The Fat of the Lord's Earth - Thank you Lord!

 The Lord provides!!!

Bananas 12ft up in the air!

Cut the trunk at 2/3 above ground, and
the bananas come down to 1/3 above the ground,
still hanging safely in the air.

That's the way the late Pastor Lim F J taught me
how to harvest bananas without damaging them.

That's about 15 kilos of very delicious creamy "pisang merah"!
The skin will turn reddish orange as they ripen.
For more information on red-banana, see here.
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/red-bananas-nutrition-facts-health-benefits/

Other fruits harvested this morning:
- an old coconut,
- rambutans,
- chilli padi,
- tapioca tubers, and ...
- two humongous mangoes!

We ate some guavas yesterday!

Custard apples in the past weeks. 

Find some quiet and solitude!

Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, China. '
Tianmen' = Heaven's Gate.

Lord, help your children flee to the hills for some quiet and solitude... in this noisy and busy generation!

"Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom." Proverb 18:1

"With great ease of travel, telephones, email, and all sorts of communication devices in homes, offices, and cars, you are cursed with a curse. Solitude has become a much greater difficulty and not understood by any. The hours farmers had with an ox and God have been stolen away by progress! It has benefits, but it also contributes to distraction.

"Writing psalms while watching sheep is a luxury this perverted generation cannot afford. Men even move the clocks to force more activity into a day, when the sun is crying, “Be still!” Rebekah would still be single, if she waited for a meditating man in a field today (Gen 24:62-67). Lord, help your children flee to the hills for some quiet and solitude... in this noisy and busy generation!

excerpt from
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/commentaries/18_01.php

Listen to the commentary here:
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/media/audio/proverbs/18-01.mp3

"Going to heaven DOES NOT depend on your hearing and believing the gospel."

You are SHOCKED to read the title, aren't you?????

Now, read the truth to de-shock yourself!

"Going to heaven DOES NOT depend on your hearing and believing the gospel."

If you don't know this, you don't know the gospel of God yet!

A friend 'humbly' posed a rhetorical question:...
=======

Sing, I do have a more important question for you. In light of what you said how do you interpret Romans 10:13-15?

You said: "Going to heaven DOES NOT depend on your hearing and believing the gospel. "

Scripture says: "13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

This seems to place the premium on preaching to those who need to hear of Christ - so that - they can believe and be saved. I think you and I agree on the order of salvation... regeneration precedes faith, which is a must for dead men.

Please let me know what your thoughts are.
======

Here is my reply:

Dennis, thanks for inquiring. It is an excellent way to learn the Scriptures together.

Romans 10
"13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? ... "

This is a favourite passage abused and perverted by the gospel regenerationists like you! 

Put on the thinking cap and we will reason a wee bit.

Pray tell, from the passage:
- who are they that shall call upon the name of the Lord: those already effectually called to grace and salvation, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?
- who are they that shall believe: those already effectually called to grace and salvation, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?...
- who are they that shall hear and discern the gospel: those already effectually called to grace and salvation, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?

The same Apostle said, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which ARE SAVED it is the power of God."

The preaching of the gospel comes to two categories of people: those that are perishing, and those that ARE SAVED.

The gospel is brought to those that ARE SAVED - already saved by God's free and sovereign grace with ETERNAL salvation. Them that ARE SAVED are there first, i.e. EXIST FIRST before the gospel arrives... the gospel comes to them that ARE SAVED. Get the point?

Hearing and believing the gospel ALSO saves - but saves in an ENTIRELY different sense... the gospel saves them that ARE SAVED (by God) - saves from ignorance and error and darkness, and enlightens them and makes them wise unto their eternal salvation (already a fact) by God's free and sovereign grace.

The gospel truth instructs them to live godly, soberly, and righteously, saving them from the temporal effects of sins in this life. The gospel truth arms and equips THEM THAT ARE SAVED to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

The salvation by God's free and sovereign grace is ETERNAL SALVATION. This ALONE makes a man fit for eternal glory; for heaven. 

The salvation that is conditioned upon the action of God's children (i.e. regenerated elect) is TEMPORAL SALVATION, that which pertains to their spiritual well-being here and now. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing they can do or fail to do concerning their ETERNAL SALVATION. That's by free and sovereign grace alone.

The gospel ministry is ordained for the WELL-BEING of God's children. Hearing and believing the gospel truth is very essential to the well-being of God's children here in this present life. Christ's work alone, applied to them by grace alone, fit them for eternal glory in heaven. That's the good news.

A biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology; it preserves the gospel.

Only those whom God has made fit for heaven by His free and sovereign grace are ABLE to hear and believe the gospel BECAUSE the gospel is ALREADY TRUE of them... and such are commanded to believe the word of truth of their salvation.

You have been made perfectly fit for heaven by God's free and sovereign grace; this enables you to hear and believe the gospel. 

If you wish to comment, go here:

https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10200798427018485

Effectual Call summarised in the 1689 CoF - Venn diagram

The Venn diagram above summarizes Chapter 10 of the 1689 CoF.
Note its logical order.

Para 1: describes the effectual calling of ALL the elect. All the elect are effectually called to eternal life in exactly the same manner, by God's Word and Spirit; and at God’s appointed and accepted time – whether they are infants or adults, sound mind or idiots, capable or incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.

Para 2: describes all those effectually called elect in Para 1 who do have the outward gospel call. [i.e. the outward gospel call comes to these elect.]

Para 3: describes all those effectually called elect in Para 1 who do not have the outward gospel call. [i.e. the outward gospel call fails to come to these elect.] For various reasons, they are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the word.

Para 4: describes all those not in Para 1, i.e., those who are not predestinated to eternal life, but who do get the outward gospel call.

For a commentary on the above chapter, please see here:
http://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-effectual-call-as-summarized-in.html

 If you wish to comment, go here:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10200760960601848&set=a.10200760960361842.1073742159.1097484914&type=1&theater

What's the gospel to you?

What's the gospel to you?

It is perceived by many as foolishness!

To others, it is perceived as declaring the power of God unto salvation.

My present understanding of the gospel of God/Christ/grace... : it is the good news of what God HAS DONE through Christ to save for Himself a people, and this salvation is applied freely to each elect personally by the immediate and direct sovereign activity of God's Spirit.

Whoever believes the gospel of Jesus Christ EVIDENCES the prior possession of eternal life, i.e. already born of God and destined for eternal glory!

Whosoever believes DOES SO only because the gospel is already true of him... he has been saved by God, by free and sovereign grace.

