Tag: trinity

  • ‘You’re NOT MY Father!’ – the prodigal C.E. Evangelical

    ‘You’re NOT MY Father!’ – the prodigal C.E. Evangelical

    Our Family Prodigal

    Most Christians are no doubt familiar with the scenario of Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son with its two brothers questioning their relationships with their father.

    We have perhaps neglected a theological relationship of the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of God.

    Today in PART 2 of our examination of the role of the FATHER we continue in our study of doctrines of the Common Era by looking at contemporary family relationships AND parallels to the Son Jesus‘ parable of the prodigal son (which of course HE is not).

    Part 1 of God our Father and His role in the Trinity

    Parable of the prodigal son

    You'll find an archaic former view of 'the prodigal' in the New King James version of the Bible from Before the Common Era referring to the son's prodigal living common to this era.

    This parable of Jesus is part of three illustrations of those whose faith is LOST as answer to why the Lord receives and dines with SINNERS.

    Gospel of Luke 15:

    The Parable of the Lost Son

    Luke 15:11 NKJV
    Then He said:

    HERE is the riotous Common Era christian as well! You, me and others BEFORE some realize that WE may return to GOD the FATHER in humility — BEFORE some become acceptable in the Father’s house through the saving grace of the SINLESS Son JESUS our only hope and Savior.

    (You likely know more of the parable and its additional lessons from this father.)

    “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

    God the Father is Not MY father photos of two young girls

    Why do Common Era prodigals deny the Father’s love?

    Our cover PHOTO, christian family photo album or church member directory could include THOUSANDS of FACES we know who were once near and dear to our hearts.


    As noted previously the truth of SCRIPTURE has not changed. 
    
    WE cannot quite grasp the mystery of the Holy Spirit. 
    
    AND in Common Era preaching Jesus can be promoted more like WE like on the stage of 'worship.'
    
    YET the fruit of FALSE teaching may easily rot souls JESUS would save had WE prodigal evangelicals returned to the Father.

    Jesus welcomes ALL sinners with the love of a friend. This Common Era king embraces sinners of ALL cultures and beliefs without requiring any turn toward His righteousness and away from The Life of this world.

    FALSE! According to Scripture.


    Witness of a dad

    I know a man in Christ.. —such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

    The Apostle Paul in witnessing a true event without disclosure of his source of witness writes to Christians in Corinth.
    
    The 'man' in Christ may have been Paul, John during his Revelation from Jesus Christ, perhaps even Peter or another. The witness is authentic. Therefore the truth and impact of these scenes require no identification of its narrator.

    common fathers in the Common Era:

    • Their father insisted, “not in my house you don’t,” but they did.
    • Her older sister ran away with her boyfriend, then her father came into her at night!
    • Their ‘christian‘ mother was caught in the arms of another man, then threw her father out of their house.
    • The church had no idea who the father of a single mom leading worship might be.
    • Their father cheated with a woman at work, then they all moved to another town where this prodigal pastor did it again.
    • The PK (Pastor’s Kid) was known to be sleeping with a significant other.
    • When their son got his girlfriend pregnant mom helped pay for her to get an abortion.
    • She changed schools so no one would know what her mother dared not tell her father.
    • A father suspected his son partied all night with guys and girls alike.
    • HE’S NOT MY FATHER! You have to choose between him and ME,” insisted the step-daughter to her mom.

    Further resistance against fathers

    SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    What is certain in 2023 of the Common Era is that:

    • Christians have again become a minority.
    • Marriages between one man and one woman for life are rare (even among ‘christians.’)
    • Children need not be born into a Common Era home with values of God our FATHER.
    • Parents of the Common Era reject accountability to a father, a family and to God.

    Fathers (present or absent) may NOT raise, teach or discipline ANY human progeny.


    a few more facts:
    • The 1960 Census showed a record proportion married, 67.4 percent, among persons 14 years old and over.
    • The number of families in the United States in 1960 was 45.1 million. (A family is a group of two or more persons who are related to each other and living in the same household.)

    • In 2011, the Pew Research Center found that 51 percent of Americans were married, compared to 72 percent in 1960. However, rates of cohabiting couples are rising
    • according to private research company Demographic Intelligence, less than half a million couples were cohabiting in 1960, compared to 7.5 million in 2010 [C.E.]

