Plainer Words

The Pre-Eminent Christ

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:38:23 PST

“And He is the Head of the Body, the Church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).

Because of Who He is, What He did, and What He will do; the Church over which He is the Head is to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is to have the Preeminence in everything.

The Church of the Mystery

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:39:29 PST

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:26-27)

Because of being unable to “rightly divide” the prophecies, many Rabbis in Israel had to invent two Messiahs. It was beyond their comprehension that one Messiah could both suffer and reign. Human reason just couldn't imagine how one could possibly meet the requirements of Messiah. They could not separate the first and second coming of the Messiah. The first coming was to suffer; the second will be to reign. (We use the orthodox Christian terminology—“the first and second coming,” which is Scripturally incorrect).

Rome - Babylon - Jerusalem?

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:49:25 PST

The future Glory of the Kingdom of God will blaze-forth for over six-hundred years. It will be the Glory, shining forth, during the Pre-Millennial Day of Christ. It will be a time when the governments of the world are directed by Jesus Christ Himself. It will be a time of plenty. The natural man will live extended lives enabling them to enjoy the fruit of their own labor. They will have the benefit of perfect health. Everyone will know the ways of God. There will not be any natural catastrophes. Premature deaths will be unheard of. The world will be free from war, crime, injustice, hatred, starvation, disease, and other maladies. In fact, it can truly be said; “Man will live in a perfect environment—a world-wide Garden of Eden.” Much of the world’s population will be people who possess immortality.

Was the Day of Christ at Hand?

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:47:22 PST

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the COMING (Parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him” (2 Thess. 2:1).

The Apostle Paul penned 2 Thessalonians not long after he had written 1 Thessalonians. It is believed that the First Epistle to Thessalonica was written in late 52 A.D. and followed, shortly afterwards, with the Second Epistle in early 53 A.D. The context of both epistles is set forth in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 as, “For yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” Here, we realize that the Day of the Lord is associated with the Coming (the Parousia) of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bride or the Body of Christ?

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:10:34 PST

The title suggests that there is a disagreement between the Bride and the Body. The two titles have reference to “The Bride of Christ” and “The Body of Christ.” This study researches the Scriptures concerning the two.

The expression, “the Bride of Christ,” is not a term that can be found in the Bible. It does not occur one time in the Word of Truth. However, Bible commentators, for centuries, have made reference to the “Bride” and the “Body of Christ” as being the same. Even though generations have been accustomed to referring to the two as being the same, this does not make them the same. As a matter of fact, all that it does is to assume that tradition, and what is taken for granted, is TRUTH. The Bible says, “Thy Word is Truth.” Repetition of doctrine does not make it TRUTH. The age of doctrine does not make it TRUTH. It makes it TRADITION! We ought to treasure the Word of God more than we treasure the most cherished teaching if it is proved to be untrue by the Word.

The Pharisees - Part 13

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:05:32 PST

The top of the mind awareness about the Pharisees is that they insisted they were “Abraham’s seed” (John 8:33). To this, the Lord Jesus agreed, saying; “I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill Me, BECAUSE MY WORD HATH NO PLACE IN YOU” (John 8:37). When the Lord Jesus said that they did the deeds of their father, the Devil (John 8:44), the Pharisees became infuriated. They said to Him that they were not born as a result of fornication. But rather, they said, “WE HAVE ONE FATHER EVEN GOD” (John 8:41). Notice, they self-righteously insisted that God was their Father. They professed to belong to God; they claimed to belong to the family of God. They were so persuasive that most of the children of Israel thought the Pharisees were “sons of God.” The Pharisee’s outward “devoutness” and their strict adherence to “the Tradition of the Elders” [the Oral Law] reinforced their claim to be “sons of God.”

The Pharisees - Part 12

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:13:28 PST

All of the teachings in Israel at the time of Christ were rigidly controlled by the Pharisees. No-one dared teach without the approval or authority by the Pharisees. It did not matter how ridiculous or unfair their teaching became; no-one dared to question, or criticize. By the same token, whatever the Pharisees compelled others to do, no-one insisted that the Pharisees be bound by the same rules.

