2Cor 13:5 abused by your favourite teacher!

What's a greater real-tragedy:
misguided and disappointed Judas betraying Christ, or
enlightened doctors-teachers preaching falsehood in the
name of Christ ?

Completely nonsensical, and abusing that text.

Only those who have eternal salvation by God's free grace is CAPABLE of examining themselves whether they are in the faith! This is a spiritual exercise, and only those who have spiritual life can perform this spiritual exercise! Apostle Paul knew that perfectly but many preachers don't. He declared, "spiritual things are spiritual discerned."

Only God's children are capable of examining themselves. Some of God's children are unbelieving, and disbelieving; and such are exhorted to repent and believe. If God's children believe not the doctrine of Christ, they not in the faith! Spiritual life must precede such spiritual activity, a basic maxim few understand and grasp. "Except a man be born again, he cannot..." - this is a statement of truth without any exception. 

Some foolish preachers think Apostle Paul is expecting those DEAD in trespasses and sins to examine themselves! How stupid (i.e lacking common sense) can thing get?

p/s Who are worse betrayers - misguided and disappointed Judas Iscariot because Christ's kingdom wasn't going to be a political kingdom and there wasn't any Treasury post for him, or the enlightened doctors of theology teaching of falsehood in the name of Christ?

Christmas is paganism christianized

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own..."  Does the hard stark fact that the world loves Christmas but   rejects Christ ever suggest to thinking people of the worldly pagan origin of Christmas?

        "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own..."

 Does the hard stark fact that the world loves Christmas but
  rejects Christ ever suggest to thinking people of the
worldly pagan origin of Christmas?

The world loves Satan Claws (oooop! wrong spelling) and the jingle bills jingle bills of the "snowy" season - aggressively promoted by commercialism to gratify the lust of the world, and which ensnare many sincere Christians too.

When was Jesus' born? Theexact month and day of Jesus' birthday is also unknown. However, we can be fairly certain that it was not Dec 25. I fear many people know this basic fact, they just couldn't care less anyway. They are like "Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone." Hos 4:17.

1. The shepherds:
Luke 2:8 mentions that shepherds were living in their fields keeping watch over their flocks during the nighttime (and, one would assume, also during the daytime.) This is a good indication that Jesus' birth did not happen in December when the flocks would have already have been moved from the fields into pens. They were only in the fields during the warmer months. There is a remark in the Talmud that flocks were put out to grass in March and brought in during the beginning of November. During the Jewish month of Heshvan (our October/November) the fall rains hit and the animals are penned up. At best, the passage narrows down the birth month to one of 7 months in the late spring, summer, or early fall.

2. The census:
The same with the census at the time Jesus was born. The Romans were smarter than many would give them credit for. No sane mind would conduct a census in winter!

3. Some biblical evidence:
The approximate month of Jesus birth can actually be calculated with reference to the conception of John the Baptist:
- Luke 1:5 says that John's father, "a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia." (the eighth course)
- 1 Chronicles 24:15 assigned the priests of the Abijah division to begin temple service at the start of the 9th week of the year. But at the end of the week, Pentecost had begun, so he would have remained on duty until the end of the 10th week.
- Luke 1:23-24 records that Zacharias returned immediately to his home, and that John was conceived shortly thereafter - probably during the last half of Sivan, the 3rd month in the Jewish calendar.
- Allowing for a normal 9 months pregnancy, John would have been born in the springtime.
- Luke 1:36 records that the angel came to Mary when John's mother Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant.
- Luke 1:31 reports that Mary conceived very shortly after the angel's visit. Assuming a normal, 9 month pregnancy, Jesus would have been born about 6 months after John - sometime in the fall of the year.

If Jesus was born in the fall, why do so many Christians celebrate his birthday on Dec 25? Simple answer: paganism imported and baptized as Christian.