    America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2022 – U.S. Census

    • 4.2% Cohabiting with joint biological child (actual # may be higher than survey sample)
    • 2.6% Cohabiting with NO joint biological child

    • 21.3% or ONE IN FIVE – NO partner present (at time of survey)
      • A few are single fathers — MOST are culturally priased as SINGLE MOMS in the Common Era

    WHY does Common Era culture reject JESUS?

    GOD, the authority of any church and especially FATHERS are anathema to the majority of this COMMON ERA.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com on Rejection of the Father of Trinity

    It’s quite easy for some to worship MARY, the ‘single mom’ of the child Jesus we celebrate each ‘Christmas.’

    Of course A.D. first century culture was intolerant of such things.

    What does JESUS say about ‘the Father’ that is so offensive to so many in Common Era churches in these last days?

    Gospel of John: 6:40, 8:28, 10:30 Legacy Standard Bible

    apokalypsis iēsous christos which God gave Him to show to His slaves the things which must soon happen; and He indicated this by sending it through His angel to His slave John,

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ 1:1 LSB from Morphological Greek New Testament
    Revelation 3:19-22

    ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.

    ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    Jesus standing at a door knocking

    ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

    Revelation of Jesus Christ to John

    Talk of JESUS . com

    Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    Matthew 28:19-20 LSB – Command of the Risen Christ Jesus

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • God our Father estranged from Trinity

    God our Father estranged from Trinity

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places..

    Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 1:3 ESV
    WE began our series by asking, Are christian pulpits erasing Christ’s Biblical line of DOCTRINE?

    The Trinity and Doctrine of the C.E. Church

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ..’

    + FOCUS ON THE TRIUNE GOD the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? 
    OR 
    ++ FOCUS on OUR EXPERIENCE as worshipers?

    I introduced this series on DOCTRINES of the Common Era by quoting scripture from the first letter of the Apostle Peter to the Church.

    Last time I strongly suggested that Scripture has NOT changed.

    We looked at several Scriptures from Before Christ and in New Testaments from the years of our Lord written during the A.D. 1st century.

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

    Second Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Church a Corinth 1:3-4 ESV

    What changed in C.E. church worshipers?

    ‘SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    I listed some facts from the A.D. 1960’s and changes in OUR thinking as a church.

    • The minimum wage was $1.00
    • Farmers made up 8.3% of the U.S. labor force..
    • about 65% of Americans were churchgoers.
    • first commercially produced birth control pill was forbidden by many churches
      • EVEN for married couples (a man and a woman)
    • Christian CHURCHES, pulpits and doctrines PREACHED, TAUGHT and encouraged:

    NO SEX before marriage, Divorce is discouraged and THOU SHALT NOT ABORT a baby living in its mother’s womb under ANY circumstances!


    christianity lite - the marketing of jesus by the church in the Common Era

    Although GOD has NOT changed it seems that worship and OUR Common Era approach to worship may have.


    What changed (in Common Era preaching)?


    Doctrine of God in a Common Era of christianity-lite

    Do you REALLY believe? Is DOCTRINE of the Bible a line in the sand for you? OR has DOCTRINE of the COMMON ERA become a blurred line in the sand of 21st century CE?

    NO Doctrine of the COMMON ERA or any other millennia will stand the test of time without defining GOD truthfully.

    Scripture of the New Testament since the A.D. 1st century Gospel always points to the Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).

    GOD IS!

    The LORD reveals Himself through His creation, the Holy Scriptures, the HOLY Spirit and IN THE PERSON of His Only Son JESUS CHRIST.

    WE THE COMMON ERA CHURCH drift dangerously with the chaff of every worldly sin upon prevailing cultural winds of these last days.

    “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

    Gospel of Matthew 3:12 LSB

    “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” -

    so what must WE do?


    Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    Gospel of Matthew 28:19-20 ESV – Commission of the crucified, risen and returning Christ to His Disciples

    The Common Era challenge of Trinity

    people receiving the Holy Spirit descending like a dove

    Holy & unholy ghosts & spirits

    https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452049838875053

    Anyone can preach!

    You can preach in the Holy Spirit and shout out in the Holy Ghost! (Preach it, pastor.)

    – BUT – is the word of the Spirit truly that from Almighty God?

    – OR – is the preacher moved by a different spirit, perhaps a ghost of the past or demon opposed to the angels of the Lord God and Jesus Christ?


    I have witnessed the Holy Spirit for a time with a woman preaching or by a man sharing the cup of communion with the beloved saints. Yet it's mysterious power wandering flocks will follow. Beware if false preachers who also claim power from the pulpit or aisles of cloaked darkness. 
    
