      map of route between Jerusalem and Antioch where apostles sent missionaries into all the world of the gentiles

      Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

    • Who has believed our message?

      Who has believed our message?

      יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Isaiah) 53 ::  מִי הֶאֱמִין לִשְׁמֻעָתֵנוּ וּזְרוֹעַ יְהוָה עַל־מִי נִגְלָֽתָה׃

      and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

      Paul and Barnabas SENT with the Gospel

      Now in the church that was at Antioch [Syria]..

      .. the Holy Spirit said,

      “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

      ACTS of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas 13:1a,2b NKJV

      Saulos of Tarsus has just completed an exhortation in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch.

      Who is asking to hear more of the Gospel?

      The response of the brothers gathered for worship on the Sabbath will determine who has believed the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ (Χριστός Greek) of the Jews.

      Many proselytes also sought the message of God in this Hellenist-Roman city near Pisidia Antioch.

      Who has heard these messengers of Good News?

      Acts of the Apostles 13:

      “Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

      ‘Behold, you despisers,
      Marvel and perish!
      For I work a work in your days,
      A work which you will by no means believe,
      Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

      Acts 13:40-41 NKJV
      Born: Saul of Tarsus, c. 5 AD, Tarsus, Cilicia, Roman Empire (in 21st-century Turkey) Died: c. 64/65 AD, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire

      ACTS 13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

      Although some Bibles translate from the Greek, ‘the people,’ Luke clearly points to the Goyim or gentiles [ethnos] included in the Sabbath, many who are proselytes seeking the true God.

      Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas,

      who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

      Acts of the Apostles 13:43 New King James Version

      The physician and gospel-writer Luke has included some details in his account of their response:

      • πολύς Ἰουδαῖος
        • MANY of the Jews
      • AND of the
      • σέβω προσήλυτος
        • God-fearing proselytes

      Mission accomplished?

      So it would seem..

      One week later:

      On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

      We might speculate from Luke’s account that too many gentiles in this capitol city of Galatia, Antioch (with most of the citizens either Roman or Greek) may have shown up to hear Paul at this little local Jewish synagogue.

      So it may have been surrounded by much bigger crowds than a small synagogue could hold.

      • “MANY JEWS,” but also many “God-fearing” Greek and Roman citizens of Antioch
      • PLUS crowds from nearby towns.

      What should the Jews expect?

      Judean or Hellenist, the Jews knew their Scriptures.

      Each Sabbath the Law and the Prophets were read not only in the Temple of Roman-occupied Jerusalem, but read in every synagogue throughout the Roman Empire.

      Context of this time of Paul's first mission;
      A.D. 47-49, the years of this mission trip:
      Claudius is Emperor of Rome.
      Claudius had intended to bestow Judea to his family friend Herod Agrippa but instead appointed a Prefect or Governor.
      Tiberius Julius Alexander, a Roman general born of a Jewish father became Judea's Governor
      
      (And closer to Cypress, Asia and Pisidian Antioch)
      
      Sergius Paulus may have been the first of several successive senators named Lucius Sergius Paullus, of Antioch, Pisidia - 
      source
      Could the Roman Governor of Galatia have been one in the same as we just convinced of the Gospel in Paphos?

      The renowned Saul of Tarsus has just proclaimed that those in Jerusalem

      .. had fulfilled all that was written concerning a savior iēsous..

      “But God raised Him from the dead.

      Last Sabbath the Jews of Antioch heard Saul proclaim the gospel of Christ crucified and risen! We are now more than a decade after this fulfillment of Scripture. Furthermore, by now many more must have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

      Those who seek God MUST know more!

      So they go to Antioch to hear Paul’s Gospel.

      What did the Gentiles expect?

      What rumors and witness had circulated among these Romans of Galatia and Greeks seeking Good News of the One God?

      (For these Gentiles had formerly worshiped many gods.)