4. Christmas is paganism christianized
There have been many different religions active in the Middle East and Europe, each with a deity or pantheon of deities. Many of these gods were believed to have been born on Dec 25. That date was the best estimate that ancient people could make of the time of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The solstice -- the shortest daytime in the year and the beginning of Winter -- actually happens sometime between Dec 21 to 23, depending on the year. With the techniques available to people in ancient times, it was only on Dec 25 that they were able to detect that the daytimes had become noticeably longer. So they settled on Dec25 as the birth date of their god. The Christian Church adopted this day from the Pagans for Jesus' birthday, even though it is in error. This was a common policy of early Christianity. They often built their cathedrals where Pagan holy places once were, and often adopted Pagan holidays for their own. This helped the common folk accept the new religion.

- adapted ---

Even if you know the exact date of Christ's birth, does that give you licence to celebrate His birthday in remembrance of Him? Did He command you to do it?

1Co 11:25
After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

Why I turned to the KJ translation...

Read the article here:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/articles/flanders-whykjv.html

BUT here is a simple reason this student of God's word chooses the KJ translation...

Here is the one reason that led me back to the KJ translation. This one reason is more than enough for a village bumpkin like me.

Romans 3:22

KJT - Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

NKJV - even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

NIV - This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,

NAS - even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

RSV - the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

ESV - the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

Compare also these passages:

Galatians 2:16, 2:20, 3:22; Philippian 3:9

==================

The righteousness of God's provision for your justification before Him:

- is it through your faith in Christ, or

- is it by the faith of Christ?

The righteousness of God's own provision for your salvation,

- is it through your believing act in Christ, or

- is it by Christ's faithfulness in His work of redemption?

Is it through some acts of yours, or is it by the fidelity and faithfulness OF Christ?

See this link for the meaning of faith - https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm

The former is just a fable, a fiction;

The latter is the gospel truth.

May our Lord open your eyes to the same. Amen

===================

p/s 

[I have used all the above translations, in addition to the GNB (Good News Bible, a poor paraphrase but in simple English, the first Bible given to me at an evangelistic meeting in my secondary school in the early 70s.), except the ESV. I was wise enough not to waste scarce resources on that. By early 2000, I was becoming increasingly aware of the great differences in the various translations.) 

Seeing the STARK difference between "through man's faith in Christ," and "by Christ's faithfulness" in justification and salvation was the watershed. The very essence of the gospel is involved. 

I was deterred from using the KJ translation for a while through the popular LIE that the tortuous old English of the KJ translation is a monumental hurdle for a non-English reader like me. It is a complete lie of the devils and his minions. 

p/ss

On Feb 7,  2020, a man inquired whether I'm a kjv-only man.

My brief reply:

I really appreciate your frankness.

Though the church uses the KJV, we are far from being KJV-only.

We are not only not qualified to take such a position, but it is also needless to take that position. You would smile if you know the reason why we ended up using the KJV. It is explained in this short article here - https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2015/12/why-i-turned-to-kjb.html 

When I do raise the issue of translations, it is to observe how each translation is conveying different meanings.

I'm a simple and down-to-earth man. No, KJV is never a condition for friendship or fellowship. I often remind people, some KJV-only folks are thorough Arminians.

May the Lord bless us unto mutual edification.

"To give knowledge of salvation unto His people"

The video begins with a BIG BANG - ejaculation... and the journey begins!

Click here to watch this video:

http://tvuol.uol.com.br/video/video-resume-gestacao-humana-em-quatro-minutos-04028C9C336AD8A15326

Watch this wonderful video clip, that you - who were already conceived, and born - may receive the knowledge of your conception and birth.

I'm most certain that you DIDN'T need to know such wonderful things in order to be conceived in your mother's womb, and be born!!!

The gospel ministry is ordained...
- "to give knowledge of salvation unto His people..." 
- "to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death..."

- "to them which are sanctified by faith that is in me [Christ Jesus]"

Even as this video clip gives knowledge to those already conceived, and born about the deep mysteries of their conception and birth. The video clip IS NOT an instrument to aid people to be conceived, and born!

But so many misguided Christian friends believe that the gospel is the instrument to get sinners dead in their native state of sin and death to be born again!!!

Who need the knowledge of salvation? It is those who are ALREADY SAVED, but have not been enlightened by the truth of their salvation, thus are in darkness concerning the truth of their salvation by God's free and sovereign grace in Jesus Christ.