    Test the spirits and quantify their truth by the Word and by Scripture. - RH

    For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

    1 John 5:7 King James Version
    JESUS at door with DO NOT KNOCK sign

    ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 3:20-21 LSB

    ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” – Rev. 3:22


    The Apostle John preaches Jesus Christ as ‘the Word in the flesh.’

    YET even from the apocalypse of the risen Word many churches of the Common Era will preach and imagine ONLY those events which draw in the crowds.

    .. I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne…


    In the years of our Lord prior to this Common Era a remnant of pastors
    have preached JESUS in the context of Scriptural exhortation to every believer. For the 'knock at the door' passage of Christ's Revelation is a call of repentance to a lukewarm church.

    ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.

    Revelation 3:19 LSB (the Word to those on the other side of the door)

    Many worshipers lack the Spirit and christians of every era fail to have ears to hear the very breath of the Word.

    Through all the years and recent decades of our Lord, few 21st century christians have a problem with JESUS..

    since by omitting the hard parts WE can preach his gospel with so many variations.


    Our estranged Father in Heaven

    hypocrisy - syncretism, traditionalism, liberalism, and many more

    Common Era christians ESTRANGED from fathers

    What changed (in Common Era preaching)?

    If not our worshipers lifting up with the chaff in the Holy Spirit

    — if not our re-imagining a jesus to our liking —

    THEN certainly our all-too-common era trouble with the Trinity must lie in a single broken relationship: that of Common Era christians with God the Father.

    Revealed Honor to God the Father of Glory

    Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

    ‘You shall rise up before the gray-haired and honor the aged, and you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh.

    From the Book of the Law – Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:32 LSB

    “I kept looking
    Until thrones were set up,

    And the Ancient of Days was seated;

    His clothing was like white snow
    And the hair of His head like pure wool.

    His throne was ablaze with fire,

    Its wheels were a burning fire.

    Daniel’s vision of the Ancient of Days 7:9 LSB

    a few more facts of Common Era worshipers

    ‘SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.’

    Do YOU know? Can YOU contribute a comment with YOUR opinion?
    • The 1960 Census showed a record proportion married, 67.4 percent, among persons 14 years old and over.
      • In 2022, about 132.3 million or 49.3% of Americans age 15 and over were unmarried, according to the Current Population Survey. [compared to ~33% in 1960]
    • JULY 2023 C.E.
      • Of the 63.2M parents living with their children
        • <18, 76.1% lived with a spouse,
        • 15.1% had no spouse/partner present.
        • The rest [~ ONE in TEN PARENTS] lived with a cohabiting partner.
          • Note: Direct identification of both parents began in 2007, resulting in the ability to identify children living with two unmarried parents.
    Source: Census.gov library

    How do YOU react to God the Father?

    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

    “.. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

    Gospel of the Apostle Matthew 7:21,11:27b CSB

    “I and the Father are one.”

    Testimony of Jesus from the Gospel of John 10:30 Christian Standard Bible

    Do YOU have a problem with THAT, dearly beloved Common Era christian estranged from GOD our FATHER?

    NEXT: More on this doctrinal challenge of the Common Era… God willing.

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • Powerful Preaching to powerless Christians

    Powerful Preaching to powerless Christians

    Preaching the Lord Jesus

    What was the difference in the preaching of Apollos and Paul?

    Let's take a look at Luke's account translated authoritatively in the King James Version:
    

    And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

    He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?

    And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.


    SO WHAT WAS PAUL’S FIRST CONCERN ABOUT AN APPARENT LACK OF ZEAL FOR CHRIST?

    The HOLY Ghost, who we will return to once we examine today’s map of where Paul and Apollos have been AND when these men preached the Gospel.

    Apollos – Itinerary to Corinth

    Of course before he departed for home a year ago via Ephesus, PAUL had already preached in Corinth.

    PLUS out of his concern for the Corinthians Paul will soon write two epistles to their church about three years from now.

    Google Earth map near Corinth. "We preach Christ Crucified
    PREVIOUSLY Luke tells us in ACTS 18:24 – Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

    Luke’s account also provides details from about three years earlier in A.D. 49 that the Emperor Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. – Acts 18:2

    Consequently this was how Apollos came to meet Aquila and Priscilla, fellow Jews now disciples of Jesus Christ in Ephesus [~A.D. 52].