      • .. the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
        • Acts 10:45
      • Some Jews in Jerusalem had said, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”
        • Acts 11:18
      • Several years ago a Roman Centurion in Capernaum had met Jesus, who healed his paralyzed servant by only His word.
        • Matthew 8
      • Other Roman Centurions had followed The Way once they had witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion personally.
      • Many Romans knew the witness of Cornelius of the Italian Regiment from not so long ago:

      .. I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing [and Jesus’ Apostle Simon Peter proclaimed to me and my family in Caesarea] “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

      Witness of the Roman Centurion Cornelius, excerpts from ACTS 10

      So the Crowds converged in Antioch to hear the Gospel

      Acts in Pisidian Antioch continued:

      The next Shabbat almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

      But when the Yehudim saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Sha’ul, and blasphemed.

      Acts of the Apostles 13:[44,]45 Hebrew Names Version

      No Second Sermon in the Synagogue

      Now what?


      ACTS of the Apostles 13 of Saul of Tarsus and Joseph of Cypress in Pisidian Antioch: To be continued…

    • Divinity, Doctrine and Denomination

      Divinity, Doctrine and Denomination

      As I pointed out in our last Saturday Post WE, the church, seem to have some differences dividing our approach to divinity.

      ~800 MILLION Protestant Christians [37% of the world population] can be divided into < 40,000 denominations

      What does it mean to be called a “Christian?” 

      Who are all of those ‘denominations‘ that call themselves, ‘Church?’

      And what do doctrine and divinity have to do with it?

      Divinity

      GOD IS HOLY text of Deuteronomy 6:13

      God IS God! (and WE are NOT)!

      Anyone who denies THIS has a humility problem!

      Look it up:

      ĕlōhîm אֱלֹהִים

      θειότηςtheiotēs From θεῖος from Godhead

      For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

      Romans 1:20 LSB

      Doctrine

      This entire Saturday Post series (including Church) addresses doctrine. READ MORE: What is Doctrine?

      Do you really believe that? doctrine - a line in the sand [picture of Jesus kneeling down to draw a line with his finger

      But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.

      Titus 2:1 Legacy Standard Bible

      Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

      Galatians 6:7 LSB

      For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.. Romans 1:18

      Denomination

      Martin Luther originally gets much of the blame for his PROTEST against false teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

      Luther’s theology stood on the truths of Scripture and faith.

      For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

      For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.” – Romans 1:16-17 LSB

      Scripture tells us how false teachers leaven the Church and the faithful must discern the dangers of false preaching.

      Church DE-NOMINATIONS seem to be doubling-down lately into divisions over SOCIAL issues.

      AND this phenomenon of churches redefining themselves is not limited to any particular denomination.

      What does it mean to be a church?

      RE-fitting YOUR church vision to accommodate changing cultural mores doesn’t really seem to have anything to do with divinity or sound doctrine rooted in Scripture and proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

      As you have seen in my previous Saturday Posts, although gaining downhill momentum toward the pit of destruction, this trend is nothing new.

      But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. .. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words..

      These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been kept. For speaking out arrogant words of vanity, they entice by sensual lusts of the flesh, those who barely escape from the ones who conducted themselves in error..

      Second Letter of the Apostle Peter to the Church 2:1,3,17-18 LSB

      In the beginnings of the first century Church the Apostle Peter mentions an earlier fall of Israel as an example of the ever-present danger of false teaching.

      Can we be a ‘churchwithout doctrine?

      Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach..

      “My teaching is not Mine, but from Him who sent Me. “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God..

      Gospel of John 7:14b,16-17a LSB

      TEACHING IS DOCTRINE!

      Is the Doctrine YOU hear in YOUR church from God?

      If YOU think the preacher of the church YOU ‘attend‘ doesn’t have some ‘NON-NEGOTIABLES’ of Doctrine, it’s time for you to listen closer (and think for yourself).

      • What DOESN’T he/she say — EVER?
      • What Truth will the man or woman with the mike REFUSE to PREACH from the pulpit or have you hear in the good-feeling lyrics of the amplified sounds of worship?
      • Which Bible verses have to be bent just a little to connect to OUR audience?
        • DARE WE EVER preach REPENTANCE before grace?
        • Let’s bring Christ down from heaven just a bit, so he feels closer to OUR audience just for an hour (and only on Sunday).
      