The Pharisees - Part 11

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 15:53:24 PST

Our last study concluded by remarking on the part of the Satire/Irony story the Lord Jesus was telling in which He said, in His own words, that the rich man died, and was buried; and in hell he was being tormented, so he lifted up his eyes …

“And [the rich man] seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” These were the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, BUT He told the story as it would have been told by the Pharisees. The story was according to the doctrine of their “Oral Law.”

The Pharisees - Part 10

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:18:15 PST

“There was a certain beggar named Lazarus.” This character is brought into the story to point to the poor in Israel. Many passages of Scripture show that the poor were those who were oppressed by the high-handed and cruel aristocracy (see Amos 8:4; Isaiah 3:14-15, 10:1-2, 32:7; Ezekiel 16:49, 22:29). In much of the writings of the Prophets, we find that the wealthy ruling class was constantly being criticized for their cruel and unjust treatment of the poor. This had not changed in the least by the time the Lord Jesus Christ showed up in the midst of the Israelis.

The Pharisees - Part 9

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:37:14 PST

Whenever the unmitigated Truth concerning “Hell” is taught, preached, or heralded, there is a knee-jerk reaction by those who have been reared on Sunday School Theology—the Theology of Children. Those who have graduated from Sunday School have, sadly, been brought up, for the most part, on man's books instead of the Bible. People draw their theology from hymns written by men who were saturated with tradition who, when they did write a good hymn, generally spoiled it in the last verse by setting “death” as the church's hope instead of the Appearing of Christ (Colossians 3:4). As a result, hymns are solemnly sung which contain such absurd, paradoxical teaching as the singing of God's praises while our tongues are singing lies, and while the dead “lie silent in the grave.” (In this paragraph, we have expressed a few of Dr. E. W. Bullinger’s classic thoughts which he expressed in his article, “The Rich Man and Lazarus”).

The Pharisees - Part 8

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:05:32 PST

According to “Vine’s Expository Dictionary,” the word, MAMMON, comes from a common Aramaic word for “riches.” This Aramaic word is “akin to a Hebrew word signifying to be firm, steadfast, hence, that which can be trusted.” Some people placed their trust in “riches”—hence, the name, “mammon,” arose. “Bagster’s Bible Helps” points out that the pagan’s God of riches was—Mammon.

SCATTER – SHOOTIN’

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:54:42 PST

Personal Emails we thought might be of interest. Be sure and read our message at the end of this memorandum.

A Bible Mountaineer Using FaceBook:

Hello Tom,
Hope all is well with you and your family. Just alittle up date on what is going on here, on facebook. So far a Kalibbala Samuel Henry, Ugandan evangelist, has been looking at your web page and likes, the info it gives. A Nichola Gibson, a believer from England has visited and also a Bruce Pangborn from Texas has shown interest. The Pentecostal men and women preachers about 10 of them, haven't said much. I purposely friended them, At least they haven't deleted me yet.

I ran across a universalist the other day and told him about your site. He said he would look at it, he lives in Tulsa, and I spoke to him on the phone.

Please pray that God's will will be done and the right people will see this truth . Also pray for me and my family as we do this for HIM.
Thanks Tom
God Bless

The Pharisees - Part 7

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 10:27:37 PST

The verbal conflict that went on during the period of the Four Gospels was mainly between the Pharisaical Society and the Lord Jesus Christ. As far as they were concerned, He was their bitter enemy. The Pharisees busied themselves with schemes to make Him appear as a false prophet. But, Christ took their doctrine, based upon the “mythological” Oral Law, and revealed it as fraudulent “Law.” The Lord Jesus ripped them to shreds, using their own doctrine against them.