Who need the knowledge of their conception and birth? It is those who are ALREADY conceived, and born, and are capable of receiving that WONDERFUL KNOWLEDGE through the gospel ministry.

The gospel is the good news; news of the good things that has ALREADY HAPPENED; news of what God has done in Jesus Christ in saving His people.

I have appeared to thee for THIS purpose

The divinely ordained purpose and end of the gospel ministry stated succintly in few words by the risen Lord Himself.

Let's learn a few things by considering these questions.
You may like to ask your own if you don't like these.

Acts 26:16-18
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.


Verse 16: a minister and a witness
1. "to make thee a minister"
- what is he to minister?
- unto whom is he to minister?
2. "and a witness"
- what specific things is he to bear witness?
- unto whom is he to bear witness?

Verse 17: divine protection
1. Assurance of protection for His ministers.
2 "the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee"
- who among the Gentiles was Paul sent unto? 

Verse 18a: the purpose of the gospel ministry
1. "to open their eyes"
- what does that mean to open their eyes through the gospel ministry?
- whose eyes among the Gentiles can be opened through the gospel ministry?
2. "to turn them from darkness to light"
- what does that mean to turn them from darkness to light from the gospel ministry?
- who can be turned from darkness to light through the gospel ministry?
3. "to turn them from the power of Satan unto God"
- what is does it mean to turn them from the power of Satan unto God through the gospel?
- who can be turned from the power of Satan unto God through the gospel?

Verse 18b: the effects of the gospel ministry
1. " they may receive forgiveness of sins"
- what is to receive this forgiveness of sins through the gospel ministry ?
- who may receive this forgiveness of sins through the gospel ministry?
2.  they may receive inheritance
- what does it mean to receive this inheritance through the gospel ministry?
- who has such an inheritance to receive through the gospel ministry?
- who can receive this inheritance through the gospel ministry?

Verse 18c: of WHOM are all the above spoken of?
1. "among them which are sanctified" - ἡγιασμένοις
- who are "them that are sanctified"?
- how are they sanctified by faith that is in Christ?
- what does "sanctified by faith that is in Christ" mean?
- what is the "faith that is in Christ"?
- is that man's act of believing in Christ,
- or is that the faithfulness that is in Christ?

Check this link for Acts 26:18 -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/act/26/18/p0/t_conc_1044018

Check this link for the meaning of faith -
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4102&t=KJV

Look carefully at the second meaning:
"faith" is fidelity, faithfulness, the character of one who can be relied on!
Among those that are sanctified by the faithfulness that is in Christ, the faithfulness of Christ in the complete execution, and accomplishment of the redemption for His people.

By His work of redemption, His people are legally sanctified, i.e. separated from their just and deserved condemnation unto that of grace and salvation. And that redemption is applied to each of His people personally at effectual calling - thus vitally sanctified from their native state of sin and condemnation. They are AMONG them that are sanctified by the faithfulness of Christ unto whom the gospel ministry is relevant, and who can benefit from it.

Saul was called a minister and a witness to the Gentiles among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Jesus.  There are both Jews and Gentiles among them that are sanctified by faith that is in Christ Jesus.

ONLY AMONG them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ, and AMONG THEM ONLY these things are possible, through the gospel ministry:
- they alone whose eyes can by opened,
- they alone can be turned from darkness to light,
- they alone can be turned from the power of Satan unto God,
- they alone can experience receiving the forgiveness of sins,
- they alone can experience receiving their eternal inheritance.

The gospel ministry is ordained, and intended for a very specific people, EVEN unto among them that are sanctified by the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

The PURPOSE of the risen Lord in the gospel ministry is plain and simple, and is in perfect harmony with that of the Father and the Holy Spirit:

- God decreed to sanctify a people,
- Christ sanctified them on the cross,
- The Holy Spirit sanctifies each one of them at their effectual calling.
- The gospel ministry is ordained to open the eyes of them among such, to turn them from darkness to light, to turn them from the power of Satan to God, that they may experience receiving the forgiveness of sins, and their inheritance.