Bill Taylor Top contributor – In the Internet age, people expect everything to be short. Salvation is 2 words, sexuality is 3 words, getting married is 3 words, staying married is 2 words, etc. Check out Sound Bite Marriage:https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/…/hear-voice…

Marriage Under Threat: Hear the Voice of the Bridegroom Concerning Holy Matrimony (successful-marriage.blogspot.com)h all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Proverbs 4:23

Putting marriage on the table helped keep her heart.  When a woman falls in love with a man who isn’t ready to marry anyone, she’s in for a world of hurt.  Who mentioned marriage first, Boaz or Ruth?  It didn’t occur to Boaz to marry Ruth, but when she gave him the idea (Ru. 3:9[284]), he thought it was such a good idea that he rushed out the very next morning and married her.  Why was he eager?  The Bible doesn’t say Ruth was beautiful, but Boaz had facts about her.  He knew that a hard-working (Ru. 2:7[285]), God-fearing (Ru. 2:11-12[286]) woman who wasn’t dating around (Ru. 3:10) and wanted to marry him would make a good wife.

Every man knows in his heart that a woman can give him a taste of the joys of Heaven, that’s why men want women.  I was attracted to her, I liked talking to her, I respected her mind, and she told me her goal was to be God’s treasure for her husband!  I knew the joy I’d get if she decided to be God’s treasure for me.  If she decided that, I’d be a fool not to marry her, so I said, “Sure.”  When I had enough facts to see that she wanted to be my treasure and that I could make her happy, I married her as fast as we could get a dress.

FACT-BASED MARRIAGE

Our first talk gave me facts to support the idea of marrying her.  She had facts when she agreed to date me when I commanded her.  She’d planned to marry her college boyfriend based on facts she saw.  He looked good.  He attended church and led the youth group.  Over time, she let herself fall in love with him.

Something drove her to ask God if she should marry him.  God told her “No” and sent a friend of his family to tell her why she shouldn’t.  It was hard, but she stopped being with him.  She hadn’t kept her heart; she let her feelings grow strong without having enough facts to be sure she could rest in marriage to him (Ru. 1:9a[287]).

Having been hurt, she told God, “You didn’t like the man I chose, You find me a husband or make me content to be single.”  A woman should never let herself fall in love with a man until after he marries her.  She should decide to marry based on facts about him and on how he treats her.  She’ll fall in love later.

God let her know that her husband would have something to do with Japan.  Feeling a call to the ministry, she asked about being a missionary.  The board told her that sending single women to Japan didn’t work because of the culture.  She had taken action based on the partial knowledge God gave her when she prayed.

As she thought about what to say when I told her I was going to date her, she felt God say, “Are you going to choose or am I?”  It was a fact that I met the description God had given in answer to her prayer.  It took her 30 seconds to decide because I was not at all what she would have chosen, but she said “OK.”

She Asked me “Why?”

On the way to the restaurant for our first date, I did something from Japanese culture which hurt her feelings.  Her father had recognized the value of her God-given emotions, but he carefully taught her to think about her feelings.  He insisted that she think about what she felt before acting on any feeling or emotion.

She could have walked back to her car and left, but she thought, “This guy’s thinking of marrying me.  He didn’t offer to buy me food to make me upset.  But I am upset.  Must have been an accident.  I’ll ask him.”

When I told her why, she liked it.  Women she tells say, “Why’d you marry him after that” but decide I was a man to keep when told why.  She asked and I answered as the Bible commands (Mt. 18:15[288]).  She thought, “This guy is strange, but if he’ll explain, I can help him” and she has helped me.  Many wives are afraid to ask because their husbands haven’t learned to explain their thoughts.  Explaining is part of opening your heart.

I was attracted to her enough to think of marrying.  If she’d left, I’d have been badly hurt and we’d have been unlikely to marry.  Stopping, thinking about her feelings, and asking “Why?” got her a husband.

How Would I Rule Her?

She liked the facts God and I had given by our 3^rd date, but she needed more.  She saw I could rule when I commanded her to date, but she wanted to know how I’d rule.  We were at my apartment with my roommate.  She did something unacceptable.  I told her not to.  She said, “You can’t stop me.”  She touched the tip of her little finger with her thumb.  “I’ve got you right here!”  I picked her up, carried her to the shower, and let her know she was asking for a soaking.  “I don’t have any other clothes.”  It was summer; she’d dry in a few hours.

She said, “I’ll behave,” and I let her out of the shower.  I didn’t yell; I didn’t hit her.  She knew I’d rule gently so it would be safe to promise to obey me.  She decided to follow me and started saying “Yes, sir” as the spirit moved her.  Resting in me changed her body language so much that at our first visit to her parents the next week, her mother thought, “She’s calm.  She feels safe with him.  They’ll be married soon.”

A man must give his wife rest, ease, and calm in belonging to him.  When Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to go back to their parents to find husbands, she prayed, “The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband (Ru. 1:9a).”  Naomi wanted food, clothing, and shelter for them, but she also wanted them to be sure their husbands valued and appreciated them enough to like caring for them.

I Gave her Facts On Purpose

By the time I met her, I knew that engineers’ marriages often fell apart and that my Japanese background wouldn’t help.  I took her to an office party so she could see that my colleagues weren’t happy with me.  We watched Japanese films that showed many striking aspects of Japanese culture.

I didn’t know that she’d had a lifetime of technical table talk because her dad was an engineer and I didn’t know that her mission-minded family had hosted many missionaries as she grew up.  I was pleased to see that she was OK with my technical thinking and that Japanese culture didn’t bother her.

My trying to be open showed that I’d open my heart to her, but the Holy Spirit had her put talk into our wedding vows.  Just before our wedding, she told me she was really looking forward to marriage.  “I like talking to you.  Once we’re married, we can talk more in a day than we can talk in a week of dating.”  I was put off by that much talk, but by then I very much wanted to marry her and went ahead (1 Cor. 7:9[289]).

The fundamental reason I decided to spend my life taking care of her was that I had faith that God is good.  I knew that a wife is a gift from God (Pr. 18:22[290]).  I knew that God gives good and perfect gifts (Mt. 7:11[291], Jas. 1:17[292]) so I knew she would be good and perfect gift for me if she decided to let God give her to me.

She’d asked God to work on her heart to make her the wife and mother He wanted her to be.  Belonging to me after we married was the most frightening experience of her life, but she trusted God and decided to be mine.  It helped that I’d written, “For God so loved man that He gave him woman.  For God so loved me that He gave me you.”  She’d said God made her to be a treasure.  If I treated her as a treasure, it would work.  Having been taught to think about her feelings by her father and learning how painful it was to let her feelings grow strong without getting facts first, she used facts and logic before emotion in marrying me.

LOGIC – FINDING FACTS AND DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Aristotle explained logic ~ 300 BC, about the time Euclid defined “Euclidian geometry.”  When Rome conquered Greece 100 years later, they learned Logic and Geometry which helped them build ~ 250,000 miles of roads, some of which are used today.  The Apostles couldn’t have spread the Gospel as fast as they did without Roman roads.  Did God help the Romans build roads to prepare the Roman Empire to serve Him?

Logic and geometry are the foundation of our high-tech civilization.  When Rome fell around 480 AD, logic and geometry were lost.  They had been re-learned by the start of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1600s, ~ 450 years ago.  We can’t have automobiles, electricity, water systems, paved roads, computers, or the Internet without using logic throughout society.  How many well-trained, logical people are needed to maintain the Internet?  To climb poles to fix electric wires to keep the lights on?

Logic is so important to our society that there’s a free online course[293] which explains how to use logic with facts to reach conclusions.  There are logic exercises in this online folder[294] which can be printed and shared.

Christianity is a Logical Faith

Scripture can help you decide if something you plan to do is within the will of God page 65.  Whether your decisions come from logic or emotion, these questions help you measure your plan against scripture.  This takes Bible reading and practice.  Logic training helps you manage the technology of our civilization.

Cling to these facts:

God is good.  The things about your spouse that irritate you the most are of God to bless you.  Ask God to give you wisdom to see how your spouse blesses you.  Use logic to control your emotions.  When you’re tempted to be upset, ask the other person why they did what they did (Mt. 18:15[295]).  What was the goal?  What were they trying to do?  What did you know that showed that it wasn’t a good idea?  Should you have explained it or taught it before the mistake happened?

Learning about God’s logic works on our hearts so that we love Him and want Him to be pleased with us.  That’s how God expects spouses to relate.  We love and serve them so that we’re pleased to be together.

Logic and emotion are in conflict.  Love is not logical at the beginning because loving someone means you can be hurt.  We love in faith that love will bless us over time.  If we become too logical it’s hard to love God, family, and church brethren with all our hearts as He expects.

Hebrews 11:6, “without faith it is impossible to please Him.”  A conclusion from facts based on logic needs no faith.  There can’t be logical proof that God exists because faith would not be needed.  If people get too involved in logic, it’s hard to accept God’s ways because faith doesn’t seem logical, but imagining that the universe came about by random chance isn’t logical at all.  Scripture tells us what faith is:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

.  Hebrews 11:1

Faith is based on what we can’t see, it’s not fact until we look back and see what God did in caring for us.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  Psalm 126:5  That happened when Ruth’s husband died.

Women aren’t strong enough to farm without machinery.  The only way Ruth could eat was by having a man feed her.  It took great faith for Ruth to leave Moab for Israel when she’d been told she wouldn’t find a husband.  They arrived at the beginning of the harvest, Ruth went out to glean, that is, pick up grain that had been dropped.  Ruth 2:3 tells us “her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz.”

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28  Something that seems bad can be a real test of faith.

By “hap,” scripture tells us that there was no logical reason Ruth could see to choose Boaz’s field.  Boaz offered her food and water when he found out who she was.  When Ruth asked why, Boaz told her that he knew she’d left home and came to Israel looking for God.  What a testimony in the town!  He said:

The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust

.  Ruth 2:12

Boaz saw that Ruth’s faith in God was strong enough to overcome fear of rejection or starvation.  When Naomi told Ruth who Boaz was, Ruth could see that God had guided her.  That made her faith factual.  We follow God in faith that obeying Him will work out, then we look back and see how He made it happen.

Dating me was scary, but my wife could see that what God told her had prepared her to belong to me.

Logic Can Take you Where you Shouldn’t Go

America was founded on religious freedom.  After a 10-week voyage, 102 people landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in November of 1620.  Only 53 survived their first winter.  “The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way.”  Scripture tells us how to prosper economically:

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ¹²That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.  I Thessalonians 4:11-12

that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.  II Thessalonians 3:12b

Hard work, freedom to try new ideas that comes with religious freedom, and scientific logic made America very wealthy.  There’s no harm in earning money to care for yourself, others, and the church, but the wealth which logic and science brought has led many Americans to love money for its own sake:

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  I Timothy 6:10

Millions of people risk their lives and spend large sums of money getting into the United States illegally to share American wealth.  Logic leads women to stop having children.  Wealth means they can get jobs and earn their own food without depending on husbands or on God.  Women in Japan, Korea, China, Russia, and most of Europe are having so few babies that populations are dropping and their societies are doomed.

The wealth logic brings destroys traditional culture.  European nations were constantly at war after Rome fell.  As technology began to improve in the 1300s, they put great effort into better guns and cannon.  The constant drive for weapons and warships meant that Europeans came to control the seas over the next 5 centuries.  When the British went to war in 1839 to force the Chinese government to let them sell opium, some Chinese wanted to absorb Western ways of thinking to fight the West:

Since we were knocked out by cannonballs, naturally we became interested in them thinking that by learning to make them we could strike back.  … But history seems to move in very curious ways.  From studying cannon balls we came to mechanical inventions, which in turn led us to political reforms; from political reforms we begin to see political theories, which led us again to the philosophies of the West.  … Through mechanical invention we saw science from which we came to understand scientific method and the scientific mind.[296]  [emphasis added]

The modernists lost the battle; Chinese conservatives blocked their ideas.  With no ability to defeat European weapons, China fell under European rule but kept their culture.  The conservatives were right; studying science instead of focusing on culture is ending their culture as modern Chinese chase wealth.