The Pharisees - Part 6

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:51:49 PST

The Colleges of Theology, in Israel, were managed and operated by the Pharisees. “Forgiveness” was not a doctrine advanced by these schools of divinity. Nor, was “forgiveness” part of the moral code followed by these paragons of virtue. This high sect of scholars were strict devotees of “The Tradition of the Elders.” This was the Law that they upheld. It had preeminence over the Law of Moses. During the New Testament times which concern us, at this time, we recognize that the “Oral Law” had not yet been committed to writing. It was, verbally, transmitted from the Teachers or Rabbis to the students.

The Pharisees - Part 5

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:36:47 PST

The Pharisees dominated and oppressed most all groups in Israel at the time the Lord Jesus Christ was on the scene. They controlled all life and thought in Israel. It is essential that consideration be given to doctrines of the Pharisees—that is, their beliefs, practices, and character. When this is done, a great deal of the New Testament is opened-up to us.

Some authorities have written that there were 6,000 Pharisees within their inner-circle. The Pharisees and Scribes are constantly mentioned in the Gospels. They are closely associated in the same connection. The connection of the two would seem to indicate they belong to the same society.

The Pharisees - Part 4

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:14:31 PST

The illustration of EXPERT KNOWLEDGE is as follows: After Paul pronounced blindness upon Israel, she was, judicially, set aside (Acts 28:28). All of the future promises made to Israel were set in abeyance. The Apostle Paul received the last communiqué from Jesus Christ after Acts 28.

The Pharisees - Part 3

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:05:34 PST

Now, for the Pharisees, they live meanly, and despise delicacies in diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and what that prescribes to them as good for them, they do; and they think they ought earnestly to strive to observe reason’s dictates for practice. They also pay a respect to such as are in years [i.e., the elderly]; nor are they so bold as to contradict them in any thing which they have introduced; and, when they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since their notion is, that it has pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of men can act virtuously or viciously.” (“Works of Josephus” Vol. IV. Book XVIII. Chapter 1, Part 3).

The Pharisees - Part 2

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:14:25 PST

The Pharisees’ hold on the Jewish people was the result of the Pharisees’ insistence that they were the “lawyers” and the “teachers” of Israel. As such, they knew the true meaning and interpretation of the Law of Moses. The true meaning and interpretation of the Law was given “Orally by Moses to Joshua, Joshua to the prophets, and the prophets to the elders of the Great Synagogue.” The Pharisees claimed to be the ones who were “called by God” to be the expounders of the “Tradition.” Keep in mind; “Tradition” was that which had not been written down. During the New Testament times, it was apparent that the Pharisees’ Law was “the Tradition.” Moses’ Law was the Word of God. The Pharisees placed more emphasis on “their law” than they did God’s Law.

The Pharisees - Part 1

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:20:18 PST

The Pharisees were the most prominent sect in Israel during the Life of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees were in opposition to the other leading sect ─ the Sadducees. The Pharisees, probably, emerged from the sect of the “Assidaeans” (there are several different spellings of this sect’s name). Reference books state that they occupied a place similar to which the Pharisees later occupied; “it may be deduced that the two parties are in a measure one.” In fact, probably, the Essenes were also derived from the Assidaeans.

The Sadducees of the Jews

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:31:02 PST

The Sadducees were a prominent Jewish sect, though not as numerous as those who seemed to be their opponent, the Pharisees. The Sadducees were wealthy, and many of them were of priestly descent. Consequently, they had an influence in Israel which fully balanced that of their more popular rivals, the Pharisees. In reality, they were a political party of priestly and aristocratic tendencies. When compared to the Pharisees, there was a striking difference. The Pharisees were more of a more religious and democratic sect. The Pharisees originated the “oral law” which they insisted was verbally transmitted to Joshua, and from Joshua, it was handed-down from generation to generation. The Pharisees’ bogus claim that it was, also, an inspired body of truth, verbally transmitted in order to “explain” and “complete” the written Word. The Pharisees named this oral law, “the tradition of the Elders.” The Elders were the ones who, supposedly, passed-on these doctrines. The Sadducees rejected “the tradition of the Elders.” This, automatically, placed them in direct conflict with the Pharisees.