That's the good news - the Triune God saves freely by grace, and the gospel declares that glorious truth, and calls the SAVED to believe the truth of their salvation!! The good news calls God's children to believe what is already true. It is not offering sinners dead in trespasses and sins to believe what is not yet true in order that it may become true!!!

How do you understand the gospel of Jesus Christ?
What is the gospel to you?

========

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Signs of the Perilous Times - rejection of doctrines!

Divad Theo said:

"Doctrines are formulated by man...

The SON of GOD taught no doctrines..."

It is Divad's contention too that:

God created the ekklesia;

but man invented the church.

I received a mail by a Divad Theo [not his real name], carbon copied to me.


Friday, 11 October 2013 1:47 a.m, Divad Theo wrote
Subject: FW: How the Chinese Language originated.

Dear Mawrence,
Thanks for your comments.

The way i see things, in  particular with the "church", i believe GOD ALMIGHTY allows it as part of HIS SOVEREIGN plan to bring man back to HIS TRUTH, through allowing man to go through trials and tribulations, even through the earthly dominion of deception of man himself called "satan", born out of disobedience to his CREATOR.

The institution of "church" is man's own deception arising from man's sin to control and contain the leading of the Holy Spirit over man through this man-made institution called "church" formed out of the family of disciples, the "ekklessia".

The "institution" of "church" that man has formed is allowed by GOD ALMIGHTY to proclaim the WORD (GOSPELS) because sinful and disobedient that man is since the fall of the first man Adam, GOD allows the "church" to fulfill the GREAT COMMISSION. For this reason, there is NO PERFECT "church", rendered by disunity, divisions, denominations, heresies.

But many are called, few are chosen. Yes, unless those who have heard and received the SON of MAN, SON of GOD, "EMMANUEL, GOD with us", JESUS the CHRIST, are filled by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, they remain called, yet not chosen. For many will call HIM, Lord,Lord, yet HE may not know them. Those who are chosen , HE knows HIS sheep by their Fruits-of the HOLY SPIRIT. Galatian 5:22.

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one". Romans 4:10.
"For all have sinned, and comes short of the glory of GOD". Romans 4:23.

Judgment belongs to GOD. Sovereignty is HIS alone. Just as HE can "use the donkey", HE now uses the "church" to proclaim the SON, JESUS CHRIST. And the HOLY SPIRIT, not man, "the Comforter, which is the HOLY GHOST, whom  the FATHER wlii send in MY NAME, for HE shall teach you all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you". John 14:26.

HALLELUJAH!
=====

Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:06:07, sing wrote
Brother Divad,
There are much LIES and ERRORS in your initial post, and your response to Mawrence's comments.

For example, your understanding of "many are called, few are chosen" are completely fictional nonsense... completely OUT of CONTEXT. You ignore the THREE basic rules of interpretation: CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT!

I fear you KNOW NOT the gospel of Jesus Christ... the good news of what God HAS DONE freely to save you in Jesus Christ. This is not saying that you are not saved; it does mean you are STILL IGNORANT of the truth of the gospel of your salvation.

It would be a waste of my precious time explaining and showing you the truth... for you have SHOWN that you have no interest in the truth...

Apostle Paul has warned us of such a time like ours:
2Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Continue your FABLES!!!

Thanks. Kindly remove me from your mailing list.
I don't wish to be annoyed by your fables!


On Oct 27, 2013, at 5:33 PM, Divad Theo wrote:
Bro. Sing,
Doctrines are formulated by man, so is religion and the institutions set up by man.

I prefer to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, not doctrines established by man.
The SON of GOD taught no doctrines but a spiritual relationship with the FATHER and left us the COMFORTER, the HOLY GHOST whom the FATHER has sent in HIS NAME, to teach man all things whatever HE have said unto us. ( John 14:26).

With this i take my leave and pray for the impartation of the HOLY SPIRIT to lead us in HIS truth.

Shalom,
Divad

Can't see no doctrine... all blank! 

October 28, 2013 12:16:27am sing wrote:
Divad Theo,
Listen to Apostle Paul a bit, won't you.
Surely Apostle Paul was a man filled with the Holy Spirit, whatever spirit fill you!

Read what Apostle Paul, INSPIRED by the Holy Spirit of God.
I fear a different spirit in you since you are not of the same mind with Apostle Paul!!!

2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Tit 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

The Son of God delivered DOCTRINES to HIS Apostles, and they faithfully delivered the same to the church of Jesus Christ.

Your idea that the Son of God taught no doctrines IS ONLY A LICENSE for your looseness and woolliness, believing your own fables, and not the DOCTRINES once delivered to the church by the Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Thanks. I will take my leave too.
This exchanges shall appear on the blog as a warning against LOOSE woolly men like you!
Of course your identity will not be revealed!

your friend in penang
sing
===

October 28, 2013 1:32:43 sing wrote

(Mawrence wrote to protest that I'm toooo hard on Divad!!! I replied.)

Mawrence,
Apostle Paul prophesied of a perilous time...
We are living in the midst of it... DESPISING doctrines is one evidence of the perilous time.
In such horrid times, Apostle Paul exhort Timothy:
 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Fables are now accepted as truth.
Many can't distinguish fables from sound doctrines in our present generation.
Of course, the loose and woolly ones are praised as gentle; those who insist on conformity to Scriptures are hard! Heard it all before!

October 28, 2013 3:25:13 PM sing wrote:
Dear Mawrence,
He comes across to me as stubborn, not teachable!
There have been quite a lot of private mails between two of us!
Sound doctrines ALWAYS sounds hard to woolly folks.
I like to stick to the Bible... I suppose every one claims the same!

Oct 28, 2013, at 3:48 PM, Mawrence wrote:
David is stubborn.  He is also teachable. 
Such a disciple changes slowly. Like Peter? 

October 28, 2013 4:05:54 PM, sing wrote:
Mawrence,
It doesn't matter what each thinks of Brother Divad... he is still Divad, no more and no less.
It is a good thing that whatever people think of a man doesn't really matter at all!
The effort to teach him may help, if he is teachable.

Christ had some very stern words for Peter, and very heart searching words too.
Yes, Peter entertained some grievous prejudices too, and held to them stubbornly.

But when a man's premise is doctrines are formulated by man, and the Son of God taught no doctrines, he HAS SHUT his mind to all the doctrines of the Scriptures. That's WORSE than stubborn. A stubborn man can learn sound doctrines; a man who reject doctrines will not receive any doctrine.