The problem for the Chinese Communist Party was that traditional culture was focused on God – Confucius spoke of the “mandate of heaven.”  Daoists, Buddhists, and Christians not only spoke of heavenly power, they taught that the obligations God placed on society applied to rulers as well.  Tyrants dislike the idea that they, too, are subject to the laws of God.  Accordingly, the atheistic CCP has cut the Chinese people off from their 5,000 year old culture by “simplifying” traditional Chinese characters to the point that today’s college graduates can’t access traditional Chinese thought because they can’t read the characters.

The Japanese Learned from China

The Japanese borrowed ideas from China for thousands of years.  They learned Western logic and defeated the Russian navy in 1905, the first Asian power beat a European power in battle.  They didn’t lose their culture because they were accustomed to absorbing foreign ideas.  It’s possible to adopt logic without losing culture, but both Japanese and Chinese cultures are doomed now because logical women don’t want children.

The more complex a society becomes, the more logic we need to keep it.  Faith is not logical until we look back to see what God did.  Studying logic leaves less time for Bible study.  The more logical we become, the less faith we think we need.  Logic brings wealth throughout society.  Jesus warned of the danger of wealth:

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  Mark 10:25

All gifts God gives can be used for good or for evil.  A man’s strength can nourish his wife or oppress her.  Her emotions can build up her house or drive her family apart.  Logic can lead to Christ and help us care for the earth God gave us, or it can lead to so much wealth that people stop following the Bible.

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  II Timothy 3:7

Many countries in Africa, Central America, and Asia are poor due to bad government.  It may seem logical for Christians in those countries to try to move to America for a better life, but it’s hard to maintain a Christian walk in America as it becomes more and more secular with more and more temptations.

Parents may follow the old paths, but children raised in American culture tend to walk away from God and from church.  Women get jobs instead of caring for their homes and men rely on women to support them.

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Matthew 16:26

Christianity is lived forward, but it’s understood backward as we look back to understand where God was leading us.  Logic is useful, but God expects us to live by faith (Hab. 2:4[297], Rom. 1:17[298], Gal. 3:11[299], Heb. 10:23[300], 10:38[301], 11:6[302])!

Is What I Want To Do The Will Of God?

Management experts talk about “decision quality.”  The idea is that the more facts you have, the more likely the decision will be right.  That sounds wonderful, but doesn’t work for the really important decisions.

Coca-Cola introduced New Coke after giving samples to many people, spending a lot of money on studies, and the product failed utterly.  All their facts didn’t help them see that Coke fans didn’t want change no matter what people thought of the new flavor.  When they asked if people liked the new flavor, they forgot to ask would it be OK to replace Old Coke with New Coke.  The answer to that question was “No!”

They had many facts, but it wasn’t a factual issue; customers had an emotional attachment to Old Coke.

Many decisions don’t tie to facts.  Whom should we marry?  How should we raise children?  Would it be okay for this child to visit that friend?  Which TV programs should we watch, if any?  Which books should be in our home?  Should our kids have Facebook or email?  Does this child need discipline, an explanation, or both?  We can share ideas with other parents and church members, but high-value decisions are made without facts because we can’t know how such decisions will turn out.  We need what the Bible calls “wisdom.”

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom

: and with all thy getting get understanding.  Proverbs 4:7

What’s the difference between a fact and wisdom?  Here’s a fact:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I John 2:15

It is a fact that loving the world means you can’t love God.  Applying this fact requires wisdom:

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.  I Corinthians 5:9-10

We are in this world; we use many things the world offers.  We buy cars, food, books, clothes, and much more.  We must apply wisdom when we decide what to use and what to avoid.  How do we get wisdom?

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God

, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him

.  James 1:5

Asking God means praying about the decision, reading the Bible, and being ready to obey when God answers.  My wife expected to marry her college boyfriend.  She was surprised when she asked God if she should marry him and God said, “No.”  It was hard, but she obeyed God and stopped being with him.

Christians study the Bible to learn the mind of God and to give the Holy Spirit something to work with.  There are many ways to study the Bible and many study guides with different approaches.  When you’re trying to make a decision, you want to be sure to follow God’s guidance:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Here’s a way to apply the Bible to decisions to help you stay in the will of God.  Ask yourself these questions about an action you’re about to take:

1. Is it right in the eyes of God?  Is it something God tells me to seek, believe, do, or not do?  1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.  Ps. 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  We must study God’s word enough to hide it in our hearts to avoid sin.  Fortunately, God grades on the curve:  Luke 12:47-48a  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.  It would be best to follow God’s will enough to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…”

2. Will doing this bring me near or into temptation?  Rom. 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  Mt. 6:13a And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  God promises to supply all our needs, but we can easily confuse wants and needs.  Apple has introduced a $1,000 smart phone.  Does anyone really need it?  Or is Apple tempting us to brag about their wealth by flashing this shiny new thing?

3. Would this give room for the devil to work against me?  Eph. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.  Will doing this give others a reason to doubt my testimony?  Will it be an excuse for them to ignore what I say about the Bible or about the promises of God?  Most lost people know what God expects of Christians.

4. Is there any principle in scripture against it?  Isa. 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.  It can be hard to verify articles which claim to reveal facts about human nature, for example, but the Bible says a lot about the sins of the flesh.  If research is supported by scripture, it may be worth considering, but if research conflicts with scripture, forget it!

5. Am I trusting God or depending in my own strength?  Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Pr. 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

6. Am I confident that God would have me to do this, or is it doubtful?  Rom. 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.  Rom. 14:5b  Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

7. Will my doing this cause someone to stumble?  Rom. 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

8. Would this action appear evil to anyone or will it make others glorify God?  1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.  Romans 12:17b Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  Mt. 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

9. Would the Lord Jesus Christ do this?  1 Pet. 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Rom. 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Eph. 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Is this a “good work?”

10. Will my doing this please God?  John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

11. Am I trying to impress others with my spirituality?  Pro. 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, ²And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. ⁵And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. ⁶And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. ⁷And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. ⁸And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. ⁹Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. ¹⁰Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. ¹¹And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.  Acts 5:1-11

12. Do I hope somebody notices me?  Gal. 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.  John 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

13. Does my doing this edify?  1 Cor. 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, bath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.  Heb. 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

14. Am I being selfish?  Phil. 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ⁴Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

15. Am I denying the flesh or feeding the flesh?  Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

16. Am I putting Christ first?  Col. 1:18 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.  Matthew 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

17. Is it expedient, that is, a right thing to do that will edify?  1 Cor. 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

18. Will it bring glory to God?  1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  Mt. 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

19. Am I deceiving myself or being deceived?  1 Cor. 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

20. Do I know better?  1 Cor. 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols.  James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

21. Am I searching for an excuse to justify what I want to do?  Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

22. Do I have to hide it from anyone?  Do I feel like sneaking around?  2 Cor. 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

23. Did I handle the word of God deceitfully?  2 Cor. 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God

24 Will this in any way defile God’s body?  1 Cor. 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.  1Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

25. Can I sincerely thank God for it?  1 Thess. 5:l In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

26. Can I do this in Jesus’ name?  Col. 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

27. Can I go all the way with it?  Col. 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Eccl. 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.  Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

28. Have I prayed openly, fervently, and honestly about it?  Ps. 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Phil. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

29. Will it increase or hinder my prayer life?  1 Pet. 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

30. Am I breaking one commandment in order to keep another?  Jer. 48:10 Cursed be he that doeth ‘the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

31. What does my pastor think about it?  Hebr. 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.  Heb. 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you.

32. What does my spouse think?  Mark 10:8  And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.  Acts 5:1-11 tells how Ananias had an idea, he discussed it with his wife, and she agreed to lie.  She should have warned her husband that this wasn’t a good idea.  We know she knew better – she was “beaten with many stripes” for following her husband where she shouldn’t have gone (Luke 12:47-48a).

33. What do my church brethren think about it?  Prov. 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.  Prov. 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established.

34. Would I like to be found doing this when Jesus Christ returns?  1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.  1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

35. How will it appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ?  Will it abide or will it burn?  Rom. 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  I Corinthians 3:11-15

Illogical Blends Found in Scripture

Christianity is a thinking faith (Is. 1:18[303]), but logic and reason aren’t enough – we live by faith confirmed with logic when we look back to see what God did.  “But without faith it is impossible to please him: (Heb. 11:6).”

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

.  Hebrews 11:1

The Christian walk goes forward in faith that God will keep His promises to us and that He will bless our obedient service to Him.  God’s people can see evidence of His love, care, and provision when we look back and see how He prepared us to serve Him and guided us where He wanted us to go:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him

: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned

.  I Corinthians 2:14

Many atheists complain that the Bible is illogical.  This should be no surprise:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness

; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  I Corinthians 1:23-24

The book of Galatians shows Jews that their life-long practice of following the law was not a means of salvation; it merely demonstrated their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24-25[304]).  They’d also have to admit that their eagerly-awaited and long-promised Messiah had come, they’d missed it, and they needed His forgiveness.

It’s easy to see why the Gospel is a stumbling block for Jews, but why is it foolishness to Greeks?  This is because of the logical thinking built into the structure of the Greek language.  The idea of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection enabling salvation is inconsistent with Greek thought.  It’s illogical because Jesus being both God and man is impossible by Greek rules of logic.  God and man cannot be blended together.

This chapter shows how Greek logic doesn’t match Biblical ideas.  This is a problem with Greek thought, not with God, of course.  It also discusses many other illogical, that is, non-Greek, blends found in the Bible.

THE BIG QUESTION – HOW ARE WE SAVED?

Jesus commanded Christians to go and teach all nations (Mt. 28:19-20[305]).  We must find new disciples for Christ and help them work out their salvation by learning more about His commands.  Christians can’t always agree on what should be taught and they can’t even agree on how salvation occurs:

The deepest cleft which separates men calling themselves Christians in their conceptions of the plan of salvation, is that which divides what we may call the Naturalistic and the Supernaturalistic views.  The line of division here is whether, in the matter of salvation of man, God has planned simply to leave men, with more or less completeness, to save themselves, or whether he has planned himself to intervene and save them.  The issue between the naturalist and the supernaturalist is thus the eminently simple but quite absolute one: Does man save himself or does God save him?[306]

The point of division here is whether God is conceived to have planned actually himself to save men by his almighty and certainly efficacious grace, or only so to pour out his grace upon men as to enable them to be saved, without actually securing, however, in any particular cases that they shall be saved.[307]

Dr. Warfield uses “Autosoterism” to describe the process of a person saving himself.

There are fundamentally only two doctrines of salvation: that salvation is from God and that salvation is from man.  The former is the doctrine of common Christianity; the latter is the doctrine of universal heathenism.[308]

In all religions except Christianity, man saves himself, either by performing rituals, thinking pure thoughts, doing good works, or following some specified path.  The religious authorities lay out some path by which a seeker can arrive at salvation, be it called nirvana, satori, or whatever term the religion uses.

Jesus declared that it is impossible for any man to save himself:

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.  John 6:44

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves

: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Autosoterism contradicts the Bible.  God is involved in every salvation, but what about man?  Do human beings have anything to do with salvation, or is salvation a purely supernatural phenomenon?

SUPERNATURALISM VERSUS NATURALISM

Although there are many subtleties, if God does it all and humans have nothing to do with salvation, there are two major views of pure supernatural salvation:  double-predestination and universalism.  Double-predestination argues that from the foundation of the world, God destined some for Heaven and some for Hell, regardless of what they do.  Universalism says everyone will go to Heaven regardless of what they do.