      
      
      
      

      What makes a CHURCH Christian?

      NO Christology a study of creation without Christ
      • Have BIBLE verses evaporated from the wall of worship behind the stage of OUR worship service?
      • Does OUR pastor hesitate to mention Christ Jesus?
      • Is a pressing social issue important to the growth of our church?
      • Can OUR church be BOTH christian AND other?
      Although I am a lay theologian; that is, I study God and I study Scripture and I study Jesus Christ, I must once again point you toward the teaching of a most respected Christian theologian. 
      Although I will add my comments here, seek your own answers about the church you belong to locally. 
      (And once your read this and think through the doctrine YOU hear, why not ADD your COMMENTS to this post?)- RH

      Divinity, Doctrine and the Christian Life

      The great divorce of doctrine and life will destroy the Christian life.

      Lloyd-Jones on the Christian Life: Doctrine and Life as Fuel and Fire
      Foreword by Sinclair B. Ferguson By Jason C. Meyer, Series edited by Stephen J. Nichols, Justin Taylor, Foreword by Sinclair B. Ferguson

      Doctrine and life are fuel and fire, not oil and water.

      D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

      THINK DOCTRINE, EMBRACE TRUTH, ACT ACCORDINGLY

      1. doctrine comes to mind
      2. truth captures the heart
      3. which then moves the will to act

      The Bible starts with God the Father always, everywhere and we must do the same — because that is the order of the blessed Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

      D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

      “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

      “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

      “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

      “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

      Gospel of John 17 – from the High Priestly prayer of Jesus Christ to the Father

      ..theology must first concede that the finite cannot fully know the infinite. Therefore, theology is sometimes an exercise in negation.

      Lloyd-Jones pictures theology as the act of building a fence around the incomprehensible mystery of God.

      Jason Meyer
      • Does the world HATE you because of any witness of Jesus Christ you claim by faith?
      • WE are in the world, so do we recognize the evil one?

      Have you even heard your pastor caution his/her church about the evil one?

      • Jesus did.
      • Do others worshiping the Lord alongside you recognize that Christ has set YOU, me and members of His Body the Church apart for salvation?

      Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession. – Hebrews 4:14 LSB

      EMBRACE this TRUTH:

      Sinful man CANNOT intercede with the HOLY GOD (who WE are NOT) without accepting our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Perfect Sacrifice for our sinsthe sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

      Our partial knowledge of God is real knowledge, but it falls far short of comprehensive knowledge.. God alone is

      “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”

      Jason Meyer, quoting the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 4:8b

      NEXT, God-willing, we will continue with Jason Meyer's overview of the doctor of doctrine Martyn Lloyd-Jones and his prescription for this brief moment of our our Christian lives.
      
    • Everythingology for an all-inclusive church

      Everythingology for an all-inclusive church

      When did astrology become astronomy and science become ‘everythingology?’

      Each time adam sought to explain life separate of the glory of God and science dismissed the study of God.

      Roger@TalkofJESUS.com

      Let’s study it:

      The SCIENCE of false premise

      Last time I asked you, (my fellow ‘Christian’ with little interest in ‘theology‘):

      Does the person asking you about “Church really want to know what God said?

      AND

      I warned that not only is it unlikely any man or woman will ask you about your church, but that their least likely question to you will be about THE LORD GOD.

      IF & WHEN, however, you happen to identify someone telling you about their science and religion of atheism

      AND they want to prove to you WHY GOD is not,

      Recognize that the enemy of Truth cannot prove anything from every false premise.

      Take any observation of mankind:

      Scientific discoveries and claims as everythingology {explored and defined)

      James Webb Space Telescope Science
      The James Webb Space Telescope will be a giant leap forward in our quest to understand the Universe and our origins. JWST will examine every phase of cosmic history: from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets to the evolution of our own solar system. The science goals for the Webb can be grouped into four themes:

      The End of the Dark Ages: First Light and Reionization – JWST will be a powerful time machine with infrared vision that will peer back over 13.5 billion years to see the first stars and galaxies forming out of the darkness of the early universe.

