Can Any Man Forbid Water?

A brother asks about the meaning of Acts 10:47, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” The primary element involved in Christian baptism, water, is mentioned to represent the entirety of the process of baptism. Acts chapters Ten and Eleven record the taking of the Gospel message to the Gentile world as it was presented to Cornelius and those who gathered with him. The Jews had a longstanding bias toward everyone who was not Jewish (e.g., Samaritans, Gentiles). Jewish converts to Christianity brought with them this heightened prejudice against non-Jews. Only the remarkable incidents that happened to Peter in Joppa and then in Caesarea convinced, first Peter and then the six Jewish Christians who accompanied Peter, that the Gentiles also were intended by God to be the recipients of the Gospel message with its attendant blessings, including membership in the Lord’s church. Peter, at one point later, failed to distance himself from this bias against Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-14). Judaizing Christians also preached a distorted Gospel respecting Gentile admission to the church, which crisis was largely resolved by the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Peter asked the six Jewish brethren who accompanied him, that in view of the obvious stamp of divine approval on the Gentiles’ reception of the Gospel message (evidenced by the bestowal of miraculous powers directly from heaven on those Gentiles), how could they do anything but proceed to baptize those Gentiles. It was …

Were the Apostles Baptized in Acts Two?

Were the  Apostles baptized for the forgiveness of their sins along with the 3000? ~ Pedro Rodriguez, Los Angeles, CA There is no biblical account of anyone who became a disciple of Christ prior to the establishment of the church in Acts Two, including the apostles, being baptized in Acts Two when the 3,000 were baptized. However, that is quite a different matter from supposing that the early disciples, including the apostles, were not baptized at some time for the forgiveness of their sins. To the contrary, strong biblical evidence exists that the early disciples and apostles were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins, but not in Acts Two when the 3,000 were baptized. As a forerunner of Christ and a prophet who prepared the way for the ministry of Christ and the establishment of the church, John the Baptist administered a baptism that was for the forgiveness of sins. That baptism also involved repentance, as did the baptism of Acts Two (verse 38). “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). However, the actual reception of the forgiveness of sins was not received when one received the baptism of John the Baptist, but was contingent on the then pending vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, his subsequent resurrection and Ascension. Likewise, the faithful practice of Patriarchy and Judaism with their animal sacrifices and blood atonement did not provide forgiveness of sins prior to the sacrifice of Jesus on …

Do Humans Become God?

I. Would God, Christ and the Holy Spirit be the Persons who created and redeemed our own immortality of life? True or False     II. Have we been created and redeemed so that we can become a Divine Person in our Heavenly Home? True or False     III. Have we been created and redeemed so that we can become equal (having power, rule and authority) with those Persons who created and redeemed our own immortality of life? True or False ~ Charles Burke First, “True or False” questions such as these appear to portray a petitioner whose primary objective is not to solicit information, but to provide a platform from which to make a rebuttal and one’s presentation of his doctrinal viewpoints. This forum, though, facilitates a single editorial response to a question, without further dialogue from either the petitioner or the Editor. (I’m not omniscient and obviously cannot be certain about any querist’s unannounced intentions.) Second, question #1 does not compute; that question is ambiguous at best, incomprehensible and biblically extraneous. The Bible is void of phraseology respecting ‘our redemption of immortality of life.’ The next two questions, likewise, depict a doctrine that is not found in the Bible. However, the latter two questions do represent a denominational doctrine that at least is shared by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church). The latter two questions represent a false view of the Godhead, supposing that somehow Divine stature is simply a process of graduation attainable by frail …

Human Origin of Christmas

Is there anything available about the human tradition of Christmas celebrating? ~ In His Service, Rene Voser, Switzerland Anything and everything one might find regarding Christmas pertains to “human tradition,” since the celebration of Christmas is wholly of human origin. Neither the word “Christmas” nor any teaching regarding “Christmas” appears anywhere in the Bible. See our article addressing “Christmas” at the following URL: www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2000/nov/page20.htm#christmas

Where Did Cain Get His Wife?