If salvation is purely supernatural and is completely without human choice, universalism has the better of the argument.  If salvation is all up to God and God is not willing that any should perish (II Peter 3:9[309]), none will.  If God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:31[310], 33:11[311]), no wicked will die.

The Bible makes it clear, however, that some will go to Hell, so universalism doesn’t work:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:15

If the population of Heaven and of Hell was determined before the foundation of the earth, there was no need for Jesus to die on the cross.  Double-predestination is also anti-biblical:

And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.  Psalm 9:8 see also II Peter 2:4-22

When asking God not to wipe out Sodom, Abraham appealed, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right (Genesis 18:25b)?”  God agreed that it would be unjust to wipe out the good with the evil.  How much more unjust would it be to consign some to Hell regardless of what they do?

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 13:49-50

On the other hand, it is impossible for any man to save himself.  Dr. Warfield explained the dilemma:

The issue is indeed a fundamental one and it is closely drawn.  Is it God the Lord that saves us, or is it we ourselves?  And does God the Lord save us, or does he merely open the way to salvation, and leave it, according to our choice, to walk in it or not?[312]

Each time he states the issue of the nature of salvation, Dr. Warfield frames the question in terms of Aristotelian logic which is based on “either / or.”  Either God does everything required for salvation without human participation, or human beings save themselves with God being involved only to provide the universal means of salvation.  “Either / or” is not the only form of logic, however:

Hebrew religious beliefs only imperfectly translate into the language of ancient Greece.  Fundamental to Aristotelian logic is the law of the excluded middle:  either a proposition is true, or its negative is true.  It is this principle that frames the existence of evil as a theological problem.  Either God exists, or evil exists.  If God exists, then evil does not exist.  It is either a prelude to, or a preparation for, the good.  Seen in full context, it is not evil at all.  Alternatively, evil exists, therefore God does not exist.  This is a philosophical, detached, disengaged, analytical, left-brain way of thinking about facts.

But faith does not operate by the logic of the left brain and the law of the excluded middle.  God exists and evil exists.  The more powerfully I feel the existence of God, the more strongly I protest the existence of evil.[313]

Rabbi Sachs illustrates his definition of “both / and” in opposition to “either / or:”

I embrace both sides of the dichotomy I mention: science and religion, philosophy and prophecy, Athens and Jerusalem, left brain and right brain.  This too is part of Abrahamic spirituality.  People have often noted, yet it remains a very odd fact indeed, that there is not one account of creation at the beginning of Genesis, but two, side by side, one from the point of view of the cosmos, the other from a human perspective.  Literary critics, tone-deaf to the music of the Bible, explain this as the joining of two separate documents.  They fail to understand that the Bible does not operate on the principles of Aristotelean logic with its either / or, true-or-false dichotomies.  It sees the capacity of grasp multiple perspectives as essential to understanding the human condition.[314]

The Bible warns that Greeks would not appreciate the “both / and” logic of the Bible:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  I Corinthians 1:23-24

The saving power of Christ’s crucifixion is foolishness to the Greeks because Aristotelian logic can’t handle Jesus being both God and man.  He had to be both to save us, but that’s anti-Aristotelian.  Could salvation blend the supernatural with the natural as Jesus blended both God and man?  Could salvation be a blend of “both / and” instead of “either / or” as Dr. Warfield declares?  There are many “both / and” blends taught in Scripture.

BLEND OF PRAYER

Prayer involves a person asking God for supernatural help.  We labor together with God when we pray for something within His will (1 Cor. 3:9[315]).  We can’t expect just any prayer to be answered:

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  I John 5:14-15

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not

. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss

, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.  James 4:2

This verse promises that we’ll receive anything we ask “according to his will.”  Why do we have to pray for God’s will?  Won’t God do His will regardless?  James tells us that this is faulty reasoning, we have to ask.  In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “thy will be done.”  God’s will won’t always be done if we don’t pray for it.  Instead of being entirely of God, that is, entirely supernatural, prayer blends in a natural element:

And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  Genesis 25:21

God promised Abraham “for in Isaac shall thy seed be called (Genesis 21:12).”  God promised that Isaac would have children, yet He didn’t carry out His will until Isaac labored together with God by praying that God would fulfill His promise.  Jesus healed the Canaanite woman’s daughter because of her faith and because she begged Him fervently (Mt. 15:22-28).  Natural prayer was followed by supernatural healing.

The Bible gives general direction for prayers in affliction, but is specific about sickness:

Is any among you afflicted

? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. ¹⁴Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church

; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord

: ¹⁵And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  James 5:13-15

“Afflicted” means “grievously affected or troubled as by a disease: mentally or physically impaired.”  Paul prayed that God would remove the thorn from his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-9[316]), but God refused.  We can pray to God about any trouble or burden, but this passage told the sick to call on the elders of the church to pray and anoint the sick person with oil “in the name of the Lord.”  As with any other prayer, nothing will happen unless the sufferer asks.  Would some of our sick get well faster if we prayed in this manner?

There’s another supernatural element blended into prayer – the Holy Spirit helps us get it right:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Romans 8:26

God does something supernatural in answering prayer and the Holy Spirit fixes up our prayers when we don’t express them well.  Prayer blends the supernatural with the natural.  God sometimes won’t carry out His will unless humans ask Him to do so, but when we don’t know how to ask, God helps us.  God does most of it, but humans have to pray to get things started.  It was clearly God’s will to release Peter from prison (Acts 12:1-11).  Would God have released him if the church hadn’t been praying for his release (Acts 12:12[317])?

These notes about the Lord’s Prayer show how natural and supernatural blend together in a short passage:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father¹ which art in heaven², Hallowed be thy name³. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth⁴, as it is in heaven⁵. Give us this day our daily bread⁶.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors⁷. And lead us not into temptation⁸, but deliver us from evil⁹: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever¹⁰. Amen.  Matthew 6:9-13

1)    God has many names and many roles.  When we pray, we’re petitioning our heavenly father who cares for us and who gives good things to those who ask Him.  (Matthew 7:11[318])

2)    We must remember where God is, and to direct our prayers toward His throne.  (Matthew 5:34[319])

3)    We must always praise God.  God doesn’t need our praise.  Praising Him reminds us to be grateful for what He has given us instead of being anxious for what He hasn’t given us.  Praising Him reminds us that He’s a good God who wrote the rules in the Bible to tell us how to be happy in this life.

4)    It is God’s will that His kingdom arrive on earth, but we are rewarded when we pray for it.

5)    We would be better off if Gods will were done in earth.  Satan has been cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-8[320]) so God’s will is done there, but God’s will won’t be done on earth until His kingdom comes.

6)    God has promised to meet all our needs (Phi. 4:19[321]), but we must ask and give thanks (De. 28:47-48[322]).

7)    We’re forgiven sinners saved by grace.  As good stewards of God’s grace, we must pass it on (I Peter 4:10[323]).  If we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us (Matthew 6:15[324]).  Our forgiveness of others sets the standard for God’s forgiving us.

8)    We’re supposed to avoid temptation, but we need God’s help to strengthen us to flee it.

9)    God is our refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1[325]), only He can deliver us from the evil Satan proposes for us.

10)  Acknowledging God’s power and His victory over Satan gives us confidence and strengthens our faith.

Every phrase of the Lord’s Prayer shows how what we do weaves into what God will do.

BLEND OF DIVINE ACTIONS AND HUMAN ACTIONS

The Bible teaches that natural human actions affect the supernatural:

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  Matthew 13:58

So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed

.  But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  Exodus 17:10-13

God’s supernatural intervention in the battle depended on Moses’ doing what God had told him to do.

BLEND OF THEOLOGY

How can a holy, perfect God love sinners, all of whose righteousness is as filthy rags?  Yet He does.  How can a loving God send people to Hell?  How can a perfect God of justice allow anyone into Heaven?

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  Psalm 8:4

How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time?  The Bible teaches both.

BLEND OF ACHIEVEMENT

We speak of athletes’ talent and we are aware of their training efforts.  World-class achievement blends the supernatural, that is, the abilities that God gave, with the natural, the effort the athlete, musician, or artist puts into developing God’s gift.

Jesus illustrated this in the parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14-30.  The servants who used what they were given were praised.  As for the servant who did nothing with the talent he had been given, “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)”

Our abilities are supernatural gifts from God to us.  What we do with them is our gift back to God.

BLEND OF MARRIAGE

God created marriage and gave us many passages in the Bible that tell us how to conduct marriages.  Marriage has supernatural elements in that God put drives, desires, and needs in men and women to draw them together.  There is no logical reason for women to want to hang around with men or for a man to want to support a wife and family; these emotional drives are of God.  Marriage has natural elements in that each married person chooses whether to die to self and serve the family or whether to continue as a self-centered individual.

BLEND OF THE CHURCH

When Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God,” Jesus replied, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mt. 16:16-18[326]).  Peter was a fallible human being.  Jesus didn’t build His church on Peter, He built it on His divinity, but He staffed it with fallible human beings and warned that the church would be full of tares.

The church is preserved supernaturally, but it operates naturally based on the decisions and actions of men and women.  The Book of Revelation teaches that Christ takes away the candlestick of a congregation if it gets too far from His program, but He promised that the church as a whole will carry on.

We sometimes speak of the church as having a mission, but we could also speak of God’s mission of redemption having a church.

The New Testament church means both the “church universal” which includes everyone everywhere who has accepted salvation on the terms offered in God’s Word, but “church” also refers to individual local assemblies that have individual characteristics and ways of carrying out their God-ordained mission.

BLEND OF MISSIONS

Jesus commanded His people “teach all nations (Matthew 28:19).”  We’re commanded to convey Jesus’ teaching to everyone we can.  Paul made it clear that we must tell people about Jesus’ offer of grace:

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? ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  Romans 10:14-15

This shows the blend of missions.  Nobody can be saved unless God draws him, but we have to plant and water by preaching the gospel to them (Acts 13:48[327]).  God gives the increase.  We must pray that God will draw the people whom we reach so that they can choose to accept the gospel of salvation.  God wants them to repent, but how we pray and how they hear us affects how God carries out His will that they repent.

Some object that many people have never heard; must they go to Hell because we didn’t spread the gospel to them?  Paul explains that observing creation is sufficient for those whom we haven’t reached:

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

:  Romans 1:20

But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; ⁴⁶The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes

. ⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes

. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.  Luke 12:45-48

God grades on the curve.  We’re held accountable for what we know, but how that works is one of the secret things that belong unto the LORD our God (Deu. 29:29[328]).

Salvation is both supernatural and natural.  God draws men to Himself.  We spread the word to all whom we can.  When someone hears, and God draws, the person arrives at the point of making an honest choice between accepting or rejecting salvation.  No man can choose salvation without being drawn but God draws everyone to the point of making an honest choice at least once.

BLEND OF SALVATION

The Bible teaches that God gave human beings freedom to choose whether to follow God’s will or not:

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  Exekiel 33:11

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Matthew 23:37

Human beings are disinclined to choose the “strait gate:”  Some have said that the fact that so few choose to accept Christ’s offer of salvation means that Satan is more powerful than God.  Jesus said that’s not so:

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Luke 10:18

Satan will ultimately be defeated, but in the meantime, relatively few will choose to accept God’s offer of salvation. The Old Testament states that few who claimed to be among the people of God were in fact His:

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.  I Kings 19:18

When David numbered Israel, Joab reported, “And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword (I Chronicles 21:5).”  That’s 1,100,000 men.  A few generations later, only 7,000 faithful remained.  That’s .63% or less than 1 in 100.  As Jesus said, “few there be that find it.”

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

Nature teaches the same lesson.  My wife was born with thousands of eggs in her ovaries.  Only three became persons.  Each tree in a forest sheds millions of seeds, but no new tree can grow unless a tree dies to make space for it.  Of all the seeds a tree creates over its lifetime, on average, only one can become a new tree.

