The Twelve Tribes – Did the Apostles Peter and Paul Get the Memo? – Halfway to Sodom by John Asquith
Roger Fulk
March 3, 2023
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The Twelve Tribes – Did the Apostles Peter and Paul Get the Memo? – Halfway to Sodom – https://conta.cc/3ZWurtxx
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| The Twelve TribesThe Twelve Tribes (purecambridgetext.com) Dr. John M. Asquith 4 min read James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting, James 1:1. The above verse is the normal starting place for placing the book of James outside of doctrine intended for local churches today. By most (not all) of the reasoning I hear on excluding James from current doctrinal consideration as it should apply to local churches, this verse is front and center. They see the opening verse as a fulfillment of the Apostle Paul’s statement in Galatians 2:9; And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.As we saw in the last post just because Paul and the other apostles divided their spheres of influence doesn’t mean that each preached a gospel so distinct that it could not avail if preached to the wrong group. In the sense that James had a commission and a burden for his fellow Jews, it makes perfect sense that he would address a letter to them.I have heard it reasoned that since no one knew where ten of the tribes of Israel were, that James’s reference to them must be for the future. They reason that as proof that it is a book written for saints in the great tribulation. Yes, ten tribes had lost their identities. Those things happened when poor records were kept. That is what was taking place in Ezra 2:62,63. The people were there but could not prove their identities.Yet, the Apostle Paul assumed that they were still around. He spoke of them to King Agrippa. Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews, Acts 26:27. He spoke of them in the present tense. They were there, mingled in the population. The Holy Ghost knew who they were and could identify them. Look at Anna’s tribe; And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, Luke 2:36.When I read James, I know that I am not one of the twelve tribes. I also know that my name is not Timothy, but I read his two books anyway. My name is not Philemon, but I read his book. I am not from Colossea, but I read their book. I am not from Thessalonica but I read their two books. I am not from Philippi, but I read their book. My name is not Titus, but I read his book.So, it isn’t really the opening line of James that signals that it is not for us. Too many people will circle back to Galatians 2:9. “Paul was to us! James and Peter are to the Jews!” I am not such a fool as that I don’t know that a Jew and a Gentile needed to be approached differently. The Apostle Paul himself said so. 1st Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;1st Corinthians 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. When I read a letter written specifically to Jews, I expect to find the tenor of that letter to be different than a letter written to Gentiles. I also know that these letters were written in a time of transition when some Jews and some gentiles already had salvation through believing the promises of God as they stood prior to the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The synagogues visited by Paul always had gentiles in them. These are people who needed a transition. The disciples of John the Baptist (who Paul identified as believing) had never heard of the Holy Ghost in Acts 19. They are just such an example.Throughout the Apostle Paul’s ministry he was on the lookout for people who needed the laying on of an Apostle’s hands to make that transition. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established, Romans 1:11. This was written by the same Apostle Paul who wrote; And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, Colossians 2:10.Romans 1:11 is a transition verse written in the Pauline epistles. I have enough spiritual maturity to understand that even though Paul laid hands on men to get the Holy Ghost after the time in which he had started his epistles, and even though he sought out others to imbue them with spiritual gifts, I do not need such. I am complete in Christ. I was brought to repentance, saved, born again and given a complete and perfect salvation after the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.I am aware that there were people to whom those graces came but were parsed out as events unfolded. Both Paul’s and the other Apostles’ writings deal with such people. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.), John 7:39. There are transitions in every writer’s letters.The last great proof to those who would exclude James from being an epistle for churches today is supposed doctrinal issues. We will deal with those soon. The Twelve Tribes (purecambridgetext.com) Doctrine•John Asquith |