[Upon the Rock, Vol. 2, No. 7, July 1999, pp. 26-28.] A question often asked of Christians is, “Where did Cain get his wife?” This question is often asked to make fun of the Bible, and the Christian, pointing to an alleged contradiction in the Old Testament. This question, though often asked in jest, can be used to show the inquirer the inspiration of the Scriptures and their agreement with science. This question is of deadly importance, because of Adam sin entered into the world and through sin, death (Genesis 3:3, 19; Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:45). In Romans 3:23, we learn that all have sinned. So, because of the transgression of Adam and his wife, we need another ‘Adam,’ the man Jesus Christ who laid down his life as a sacrifice for all of mankind, so that we may be saved (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45). It is through these Scriptures that we learn that only the descendants of Adam can be saved! If we are not descended from Adam, we cannot be saved! Now, the Bible describes all humans as sinners, since the beginning, and it follows that all humans have descended from the first man, Adam, except Eve his wife (Genesis 3:20; Acts 17:26). So, now we can establish through the Scriptures that Cain’s wife must be a descendant of Adam and Eve who had many sons and daughters other than their three sons whose names we know: Cain, Abel and Seth (Genesis 5:4). If Cain’s wife was not his sister, then …

More on Fossils

Even Darwin Knew Even Charles Darwin knew that the fossil record did not support his doctrine. He said, “In the sixth chapter I enumerated the chief objections which might be justly urged against the views maintained in this volume … One, namely, the distinctness of specific forms and their not being blended together innumerable, transitional links, is a very obvious difficulty.” (Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, A.L. Burt Company, pages 312-313.) In the foregoing, Darwin had reference to the “distinctness of specific forms” in the fossil record. In this same book, Darwin devoted Chapter Twelve to the fact of the lack of evidence in the fossil record to support his evolutionary doctrine. Darwin also recognized that the presence of fossils of animals and plants that were fully developed in the “oldest” fossil bearing rocks was a serious problem for his views. He said, “There is another and allied difficulty which is more serious. I allude to the manner in which species belonging to several of the main divisions of the animal kingdom suddenly appear in the lowest [same as the oldest to evolutionists, B.O.] known fossilferous rocks. To the question why we do not find rich fossilferous deposits belonging to those assumed earliest periods prior to the Cambrian system, I can give no satisfactory answer.” (Ibid., 38-39.) Darwin thus admitted that there were no fossils of any ancestors or predecessors of those forms that appear abundantly in the Cambrian rock, which according to evolutionists, is the “oldest” rock containing fossils. The …

Well Equipped

Equipped: “To be supplied with the necessary materials for an undertaking” (American Heritage Dictionary). Those involved in the blowing to bits of the many lives in Oklahoma City were certainly supplied with the necessary materials to maim and kill. Those digressed individuals who devised the plan to dispense such havoc must have had anger, bitterness and a great measure of malice dancing in their evil heads. To have developed such a mode of diabolic destruction, knowing that death and harm would come, sprang only from fiendish and corrupt minds. To most of us, it shatters thoughts of safety in public work places. What was the basic environment in the home of these individuals? It is time for parents today to become seriously involved in the activities in the homes of this nation. We are “to train up a child in the way he should go . . .” (Proverbs 22:6). Sometimes I have to wonder, “Have children been taught correctly how to live?” The mind of a child grows, fortunately, learning either good or evil. A child can be trained to respect and to love others. There should be no room for hate in the mind of a child. To walk in love is better than to run in fear. Love will not cause a building to explode! A kindergarten child manages to sneak a loaded pistol into the classroom hidden in a book bag, only to have that weapon discharge endangering those present! Could this be the beginning of …

What About our Children’s Viewing Habits? (The Effects of TV)