Salvation is not based on what people do; it is based on what they believe:

For by grace are ye saved through faith

; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  Romans 10:9-10

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already

, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:18

Salvation blends the supernatural and the natural.  God does all the work of salvation.  God draws a person to the point of making a free choice whether to believe or not.  If the person chooses to believe, God saves him.

There is a further blend in salvation in that we’re commanded to work out the details with God’s help:

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Philippians 2:12-13

You can’t live by my convictions, you need your own.   Working out your own salvation means figuring out what you believe and why you believe it.  That requires a blend of your efforts in prayer and Bible study and God’s guidance via the Holy Spirit which He put into you.

BLEND OF TIME

The more scientists study the one-direction flow of time, the less they understand it.  God gave hints:In the beginning

 God created the heaven and the earth.  Genesis 1:1All things were made by him

; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  John 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power

, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:  Hebrews 1:3

Time was one of “all things” which were created “in the beginning.”  God created everything, including light, the force of gravity, physics, chemistry, biology, and the flow of time.  He upholds His creation, that is, He keeps the universe running including every breath you take and every beat of your heart.

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist

.  Colossians 1:17

Although time started “in the beginning” at the moment of creation, He was “before all things.”  Our languages don’t deal well with the concept of something happening or existing before time started.

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever

, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer

: ⁷But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.  Revelation 10:6-7

It’s just as hard to think about the end of time.  God liveth for ever and ever, which implies that time as we know it will go on forever, but the Bible also says that time will end.  At that point, the mystery of God will be finished in that we will understand Him and His nature.

I look forward to understanding how God could exist both before and after time.  What came before time? What will come after time?  Do the words “before” and “after” have any meaning in this context?

BLEND OF SOVEREIGNTY, PREDESTINATION, AND FREE WILL

The Bible teaches that God gave humankind free will: We can choose whether to follow Him or not:

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  Matthew 11:20-21

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not

!  Matthew 23:37

Jesus wanted the Jews to accept Him as Messiah.  They chose not to do so and He did not force them.

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.  Psalm 18:20

And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.  Psalm 106:15

God has given all of us free will such that God’s supernatural grace is not irresistible; we are free to reject God’s offer of grace and His other commands, but we must bear the consequences of all our choices.

O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever

!  Deuteronomy 5:29

God desires that His people obey Him because obedience benefits us.  God wants to bless us but, having given the ability to choose to disobey Him and to ignore His laws, He can’t bless us unless we choose to obey.

The Bible also teaches predestination which suggests that God controls everything that happens:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate

 to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate

, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  Romans 8:28-30

Having predestinated

 us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  Ephesians 1:5-6

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated

 according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: ¹²That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  Ephesians 1:11-12

Calvinists say that God predestinated some people to go to Heaven no matter what they do and predestinated some to go to Hell.  That is called “double predestination.”  If it’s true, all of the prophets God sent to try to persuade His people to repent and turn toward Him were wasting their time.

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves

, and live ye.  Ezekiel 18:32

When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. ⁹Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die

 in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. ¹⁰Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? ¹¹Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live

: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways

; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  Ezekiel 33:8-11

If it is true that what men do or believe has nothing to do with salvation and that it is all up to God, then all the wicked will turn from their evil ways and live so that nobody will go to Hell.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  II Peter 3:9

If God is not willing that any should perish and it’s up to Him, none will.  Instead of God predestinating some for Heaven and some for Hell, God gives people time to choose to repent.

How can free will and God’s omniscience fit together?  The key is the word “foreknow” in Rom. 8:29.  When mom offered ice cream, she foreknew that I’d choose vanilla.  Did she force me, or did she know me?Before

 the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed

 the earth and the world, even from everlasting

 to everlasting

, thou art God.  Psalm 90:2

The Bible shows that God was “before all things (Col. 1:17),” that time started “in the beginning (Gen 1:1),” that time will end (Rev. 10:6), and that God will continue after “there should be time no longer (Rev. 10:6).”

God is outside of time; He has seen the entire span of history from the beginning when time started until the end when time shall be no more.  He foreknows every choice we make because He has seen it.

God’s omniscient sovereignty is hard to reconcile with free will for the same reason it is hard for us to understand how God can be “before all things” including time and how He can exist forever after time ends, but that’s our problem, not God’s.

God caused a scientific dilemma when He created light days before creating the stars.  God put more light in the universe than stars can produce which confuses scientists.  Carnegie Science News:

“But it’s the astronomers who are in crisis—somehow or other, the universe is getting along just fine.”[329]

As Robert Browning put it, “God’s in His Heaven — All’s right with the world!”   The universe is getting along “just fine” even if we don’t understand it.

The Error of Double Predestination

Rev. 13:8 speaks of “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”  Before He spoke the world into existence, Jesus knew Adam would sin and that He would have to die to take the punishment for your sins, my sins, and for everyone who ever lived.  In spite of knowing that, He loved us enough to create us anyway.

“Double predestination” asserts that God predestined some people to be saved and go to Heaven and others to be damned to eternity in Hell no matter what they do or however young they die.  Calvinists refer to God’s “irresistible grace” in that when God predestinates someone for Heaven, that person will receive enough of God’s grace to go to Heaven no matter what.  Let’s start with reality:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9

The Bible teaches predestination, election, foreknowledge, and free will.  It’s as hard to reconcile them as reconciling Jesus being both fully God and fully man, but that’s what God expects us to believe.

Jesus taught free will to Nicodemus:

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed

 in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:18

Condemnation comes from not believing “in the name of the only begotten Son of God,” not from God predestinating a living soul to Hell.  You don’t have to do anything to go to Hell, but you must choose to believe in Jesus Christ in order to go to Heaven when you die.

Augustine taught unconditional election by irresistible grace in the early fifth century.  He taught that all non-elect babies went to Hell even if they died “before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good (Is. 7:16).”  David contradicted this: “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.  (2 Sam. 12:23).”

Some say David’s son went to Heaven because his father was saved.  That can’t be true because sin nature is passed down through the father (Ge. 5:3[330]) and because God judges people as individuals (De. 24:16[331]).

David’s confidence that he would see his child again suggests that every birth is written in the Lamb’s book of life to be blotted out once it’s no longer possible for the person to find God (Is. 55:6[332]).  “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life (Rev. 3:5[333])” matches Asian custom.  When a Jew converts to Christianity, orthodox families conduct a funeral and erase the name from the family register as though the renegade had never been born.  When a sinner fails to hear God’s final call to repentance, the name is blotted out.

EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN IF GOD DOES IT ALL

If salvation or damnation is totally up to God, if people aren’t free to choose or refuse to accept Christ’s offer of salvation, everyone will go to Heaven and there was no need for Jesus to die.

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways

; for why will ye die

, O house of Israel?  Ezekiel 33:11

It pleases God when people turn and live.  Everybody will turn, live, and go to Heaven when they die if Heaven or Hell is up to God alone.  This idea is known as “universalism.”  Some people will go to Hell (Rev. 20:14-15[334], Rev. 21:8[335]), however, so double predestination as Calvinism defines it is false.

Chapters 2 and 3 of Ezekiel show that saying people cannot choose is against the Word of God.  John 3:16 shows that God wants everyone, not just a few.  Double-pre says that God draws only the elect few with “irresistible grace” to salvation whether they like it or not; the Bible says Jesus draws everyone:

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me

.  John 12:32

DID THE PROPHETS LIE?

Calvinism declares that everyone suffers from “total depravity” which makes lost people unable to repent.  The only way anyone can get to Heaven is for God to elect to draw them with irresistible grace.  Their beliefs and actions have nothing to do with it.  This means that Moses, Joshua, the OT prophets, and John the Baptist lied when they urged people to repent and that Jesus lied when He wept over Jerusalem:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not

!  Matthew 23:37

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not

!  Luke 13:34

Double predestination argues that people who are predestinated to Hell could not accept Him, so Jesus lied when He said “ye would not” instead of saying “ye could not.”  He also lied in saying that Tyre and Sidon would have repented after believing His “mighty works” because they couldn’t repent either:

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago

 in sackcloth and ashes.  Matthew 11:21

GOD PERMITS FREE WILL

Jesus wanted the Jews to accept Him as Messiah.  They chose not to accept His offer of saving grace and He did not force them.  God takes our actions into account:

The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness

; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.  Psalm 18:20

God has given all of us free will such that God’s supernatural grace is not irresistible; we are free to reject God’s offer of grace and His other commands, but we bear the consequences of our choices.

O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever

!  Deuteronomy 5:29

And he gave them their request

; but sent leanness into their soul.  Psalm 106:15

2 Kings 17:10-15 speaks of the Lord sending prophets and seers urging His people to turn away from idols, but the people refused.  Did the Holy Spirit lie in inspiring this account?  Why send the prophets if the people were unable to choose to turn?

Is Ezekiel’s warning a lie?  How can a just God (Ge. 18:25[336]) hold anyone accountable for not warning the lost if the wicked person is predestinated to go to Hell regardless of what we or they do?

When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. ⁹Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.  Ezekiel 33:8-9

Double pre says that the Holy Spirit lied in inspiring the prophet Ezekiel to urge, “Turn ye, and live,” – they were predestinated to go to Hell and could not choose to turn and live:

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live

?  Ezekiel 18:23

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye

.  Ezekiel 18:32

SINGLE PREDESTINATION

Scripture teaches that “the elect” must hear the Gospel to know what to believe:

And when the Gentiles heard this [I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles], they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed

.  Acts 13:48

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  Romans 10:13

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation

 through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:  II Thessalonians 2:13

This is consistent with Rom. 8:28-30[337] which explains how God’s people are called: Foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification.  That sounds like salvation is totally up to God, but Ro. 10:13-17[338] speaks of people calling on the name of the Lord to be saved and points out that the unsaved must hear, which requires a preacher, and that preachers must be sent.

These passages show “single predestination” in that some are ordained for Heaven but the word must be preached to them so that they can choose to believe.  Being of “the elect” doesn’t guarantee salvation:

Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may

 also obtain the salvation

 which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  II Timothy 2:10

We’re given examples of God Himself explaining what He wanted when He called people to His service.

Isaiah Chapter 6 tells how God called Isaiah.  When Isaiah protested that he was unworthy, an angel touched a coal to his mouth and pronounced his sins taken away (6:6-7).  When the Lord asked whom He could send, Isaiah said, “Here am I, send me (6:8).”  God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called as Jesus called Saul on the road to Damascus and then instructed him in Arabia (Gal. 1:17[339]).

Jeremiah chapter 1 tells how the LORD called Jeremiah who said, “I cannot speak: for I am a child (1:6).”  God touched his mouth and said, “Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth (1:9).”  God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called, but they have to be willing to choose to hear and obey.

For if there be first a willing mind

, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.  II Corinthians 8:12

How many refused when God called them to be prophets?  We know men who were called to be pastors but left God’s path as difficulties arose.  How many refused God’s command to “take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms (Hos. 1:2)” knowing the pain wifely betrayal would bring?

“Abraham believed God (Rom. 4:3[340], Gal. 3:6[341], Jas. 2:23[342]).”  How many men refused God’s call to father His chosen people before Abraham accepted the call?  Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Lk. 1:38[343]).”  How many women refused for fear of being stoned for becoming pregnant out of wedlock (De. 22:21-22[344])?

Double pre offers the ultimate copout.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

If a child goes astray, a parent can shrug, think “Predestinated to go to Hell” and feel no responsibility.