| Did the Apostles Peter and PaulGet the Memo?Dr. John M. Asquith – 7 min read 2 hours ago 2/24/23 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction, 2nd Peter 3:16. As I have mentioned before, all good theology is like a three legged stool. One leg is a verse. The next leg is a reasonable explanation of that verse, and the last and vital leg is a clear demonstration from scripture that the explanation attached to the verse was used and understood by those to whom it was ascribed.As an example, think of Matthew 16: 17-19 Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Those verses are central to Roman Catholic thinking. They are a starting point for teaching that Peter was the first pope and that a succession of popes would have the keys to to the kingdom of heaven. If all we had was this passage, such a theology would not be unreasonable on its face. We would have two legs of a stool. We would have a verse and we would have an explanation of that verse. Yet, if we sought for a third leg so that the stool would support us, we would come up empty.At no time do we ever find Peter in Rome. Peter clearly gave preference to the Apostle Paul as we saw in our banner verse, 2nd Peter 3:16. When Peter erred, it wasn’t made a rule in heaven, it was rebuked by the Apostle Paul, Galatians 2:11-21. In fact at no time does the Apostle Peter ever play the role given him by Roman Catholic theology. Their pet theory turns out to be a two legged stool. To sit on it requires a balancing act.The Jehovah Witnesses use 1st Corinthians 15:50 to prove that Jesus Christ resurrected as a gas. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. If this was the only verse in the word of God, then their explanation of it might appear genuine. It turns out to be a pitifully unstable two legged stool. Jesus Christ himself said that he resurrected as flesh. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have, Luke 24:39.What about the contention that The Apostles Peter and Paul preached two different gospels? Galatians 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.If you or anyone else has tried to build a three legged stool that says that from this time on, the Apostle Paul only went to the gentiles and Peter only went to the Jews, you will never find your third leg. As long as scripture records, both of the apostles, both Peter and Paul continued to minister to both Jews and gentiles. Carrying the gospel to the Jews was part of Paul’s commission. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, Acts 9:15.Throughout the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul always visited the Jews before he visited the gentiles, and that he did so only after the Jews in the synagogues rejected the gospel. Even after his arrest and deportation to Rome, even after the Lord came to him and assured him that he must witness in Rome, he continued to visit the Jew first and after this the gentiles. And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome, Acts 23:11.As late as when Peter wrote 2nd Peter, he was writing to gentiles. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1st Peter 1:1. Whoever he wrote to in 1st Peter is who he wrote to in 2nd Peter. This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, 2nd Peter 3:1. They are the same people to whom the Apostle Paul wrote. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you, 2nd Peter 3:15.Trying to separate Peter and Paul’s ministry in some sense that each preached different gospels to two divergent people in the sense that the two gospels were ineffective and void if preached to the wrong people, is a shaky two legged stool that will never find verification in scripture.If you want to preach that because the Jews were learned in the Law of Moses and in that some of them had salvation prior to the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that that made them distinctly different from the gentiles who had no such knowledge or salvation, you are in a rich field in which to preach. When Peter preached in the first few chapters of Acts, he preached to men and women who knew the laws of God. They were easily made to see their guilt and were converted by the thousands.To preach the gospel of the circumcision differed in that the circumcision knew who the God of Israel was. They knew the penalty of sin and the severity of God. Peter brought it home to them using the sign that God gave at Pentecost, and by bringing them into condemnation by showing them who Jesus Christ was.This is in perfect accord with Paul’s gospel. 1st Timothy 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.1st Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;1st Timothy 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,1st Timothy 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;1st Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.The Apostle Paul used the law of God to bring people under condemnation. Did he not convince his hearers on Mars Hill that idolatry (the second commandment) was sin? Acts 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Unlike the gospel of the circumcision, the gospel of the uncircumcision needed to establish the laws of God in the hearer’s minds and hearts. With the circumcision, that was already done. They still needed to see that they had broken those laws and had no protection therein. Both Peter and Paul strove to bring their hearers under the condemnation of the law that they might find repentance and be justified by Christ.When either Jew or gentile received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, their respective spirits were made one with the spirit of Jesus Christ. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit, 1st Corinthians 6:17. Jesus Christ’s spirit is in his body which sits in heaven next to the Father. It is a physical body; Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, 1st John 4:2. It is also a spiritual body; It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body, 1st Corinthians 15:44.Whether Jew or gentile, we are all in one body in heaven which is both a physical and a spiritual body. That is a revelation given to the Apostle Paul, but it did not start when it was revealed. It began at the cross. Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: There is no excuse on this earth for a believer who is a part of that heavenly body not to be a part of a local church which is his visible body on this earth. when you are in such a church, I hope that both the converted Jew and the converted gentile are welcome therein.Doctrine•John AsquithDid the Apostles Peter and Paul Get the Memo?Dr. John M. Asquith – 7 min read 2 hours ago 2/24/23 |