Did you know that by the time our children are 70 they will have watched 7 to 10 years of television? Not only that, but, in a recent poll taken here were the stats: 65% said TV is worse than it was 10 years ago. 87% said they believe that material on TV contains more sex and violence than 10 years ago. 71% said they think the more explicit portrayal of sex and nudity on TV encourages immorality. 70% said they believe TV violence causes aggressive behavior in those who watch it. For more than a decade, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been warning parents about television’s effects on children. Even, so, it has been pointed out that most American children spend more hours in front of the TV than performing any activity other than sleeping. The following are alarming trends in children who watch television: (1) desensitization to violence(2) obesity(3) teen pregnancy(4) use of alcohol and drugs According to another report, American teens see an estimated 14,000 sexual references and innuendos per year on TV, yet only 150 of these references deal with sexual responsibility, abstinence or contraception. With these statistics in mind, it would seem that many parents would want to curtail TV watching. What can a parent do? Here is what one parent did. In 1961, when Newton Minow became head of the Federal Communications Commission, he immediately declared television a “vast wasteland.” He banned TV on school nights in his own home. His daughter, Nell, …

Instrumental Music and Worship

One of the foundational truths about worship is the non-use of instrumental music. It was recognized by pioneer preachers that the use of pianos and organs in worship was a Roman Catholic innovation. Bible study will reveal to us that instruments do not produce an authorized form of worship. All the passages in the New Testament that deal with music in worship mention singing only; instrumental music is not contained in what is written. It should be remembered that there are two kinds of music. There is vocal and instrumental. SINGING is vocal music. Most people know that to have instrumental music, you need an instrument. If the Lord had simply told us to make MUSIC, we would be at liberty to (1) sing, (2) play or (3) sing and play. But, based on Ephesians 5:19, we have instructions that are specific and we have no right to substitute by playing or to make an addition by singing and playing. The apostle Paul writes: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (NKJB). In this passage, as elsewhere in the New Testament where any kind of music is mentioned for worship, the teaching is always and only to sing. We do not have a command, precept, example or a necessary inference in the New Testament to use any kind of instrument in our worship to God. To do so is sin. God is the DESIGNER and CREATOR of the heart, the divine instrument He has given …

My Father’s Business: Pastors

Any discussion of the “pastor,” as it is used in Ephesians 4:11, must first begin with a basic understanding of how the word is used in Scripture. Many today believe the “pastor” is the “evangelist,” but the verse in question clearly defines it differently. As we see in Acts 20:17-28, the “elder” (vs. 17) is to be an “overseer” (bishop, vs. 28) and to “shepherd” (pastor) the church of God. Just as the “evangelist” is also to “preach” and to “minister” (2 Timothy 4:2-5), the “elder” is to be a “bishop” and to “pastor.” These are simply different aspects of the same office. There is a great deal of difference between an “office” and the “work” of that office. Many who do not hold a particular office are still involved in doing the kind of work that men holding the office participate in. This is how men in business are promoted; they do enough of the kind of work done by their superiors in order to demonstrate their abilities to hold the higher position. This is also true of the pastor. Much has been said in recent years about the qualifications of elders (pastors), as spelled out in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Probably the most important thing to remember about these prerequisites is that they are minimum qualifications for the position. Just as a company advertising to fill a position will give the minimum qualifications, any resume that doesn’t contain them will go from the in basket to the wastebasket. Some …