October 28, 2013 7:17:17 PM, Divad wrote
Subject: Doctrines

In the Synoptic Gospels, we have records of words spoken by JESUS, Son of GOD, quoted in red ink. The rest of the New Testament are the words of man, inspired by the Holy Spirit of GOD.

The word "doctrine" refers to a body of teachings of a religious, political or philosophical group,
or principle or body of principles that is taught or advocated. Doctrines are thus of man, not GOD.

Apostle Paul was the main character or person who wrote the exhortations in the epistles, and wrote the "doctrines" that form the foundations of the "Christian" religion.  (" But thou hast fully known my doctrine". 2 Tim 3:10 ). Paul's doctrine, inspired no doubt by the Holy Spirit.

But then,
JESUS said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you  free" John 8: 31,32.
JESUS promised, " But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth". John 16:13.

The Holy Spirit speak to and lead disciples of JESUS even today as to the early apostles. Doctrines are from  the apostles, men who lead the ekklesia, now called "church". But the individual disciple must depend on the Holy Spirit, not man, "to teach you in all things , and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever i have said unto you" John 14:26.

AMEN.

October 28, 2013 8:16:08 PM sing wrote:
Brother David,
I'm neither rude nor harsh.
I'm very blunt, so if you don't like my blunt manner... you know what to do. Look for someone with "good words and fair speeches [that] deceive the hearts of the simple." Rom 16:18

What the Apostles taught are the very things Christ Himself commanded them to teach His church.
Matt 28:20b " Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."  The Lord Himself taught the Apostles, and they faithfully delivered that body of truth to the saints.

John 14:26 and 16:13 you quoted below was specifically addressed to the Apostles... that the Holy Spirit shall bring all things that Jesus taught them to their remembrance, and will guide them into all truth SO THAT that body of truth might be fully and faithfully delivered to the NT church through their inspired writing.

Jude 3 ¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The Apostles were Christ's official representatives and spokesmen:
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,  2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Heb 1:1-2

The words of Christ in red ink is only a very TINY FRACTION of the teaching of Christ during His public ministry. Apostle John declared this:

John 20: 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Do you actually believe this PLAIN and SIMPLE Scriptures:
 16 ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

All Scriptures is profitable for doctrine! Do you believe it???
All Scriptures is profitable for reproving your errors, correcting your fables!

I'm amazed that there are believers who are impudent enough to put a DIVISION between Christ's red words and the rest of the NT Scriptures!!!

That must surely be another indication of the perilous time!!!

Divad, you and I are on completely DIFFERENT PAGE.

your friend in Penang

And ye are complete in Him...

All in complete order - Christ has met all the requirements!
Nothing is lacking, or wanting.

And ye are complete in Him...

Col 2:10-15
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:...
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

We ARE COMPLETE in Christ solely and wholly by virtue of....

i. The sovereign authority Christ over all principality and power. Christ has triumphed over them. All power has been given unto Him in heaven and in earth! None shall change or threaten our state of completeness in Christ; our completeness in Him is, and remains immutable!

ii. The circumcision of Christ, i.e. Christ having been cut off in our stead. Christ was cut off out of the land of the living for our sins. It is based upon the circumcision of Jesus Christ that we His people are circumcised with the circumcision without hand, the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh; i.e. we are effectually called out of their native state of sins and death to that of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus.

iii. The death and resurrection of Christ. Death has been conquered and eternal life secured, thus the resurrection to glory is promised and guaranteed. This we acknowledge and confess by our submission to water baptism. Baptism is a burial, and baptism is a resurrection; for by it we copy, and confess the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in our stead.

iv. The faithfulness of the operation of God in raising us up from the deadness of our sin and death based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The same divine power that raised Christ from the dead is the same divine power that effectually called us out of our NATIVE state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus.

v. The forgiveness of all our sins and trespasses by God. All of them... past, present and future... were imputed to Christ, and He bore them all upon Himself when He offered up Himself a sacrifice for the sins of His people. In Christ, we stand completely righteousness with the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed, and applied to us.

vi. Christ have dealt perfectly with the handwriting of ordinances, i.e. the just and holy demands of God, on our behalf... He took that great obstacle against us out of our way by nailing to the cross. We are completely free from the handwriting of ordinances as a requirement to be met for our salvation.

vii. Christ have triumphed over, and spoiled the principalities and powers, and plundered them and redeemed us from their bondage! Christ has set us free to be servants of righteousness!

We ARE COMPLETE in Christ -
through absolutely NOTHING in us, of us, or by us!
It is completely by the free
and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus,
we are made COMPLETE!

That's grace... pure, and unadulterated!

Effectual Calling and Regeneration... distinct or one and the same?

An example of a whole and its distinct parts.

Effectual call is a much broader term -
it is calling an elect out of his native state of sin and death
to that of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.

Regeneration is much more specific
- it is the quickening of those dead in trespasses and sins,
a distinct and separate part in the effectual call.

Effectual Calling and Regeneration... 

are they distinct or one and the same?

I read an article entitled:
Born Again : The Doctrine of Effectual Calling.

I commented:
An excellent article. To avoid confusion, effectual call and regeneration should not be used as synonyms! They are quite different... at least the way the PB CoF 1900 uses them.

A brother replied tersely:
Brother Sing, if by the phrase "the PB CoF" you mean "the 1689 LCoF", then you must understand that although some PB's have adopted that Calvinist document as "the PB CoF", it is NOT accepted by all.

As to your statement, "To avoid confusion, effectual call and regeneration should not be used as synonyms! They are quite different." I for one, disagree with that statement, effectual call and regeneration are "quite the SAME".

Several others joined in the chorus to vigorously INSIST that effectual call and regeneration are "quite the SAME", if not EXACTLY synonymous.

It is plain that most would see effectual calling and regeneration as synonymous. Such would insist they are both ONE and the SAME. I think that is no small confusion. If they are synonymous, then try this. In the biblical passages where effectual call is spoken of, replace it with regeneration, and in those passages that speak of regeneration/new birth/quickening, replace them with effectual call. Try it!

Regeneration is much more specific - it is the quickening of those dead in trespasses and sins.

Effectual call is a much wider term... it is calling an elect out of his native state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in Jesus Christ.

To call an elect out of his native state of sin and death requires MUCH MUCH more that regeneration alone! Regeneration alone DOES NOT, and CANNOT bring an elect out of his native state of sin and death!!!