LIMITS TO FREE WILL

Men aren’t given complete free will – God is active in human history:

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. ¹⁶By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.  Proverbs 8:15-16

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD

, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.  Proverbs 21:1

This matter [Nebuchadrezzar eating grass outdoors for 7 years] is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men

.  Daniel 4:17

These verses say that He puts some in positions of authority.  The Bible does not lie; God gave us the ability to choose what to believe and what to do.  Our Lord draws every man sufficiently and enlightens every man as much as necessary for that individual to make an honest decision for or against obedience and salvation of his own free will.  If Saul, Isaiah, or Jeremiah had refused God’s call, He would have called someone else as He called Aaron to help Moses lead the Exodus (Ex. 4:14[345]) when Moses refused His call.

DID GOD HARDEN PHARAOH’S HEART?

God told Moses that Pharaoh would not let His people go because of hardness of heart.  Did God force Pharaoh to harden his heart and go to Hell by making it impossible for him to obey God?  Ex. 9:34 says that Pharaoh “sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.”  James 1:13-14 tells us that God does not tempt people to sin; people are drawn into sin by their own lusts.  Pharaoh chose to sin and hardened his own heart as God told Moses he would.  God is outside of time.  He knows the future but gives us free will.

And he gave them their request

; but sent leanness into their soul.  Psalm 106:15

Ex. 10:20 tells us that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart after the plague of locusts.  That is consistent with Is. 55:6 “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”  Pharaoh hardened his own heart at a time when he could have found the LORD but chose not to.  After that, the LORD withdrew from him so that Pharaoh could no longer call on him and blotted his name out of the book of life.

THE JEWS REJECTED GOD’S OFFER OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

God had one-on-one fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden.  Once Adam fouled himself through sin, God could no longer relate to him in the same way, but God still desired to relate to His creation.  Abraham was a friend of God.  God wants you to be His friend, but you have to want to be His friend.

Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend

 for ever?  II Chronicles 20:7

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God

.  James 2:23

And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend

.  Exodus 33:11a

God wanted to relate to the Children of Israel as individuals:

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. ⁵Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: ⁶And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests

, and an holy nation

. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  Exodus 19:4-6

God’s people chose neither to draw nigh to Him nor rely on Him.  God’s people chose not to talk to God.  Moses reviewed what had happened:

And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. ²⁵Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. ²⁶For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? ²⁷Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.  Deuteronomy 5:24-27

How sad!  How very, very sad!  They had heard the voice of God and lived.  They chose not to relate to God as He desired so He gave them the law.  Hear the sorrow in God’s voice:

And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me

, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. ²⁹O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!  Deuteronomy 5:28-29

Individual Christians are urged to ask God to forgive their sins.  That gives us the power to be Sons of God, which is a family relationship.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  John 1:12

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  I John 3:2

WHO BLINDED THE JEWS?

Paul gave us another pro-choice, free will verse:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  Romans 10:9

What about this?  Elect Jews found salvation, but God blinded the rest so that they couldn’t find it?

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it

, and the rest were blinded

. ⁸(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber

, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.  Romans 11:7-8

For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes

: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.  Isaiah 29:10

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in

.  Romans 11:25

All the Jews “shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him (Zec. 12:10).”  Did God apply double predestination only to Jews and block some from salvation until the fulness of Gentiles?  No, there is a limit to the opportunity God gives each of us to repent and turn to Him:Seek ye the LORD while he may be found

, call ye upon him while he is near

: ⁷Let 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.  Isaiah 55:6-7

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway

.  I Corinthians 9:27

God’s people hardened their own necks for so long that they could no longer find God and were cast away:

Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks

, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.  II Kings 17:14

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks

, and hearkened not to thy commandments, ¹⁷And refused to obey

, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion

 appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.  Nehemiah 9:16-17Harden not your heart

, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:  Psalm 95:8

Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck

: they did worse than their fathers.  Jeremiah 7:26Harden not your hearts

, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:  Hebrews 3:8

Paul certainly didn’t think lost Jews were unconditionally predestinated to Hell:

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: ¹⁴If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them

.  Romans 11:13-14

Acts 28:17ff tells us that when Paul arrived in Rome, he called the Jews together, and persuaded them “from morning til evening (Ac. 28:23[346]).”

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade

 men;  II Corinthians 5:11a

And some believed

 the things which were spoken, and some believed not

.  Acts 28:24

Isaiah predicted that some non-Jews would hear and consider Christ’s teaching:

So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider

.  Isaiah 52:15

The Jews were told to attract “the nations” by showing how choosing to obey statutes God had given Israel benefitted them.  Scripture speaks of “the nations” being astounded at God punishing Israel when they chose not to obey (1 Sa. 3:11[347], 2 Ki. 21:12[348], 2 Chr. 29:8[349], Jer. 18:16[350], 19:3, 8[351], 25:18[352], Mich. 6:16[353]).

Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ⁷For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? ⁸And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?  Deuteronomy 4:6-8

Modern Christians are as conspicuously visible to the lost as Jews were to “the nations.”  We accomplish the goal of showing the blessings of belonging to God by choosing to obey this command:

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.  John 13:35

DOUBLE PRE DEEMPHASIZES SPREADING THE GOSPEL

Belief in double predestination de-emphasizes Jesus’ command to us to spread His Gospel.  When my aunt was a teenager, a visiting missionary said that Chinese maps were inaccurate.  As he traveled from one village to his next appointed meeting, he’d pass villages he hadn’t known because they weren’t on the map.  He said that people there would go to Hell unless more missionaries were sent.

When my aunt asked my grandfather about it, he told her that God had chosen who would go to Heaven and who would go to Hell so it didn’t matter whether missionaries were sent.

The verses about election and predestination speak of saved people.  This supports the idea of single predestination.  There are no verses showing people being predestined for Hell.  God draws everyone to the point of making an honest choice.  How else could everyone acknowledge God’s justice (Gen. 18:25[354], Rev. 15:3[355])?  Rom. 1:20 says they have “no excuse.”  God grades on the curve:

And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.  Luke 12:47-48

Those who learn the mind of God by studying His works are held accountable for what they learn.  Those who hear the word from one of His servants are accountable for that.

MIGHT AS WELL BE AN ATHEIST

Calvinism teaches that God chose some for Heaven and others for Hell no matter what the do.  If that is true, what people do in this life makes no difference – their fate is already sealed no matter what.  Someone who believes that is effectively the same an atheist.  If there is no God, people can do whatever they want to do without worrying about what God wants.  If everyone is predestinated for Heaven or Hell no matter what they do, they might as well do whatever they want to do without worrying about what God wants – what they do makes no difference anyway.

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD

We cannot understand how to reconcile God’s sovereignty and His gift of free will any more than we can understand Jesus being fully God and fully man.  Election, ordination, single predestination, and free will are all taught in the Bible.  We are to believe them as we believe in Jesus, the God made in the flesh, whether we understand or not.

A verse-by-verse analysis of God predestinating some for Hell and denying free will is found at

https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/an-examination-of-tulip-five-points-of.html

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[1] Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  Romans 7:4

[2] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  II Corinthians 5:20

[3] Unwin, J. D. (1927). “Monogamy as a Condition of Social Energy,” The Hibbert Journal, Vol. XXV, p. 662

[4] The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; ⁴That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.  Titus 2:3-5

[5] Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  Proverbs 31:10

[6] I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.  Song 8:2-3

[7] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7

[8] I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.  I Timothy 5:14

[9] And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.  Matthew 26:75

[10] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[11] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[12] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  Genesis 2:18

[13] For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. ⁹Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  I Corinthians 11:8-9

[14] the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.  Proverbs 19:13b

[15] It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.  Proverbs 21:9

[16] It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.  Proverbs 21:19

[17] It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.  Proverbs 25:24

[18] A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.  Proverbs 27:15

[19] Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?  Proverbs 6:28

[20] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[21] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  I Timothy 3:2

[22] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  II Timothy 2:24

[23] She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  Proverbs 31:26

[24] For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. ⁹Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  I Corinthians 11:8-9

[25] There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  I Corinthians 7:34

[26] And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;  Judges 16:16

[27] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. ²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.  Genesis 2:18, 20

[28] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  I Thessalonians 5:11

[29] And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Hebrews 10:24

[30] Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  Romans 7:4

[31] All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.  I Chronicles 12:38

[32] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.  Ephesians 5:1-2

[33] Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: ²And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, ³Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. ⁴And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. ⁵But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. ⁶And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;  Acts 17:1-6

[34] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  II Corinthians 5:20

[35]Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Philippians 2:6-8

[36] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  Matthew 1:23

[37] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  Genesis 3:15

[38] My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?  Psalm 22:1

[39] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  Matthew 27:46

[40] And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  Mark 15:34

[41] And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.  Genesis 35:18

[42] And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.  I Samuel 4:20

[43] And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.  Genesis 30:1

[44] Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.  Luke 1:25

[45] Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.  Revelation 4:11

[46] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  Romans 3:11

[47] Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.  Galatians 5:4

[48] And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.  Isaiah 49:5

[49] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  John 3:7

[50] And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  Acts 17:30

[51] Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.  Acts 20:21

[52] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Matthew 23:37

[53] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Luke 13:34

[54] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.  Matthew 11:23

[55] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.  Luke 10:15

[56] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  Isaiah 53:3-4

[57] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  II Corinthians 5:14

[58] I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  I Corinthians 3:6

[59] Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  Philippians 1:6

[60] Unwin, J. D. (1927). “Monogamy as a Condition of Social Energy,” The Hibbert Journal, Vol. XXV, p. 662

1    Sexual Relations and Cultural Behavior, by J. D. Unwin (Frank M. Darrow 1969)

[62] The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; ⁴That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.  Titus 2:3-5

[63] Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  Proverbs 31:10

[64] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7

[65] My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.  Song of Solomon 2:16

[66] I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.  I Timothy 5:14

[67] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Luke 13:34

[68] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Matthew 23:37

[69] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.  Luke 10:15

[70] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Luke 13:34

[71] And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.  Matthew 26:75

[72] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[73] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[74] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  Genesis 2:18

[75] the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.  Proverbs 19:13b

[76] It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.  Proverbs 21:9

[77] It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.  Proverbs 21:19

[78] It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.  Proverbs 25:24

[79] A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.  Proverbs 27:15

[80] Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?  Proverbs 6:28

[81] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[82] The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.  Proverbs 31:11

[83] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Ephesians 5:33

[84] Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  I Peter 3:6

[85] Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.  Malachi 2:14

[86] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  I Timothy 3:2

[87] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  II Timothy 2:24

[88] Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.  James 1:27

[89] For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. ⁹Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  I Corinthians 11:8-9

[90] There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  I Corinthians 7:34

[91] And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;  Judges 16:16

[92] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. ²⁰And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.  Genesis 2:18, 20

[93] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  I Thessalonians 5:11

[94] And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Hebrews 10:24

[95] All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.  I Chronicles 12:38

[96] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.  Ephesians 5:1-2

[97] Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: ²And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, ³Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. ⁴And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. ⁵But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. ⁶And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;  Acts 17:1-6

[98] And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  Genesis 29:21

[99] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  Mark 7:6

[100] Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  Isaiah 29:13

[101] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/dont-step-in-holes.html#samsonTemptation

[102] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  II Timothy 3:7

[103] For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Proverbs 23:7a

[104] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  Genesis 2:18

[105] Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.  Proverbs 18:22

[106] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  James 1:17

[107] Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.  Malachi 2:14

[108] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/wedding-wisdom-simplicity-of-marriage.html#fallFault

[109] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[110] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[111] But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.  Genesis 2:6

[112] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.  Genesis 2:25

[113] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  Genesis 3:2

[114] There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  I Corinthians 7:34

[115] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.  Song of Solomon 1:2

[116] I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.  Song 8:2-3

[117] Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 9:9

[118] I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.  Song 8:2-3

[119] And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.  Mark 10:8

[120]And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Matthew 19:5-6

[121] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[122] My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.  Song of Solomon 2:16

[123] I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies.  Song of Solomon 6:3

[124] Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  I Corinthians 11:9

[125] In Gen. 3:14, God cursed Satan “above all cattle, and above every beast of the field.”  In 3:17 God said, “cursed is the ground for thy sake” before telling Adam that he would eat by the sweat of his face.  Although Satan, cattle, beasts, and the ground were cursed, Adam and Eve were not cursed.  By placing Adam’s struggle to find or grow food at the mercy of weather and much else which man can’t control, God reminds us that all lives depend on God (Ecc. 5:9).  Before men could pump water out of the ground, farmers needed rain to fill reservoirs or water their crops.  Farmers know their dependence on God.