Trust The Instrument Panel

Dr. Edwin Lutzer tells the story of flying on a commercial air flight. Seated next to him was a man who used to be a commercial airline pilot, but now flies his own smaller plane. The two became engaged in a conversation about the safety of flying. The pilot said, “Many people think these huge jets are built more safely and, therefore, are safer to fly than smaller planes. People think that because there are more crashes with smaller planes than with commercial jets. “But,” he said, “that’s not true. The reason why so many lighter planes crash is not because of bad equipment. It’s because of inexperienced pilots flying the little planes.” Lutzer replied, “Tell me more.” “The error of inexperienced pilots is that they refuse to believe their instruments,” the pilot said. “In a storm, they trust their instincts rather than their navigation instruments. That’s where they get in trouble.” “For example, they are absolutely convinced that the altitude of the plane is increasing when it’s not. There is an internal mechanism that tells them the altitude. But, when the altitude is not increasing, they often choose to disbelieve the instruments and adjust the plane according to their senses. They think that the plane is turning or banking when it’s actually not. When the pilot ignores his readings and adjusts the plane according to his intuition, it is sure to crash.” Then he said, “There wouldn’t be as many light planes that crash if pilots would devotedly believe …

…Made For…

The human body is made up of many members, each having a specific job and function. For example, ears were made for hearing, tongue for talking and so forth. By looking deeper than the physical functions, we can see spiritual duties as well. Our feet were made for standing.What are we to stand on? First Corinthians 16:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:24 both tell us that we stand by or in faith. Philippians 1:27 says, “…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” We stand by faith striving for the Gospel by standing on a solid foundation. The only foundation solid enough to hold us is Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). We stand on Christ through faith. Ears were made for hearing.What are we to hear? We find faith to stand by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17). We must hear the Gospel and know the Gospel in order to strive for faith in the Gospel. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). By hearing and studying the Gospel, we stand on Christ through faith. Our hands were made for doing.What are we to do? “Therefore all things whatesoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). By reading Matthew 25:31-46, we see …

Beverage Alcohol

Bias Favoring Alcohol Legal consumption of alcohol persists despite overwhelming evidence of its detrimental effect on mankind. Alcoholic beverages continue to enjoy a favored status though they are responsible for most accidents, numerous fatalities, many health hazards, heightened crime, employee absenteeism, contributing to rising health costs, domestic violence and strife, etc. and imperiling the souls within us. Only an unreasonable bias can account for the popularity of alcoholic beverages in defiance of a pragmatic evaluation of their detrimental characteristics. Misguided Popularity Unlike smoking, no one wants to tackle the problems alcohol presents to our society because too many people like drinking and are prepared to pay any price to keep on doing so. It’s the “Ostrich Syndrome”; the ignorance is bliss mentality. Disagree? In 1986 Australia had 101 homicides which were committed using firearms (32% of the total number of homicides). That year there was a total of 678 firearm related deaths (homicide, suicide and accidents), of these 15% were homicides (suicide was the primary reason for firearm related deaths). In 1996, following a particularly bad incident, the Australian government with strong public support severely restricted private gun ownership. After all, owning a firearm isn’t a necessity of life and if we can save just one life isn’t restricted firearm ownership justified? In fact it would seem that this action could save in excess of 678 lives a year! According to Commonwealth figures, in 1992 there were 6,600 deaths in Australia due to alcohol. If the government is prepared to take …

Happy New Year

Each year, at midnight on December 31 those of us who live according to the Gregorian Calendar bring to a close the happenings of the past three hundred and sixty-five days, and declare that we have entered into a New Year. Under our calendar, this happens every 366th day, and one would think that it would become rather old and trite during the period of a lifetime. But there seems to be a certain kind of excitement in the air, and we find great pleasure in adopting the idea that things are about to begin anew for us. This idea seems to be somewhat characteristic of man, and it really does not make much, if any, difference what our calendar may be. For example, the Chinese, who do not live under the same calendar as we do, enter into great celebrations at their new year. Although their culture is vastly different from ours, still, like us, they relish the passing of an old year and celebrating the beginning of a new one. One of the things that we do which is so meaningful is that we often sincerely wish one another “happy new year.” It seems to me that what we are saying, when we do this, is that we are hoping that the next 365 days will be good to us, and that we will find great blessing in them. When those of us who are Christians wish one another “happy new year,” we are expressing a desire that great …

Was the Apostle John a Religious Bigot?