To call an elect out of his native state of sin and death into the state of grace and salvation, the Triune God does these necessary sovereign acts, and freely :
- He justifies... (deals with condemnation)
- He regenerates... (deals with deadness)
- He adopts into the divine family... (deals with alienation)
- He gives the Spirit of adoption to dwell in the elect.

These free and sovereign activities of the Triune God bring an elect out of his NATIVE state of sin and death into that of grace and salvation. Without these, an elect is not called into a state of grace and salvation, fitted for eternal glory!

That's just my understanding, freely offered to those who have ears to hear!

Let's look at these Scriptures!
Ro 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ga 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

I don't see how the calling in these passages are the same and synonymous with regeneration.

Being called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, into the grace of Christ, unto His kingdom and glory, unto His eternal glory by Christ, to glory and virtue... involves/requires FAR more than regeneration! That's as plain can be to any with eyes to behold.




Read some comments following the above post on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10200846343536368

The exchange is a good example of how a subject can so easily get off at a tangent!

p/s the old school baptists of the 1689 CoF noted the distinction between effectual call and regeneration. Take a look here:
http://pruning-deformed-branches.blogspot.com/2008/01/effectual-calling.html

Abundant Pardon! Listen to this great sermon!

and let him return unto the LORD,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Abundant Pardon

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 55:7-8

Go to this link to hear this great sermon:
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/media/audio/sermons/2009-01-18/2009-01-18-am-sermon.mp3

Below is a portion from the sermon note... but listen to the sermon.

What is our pardon?
A. It is God’s complete and free forgiveness of our sins and declaration that we are freed from all charges and are now without blame in His sight by the satisfaction of Jesus Christ’s death.
B. Our God cannot simply pardon, acquit, or clear without satisfaction (Exodus 34:7; Nah 1:3).
C. It is based in God’s faithfulness to His justice through Christ’s death (I Jn 1:9; Rom 3:24-26).
D. There is none in heaven or earth that can charge or condemn us with anything (Ro 8:31-34).
E. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation – Jesus pardons sinners (I Tim 1:15)!
F. Men may pay for pardons on earth; our sovereign God Himself paid for our pardon! Glory!
G. And what price did He pay to grant a pardon to His enemies? The life of His beloved Son!
H. We cannot pardon ourselves or pay a ransom for pardon (Job 9:30-31; Jer 2:22; Ps 49:7-9).

What is abundant pardon?
A. Do not casually read the following verses. Devour them, meditate on them, and then rejoice!
B. To illustrate God’s thoughts and ways of pardon and forgiveness being higher than ours, consider gross and repeated infidelity in marriage by a whorish woman (Jer 3:1; Ezek 16:60).
C. God comforted Israel through John with great news of pardon by Jesus, through whom she received double for her sins; and all flesh, us Gentiles, saw this glorious thing (Is 40:1-11).
D. There is no God like our God, who pardons the iniquities of His people through His delight in mercy, among other glorious expressions of His forgiveness of sins (Micah 7:18-20).
E. Our God is ready to pardon and of great kindness, among other wonderful expressions of forgiveness, like the father running to meet his returning prodigal son (Neh 9:17; Luk 15:20).
F. Our God has manifold mercies (many and varied), in spite of great offences (Neh 9:18-25).
G. When God pardons, there are no sins remaining, and no sins can be found (Jeremiah 50:20).
H. When God pardons, He rejoices with joy, rests in His love, and joys with singing (Zep 3:17).
I. Our God is of great kindness, when we go to Him for pardon and blessing (Joel 2:12-14).
J. God pardons in order to get Himself a name for his great mercy and goodness (Jer 33:8-9).
K. God proves rightness by freely loving the repentant; wise men will grasp it (Hosea 14:1-11).
L. He rejoices over pardoned people like a bridegroom with his bride (Is 62:1-5). Beulah land!
M. It is important to know that God calls chastening and judgment His strange work (Is 28:21)!
N. It is helpful to know God takes no pleasure in the death of sinning children (Ezekiel 18:32)!
O. He would rather pardon and bless His children; He does not afflict willingly (Lam 3:31-33).
P. God is able to forgive and pardon our black sins to make us whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7-9).
Q. It is so good that God calls us to come and reason with Him about His virtues (Isaiah 1:18).
R. It is mercy and truth meeting, righteousness and peace kissing (Psalm 85:10; John 1:14-17).
S. It is publicly rebuking a religious Pharisee while pardoning a sinful woman (Luke 7:36-51)!
T. See a condemned thief! He was gloriously pardoned just before execution (Luke 23:42-43)!
U. How much did David argue and suffer to be pardoned for his great crimes (II Sam 12:13)?!
V. Our great God even pardoned the wicked King Ahab for his many sins (I Kings 21:27-29).
W. Our great God even pardoned the wicked King Manasseh for his sins (II Chron 33:11-13).
X. God is full of compassion and does not stir all His anger against sinning children (Ps 78:38).
Y. God pardons sins by plentiful mercy and infinite distance in two directions (Psalm 103:8-12).

John 3:16 - conditional or declarative?

Rudyard Kipling wrote a short poem outlining a powerful set of questions:

I Keep Six Honest Serving-Men

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,
For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
For they are hungry men.
But different folk have different views;
I know a person small-
She keeps ten million serving-men,
Who get no rest at all!

She sends'em abroad on her own affairs,
From the second she opens her eyes-
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
And seven million Whys!

I went to Gmail archive to search for something, and came across these interesting exchanges more than 10 years ago, in Aug 2003!  Enjoy yourself.


On August 2003, sing posted a mail
(This was the time I when I began to read and study the Bible for myself... when I began to ask a whole lots of questions... sending out Kipling's six honest serving men)

Dear brethren,
Someone who is proficient in Greek, could you please parse the various verbs used in John 3:16. I am also wondering, is John 3:16 a declarative statement about salvation, or a proposal or invitation or offer for salvation?

desiring to learn,
sing

post 2 ------- M W Fenison reply:
Dear Brother,
There are five Aorist verbs and one present tense participle in this verse. Among the verbs there are three indicative moods and two subjunctive moods. The active subject of the first two Aorist verbs is God. God loved, God gave His Son. God's love for the world is the cause for God giving. The subject of the third Aorist verb is the believer (the one believing HE shall not perish).

The indicative mood verbs state a completed act in the past by God - God loved, God gave. The Greek preposition "hina" indicates a purpose clause that grammatically defines the purpose for God's actions. Hence, what God did was for a stated purpose. The subjunctive mood verbs define the purposes "might not perish" but "might have eternal life." Grammatically, the present tense participle introduced by the "hina" preposition defines the single condition for obtaining the two subjunctive
verb purposes for God's action.