      Even the atheist must confess that they do not have the answer to WHY?

      i.e. WHY the Big Bang?

      (It is a theory with speculative premise, right?)

      (explain please in your COMMENT to this post about ‘everythingology‘)

      SO WHY does the ATHEIST persist in asking the CHRISTIAN, “Why?”

      THEY would bring believers down to the despair of THEIR own depths.

      Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
      death shall be their shepherd,
      and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
      Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
      
      But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
      for he will receive me. Selah
      
      Psalm 49:14-15 ESV

      Science-onomy & Science-ology

      At best, it’s speculative entertainment of an evolved brain of an ape, calculating how train B left the primordial station at the beginning of the line without a builder of its hypersonic engine, to arrive at their earth just in time for them to teach it as ‘proven science.’

      WHY so much ‘SCIENCE’ built on FALSE PREMISE?

      • Is their premise a veiled dismissal of God
        • (Most likely.)
      • and does their ‘SCIENCE‘ disprove God’s Word?
        • (The goal of their questions)

      Certainly NOT!

      There is NO CONCLUSION for the a-theist,

      because they understand that their END will be ashes and dust..

      But then, the JUDGEMENT!

      And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

      Psalm 9:8 [Lexicon :: Strong’s H1777 – dîn – to judge, contend, plead]
      1. Because the A-theist stands against the Lord God, THEY must continually QUESTION GOD: i.e. Did God really say..?”
      2. THEN (like Satan) an A-theist must reconstruct TRUTH
      3. into a PROOF of Another-truth, built on a FALSE PREMISE.
        1. Some claim their Alternative-truth as proven ‘science.’
        2. Others claim their Alternative-truth as speculative ‘history.’
        3. Still others claim their Alternative-truths as SCIENCE-ONOMY (with any number of familiar names).

      What can we know with certainty?

      WHEN SCIENCE side-steps LOGIC by tiptoeing around TRUTH, it becomes religion – the A-theist’s doctrine of the distrust of Almighty God, built on inconclusive false premises leading to NO conclusion.

      Roger@TalkofJESUS.COM
      • What can we know about sociology or psychology with absolute certainty?
      • What can we know about ecology or cosmology with absolute certainty?
        • Was a scientist nearby to record the age of the universe?
          • Could our mathematical (algebraical) calculations of the numerous variable unknowns of scientific presuppositions of geology and archeology be wrong (inconclusive)?
      • How did the archeologist measure rock formed before carbon?
      • Did some astronomer set out his telescope and tape to measure the light of Creation?
        • Were ‘light-years’ recorded with white light, curved light, ultraviolet light, x-ray, blacklight or with a nuclear flash?
        • Could Almighty God cause light to travel a varying speeds through some parts of space?

      Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

      Who is this who darkens the divine plan

      By words without knowledge?

      “Now tighten the belt on your waist like a man [for battle],
      And I shall ask you, and you inform Me!

      “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
      Tell Me, if you have understanding,

      “Who set its measurements? Since you know.
      Or who stretched the measuring line over it?

      Job 38:1-5 NASB20

      Science-onomy

      Origin & history
      From Ancient Greek νόμος (“law, custom”).
      Suffix
      -nomy
      a system of rules, laws, or knowledge about a body of a particular field; distribution, arrangement, management
      Derived words & phrases
      astronomy
      Deuteronomy

      “-onomy” – WordSense Online Dictionary (15th July, 2022) URL: https://www.wordsense.eu/-onomy/

      Is ALL Law perfect? & do ALL Customs establish FACT?

      Science-ology

      ology (English)

      Origin & history
      From the suffix -ology in the names of many sciences

      Suffix
      -ology
      1. Alternative form of –logy, used for phonological reasons when the preceding morpheme ends in certain consonant sounds.

      2. (often, humorous) added to an ordinary English word to create a name for a (possibly non-existent) field of study.