“Now John answered Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.’ ‘For he who is not against us is on our side’” (Mark 9:38-40). This passage is commonly misinterpreted to suggest that Jesus recognizes and sanctions all religious bodies that claim to follow him. This approach is not new. The old Presbyterian commentator Albert Barnes in 1832 saw this passage as giving us reason “…to rejoice that the kingdom of Christ is advanced, whether by a Presbyterian, an Episcopalian, a Baptist, or a Methodist.” William Barclay taught that this passage shows us that “…truth is always bigger than any man’s grasp of it. No man can possibly grasp all truth.” Therefore, Barclay saw Jesus as saying, (1) “Every man has a right to his own thoughts,” (2) “…[W]e must also concede the right to a man to do his own speaking,” and, (3) “We must…remember that any doctrine and…belief must finally be judged by the kind of people it produces.” Some years ago brother Rick Atchley preached a sermon from this text entitled, “Don’t Bother Your Brother.” His points were basically three: (1) “Let’s not limit God to what we can do,” (2) “Let’s not limit the kingdom of God to the size of our brotherhood,” and (3) “Let’s …

Read the Instructions First and Last

I’ve done it plenty of times. Maybe it’s a “man thing.” I have purchased that item requiring assembly and laid the printed instructions aside thinking, “I can do this on my own.” After a lack of mechanical skills result in frustration, I consult the source that I should have gone to in the first place — the instructions. The lesson that such experiences teach us I sometimes see applied to the Bible thusly: “When all else fails, read the instructions.” I suppose that such is said with good intentions, but life is more important than putting together a bicycle. It is, however, Satan’s message to humanity that we can make it on our own, we can chart our own course or we can build our own life.  God and his Word, then, become an emergency measure for those who fail. In this same vein, Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said, “I have been driven to my knees many times in the full real realization that I had no place else to go.” These words are true to life, but is that what religion becomes to us? Is the Bible only for those who have tried all that the world offers and failed? Is prayer reserved for those who have no place else to go? Is salvation a last resort for those who are scared at the prospect of eminent death? No. If we love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, then we will give him first place. Then, we …

Adventures of Charles J. Abei

Laugh-In:  In 1962, after I had been preaching only a few months at Sistersville WV, the brethren asked me to preach a Gospel meeting there. It was a good meeting, resulting in several baptisms and restorations — but not on the particular night on which the following incident occurred. As the people gathered, one man named Brookover sat down near the front and promptly went to sleep. [He was on medication which inclined him to be very drowsy]. As the singing began, he awoke and sang with us, but when the preaching began he promptly went back to sleep. As I preached, he gradually scooted down in the pew, and eventually he began to snore. A few snickers went over the audience. His snoring got louder and louder, until loud laughter began first in one area, then another. It got so funny I couldn’t preach any more, so I stopped and said, “Will one of you awaken our brother?” Someone later suggested that they should have said, “You waken him; you put him to sleep!” But they were merciful and spared me that. Instead, Bill Cokeley slid across the pew and elbowed Brookover in the ribs, whereupon everyone roared with laughter. Brookover jumped awake, thought I must have told a joke, and himself started laughing. At that, the laughing only became louder. After a while it died down and I started to preach again, but it was no use. I couldn’t say more than a half dozen words until the …

The Horn and Lamp of David

Psalm 132 Introduction: Psalm 132 is Messianic in its implications, because it reflects the promises which have been made to the house of David. The ultimate implications of the promises to David reach their fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. Those who sang this song-prayer in ancient Israel could not have been ignorant of what this Psalm teaches. This Psalm (132) is very closely related to Psalm 89, which we have just studied, but there is one important difference, and that is, Psalm 132 has a note of confidence from the very beginning and continuing throughout the Psalm, while Psalm 89 has a dark and pessimistic outlook in certain places. Psalm 132 is a prayer-psalm, and it is called a pilgrimage psalm because many commentators think that it was written after the children of Israel returned from their captivity. Other students of the Bible assign this Psalm to the time of the United Kingdom, making it possible for David to have written it, or for it to be written after the death of David at the dedication of the Temple of God by Solomon. However, the Psalm is more easily understood if we consider it to be a prayer of the people rather than the prayer of one of the monarchs. The portion to which we shall give the greater attention is that made up of verses eleven through eighteen, which is the second portion in which God answers the prayer that has been offered in the first ten …