    Alexandria, home of Apollos on the north coast of Africa, was a key Roman port as you might imagine from viewing the map in our previous post of Paul and Apollos crossing paths in the Aegean, where Corinth and Ephesus, in addition to Philippi where Rome had won a key battle, became strategic ports of Rome for their legions, navy and commerce by sea, as well as entry points to inland travel for everyone mostly on Roman roads.

    Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus

    Luke records that this powerful preacher Apollos had proclaimed JESUS boldly to the Jews, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. [Acts 18:26]

    THEN they encourage Apollos to go on to Corinth, Achaia where he will proclaim a more accurate Gospel. Yet many have already accepted Apollos’ preaching in Ephesus, even as Paul will encounter these on his way into to city.

    What preaching is POWERFUL or Eloquent?

    (AND WHY did Aquila and Priscilla take such an articulate preacher of Scripture aside?)

    Luke describes Apollos’ preaching as eloquent

    λόγιος, λόγιον (λόγος), in classical Greek
    1. learned, a man of letters, skilled in literature and the arts; especially versed in history and antiquities.
    2. skilled in speech, eloquent: so Acts 18:24

    AND mighty in the scriptures

    Paul will later write to the Corinthians whom he left earlier and where Apollos now preaches:

    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:

    that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

    that he was buried,

    that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..

    Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

    Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians 15:3-4,11

    Apollos preaches the (O.T.) Scriptures accurately explaining how JESUS fulfills the old covenant. Priscilla and Aquila, companions of Paul understanding the Apostle’s testimony well, point Apollos to a more accurate and complete Gospel.

    Again, Paul later reminds the Corinthians to stand firm in what he has preached.

    And as always, here in Ephesus, Paul tests the teachings of those the he encounters as the Apostle has always done in so many far removed places of a vast Roman Empire.

    Paul – Itinerary to Ephesus

    The Apostle Paul once again begins his third missionary journey across land, even as he had previously with Silas as they left their home church in Antioch Syria.

    map of Syria, ruled froj Tarsus
    Roman cities of Syria

    Luke does not detail specific stops of these apostles on the way to Ephesus, but has stated that their purpose was to build up the church where established new followers of the Lord Jesus Christ – GENTILE followers join in worship with JEWISH followers.

    Have YOU received the HOLY Spirit?

    As Paul nears Ephesus to the west from Laodicea and Colossae the Apostle inquires what believers truly believe.

    In fact, these might be good questions for YOU as you worship alongside followers of Christ more mature in their faith and refined in the true Gospel of Scripture.
    • If you did NOT receive the Holy Spirit when baptized, then WHAT if anything CHANGED?
    • And YOU REPENTED of what?
    • So are YOU permanently CHANGED from what old SINS to what RIGHTEOUSNESS in CHRIST?

    Luke’s account of Paul asking such questions goes like this:

    Acts 19 – Paul in Ephesis

    There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them,

    “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

    And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

    3 And he said,

    “Into what then were you baptized?”

    They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

    5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

    6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

    7 There were about twelve men in all.


    A POWERFUL Sign for powerless disciples

    Here in Ephesus the Lord again provides a sign through the HOLY SPIRIT by the hand of the APOSTLE PAUL!

    “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water,
    but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
    Acts 1:4b NASB

    This is not unlike in Luke’s introduction in ACTS of the Apostles which took place some twenty years before back in an upper room in Jerusalem where the TWELVE and other disciples had been commanded by the Lord Jesus to wait.

    Do not be sidetracked by the sign of the Holy Spirit given in these early days of the Gospel by the POWER of the laying on of hands OR the MYSTERY of speaking in tongues OR the prophesy given by God to speak what is to be in these last days. 

    These disciples of hoped-for righteousness remained powerless by their mere turning from the sin of the past to works hoping to please God. JOHN baptized JESUS and confirmed that HE IS the ONE to come!

    CHRIST CRUCIFIED,

    CHRIST BURIED WITH OUR SINS,

    CHRIST RISEN IN THE BODY AND SPIRIT,

    CHRIST RISEN AND SENDING out THE HOLY SPIRIT to those chosen before time,

    CHRIST raising SINNERS forgiven IN HIM to remain with HIM always…

    Rather than be raised to a JUDGMENT where the LORD could choose to say,

    I NEVER KNEW YOU. Go away to ETERNAL punishment.


    Luke will continue with another example of PREACHERS seeking POWER like that of Paul.

    ACTS of the Apostles — To Be Continued, God-willing

    Talk of JESUS . com

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