John 3:16 is a PROVISIONAL ACTION taken by God for the purpose to obtain one positive and one negative stated purposes CONDITIONED upon one action by man - believing.  If you think this is poor exegesis then consider the statement Jesus uses to introduce verse 16. Verse 15 is intended by Christ to be used as a basis for what he is saying in verse 16.  God PROVIDED Israel with the brazen serpent so that if anyone looked upon it they MIGHT NOT perish. Again this text indicates PROVISIONAL ACTION by God based upon one condition (LOOK) in order to possess life and avoid death.

 The following verses (vv. 17-21) list reasons why men will NEVER of their own accord partake of this provision.  This determined resistance is the reason Jesus opens up this section by the need of the NEW BIRTH (vv. 3-7) and the Sovereign work of the Holy Spirit (v. 8).

 I personally believe that John 3:16 states God's purpose for giving His Son as a PROVISION for the world conditioned upon believing IN ORDER to obtain life and avoid death. I use it as an invitation without reserve and yet at the same time I point out the fact that those listening will never partake of that provision due to their sinful nature which God must first deal with by the new birth according to His sovereign will.

There is no such thing as unregenerated believers nor regenerated unbelievers. The Greek Grammar in I John 5:1 demands that the new birth and believing are simultaneous actions in regard to chronology but that new birth precedes belief in regard to logic.

Bro. Mark

==========

[sing: I may not be Greek proficient, but I do have some fair endowment of common sense. Consider this statement: John 3:16 is a PROVISIONAL ACTION taken by God for the purpose to obtain one positive and one negative stated purposes CONDITIONED upon one action by man - believing.
What is the use of God making such a great provision of eternal life in His Son Jesus Christ for those dead in trespasses and sins, who are in enmity against God, and completely incapable of believing? Didn't Christ state categorically, "Except a man be born again, he CANNOT...?" Life precedes the activities of that life; the giving of eternal life must precede the act of believing." You don't need any Koine Greek or Classical Chinese to know that, do you?

Common sense tells me that John 3:16 is a declaration of "God so loved..." that He gives eternal life to sinners dead in trespasses and sins, and the evidence/manifestation of God having "so loved" is the believing ones in Jesus Christ.

If God has only offered eternal life, OBVIOUSLY to those don't have eternal life yet, to those dead in trespasses and sins, calling them to believe in order to have eternal life, THEN God has NOT loved at all, much less "so loved." It is the reverse, offering life to the dead on the condition that the dead perform an act to get that life IS A WICKED DEED, it is mocking the dead, it is taunting the dead, it is not loving, it is cruel. 

What if I tell you, "whoever eats has life," will you take it as a statement of fact about the whoever eats, or will you take it as an offer of life to the dead on the condition that he, the dead, eats?

HOW STUPID [i.e. lacking common sense] CAN ONE GETS]


post 3 ------ T Anderson joined in
Greetings Brer Mark,
We have been discussing whether the Greek, behind 'whosoever believeth', indicate
1. an invitation/condition or
2. is it declaration/discription?

I presented a case for the latter to the 'GreekTheology' discussion group and received a very scholarly reply from a brother who is studying for his doctor's degree in Glasgow. He quotes from the famous Greek Theologian Daniel B. Wallace and from the Expositor's Greek NT. Interestingly enough, he is of the Arminian persuasion, and mistakenly assumes I am the same. So, I was certainly not seeking predjudicial support from those of my brethern of like faith. Below is his posting, and, below that is my original posting that he responded to.

From:   E Foster
Date:  Wed Aug 6, 2003  11:47 am
Subject:  Re: [greektheology] descriptive language of John 3:16

Greetings Toby,
You've done some nice research here and I am pretty much in agreement with what you type. "Whosoever believeth" (a substantive) is evidently descriptive and not, per se, a condition to be met. In other words, while I think we'd both agree that one must believe in ("exercise faith" NWT) in Christ Jesus in order to obtain eternal or everlasting life, I don't think that John is putting forth  a divine condition that has to be accepted in Jn 3:16.

The Expositor's Greek NT states:
"The thought of these verses [i.e. Jn 3:16-21] are explanatory rather than progressive" (1:717).

Notice that this source says that Jn 3:16ff is "explanatory," suggesting that it is, as you say, declarative or descriptive.

Daniel B. Wallace also writes:
"PAS hO PISTEUWN" - Everyone who believes

The idea seems to be both gnomic and continual:'everyone who continually believes.' This is not due
to the present tense only, but to the use of the present participle of PISTEUW, especially in soteriological contexts in the NT" (GGBB, 620-621).

Thanks for your post, my friend.

Pax tibi,
Edgar

--- kjvonly21 wrote:
Greetings All,
I would like to present a few of my thoughts by you in regards to  the 'whosever believeth' of John 3:16.

Some participles remind me of the movie, 'dance with wolves', wherein  the Indians dubbed Kevin Costner as 'he who dances with wolf' or  merely 'dance with wolves'. An example of such is Rom 4:5 where TW  ERGAZOMENW is translated 'him that worketh' and TON DIKAIOUNTA is translated 'him that justifieth'. The blueletter bible classifies both as participles.

If I said: "Whoever dances with wolves, has a brave soul."; then it should be obvious that one must possess a brave soul before one dare dance with a wolf. The subject term 'whoever dances with  wolves', is not a condition to 'get' a brave soul; rather, it is a  descriptive or declarative term.

In light of this, consider the subject term:'whosoever believeth' in  John 3:16 which comes from the
Greek.

PAS hO PISTENWN
Friberg's 'Analytical Greek New Testament' classifies:
1. PISTENWN as VPPANM-S; -- The 'V' is for VERB, PP is present  participle.
2. PAS as AP-NM-S; -- the AP is for 'Pronominal Adjective'
3. hO as DNMS - APRNM-S; -- the AP is for 'Pronominal Adjective'

PISTENWN is a present participle and Robertson says that: 'usually  the present participle is merely descriptive.' (More on this in a  bit..).

Normally, a participle, is:
"a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective;  especially : an English verbal form that has the function of an  adjective and at the same time shows such verbal features as tense  and voice and capacity to take an object"  -- Merriam-Webster Dict.

So, why do I say that 'whosoever believeth' is a 'subject term'?