      -ology – branch of learning

      “definition 2 of -ology best describes “everythingology

      Everythingology –

      Everythingology definition:

      1. Endless study of everything;

      2. Theoretical theology of humanity as god.

      TalkofJESUS.com

      History & Evolution of the SCIENCE of Everythingology

      Compare to: Ancient Aliens (source: History Channel)

      Proponents of hell’s Devils [PhD’s] esteemed by the Universities of Everythinology preach from their pulpits of MULTIPLE TRUTHS with theoretical atheistic clubs of pointed QUESTIONS seeking to validate their rejection of God. These Doctors of Blurred Science matriculated through curricular gauntlets of eminent scholars of philosophy, who grade ALL their best teaching assistants on the curve and fail any logical conspiracy purists who support a single Truth.

      The indisputable EDUCATION of this great Blurred Science continues to evolve toward the perfection of self B.S. demands for our future generations. For example: the evolution of astrology evolves into astronomy — which in turn seeks to gain credibility under the cloak of astrophysics. ALL Science offers numerous examples of this progress away the ignorance of our primordial forebears who fought sabre-tooth and nail for our freedoms and survival.

      ALL PhD’s of U of E speculate WHY by teaching darwinology, as professor progeny of history’s fittest primates, hoping by their unspoken premise to strike a mortal blow to the head of logical truth. Their multiple truths must include EVERY human of any theoretical variant — inclusive of all, that is, EXCEPT a man or a woman insistent on One Way, one Truth and One eternal life lived for One God.

      Everything-ologists are Religious HUMANS

      You will learn SCIENTIFIC teaching [in-doctrine-ation] by HUMANS, cloaked in coats of many truths taught from every scientific discipline; in order that you may apply their theories to humankind, mother earth’s environment and the cosmos for your inner-evolvement of self and the future evolution of SCIENCE into the oneness of HUMANITY.

      Student Manual – Universities of Everythinology

      These humans hold high reverence for philosophy, rather than tolerate a philosophical reverence of Truth.

      By now, you no doubt see through the academic robes of these Everythingologists exposing their humorous backsides by so many QUESTIONS asking WHY about GOD and Christ's Church. Perhaps if they had studied Orwellian theory [i.e. Animal Farm, 1984], they would name their church: "MINISTRY OF TRUTH." 
      
      Perhaps in a not-so-humorous world of 2022 of 'the common era,' we have evolved into U.N. agencies of Everything-isms determined to bring the Church to Megiddo in a battle for Truth.

      REMEMBER: WHO IS ASKING?

      (And WHAT are they subtly teaching?)

      One ‘ology’ always absent in false teaching is “Christology,” the developed doctrine of Christ.

      Christology

      But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

      Letter of Paul to the Romans 5:8 NASB

      Already by the middle of the first century, the deity of Jesus was part of the faith of the universal church. It cannot and must not be compromised today.

      John Stott – CHRIST the Cornerstone, p.304
      We will hear much more uncompromised Truth from John Stott, Boothe, Murray, Carson, Lloyd-Jones, Bunyan and other Christian theologians as we continue this SERIES addressing the issues of a 21st Century RECALL of the CHURCH.
      
      Grace and peace, in our Lord Christ Jesus.
      RH
    • Friends, Romans, Brothers: Lend me your ears

      Friends, Romans, Brothers: Lend me your ears

      Caesarea! a model of Roman incursion into all the world of the Mediterranean - a key port for Romans, a city where Cornelius, Philip, Peter, Paul and others brought the gospel

      An angel of the Lord summoned Jews from Joppa and Romans from Caesarea to hear Peter preach the Gospel for all.

      Acts 10: of Peter and the Romans in Caesarea

      In case you missed it, Peter's Roman Centurion host has just bowed down to him when the Apostle approached the group of believers at his own home.
      When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

      An angel brought Peter and a group of faithful Jews from Joppa at the invitation of their Roman occupiers. (What an odd scenario, it would seem.)

      The Roman Legion of the Italian Cohort, a highly regarded army of Caesar, has invited not only Peter to his home, but also many friends and family. This scene might look somewhat like a large home church and our host, Cornelius, recounts for all as witness what has recently taken place:

      So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?”

      Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining clothing, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have been remembered before God. Therefore send some men to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’

      How else would a Roman Legion know where to find a Jew from Galilee traveling in Judea?

      33 So I sent men to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.

      Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

      Let’s just set this amazing scene in context: A Roman leader of men who God has drawn to the salvation that comes from the Jews invited Simon Peter to preach! WE ARE ALL HERE PRESENT BEFORE GOD… It’s an expression of worship. Tell us what the Lord has commanded you.

      Peter’s previous witness of Roman faith

      Gospel of Luke 7:

      [Jesus in Capernaum] Now a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, asking Him to come and save the life of his slave..

      ..when He was not yet far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof; for that reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You; but just say the word, and my servant shall be healed.

      Simon Peter, a fisherman of Capernaum, certainly would have been with the Lord Jesus. And the humility of this centurion mirrors the faithful believer, Cornelius, who now bows down to Peter and then invites him to preach.

      Do YOU, my fellow 21st century believer, have trouble with Authority such as this? Listen to this and the Lord's response.
      

      “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under myself; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

      Gospel of Luke 7:8 NASB20

      Now when Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him,

      “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

      Gospel of Luke 7:9 – the Messiah Jesus to Jews on the faith of these romans

      THE GOD of Every Nation

      Acts 10: of Peter preaching to the Romans at Caesarea

      34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:

      “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.

      Acts 10:34-35 – Proclamation of Peter of the Gospel for Gentiles

      Two Acceptable Conditions to God

      Peter now speaks to ‘every nation’ ethnos – not just Romans (who now rule the land). AND now certainly (according to Peter), not exclusively Jews.

      Jesus also uses this word frequently, sometimes translated, ‘gentiles,’ a very hebrew concept of unclean men separated from those circumcised by blood as holy to the Lord God.


      • the man who FEARS HIM [God]
        • φοβέω – phobeō
          • Do YOU FEAR GOD, my fellow follower of Christ Jesus?

      [Cornelius, a centurion was] a devout man and one who feared G5399 God with all his household, and made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

      Acts of the Apostles 10:2 NASB20
      • and does what is right..
        • ἐργάζομαι – ergazomai
        • δικαιοσύνη – dikaiosynē
          • “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness G1343, for they will be satisfied.
            • δικαιοσύνη dikaiosýnē, dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay; from G1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification:—righteousness.

      θεός

      Peter uses a universal word from the greek for God: θεός – theos

      • God: θεός – theos is written over 1300 times in the NEW Testament
      • All of the Gospel writers use ‘God’ to describe the Lord God to gentiles
        • The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God G2316Mark 1:1
      • JESUS uses God: θεός – theos many many times.
        • “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God G2316 remains on him.” – John 3:36
      • ACTS of the Apostles speaks of God: θεός more than any book of the Bible θεός theh’-os 168x
        • “It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. – Acts 2:32 – Peter
      • The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) use several words for ‘God,’ this similar to ēl – אֵל

      A Gospel History for Roman Brothers and Sisters

      36 The word [logos] which He sent [apostellō] to the sons of Israel [Ἰσραήλ “he shall be a prince of God”], preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord [κύριος – From kuros (supremacy)]of all)—

      Peter points out first to these Jewish proselytes that GOD anointed Jesus as Lord of all. 

      you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

      The Apostle Simon Peter then confirms what many have already seen and heard in Jerusalem over these past months.

      “We are witnesses of all the things that He did both in the countryside of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

      Acts of the Apostles 10:39 NASB20

      “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He [become visible] be revealed, not to all the people, but to witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

      “And He ordered us to [proclaim] preach to the people, and to testify solemnly that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

      Acts 10:42 NASB20 of the Apostle Peter
      Again, Peter preaches to these Romans who are jewish proselytes with some understanding of Scripture. 

      “All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

      Acts 10:43 NASB20

      Romans – (gentiles) BAPTIZED! (another sign)

      Atti 10:44-48 Il battesimo dei primi pagani (The baptism of the first pagans)

      While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.