| Halfway to SodomDr. John M. Asquith – 7 min read 02/09/2023Halfway to Sodom (purecambridgetext.com) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, Romans 1:27. I hear a lot of comments that the Western World has become a modern Sodom and Gomorrah. Without any doubt we are beginning to experience the judgment of God upon us. It is God that turns men and nations over to sodomy. When he does so, it is done as a judgment against them or their fathers. Romans 1:26 is very clear on this; For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. Yet, we have not quite got as low as Sodom did.In Sodom the sin was mandatory. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them, Genesis 19:5. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus said that there were no children left in Sodom under the age of 12. The attitude of Lot’s daughters seems to back that up. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth, Genesis 19:31. After being raised in Sodom, they didn’t know that any man other than their father still practiced natural procreation with women.We are probably not far from the time when civil authorities or their protected mobs mandate sodomy. A child might come home from school with a note stating that, “Little Johnny wouldn’t cooperate in health class today”. Nevertheless, we are not there yet. We are halfway to Sodom with our backs towards God. There are few crueler things that God can turn a man or a woman over to than to turn them over to lusts of their own hearts.Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, Romans 1:24. We have arrived there. I mean we. A year ago, I heard a pastor who had started 5 churches in Alabama state that 72% of men in Fundamental Baptist churches respond when privately polled, that they had viewed pornography in the last 7 days. He listed it as one of the great burdens with which he had to contend.I found that distressing and difficult to believe. As I looked into the matter, I discovered that he was all too correct. We are a mess. Pornography is ubiquitous. That means that it is universally available. Poll after poll show that the same men who regularly attend good churches also view pornorgaphy on a regular basis. This will not bring judgment upon our churches, it is the judgment, God also gave them up to uncleanness.For a while, I was using the figure of 72% of men in our churches. A group of young men who attended a special meeting here took me aside and set me straight. The figure might be 72% when old men unfamiliar with the internet are included in the poll, but for men under the age of 50, is is almost 100%. Young men in their late 30s who had worked in the general public holding many jobs over time, and knowing hundreds of fellow workers told me that they didn’t know anyone who didn’t regularly look at pornography on an almost hourly basis. One young man observed that his contemporaries see it as so normal and casual that the apps are right on their phones in plain sight.My church is small but fortunate in that we have many young men, married and single who attend regularly. For a few years many of them have met on Thursday nights and discussed the state of their souls, their common temptations, and scriptural insights. They regularly have 8-10 attendees, sometimes more. One of the pernicious temptations with which they have discussed among themselves has been pornorgaphy. It was universal among them.A leader in the group had overcome his pornography addiction but only after he got rid of his smartphone and forswore the internet. That’s right, he absolutely quit using the internet at all. A few years earlier, his wife had caught him looking at pornography and had been devastated. They worked out careful ways for her to monitor his phone and internet use to keep him away from it. About a year later, he came to her and told her that he was still viewing pornography. He had just learned better ways to hide it.After her initial agony at the betrayal, she realized that this time it was different. He had come to her voluntarily. He is now pornogrophy free, his wife trusts him and he is helping other men. You would think that young men who never miss church, regularly read their bibles, abstain from all appearance of evil, travel to hear special preaching services, and who attend such a peer group would not have a pornography problem. As those men who sought to set me straight explained, you would be wrong to think they were free from pornography.Breitbart News recently cited a study by the British National Health Service in which they discovered that the average child begins viewing hardcore pornography at 13 years old. 10% of children start at 9 years old. Until recently, health authorities thought that viewing pornography was harmless or even a healthy diversion. Science has caught up with the bible. The viewing of pornography is destructive.Researchers