Well, all 3 words are linked together with Friberg's 'M-S'  classification. The 'M-S', in all three words, means masculine and  singular. Masculine refers to people; while single indicates one person. However, when combined with the Greek word 'PAS', a  COLLECTIVE noun is implied, IMHO. Hence, the 'subject' is built into the participle word endings. So too with the pronominal adjectives.

A  pronominal adjective is an adjective which represents the pronoun as understood, hence, 'Blood? I gave some.' THe 'some' means 'some  blood.'

Another reason, that I believe 'whosoever believeth'is the subject  term, is that the 'hO' is being used as an ARTICLE and A.T. Robertson  says that a 'present participle..with the article ... loses much of  it's verbal force.' and that 'usually the present participle is  merely descriptive.'

This indicates that 'whosoever believeth' is 'merely descriptive',  i.e. a declaration, and NOT an invitation or a condition to be met.

Here is a fuller quote of the famous A.T.Robertson:

'A Grammar of the Greek New Testament', A.T.Robertson, 1934, Page 891, chapter 18, 'Tense':

-----------------------------------
"5. Participle. The present participle...
(a) The time of the present participle Relative. ...
(b) Futuristic. ...
(c) Descriptive. But usually the present participle is merely descriptive. Cf. Mk 1:4; Act 20:9; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:18....
(g) With the article. The present particel has often the iterative  (cf. present indicative) sense. So hO KLEPTWN (Eph 4:28)= 'the  rogue.' Cf. hO KATALUWN (Mt. 27:40); OI ZETOUNTES (2:20). The part.  with the article sometimes loses much of its verbal force (Moulton,  Prol., p. 127; ...). So in Gal 4:27, E OU TIKTOUSA, E OUK  WDINOUSA."
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.

Any comments of agreement or disagreement would be appreciated.

a zoe lithoi,
Toby

post 4 --------- Toby interacted with Mark's post
Mark: There are five Aorist verbs and one present tense participle in this verse. Among the verbs there are three indicative moods and two subjunctive moods.  The active subject of the first two Aorist verbs is God. God loved, God gave His Son. God's love for the world is the cause for God giving. The subject of the third Aorist verb is the believer (the one believing HE shall not perish).

Toby: No sir. It's SHOULD, not SHALL. Shall is future. 'Should' is the past tense of SHALL. The Greek tenses has:
'the one believing' - present active participle
'should not perish' - second aorist middle subjunctive.
'have everlasting life' - present active subjunctive

The second aorist comes before the present participle. The person was saved from perishing, and then he/she believed.

Mark: The Greek preposition "hina" indicates a purpose clause that grammatically defines the purpose for God's actions. Hence, what God did was for a stated purpose.

Toby: yes..

Mark: The subjunctive mood verbs define the purposes "might not perish" but "might have eternal life."

Toby: It's 'should'. Both 'should' and 'might', grammatically can be used in subjunctive clauses. However, you could say: "Mike punched Sam that he might get a black eye.' ..and the meaning would still be purpose.

If one wanted a subjunctive clause of condition (and these do exist), then grammatically, the MAY word should be used. MAY shows condition, MIGHT and SHOULD show purpose.

Mark: Grammatically, the present tense participle introduced by the "hina" preposition defines the single condition for obtaining the two subjunctive verb purposes for God's action.

Toby: Why so? Are you saying that every time a present tense participle is used, that it means 'condition'? The 'hina' is occurs twice, and was translated as that twice. If the second subjunctive clause is conditional, then so be the first.

The 'should not perish' (second aorist) action come before the 'believe' (present participle). Hence, 'the believing' action can not be a condition, but rather, it can only be a result.

The blueletter bible says that 'should not perish' is also subjunctive; hence, God gave His son for the purpose that His people should not perish, and as a result, some believe. You can tell who God's people are because whosoever believeth have everlasting life, not get everlasting life.

John 3:16 is a declaration.

Toby

post 5 --------  R Angusray joined in
Hello Brother Toby,
I believe the context supports John 3:16 as a declaration. The Context starts at John 2:23 and is connected in the original to 3:1 by "and" or "now".  In John 2:23 we are told that many believed when they saw the miracles but in 2:24 it says that "Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man."   They believe because they saw the miracles but the context implies that they were not regenerated.  This is reinforced in the context with "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." A work of God. John 3:16 must be interpreted by the context of the John 2:23."Now when he was in Jerusalem..."  Application is another thing altogether.

Bro. Ray

post 6 ------- Toby replied Ray

Greetings Brer Ray,
Nice to talk to you. Those were nice contextual points. The John 2:23 one was excellent. I was brought up in a Missionary Baptist church and school and every week I heard John 3:16; but very rarely was Nicodemus' every preached. They explained 'Ye must be born again' as meaning 'ye must' REPENT and BELIEVE. So, now, I ask my kids, before you were born the first time (physically), did you have to believe first?

John 3:8   The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Toby

post 7 ---------- Mark rebutted Toby

Dear Bro. Toby,
I believe that the present active participle acts as the subject of both the second aorist subjunctive and the present active subjunctive verb.  The subjunctives are in contrast to each other as descriptive culminations for every believing one. I believe the proper rule is that the action of the participle if present tense denotes simultaneous action with the action of the verb. I know this to be the case in I Jn. 5:1 where "believeth" occurs in the present tense and "born" occurs in the Aorist. The tense of the
participle if it was future would occur after the action of the verb, if aorist would occur prior to the action of the verb or if present would denote simultaneous action with the verb.
Bro. Mark

post 8 ------------ Toby responded

Greetings Brer Mark,
Mark: I believe that the present active participle acts as the subject of both the second aorist subjunctive and the present active subjunctive verb.

I agree. A.T. Robertson says that the present participle is 'usually the present participle is merely descriptive.'  (More on this in a bit..)

The English phrase: 'whosoever believeth' comes from the Greek PAS hO PISTENWN

Friberg's 'Analytical Greek New Testament' classifies:
1.  PISTENWN as VPPANM-S; -- The 'V' is for VERB, PP is present participle.
2.  PAS as AP-NM-S; -- the AP is for 'Pronominal Adjective'
3. hO as DNMS - APRNM-S; -- the AP is for 'Pronominal Adjective'

A pronominal adjective is an adjective which represents the pronoun as understood, hence, 'Blood? I gave some.' THe 'some' means 'some blood.'

The 'M-S' is in all three words, means masculine and singular. Masculine refers to people; while single indicates one person. Hence, the 'subject' is built into the Verb word ending.

The 'hO' is being used as an ARTICLE.