      Sound familiar? 
      —we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty deeds of God.” – Acts 2:11b

      Leadership: Responding to the Spirit of God

      Then Peter responded,

      47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

      48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

      Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.


      What a few days it must have been in Caesarea.. as Peter led these first Romans from baptism to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ the risen Lord!

    • Preparation of a New Lunch Menu in Joppa

      Preparation of a New Lunch Menu in Joppa

      Roman approach to Judea coast with Caesarea as port, capital and residence of Centurions showing jewish port Joppa to the south
      Roman Judea

      And Peter stayed in Joppa many days with a tanner named Simon.

      ACTS of the Apostles 9:43 NASB20

      In fact, an angel has just told a Roman centurion the day before where he can send his ambassadors to find Simon Peter.

      and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. –ACTS 10:8

      What’s for lunch? – a scene in Joppa

      Some quoted text from NASB20 + CLICK Below to read ALL of Acts 10 in:
      1550 Stephanus New Testament; Easy-to-Read English Version; Conferenza Episcopale Italiana; Russian Synodal Version 

      ACTS 10: of Simon Peter in Joppa

      .. Peter went up on the housetop about [noon] the sixth hour to pray. But he became hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance..

      Has that ever happened to you?

      You’re hungry.. but you doze off while the sounds and aromas of lunch or dinner fill you with dreams rather than the action of coming to the table to eat.

      But Simon’s trance is no ordinary dream!

      CLICK trance ABOVE for full definition of ἔκστασις [ek'-stas-is]

      an alienation of mind

      He saw something coming down through the open sky. It looked like a big sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him,

      “Get up, Peter; kill anything here and eat it.”

      “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything [common or profane] unholy and unclean.”

      15 But the voice said to him again,

      “God has made these things pure. Don’t say they are unfit to eat.”

      16 This happened three times. Then the whole thing was taken back up into heaven. Peter wondered what this vision meant.

      A Roman Soldier with two men at the gate

      .. behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked directions to Simon’s house, and they appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

      ACTS of the Apostles 10:17b-18 NASB20
      From the roof of the home of Simon the tanner (where the gate would be clearly visible) as the Apostle emerges from his trance he hears these men.
      

      19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him,

      “Behold, three men are looking for you.

      “Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

      ACTS of the Apostles 10:20 NKJV

      Goyim guests for lunch! גוים‎ 

      Simon Peter, the Apostle forgiven by the risen Christ for his own doubt just beyond the gate of Jesus’ trial, must certainly wonder what the Lord has in store for him by sending these UN-jewish Roman guests to him. Yet obediently, Peter descends from his noon-time prayers and roof-top trance to meet these Romans at Simon’s door.

      “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”

      22 The men said, “A holy angel told Cornelius to invite you to his house. He is an army officer. He is a good man, one who worships God, and all the Jewish people respect him. The angel told him to invite you to his house so that he can listen to what you have to say.”

      Roman house guests in Jewish Joppa

      The Apostle Philip, of course, has already preached the Gospel in Caesarea. But these Romans from their own capital city up the coast have not come to our jewish port of Joppa from him.

      Philip the evangelist flees Jerusalem to Samaria, but then receives a command to go to Gaza, where he baptized an Ethiopian, is taken up from there to Ashdod and preaches along the coast in towns leading to Ceasarea
      https://talkofjesus.com/syria-strategic-map-into-all-of-the-world/
      ACTS 8: .. the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away.. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
      Their journey between these two coastal ports takes most of a day on foot [~10-14 hours]. The ~60 km [~40 mile] trip by Cornelius' men from the early hours of the morning by have been by chariot. 
      These Romans have arrived around lunch time.

      23 Peter asked the men to come in and stay for the night.

      Lunch, Evening meal, Prayer together, conversation between these Romans and Peter and Simon.

      And then, no doubt, an early prayer and breakfast for all..

      Roman approach to Judea coast with Caesarea as port, capital and residence of Centurions showing jewish port Joppa to the south
      Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

      On the following day he entered Caesarea…


      The Gospel Mission of Peter to Romans at Caesarea —

      To be continued…

    Do you SHARE the Gospel by either email or text?