[126]And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4

[127] Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.  Proverbs 31:31

[128] Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  Isaiah 29:13

[129] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  Mark 7:6

[130] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7

[131] I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.  I Timothy 5:14

[132] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/dont-step-in-holes.html#greekHard

[133] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Matthew 23:37

[134] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2018/12/what-drove-jesus-11-nobodies-to-turn.html#ruthsRules

[135] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/wedding-wisdom-simplicity-of-marriage.html#marriageArch

[136] a prudent wife is from the LORD.  Proverbs 19:14b

[137] And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.  Luke 7:50

[138] Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.  Song of Solomon 4:7

[139] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Romans 3:23

[140] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  Romans 5:12

[141] For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 6:23

[142] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

[143] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  I Corinthians 6:11

[144] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  Ephesians 5:25-27

[145] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  Romans 8:1

[146] Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.  I Kings 8:61

[147] But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.  I Kings 15:14

[148] I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.  II Kings 20:3

[149] Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Psalm 100:2

[150] Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,  Romans 1:1

[151] Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;  Titus 1:1

[152] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  John 10:29

[153] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  I Corinthians 6:19

[154] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: ¹⁵And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.  II Corinthians 5:14-15

[155] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

[156] Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  Romans 12:10

[157] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Ephesians 4:12

[158] Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  Ephesians 5:21

[159] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[160] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[161] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: ³²And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.  Ephesians 4:31-32

[162] He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. ¹¹For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. ¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:10-12

[163] I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.  Isaiah 43:25

[164] And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.  Hebrews 10:17

[165] How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  Hebrews 9:14

[166] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ²¹And having an high priest over the house of God; ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:19-22

[167] There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  Romans 8:1

[168] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  Romans 15:13

[169] God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.  Psalm 68:6

[170] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  James 1:17

[171] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  Ephesians 5:29

[172] Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.  Song of Solomon 4:7

[173] My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.  Song of Solomon 6:9

[174] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. ³³Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Ephesians 5:22, 33

[175] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.  Colossians 3:18

[176] I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?  Job 31:1

[177] The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.  Ruth 1:9

[178] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

[179] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  Philippians 4:11

[180] But godliness with contentment is great gain.  I Timothy 6:6

[181] Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  Hebrews 13:5

[182] But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.  Deuteronomy 4:29

[183] work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  Philippians 2:12b

[184] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  I John 1:9

[185] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:16

[186] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;  II Corinthians 5:11a

[187] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

[188] And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.  Genesis 35:18

[189] And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.  I Samuel 4:20

[190] And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.  Genesis 30:1

[191] Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.  Luke 1:25

[192] Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.  Revelation 4:11

[193] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Isaiah 53:3

[194] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Matthew 23:37

[195] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Luke 13:34

[196] Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. ²⁹Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.  Proverbs 31:28-29

[197] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  John 15:3

[198] I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  John 10:10b

[199] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2018/12/what-drove-jesus-11-nobodies-to-turn.html#thinkDifferent

[200] Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 9:9

[201] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.  Song of Solomon 1:2

[202] I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.  Song 8:2-3

[203] Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.  Song of Solomon 1:2

[204] I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me.  Song 8:2-3

[205] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  I Timothy 3:2

[206] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  II Timothy 2:24

[207] Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.  Song of Solomon 4:7

[208] And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.  I Kings 11:3

[209] And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  Genesis 29:21

[210] Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  I Peter 5:5

[211] And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:  Genesis 5:3

[212] My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.  Song of Solomon 6:9

[213] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2018/12/what-drove-jesus-11-nobodies-to-turn.html#ToldMeBefore

[214] For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.  I Thessalonians 4:3-6

[215] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  I John 1:9

[216] Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.  I Peter 3:6

[217] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Ephesians 5:33

[218] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:16

[219] the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.  Proverbs 19:13b

[220] It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.  Proverbs 21:9

[221] It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.  Proverbs 21:19

[222] It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.  Proverbs 25:24

[223] A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.  Proverbs 27:15

[224] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[225] Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.  Proverbs 18:22

[226] a prudent wife is from the LORD.  Proverbs 19:14b

[227] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Matthew 7:11

[228] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  James 1:17

[229] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[230] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[231] Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  Romans 7:4

[232]And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Matthew 19:5-6

[233] And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.  Mark 10:8

[234] As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  I Peter 4:10

[235] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  II Corinthians 5:14

[236] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2013/10/why-johnny-lingo-paid-eight-cows-for.html

[237] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  Romans 10:9

[238] Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. ²Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.  I Corinthians 7:1-2

[239] And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.  Genesis 24:67

[240] So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: Ruth 4:13a

[241] He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  Proverbs 25:28

[242] If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.  James 1:26

[243] Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. ⁴The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.  I Corinthians 7:3-4

[244] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[245] And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  Genesis 29:21

[246] Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  I Peter 3:7

[247] And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.  Mark 10:8

[248] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Psalm 103:12

[249] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  I Corinthians 6:11

[250] But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  I Peter 3:15

[251] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:16-17

[252] And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.  Genesis 24:67

[253]And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Matthew 19:5-6

[254] And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.  Mark 10:8

[255] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  II Corinthians 5:20

[256] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  I Corinthians 6:19

[257] They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  Luke 17:27

[258] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  Ephesians 5:25

[259] Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.  Philippians 4:4

[260] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  II Corinthians 5:14

[261] https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/2021/06/dont-step-in-holes.html#greekHard

[262] Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Ephesians 5:33

[263] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  I Corinthians 6:11

[264] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ²And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.  Ephesians 5:1-2

[265] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  II Corinthians 5:14

[266] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

[267] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Philippians 2:4

[268] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  Genesis 3:16

[269] The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.  Ruth 1:9a

[270] But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:42-45

[271] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.  Mark 9:35

[272] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  John 10:28

[273] Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? ²For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. ³So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.  Romans 7:1-3

[274] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  II Timothy 3:7

[275] For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Proverbs 23:7a

[276] This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. ²⁷For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?  Isaiah 14:26-27

[277] The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.  Isaiah 23:9

[278] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: ¹¹Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.  Isaiah 46:10-11

[279] For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.  Jeremiah 4:28

[280] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

[281] The business of a farmer, comprehending agriculture or tillage of the ground, the raising, managing and fattening of cattle and other domestic animals, the management of the dairy and whatever the land produces.

[282] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? ¹⁰I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.  Jeremiah 17:9-10

[283] Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  I Corinthians 11:9

[284] And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. ¹⁰And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.  Ruth 3:9-10

[285] And she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.  Ruth 2:7

[286] And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. ¹²The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.  Ruth 2:11-12

[287] The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband.  Ruth 1:9a

[288] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  Matthew 18:15

[289] But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.  I Corinthians 7:9

[290] Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.  Proverbs 18:22

[291] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Matthew 7:11

[292] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  James 1:17

[293] https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/lsat/lsat-lessons/logical-reasoning/a/logical-reasoning–article–getting-started

[294] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10EfwNuJ5CQ1ostJk7TVqQoy1HIqZBb5Y?usp=sharing

[295] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  Matthew 18:15

[296] Chiang, M. Tides from the West, New Haven, 1947 p 4

[297] Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.  Habbakuk 2:4

[298] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  Romans 1:17

[299] But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  Galatians 3:11

[300] Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) ²⁴And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Hebrews 10:23-24

[301] Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.  Hebrews 10:38

[302] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

[303] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  Isaiah 1:18

[304] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  Galatians 3:24-25

[305] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching 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.  Matthew 28:19-20

[306] Benjamin B. Warfield, The Plan Of Salvation, Wm. B. Erdsman, (Grand Rapids 1942) p 16

[307] Benjamin B. Warfield, The Plan Of Salvation, Wm. B. Erdsman, (Grand Rapids 1942) p 21

[308] Benjamin B. Warfield, The Plan Of Salvation, Wm. B. Erdsman, (Grand Rapids 1942) p 33

[309] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  II Peter 3:9

[310] Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  Ezekiel 18:31

[311] Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?  Ezekiel 33:11

[312] Benjamin B. Warfield, The Plan Of Salvation, Wm. B. Erdsman, (Grand Rapids 1942) p 85

[313] Sachs, Rabbi Johnathan, “The Great Partnership – Science, Religion and the Search for Meaning”, Shocken Books, p 240

[314] Sachs, Rabbi Johnathan, “The Great Partnership – Science, Religion and the Search for Meaning”, Shocken Books, p 10

[315] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.  I Corinthians 3:9

[316] And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  II Corinthians 12:7-9

[317] And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.  Acts 12:12

[318] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Matthew 7:11

[319] But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:  Matthew 5:34

[320] And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ⁸And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  Revelation 12:7-8

[321] But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

[322] Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; ⁴⁸Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.  Deuteronomy 28:47-48

[323] As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  I Peter 4:10

[324] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  Matthew 6:15

[325] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

[326] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ¹⁷And 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. ¹⁸And 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 16:16-18

[327] And when the Gentiles heard this [I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles], they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.  Acts 13:48

[328] The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.  Deuteronomy 29:29

[329] https://carnegiescience.edu/news/cosmic-accounting-reveals-missing-light-crisis

[330] And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:  Genesis 5:3

[331] The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.  Deuteronomy 24:16

[332] Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  Isaiah 55:6

[333] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  Revelation 3:5

[334] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:14-15

[335] But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  Revelation 21:8

[336] That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  Genesis 18:25

[337] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  Romans 8:28-30

[338] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹⁴How 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? ¹⁵And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ¹⁶But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? ¹⁷So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Romans 10:13-17

[339] Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.  Galatians 1:17

[340] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  Romans 4:3

[341] Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Galatians 3:6

[342] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.  James 2:23

[343]And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.  Luke 1:38

[344] Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. ²²If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.  Deuteronomy 22:21-22

[345] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.  Exodus 4:14

[346]And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.  Acts 28:23

[347] And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.  I Samuel 3:11

[348] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.  II Kings 21:12

[349] Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.  II Chronicles 29:8

[350] To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.  Jeremiah 18:16

[351] And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. ⁸And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.  Jeremiah 19:3, 8

[352] To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;  Jeremiah 25:18

[353] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.  Micah 6:16

[354] That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  Genesis 18:25

[355] And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.  Revelation 15:3

POSTED BY BILL TAYLOR AT 7:58 AM 

Sound Bite Marriage

The Internet generation has limited attention span.  Everything must be short:

·      Accepting salvation is two words: “only believe (Ro. 10:9[237]).”

·      Sexual morality, that is, when a man and woman may come together physically, is 50% more complicated than salvation, it’s 3 words, “Only in marriage (1 Cor. 7:1-2[238]).”

·      Entering Holy Matrimony is three words, “vowing, paying, taking” (Gen. 24:67[239], Ru. 4:13a[240]).”  These men made public marriage vows before taking the women.  Isaac supplied the tent and Boaz had wealth.

·      Staying married is two words, “only praise.”  Nowhere in Scripture does a man criticize his wife.  The Song shows a couple appreciating every little detail.  We must rule our tongues (Pr. 25:28[241], Jas. 1:26[242]).

·      Marriage is built on “seed and speech (1 Cor. 7:3-4[243], 1 Pe. 3:7[244]).”  A husband plans to have his wife 5 times before breakfast, lunch, dinner and bed.  God doesn’t often give him that much strength, but that’s his plan (Ge.29:21[245]).  She wants him to open his heart to her at least that often.  He puts himself into her body.  She puts herself, that is, her words, her thoughts, her feelings, her nature, into his heart.