Normally, a participle, is: "a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective; especially : an English verbal form that has the function of an adjective and at the same time shows such verbal features as tense and voice and capacity to take an object" -- Merriam-Webster Dict.

However, A.T. Robertson says that a 'present participle..with the article ... loses much of it's verbal force.' and that 'usually the present participle is merely descriptive.'

This indicates that 'whosoever believeth' is 'merely descriptive', i.e. a declaration, and NOT an invitation.

Here is a fuller quote of the famous A.T.Robertson:

'A Grammar of the Greek New Testament', A.T.Robertson, 1934, Page 891, chapter 18, 'Tense':
------------------------------------------------------------------
"5. Participle. The present participle...
(a) The time of the present participle Relative.  ...
(b) Futuristic.  ...
(c) Descriptive.  But usually the present participle is merely descriptive. Cf. Mk 1:4; Act 20:9; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:18....
(g) With the article. The present particel has often the iterative (cf. present indicative) sense. So hO KLEPTWN (Eph 4:28)= 'the rogue.' Cf. hO KATALUWN (Mt. 27:40); OI ZETOUNTES (2:20). The part.with the article sometimes loses much of its verbal force (Moulton, Prol., p. 127; ...).  ..So in Gal 4:27, E OU  TIKTOUSA, E OUK WDINOUSA."
------------------------------------------------------------------

Toby

post 10 ------------ Mark responded

Dear Bro. Toby,

What I was getting out was the rule concerning participles with primary verbs. My fifth year Greek Professor taught me that in such cases the action of the participle, in this case "whosoever believeth (Present active) occurs simultaneous with the action of the verb, in this case "should not perish" (Aorist subjunctive). For example, IF the tense of the participle were past tense then the action of the participle would precede the action of the verb REGARDLESS what tense the verb is found in. If the tense of the participle is future then the action of the participle would occur AFTER the action of the verb REGARDLESS of the tense of the verb. Since the participle in question is found in the
 present tense, then the action of the participle occurs SIMULTANEOUS with the action of the verb REGARDLESS of the tense the verb is found in.  Hence, the correct idea here is that the action of believing does not occur AFTER the action of "should not perish" but simultaneous with it.  The point John would be making is that simultaneous with the action of believing eternal life began and eternal perishing was settled once and for all - punctiliar action in the Aorist. Bro. Toby how much formal Greek training have you had? Where and under who if you don't mind me asking?

Bro. Mark

post 11 --------- Toby replied

Greetings Brer Mark,
Mark: The action of the participle, in this case "whosoever believeth"  (Present active) occurs simultaneous with the action of the verb

Toby: This point applies to many 'present participles', however, I don't believe it applies to this case because the greek participle in this case, is preceeded by the article 'hO'.

Your point is covered in subpoint (a.) in the A.T. Robertson section I gave in my last posting (I did not type it out in full). however, inasmuch as the present participle' in John 3:16, is accompanied with the article, then your point does not apply, rather my point under subpoint (g) applies. That is, when the present participle is used 'with the article sometimes loses much of its verbal force'. 2 examples used, in this subpoint, use the 'hO' article before the present participle.

Further, I must restate my point, that subpoint (c) makes:

'(c) Descriptive. But usually the present participle is merely  descriptive. Cf. Mk 1:4; Act 20:9; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:18.'

Re-Look at Robertson's quote, but this time I'll type out (a) in full. 'A Grammar of the Greek New Testament', A.T.Robertson, 1934, Page  891, chapter 18, 'Tense':
------------------------------------------------------------------
"5. Participle. The present participle...
(a) The time of the present participle Relative. The time comes from the principal verb. Thus in PWLOUNTES EPHERON (Ac. 4.34. CF. PWLESAS ENEGKEN in verse 37) the time is past; in MEREMNWN DUNATAI (Mt 6:27) the time is present; in ESESTHE MISOUMENOI (Mt. 10:22), O BLEPWN APODWSEI (Mt. 6:18), OPHONTAI TON UION TOU ANTHRWPOU ERCHOMENON (24:30) it is future. Cf. Mt. 24:46; Lu 5:4; 12:43. Further examples of the pres. part. of conincident action are seen in Mt. 27:41; Mk. 16:20; Jo 6:6; 21:19; Ac 9:22; 10:44; 19:9.
(b) Futuristic. ...
(c) Descriptive. But usually the present participle is merely  descriptive. Cf. Mk 1:4; Act 20:9; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:18. ...
(g) With the article. The present particel has often the iterative (cf. present indicative) sense. So hO KLEPTWN (Eph 4:28)= 'the  rogue.' Cf. hO KATALUWN (Mt. 27:40); OI ZETOUNTES (2:20). The part. with the article sometimes loses much of its verbal force (Moulton,  Prol.,
p. 127; ...). ..So in Gal 4:27, E OU TIKTOUSA, E OUK  WDINOUSA."
------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark: Bro. Tobby, how much formal Greek training have you had?  Where and under who if you don't mind me asking?

Toby: I am self-taught, and hopefully, Holy-Spirit taught. I wish I would have taken the opportunity to have been taught. I do have a couple greek discussion groups which I, from time to time, run my ideas by, and I am doing so on this subject. I will let you know the result.

I'll be gone on vacation, so I won't be able to respond for the next week. But I look forward to your reply.

May Jesus bless us lively stones,
Toby

post 12 ------------

1.The Aorist Tense is used for simple, undefined action. In the indicative mood, the aorist tense can indicate punctiliar action (action that happens at a specific point in time) in the past. It must be distinguished from the Imperfect Tense  which denotes continuous action in the past. With few exceptions, whenever the aorist tense is used in any mood other than the indicative, the verb does not have any temporal significance. In other words, it refers only to the reality of an event or action, not to the time when it took place.

2. The Indicative Mood makes an assertion of fact and is used with all six Greek tenses. It is the only mood in which distinctions can regularly be made about the time when an action occurs: all' egenemtheMmen épioi en mésoM humón,  "But we were gentle among you" (1 Thess. 2:7).

3. The Participle is a verbal adjective. As such, the participle may function as a verb, noun, or adjective in thesentence. It has a wide range of possible meanings, some of which can only be inferred from the context: ho agathopoiomn ek toú theoú estín, "He that doeth good is of God" (3 John 1:11).

4. The Subjunctive Mood makes an assertion about which there is some doubt, uncertainty, or indefiniteness: eán eípoMmen hóti hamartían ouk échomen, heautoús planommen, "If we say that
we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" (1 John 1:8). It is closely related to the future tense, which helps to explain the fact that often the uncertainty arises only because the action has not yet occurred:
hína lutromseMtai heM más apó páseMs anomías, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14).