such as Gary Wilson are discovering the destructive nature of viewing pornography. His book, Your Brain on Porn: Internet Pornography and the Emerging Science of Addiction spells out the destruction wrought. Addiction to pornography has forced the medical community to change the definition of addiction. We have learned that people are not addicted to heroin, crystal meth or crack. They are addicted to the dopamine rush that those substances give them. Pornography delivers the same rush of dopamine to the pleasure center of the brain as any addictive drug does.If you can imagine addicts being able to get their relief without needles, without hangovers, without stealing money, and without breaking the law, you can understand pornography addiction. Wilson tells us of Chinese Websites and Social forums dedicated to men seeking freedom from porn. There are over 3 million men on these sites. Universally, they find that if they can go for 90 days without viewing porn, a few things happen.Their ability to remember things returns. Men who view porn lose many cognitive functions, memory being the chief among them. Their attraction to their own mates returns. Their erectile dysfunction goes away. Yes, erectile dysfunction is a common malady among porn users. If you take a look at all of the advertisements out there today for pills and other devices to fix such problems, you will note that they are aimed at young people.God made our brains to be marvelous instruments. When a person gets too much of something, our brains release a chemical to retard our desire for it. Think of your favorite cookie or candy. You know from experience that after you have eaten too many, you lose your taste for it. God did that. That chemical tamps down your desire for that particular thing. Porn users quickly learn that whatever they have been viewing loses its zing in their minds. In order to get the same level of satisfaction they must delve deeper and deeper into the perversions offered for viewing.After a man or woman has viewed pornography for a while, they can no longer tell anyone the types of things that they have viewed. The debauchery is too vile. Because they are not injecting anything into their arms or swallowing any pills, they don’t realize that they have a classic addiction that is just as addictive as heroin.I recently heard a quotation from a young construction worker (not from church) who is in his early 20s. When one of our men was discussing porn usage with him, he stated that he would far rather watch porn and relieve himself than to lay with his girlfriend. I was assured of a couple of things. The young man’s girlfriend is very pretty and willing, but that didn’t entice him. His reaction is common. I have now heard it from multiple sources. Because of pornography, we are halfway to Sodom. Men are leaving the natural use of the woman. They are, lovers of their own selves, 2nd Timothy 3:2.Wilson and many other researchers tell us that these men often view porn for hours while casually massaging their own privy members. They work to avoid spilling their seed. They keep themselves in an erotic state for extended periods of time. They become useless for procreation. They become cognitively dysfunctional and they become utterly perverted. Their wives can see a change in them as they become more distant and heartless. Our churches are full of such men. As we preach against the sexual wickedness of the world, the world has counterattacked and overthrown our own men.Ancient Greek culture and some modern cultures such as our troops found in Afghanistan only use women for procreation. They get their pleasure through sodomy. Women are only occasionally touched and that is more of a chore than a pleasure. Our churches are now full of that same rot.I was recently contacted by a young youth pastor from a good out of state church. He had been listening to our church website Onesoulatatime.net and had finally come to repentance and gotten saved. After rejoicing with him, I solemnly warned him to get rid of his porn. He explained that the first thing he did after getting saved, was to come to his wife with each of his devices and worked with her to make them porn free. I didn’t have to ask if he used porn. He’s in the age group. He was using.It may be that out of every 100 or so young men with smartphones, internet access and private time that one of them is porn free, but that would be rare. As our respective nations crumble before the sickening onslaught of sexual deviancy, our churches have been gutted by the same.To understand the weird unspeakable stories that we hear about as both children and adults mutilate themsleves to appear as the opposite sex, think what it must be like for a person who has practiced porn viewing since they were 9 or 10 years old. Think of what it is like after they have practiced vile habits with their friends and even relatives for a few years until their inner emotions are destroyed beyond recognition. In their agony of mind and heart and in their confusion, teachers and doctors tell them that they can be surgically adapted to their feelings.As churches have lost their ability to reach our neighborhoods, the devil has not lost his ability to overthrow our people. If you are a porn user you need help. If you are an older pastor or church member who finds this odd and over wrought, open your eyes. Halfway to Sodom (purecambridgetext.com) John Asquith |
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