He leaves his seed in her body where it affects her mood and can give her a baby.  She leaves her essence, her being, in his heart where it affects his thinking about her, how he treats her, and how they relate to others (1 Pe. 3:7[246]).  People know whether a couple belongs to each other by watching them or hearing them.

She wants to hear him thanking God for creating marriage and for giving her to him.  He should tell her she’s important to him and that he’s becoming more and more involved with her.

He wants her to say, “That was wonderful, I like belonging to you.  Let’s do that again as soon as you can.”  This encourages him to stay awake and talk to her for a while.

She wants him to say how much hearing her ideas and thoughts helps him make better decisions.  She should point out that they could it more often if he was in better shape.  Giving him a motive for exercise helps him live longer and shortens her time of being a widow.

A couple is “one flesh” as Adam and Eve were before God separated Eve from Adam’s body (Mk. 10:8[247]).

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ¹Be ye therefore followers of God

, as dear children; Ephesians 4:32-5:1

Jesus expects us to follow after God.  When God looks on your spouse, He sees the purity and perfection of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ whose blood washes away all sins (Ps. 103:12[248], I Cor. 6:11[249]).  To follow God, you must look on your spouse and think of a reflection of the perfection and purity of Christ.

See your spouse as perfect (page 39), thank God for a perfect spouse, and speak of your spouse as perfect.

COMPARING MARRIAGE AND SALVATION

This section also has many short comparisons between marriage and salvation.  Genesis 1 tells us:

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.  Genesis 1:3

The Bible teaches that God created everything including you, your spouse, and me.  We also find “and God said, … and it was so,” over and over.  The Bible teaches that if God said it’s so, it is so.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth

.  John 17:17

God’s word is truth.  God gave us His Word so that we’d know what He expects us to believe about Him and what we’re supposed to do.  Some say, “the Bible is authoritative for faith and practice.”  God tells us what to believe and He tells us what to do.  Let’s consider what God says about what He’s done:

The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein

.  ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.  Psalm 111:2, 10

God’s people should take pleasure in God’s works.  We should enjoy watching what He does for us and we should enjoy learning as much as we can about how He does His works.  Having a proper awe and respect for God is the beginning of wisdom.  If we have good understanding, we’ll do what He commands, but it works the other way, too.  If we do what God commands, we’ll get a good understanding when we look back and see how obeying His commands blessed us.  Let’s look at how we’re told to approach God’s Word:

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.  Psalm 107:43

God says that if you’re wise, if you’ll observe “these things,” then you’ll understand just how kind God is and how well He takes care of us.  Psalm 107 says three times

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  Psalm 107:8, 15, 21

If you are wise, if you praise the Lord for His goodness, then you will understand His kindness to you.

God’s most wonderful work to the children of men, of course, is salvation.  Salvation requires that we confess our sins, repent of our sins, ask Jesus to forgive our sins, and be born again.  Being saved requires that we die to our former lives so that we can be married to Christ:

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another

, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  Romans 7:4

In order to be born again into Christ, we must die to ourselves and be married to Christ.  That is the first of God’s wonderful works.  Marriage is another of God’s wonderful works.  Jesus explained it:

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Matthew 19:6

Dying to our former lives of sin makes us one with Christ.  As with salvation; we must die to ourselves in order to be “one flesh” in marriage.  God knew we’d have trouble following His plan of salvation.  We couldn’t handle two plans so He made the same plan work for marriage and for salvation.

When we find people whose lives are being destroyed by sin, we give the gospel so that they can be saved and show the grace of God in their new walk with Christ.  When we find marriages being destroyed by sin, we’re supposed to “give an answer” so that these marriages can show the grace of God to the lost.  There are many short ways to explain marriage so that you can help your friends build their marriages.

·      Salvation and marriage are both undeserved gifts of God’s grace.  Nobody deserves salvation; nobody deserves the blessings of marriage.  A man is not worthy of his wife’s submission, obedience, or her calling him “Lord,” that’s an undeserved gift of God’s grace to him.  A woman is not worthy of her husband’s giving his life to nourish and cherish her, that’s God’s undeserved gift to her.

·      Salvation and marriage both show the grace of God to the lost.  We’re required to “give an answer” (I Pe. 3:15[250]) when people ask why we live as we do.  Our marriages are our greatest opportunity to show we’re different from the lost.  When the lost see a wife giving her husband undeserved grace or a husband giving his wife undeserved grace, they’ll want God’s grace for themselves, and we get to tell them how to find it.

·      Salvation is based on a personal relationship with Christ Jesus.  Marriage is based on a personal relationship between husband and wife.  If your relationship with Christ is messed up, you can’t have a proper relationship with your spouse.  If your relationship with Christ is based on true, saving faith, you can choose to base your relationship with your spouse on God’s formula.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:10

·      John 3:16-17[251] gives all you must know to be saved.  Genesis 24:67[252] gives all you must know for a successful marriage, but teaching helps.  We labor to prepare children for Good Colleges but don’t teach godly marriage.  Not teaching marriage is like giving them keys without training and expecting them to drive without getting hurt.  As with salvation, “discipleship” is essential for successful marriage.

·      Salvation prepares us for the joys of living forever with Jesus and serving Him in Heaven.  God planned marriage to give both husband and wife a foretaste of the joys of Heaven, right here on earth.

·      Once saved, we become one with Christ.  Once married, husband and wife should become one flesh (Mt. 19:5-6[253], Mk. 10:8[254]).  We can’t be one in Christ without dying to our former life.  Husband and wife can’t become one in each other without dying to their former individual selves in favor of serving the family.

·      Saved people should glorify God in all that they do; glorifying God helps us become his ambassadors (II Cor. 5:20[255]).  Married people should glorify God and glorify each other together in all that they do.

·      Some people give money to the church to pay God for favors.  A “cheerful giver” gives to God out of love and not to get from Him.  The Song of Solomon shows a husband and wife giving to each other out of love and not in hope of getting from the other.  Works-based salvation is idolatry; works-based marriage is whoredom.  Works-based “salvation” takes you to Hell; works-based marriage makes life Hell on earth.

·      Salvation supports marriage; knowing we belong to Christ (I Co. 6:19[256]) makes it easier to belong to a spouse.  If a woman belongs to Christ, it’s easier to accept God giving her to her husband (Lk. 17:27[257]).  If a man knows that Christ gave His life for him, it’s easier for him to give his life for his wife (Eph. 5:25[258]).

·      Marriage supports salvation.  As husband and wife appreciate and praise one another, and share God’s grace by forgiving each other, their marriage reminds them both to praise and appreciate God (Ps. 100).

·      Rejoicing in the Lord reminds us to rejoice in marriage and vice versa (Phi 4:4[259]).  Ecc. 9:9 says, “Rejoice with the wife whom thou lovest…”  Joy in marriage must be shared.

·      Salvation is two words, “only believe.”  Satan confuses people into thinking it’s belief plus works or church so people miss salvation and go to Hell.  Marriage is two words, “only praise,” but many people think they should change their spouses instead of letting the Holy Spirit bring change.  When people usurp the Holy Spirit’s role in their marriage, they usually miss the joys of marriage and may create Hell on earth.

·      Salvation doesn’t just take us to Heaven; we have work to do for Christ in this life (2 Cor. 5:14[260]).  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10).”

·      Marriage doesn’t just give us companionship; we have duties to our spouses which God commands us to fulfill.  Husbands must show agapao to wives (Eph. 5:25-26[261]), wives must reverence husbands (Eph. 5:33[262]).  Agapao and reverence are not products of emotion; they are acts of will which we decide to do.

·      When Jesus’ blood washes away our sins, God sees us as perfect (I Cor. 6:11[263]).  Christians must follow after God (Eph. 5:1-2[264]) and see each other as perfect.  Marriage prospers when a man appreciates and honors his wife as God’s good and perfect gift to him and she acts as God’s good and perfect gift to him.

·      The only way a man can see his sinful wife as perfect is for him to see her through the grace God gave him in saving him.  The only way a wife can see her sinful husband as perfect is for her to see him through the grace God gave her.  When lost people see couples giving God’s grace to each other, they want God’s grace for themselves, and we tell them how to get it.  That’s how our lights shine before men (Mt. 5:16).

·      When we give the gospel, we may hear, “God can’t save me, my sins are too great.”  When we give the plan of marriage, we may hear, “God can’t save my marriage, it’s too far gone.”  These thoughts are based on pride – how can anyone think their sin is more powerful than the God who created the universe?

·      People who reject God’s Simple Plan of Salvation spend eternity in Hell.  People who reject God’s Simple Plan of Marriage can create their very own Hell right here on earth.  Marriage can either give a foretaste of the joys of Heaven or it can give a foretaste of the punishment of the damned in Hell.

·      Once we’re saved, our love for Christ constrains us to serve Him (II Cor. 5:14[265], Eph. 2:10[266], Phi. 2:4[267]).  Once we’re married, our love for each other should constrain us to serve each other.  God wants us to serve our spouses; we serve God by serving each other.

·      Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;” (Mt 11:29).  A bride woman takes upon herself the yoke of pleasing her husband (Ge. 3:16[268]).  The only way to rest (Ruth. 1:9a[269]) in being sure she’ll please him is to spend time talking to him and learning of him so she knows he’ll be pleased with what she does.

·      Jesus said, “for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Mt. 11:29)  A man must be meek towards his wife; must lead her by serving her (Mk. 10:42-45[270], see also Mk. 9:35[271]).  He must talk to her a great deal in order to understand her needs well enough to lead her for her benefit.

·      Jesus said, He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it  (Mt. 10:39).  When we accept salvation, we lose our former lives and gain a new life in Christ.  When we marry, we lose our former individual selves and gain a new life as a one-flesh married couple.

·      God’s salvation covenant is forever; once saved, always saved (John 10:28[272]).  God’s marriage covenant ends at death (Rom. 7:1-3[273], the book of Ruth).

If you’re saved and relate to God as He desires, your marriage relationship works because you’ll serve God by serving each other.  The relationship between husband and wife is based on their relationships to God.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  II Corinthians 5:18

Having been reconciled to God, we should be able to minister reconciliation to each other.  If husband and wife each reconcile themselves to God and relate to God by honoring, praising, loving, and obeying Him, they’ll relate properly to each other by honoring, praising, loving and appreciating each other.  Their marriage prospers, and they show the grace of salvation to the lost.

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them

, and rose again.  II Corinthians 5:15

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body

.  II Corinthians 4:10

As lost people see Christians giving God’s grace to each other, they’ll want God’s grace for themselves.  If either party messes up their relationship with God, on the other hand, their testimony is damaged and the marriage seldom works well even if they both have been taught how marriage should work.

This book explores what God says about marriage so that you can help heal the broken marriages you’ll encounter.  God ordains marriage; a damaged marriage means that someone isn’t following God.

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Psalm 127:1

No matter how hopeless the situation seems, God promises a way out, but we have to ask:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape

, that ye may be able to bear it.  I Corinthians 10:13

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God

, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  James 1:5

Logic and Emotion, Head Knowledge and Heart Knowledge

“Logic” as the word is used in America was written down by the Greeks ~ 300 BC.  It wasn’t common in the Middle East, Africa, or Asia.  God helped Alexander the Great spread the Greek language by conquering from Greece to India.  Pilate wrote on Jesus’ cross in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.  The Greek language and the logical thought process built into it were well known in Israel.  God inspired the New Testament to be written in Greek.  I believe God spread Greek to help us learn to think logically about Him.

Head knowledge is facts we know (2 Tim. 3:7[274]); heart knowledge is what we feel or what we are (Pr. 23:7a[275]).  “Emotion” describes feelings in our hearts.  God wants us to love Him in our hearts, page 38.  We can’t always explain emotions, but we should try to find logical reasons for our feelings before acting on them.