5. The Active Voice represents the action as being accomplished by the subject of the verb: árti ginomskoM ek mérous, tóte dé epignomsomai, kathoms kaí epegnomstheMn, "now I know in
part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Cor. 13:12). In Greek it is to be distinguished from the Middle Voice  and Passive Voice.

Ask questions, and begin to learn!
http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/10/always-asking-questions.html
http://thepicturebookteachersedition.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-importance-of-asking-questions.html

Seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom

Lord, help your children flee to the hills for some quiet and solitude...
in this noisy and busy generation!

Through desire a man, having separated himself, 
seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
Proverb 18:1

Wisdom is only acquired by dedicated effort. And few men have the desire or make the effort to pursue and acquire it. So the Preacher commended the studious man or woman.

Most men will live and breathe and die in ignorant folly, even those who were offered wisdom plainly. And their lives and those of their children will bear the deserved pain.

The next verse confirms this distinction among men, for fools have no delight in learning; they are totally occupied with their own thoughts and fantasies (Pr 18:2; 17:16).

Dear reader, would the Author and writer of this proverb commend your desire and efforts for acquiring wisdom? Would God and Solomon praise your pursuit of learning?

When a man desires wisdom, he must make sacrifices. He will avoid distractions that take time and misdirect his soul. He will separate from friends and pleasures that do not serve the great goal. He will reject the popular ambitions of riches, education, recreation, or bodily exercise. His life may be lonely. Hopefully, in a church of sincere saints, he will find a few choosing the same course (Luke 8:14; I Cor 9:24-26; I John 2:15-17).

Like the man of God, he must limit obligations in this life (II Tim 2:4; I Tim 6:6-12). For this pursuit will weary his already-wearied flesh (Eccl 12:12). And the ignorant ravings of the world are an influence he must avoid (Pr 9:6; 13:20; I Cor 15:33; II Cor 6:14-18).

He will learn that when alone he has the sweetest moments of fellowship and instruction of His heavenly Father (Psalm 4:4; 63:5-6; Matt 6:6; Job 33:14-18). He knows that examining his soul and pondering the path of his feet requires separation from all the noise and activity of others (Pr 4:26; Psalm 26:2; 77:6; 139:23-24).

God chose the dark night for Abraham (Gen 15:5), the back of the desert for Moses (Ex 3:1), the plain for Ezekiel (Ezek 3:22), the wilderness for John (Luke 1:80), and Arabia for Paul (Gal 1:17). The blessed Lord rose exceeding early to meet alone with His Father (Mark 1:35), or He would spend the night alone with Him (Luke 6:12).

With great ease of travel, telephones, email, and all sorts of communication devices in homes, offices, and cars, you are cursed with a curse. Solitude has become a much greater difficulty and not understood by any. The hours farmers had with an ox and God have been stolen away by progress! It has benefits, but it also contributes to distraction.

Writing psalms while watching sheep is a luxury this perverted generation cannot afford.  Men even move the clocks to force more activity into a day, when the sun is crying, “Be still!” Rebekah would still be single, if she waited for a meditating man in a field today (Gen 24:62-67). Lord, help your children flee to the hills for some quiet and solitude.

Having separated from the diversions that deceive, distract, and destroy most men, the good man seeks and intermeddles – gets deeply involved, concerned, and occupied – with all facets of wisdom. He dives into the study and contemplation of all aspects of creation and revelation, with the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and the man of God as guides. This pursuit requires an intense and thorough search (Pr 2:1-9; II Tim 2:15; I Tim 4:13-16).

Even the ostrich and horse deserve your careful attention and consideration (Job 39:13-25). How will you remember, meditate, and muse on all His works in a few minutes (Ps 143:5)? Can you in a few minutes comprehend the dimensions of a Saviour’s love (Eph 3:14-19)? With the fullness of God your personal reward, does it not deserve more investment? When did you last break forth in praise for a single thought (Rom 11:33)?

How will you read, let alone consider and meditate upon, the 31,101 verses in your King James Bible? Yet Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, commends the careful meditation of every verse. Only a man with great desire, who separates himself from other distractions, will make any progress in this extensive and valuable project.

Some with weak desire will say there is not enough time. So the apostle told men to redeem time for wisdom (Eph 5:15-17). You can buy time by giving up other activities. There are 168 hours in a week, only half of which you work and sleep. There is much time squandered and wasted in foolish pursuits and slothful management. Lord, help.

Scripture tells of dedicated seekers of wisdom. David and Daniel prayed three times daily (Ps 55:17; Dan 6:10). The blessed Lord at twelve was intermeddling in all wisdom, while his peers played (Luke 2:41-52). The disciples left all to follow Wisdom in the flesh (Mark 1:16-20), and Paul counted anything else as dung (Phil 3:7-14). He chose one thing to do (Phil 3:13), as he knew a double mind was folly (Jas 1:8).  The Bereans heard Paul’s preaching with ready minds and searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).

Dear reader, what have you done this week to pursue wisdom? How many minutes have you read the Word of God? How many minutes have you prayed? Studied a proverb? Reviewed a sermon? Contemplated or discussed spiritual matters of significance?

Dear parent, what have you done to plant this ambition in your children? Hannah trained Samuel so well he worshipped the Lord after his weaning (I Sam 1:20-28). Lois and Eunice trained Timothy thoroughly in faith and the Scriptures (II Tim 1:5; 3:15). It is the duty of fathers to train their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:4).

Jesus Christ taught that the kingdom of heaven is like hid treasure, for which a man would joyfully sell all he had to buy the field and dig for it (Matt 13:44). Or it was like a wonderful pearl, for which he would sell all that he had to purchase it (Matt 13:45-46). Does your life reflect this holy zeal? What sacrifice will you make today to seek wisdom?

Few will understand this proverb, and fewer yet will live it. The way of ignorance and folly, which leads to hell here and hereafter, is very wide with many travelers. And the way of wisdom, which leads to life here and in glory, is very narrow with only a few that find it. Let not any of those who name the name of Christ be found in the wide way.

Can you spare a few minutes of 168 hours in a week to seek wisdom? Why die foolish, with your life a great waste of time, and your children cursed to repeat your ignorance and suffer its consequences? Angels desire to look into these things that involve men (I Pet 1:12), but most men are too busy! May writer and reader search their souls.
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