“Logic” works with facts.  If a car has no gasoline, it’s a fact that it won’t go.  No matter how you feel about it, no matter how angry or frustrated you get, the car won’t go without gas.  There should be no emotion about a fact.  The fact that a car needs gasoline shouldn’t make you angry, or sad, or happy, it’s just something you need to know to use a car.  God expects us to use knowledge to rule our feelings:

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  Proverbs 25:28

When your car is out of gas, your mind should know that getting angry won’t help.  We must rule our spirits so that we don’t lose our temper or say angry words.  Christianity is based on logic:

Come now, and let us reason together

, saith the LORD:  Isaiah 1:18

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade

 men;  II Corinthians 5:11a

Even with Heaven and Hell in the balance, we persuade.  God appeals to our minds and to our hearts.  The Lord our God is a God of purpose and plan (Isaiah 14:26-27[276], 23:9[277], 46:10-11[278], Jer. 4:28[279], Ro. 8:28[280]), there is logic in all that He does.  We’re told to labor and reason together with God to find out His rules.

For we are labourers together with God

: ye are God’s husbandry

, ye are God’s building.  I Corinthians 3:9

What an honor!  When we meet together, we labor with God.  “Husbandry[281]” is taking care of a farm.  A church is God’s farm where God grows us and builds us.  Right now, we’re growing and building marriages.

OBEYING GOD REQUIRES LOGIC

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply

, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion

 over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.  Genesis 1:28

We need knowledge to build Godly marriages.  We need logic to understand how God created the earth so we can care for the earth, and work with natural resources God has given us as God helped Bezaleel do:

And I have filled him [Bezaleel] with the spirit of God

, in wisdom

, and in understanding

, and in knowledge

, and in all manner of workmanship

, ⁴To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, ⁵And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.  Exodus 31:3-5

Figuring out what to do needs: 1) the Holy Spirit, 2) wisdom, 3) understanding, 4) knowledge 5) practice.

LOGIC IS HOW WE USE FACTS TO REACH CONCLUSIONS

Although the emotions and feelings God put into men and women to hold families together are very strong, the Bible says we should use wisdom, facts, and logic in guiding our relationships with other people:

Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: ¹²To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; ¹³Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; ¹⁴Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; ¹⁵Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: ¹⁶To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; ¹⁷Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.  Proverbs 2:11-17

Logic, that is, collecting facts and drawing conclusions to deliver us from evil men and women is part of wisdom that starts with God.  Wisdom starts in Bible reading, prayer, and studying the Works of God.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning

 of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

My wife and I had read the Bible from childhood.  We were sure in our hearts that God is good.  I knew that all the strange things God put in women were for my good!  When she asked God if she should marry her boyfriend, He told her “No,” so she asked God to choose her husband – He knew men better than she did (Jer. 17:9-10[282]).  God led her to tell me facts about herself that logically convinced me I could make her happy.

WE LIVE ON FACTS AND EMOTIONS

Our marriage runs on a mixture of fact and emotion.  My wife reasoned years ago that it would be simpler to care for the husband she had than to find another one.  She studied nutrition to help me stay healthy.  That’s a logical reason to stay with her, but I’m also tied to her by strong emotions – my heart belongs to her.

Reasoning starts with facts we know and works to conclusions as my wife reasoned that studying nutrition would keep me alive longer and shorten her time of widowhood.  Emotional feelings hold us together.

Our marriage didn’t start with logic or reason.  I was attracted to a woman in the pew in front of me.  When she opened her book for the first hymn, I saw that her left hand was bare.  She was unattached, so I looked harder.  There was no logic at all.  To this day, I can’t say why I was attracted, only that I was.

We talked after the service.  When I gave her facts about Japan, she used what she knew about America to draw conclusions about Japan from what I told her.  After about 90 minutes, I had enough facts about her to decide that she was worth my time, so I told her I was going to date her.  I didn’t ask her, I told her.  The wheels turned behind her eyes 20 or 30 seconds, she gulped, and said, “OK.”

That’s Biblical.  Did Adam ask Eve if she wanted to be called “woman,” or did he just name her?  She could see that I was strongly attracted to her.  God made women for men (1 Cor. 11:9[283]) so she liked being wanted.

Before our first date, she said, “Before you spend money on me, you should know that I want a husband.  I want to get married.  I’m not saying you have to agree to marry me before we go out, but I want you to agree that the goal of being together is to decide whether you and I should get married.  God made me to be a treasure for some man.  If you aren’t that man, fine, we can part friends, but I’m not a toy.  I don’t want a man to play with me; I want a man to stay with me.”  The Bible warns:Keep thy heart

 with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Proverbs 4:23

Putting marriage on the table helped keep her heart.  When a woman falls in love with a man who isn’t ready to marry anyone, she’s in for a world of hurt.  Who mentioned marriage first, Boaz or Ruth?  It didn’t occur to Boaz to marry Ruth, but when she gave him the idea (Ru. 3:9[284]), he thought it was such a good idea that he rushed out the very next morning and married her.  Why was he eager?  The Bible doesn’t say Ruth was beautiful, but Boaz had facts about her.  He knew that a hard-working (Ru. 2:7[285]), God-fearing (Ru. 2:11-12[286]) woman who wasn’t dating around (Ru. 3:10) and wanted to marry him would make a good wife.

Every man knows in his heart that a woman can give him a taste of the joys of Heaven, that’s why men want women.  I was attracted to her, I liked talking to her, I respected her mind, and she told me her goal was to be God’s treasure for her husband!  I knew the joy I’d get if she decided to be God’s treasure for me.  If she decided that, I’d be a fool not to marry her, so I said, “Sure.”  When I had enough facts to see that she wanted to be my treasure and that I could make her happy, I married her as fast as we could get a dress.

FACT-BASED MARRIAGE

Our first talk gave me facts to support the idea of marrying her.  She had facts when she agreed to date me when I commanded her.  She’d planned to marry her college boyfriend based on facts she saw.  He looked good.  He attended church and led the youth group.  Over time, she let herself fall in love with him.

Something drove her to ask God if she should marry him.  God told her “No” and sent a friend of his family to tell her why she shouldn’t.  It was hard, but she stopped being with him.  She hadn’t kept her heart; she let her feelings grow strong without having enough facts to be sure she could rest in marriage to him (Ru. 1:9a[287]).

Having been hurt, she told God, “You didn’t like the man I chose, You find me a husband or make me content to be single.”  A woman should never let herself fall in love with a man until after he marries her.  She should decide to marry based on facts about him and on how he treats her.  She’ll fall in love later.

God let her know that her husband would have something to do with Japan.  Feeling a call to the ministry, she asked about being a missionary.  The board told her that sending single women to Japan didn’t work because of the culture.  She had taken action based on the partial knowledge God gave her when she prayed.

As she thought about what to say when I told her I was going to date her, she felt God say, “Are you going to choose or am I?”  It was a fact that I met the description God had given in answer to her prayer.  It took her 30 seconds to decide because I was not at all what she would have chosen, but she said “OK.”

She Asked me “Why?”

On the way to the restaurant for our first date, I did something from Japanese culture which hurt her feelings.  Her father had recognized the value of her God-given emotions, but he carefully taught her to think about her feelings.  He insisted that she think about what she felt before acting on any feeling or emotion.

She could have walked back to her car and left, but she thought, “This guy’s thinking of marrying me.  He didn’t offer to buy me food to make me upset.  But I am upset.  Must have been an accident.  I’ll ask him.”

When I told her why, she liked it.  Women she tells say, “Why’d you marry him after that” but decide I was a man to keep when told why.  She asked and I answered as the Bible commands (Mt. 18:15[288]).  She thought, “This guy is strange, but if he’ll explain, I can help him” and she has helped me.  Many wives are afraid to ask because their husbands haven’t learned to explain their thoughts.  Explaining is part of opening your heart.

I was attracted to her enough to think of marrying.  If she’d left, I’d have been badly hurt and we’d have been unlikely to marry.  Stopping, thinking about her feelings, and asking “Why?” got her a husband.

How Would I Rule Her?

She liked the facts God and I had given by our 3^rd date, but she needed more.  She saw I could rule when I commanded her to date, but she wanted to know how I’d rule.  We were at my apartment with my roommate.  She did something unacceptable.  I told her not to.  She said, “You can’t stop me.”  She touched the tip of her little finger with her thumb.  “I’ve got you right here!”  I picked her up, carried her to the shower, and let her know she was asking for a soaking.  “I don’t have any other clothes.”  It was summer; she’d dry in a few hours.

She said, “I’ll behave,” and I let her out of the shower.  I didn’t yell; I didn’t hit her.  She knew I’d rule gently so it would be safe to promise to obey me.  She decided to follow me and started saying “Yes, sir” as the spirit moved her.  Resting in me changed her body language so much that at our first visit to her parents the next week, her mother thought, “She’s calm.  She feels safe with him.  They’ll be married soon.”

A man must give his wife rest, ease, and calm in belonging to him.  When Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to go back to their parents to find husbands, she prayed, “The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband (Ru. 1:9a).”  Naomi wanted food, clothing, and shelter for them, but she also wanted them to be sure their husbands valued and appreciated them enough to like caring for them.

I Gave her Facts On Purpose

By the time I met her, I knew that engineers’ marriages often fell apart and that my Japanese background wouldn’t help.  I took her to an office party so she could see that my colleagues weren’t happy with me.  We watched Japanese films that showed many striking aspects of Japanese culture.

I didn’t know that she’d had a lifetime of technical table talk because her dad was an engineer and I didn’t know that her mission-minded family had hosted many missionaries as she grew up.  I was pleased to see that she was OK with my technical thinking and that Japanese culture didn’t bother her.

My trying to be open showed that I’d open my heart to her, but the Holy Spirit had her put talk into our wedding vows.  Just before our wedding, she told me she was really looking forward to marriage.  “I like talking to you.  Once we’re married, we can talk more in a day than we can talk in a week of dating.”  I was put off by that much talk, but by then I very much wanted to marry her and went ahead (1 Cor. 7:9[289]).

The fundamental reason I decided to spend my life taking care of her was that I had faith that God is good.  I knew that a wife is a gift from God (Pr. 18:22[290]).  I knew that God gives good and perfect gifts (Mt. 7:11[291], Jas. 1:17[292]) so I knew she would be good and perfect gift for me if she decided to let God give her to me.

She’d asked God to work on her heart to make her the wife and mother He wanted her to be.  Belonging to me after we married was the most frightening experience of her life, but she trusted God and decided to be mine.  It helped that I’d written, “For God so loved man that He gave him woman.  For God so loved me that He gave me you.”  She’d said God made her to be a treasure.  If I treated her as a treasure, it would work.  Having been taught to think about her feelings by her father and learning how painful it was to let her feelings grow strong without getting facts first, she used facts and logic before emotion in marrying me.

LOGIC – FINDING FACTS AND DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

Aristotle explained logic ~ 300 BC, about the time Euclid defined “Euclidian geometry.”  When Rome conquered Greece 100 years later, they learned Logic and Geometry which helped them build ~ 250,000 miles of roads, some of which are used today.  The Apostles couldn’t have spread the Gospel as fast as they did without Roman roads.  Did God help the Romans build roads to prepare the Roman Empire to serve Him?

Logic and geometry are the foundation of our high-tech civilization.  When Rome fell around 480 AD, logic and geometry were lost.  They had been re-learned by the start of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1600s, ~ 450 years ago.  We can’t have automobiles, electricity, water systems, paved roads, computers, or the Internet without using logic throughout society.  How many well-trained, logical people are needed to maintain the Internet?  To climb poles to fix electric wires to keep the lights on?

Logic is so important to our society that there’s a free online course[293] which explains how to use logic with facts to reach conclusions.  There are logic exercises in this online folder[294] which can be printed and shared.