Do Not Put Out Your Candle

In New Testament times, most of the poor people lived in one-room houses. One lamp could light the whole room. This lamp was set on a stone that stuck out from one of the walls. Everyone in the house could see from the light of this one lamp. When morning came, a small clay cup that was used to measure grain would be put over the lamp to make it go out. Then the lamp would be lit again when night came. We are to be like the lamp. We are to light the whole world that we come into contact with. Everyone we meet should recognize that we are burning with the light of God. We should never put that light out. In Matthew 5:14-15 we read, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” Are you shining your light? Or are you putting your light under a bushel? Can all the people around you see because of the light you give them? Or are they all still in darkness because you put out your light?

Stay in Joint

In Titus 3:10-11, where the heretic is said to condemn himself, the words in the Greek are also used to refer to a joint being out of joint. We do not want to be out of joint in spiritual matters. And we certainly do not want to force our own spiritual joint out of joint. We want to stay in joint. In Ephesians 4:15-16 we read, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Notice that Christians are spoken of as body parts. And we are to stay in joint with one another. We are properly joined together by Christ who is the head of the body. The body is the church. If we stay together (in joint) with one another, then the body (the church) can function the way it is supposed to function. Imagine your body trying to run and play games with one of your legs out of joint. You would not run very well. In fact, you may not be able to play at all. The church can have the same problem if one of its members is out of joint. The church will not be able to serve God the way it is commanded …

And God Created the World, How Long Ago?

There has been a great deal of focus in the popular press about the discoveries of the Hubble telescope. These discoveries are being interpreted in light of old age for the universe bias. Remember, most scientists today believe that life evolved from inanimate matter and this process would take vast eons of time. So, each new discovery is interpreted in a way to support a long period of time. This does not rule out other possibilities as being the right answer; it simply gives one explanation. Well, this question of how old the earth is, is an important one, for if it is not billions of years old, then evolution could not have had time to occur. Let’s look at what we can know about how old the earth is. First, the Bible does not tell when the earth was created! But when the Bible gives information that relates to the passing of time, IT IS NOT WRONG! It does this in the genealogies given in Genesis 5:1-2, Chronicles and the New Testament. By taking the ages given here, it is possible to get a time frame on how long ago the creation was. This number comes out in the 6,000 to 10,000 year range. This is a far cry from the 4.5 billion estimated by evolutionists. Is each of the genealogies exact in the names and dates given, no, but the problems that we know about are because of other lists that point them out. There may be some …

Pornographic Proliferation and the Christian

Our English word “pornography” derives from the Greek word “pornographos.” This Greek word is a compound of “porne” meaning “harlot” or “prostitute” and “graphein” meaning “to write.” By definition, it matters not at all whether the harlotry is for gain or purely for lust. Technically, pornography is “writing about prostitutes.” However, the Greek “graphein” is related to the Greek “grapho” which not only means to write but also includes drawings and paintings. Therefore, “pornography” pertains to the depiction of erotic behavior through writings, pictures and movies, and is intended to cause sexual excitement or lust. Pornography directly, forcefully and adversely affects humanity on several fronts. The Bible student is at once aware that pornography runs counter to several biblical principles (e.g., teachings about fornication, lust, modesty). Further, pornography contributes to the debasing, desensitizing and brutalizing of human society or civilization. Whatever affects society affects the members that comprise it, including you and me. Pornography especially portrays subsets of society — women and children — as the special targets of sexual aggression. At the least, pornography is an insult, especially to womanhood; she has so much more to offer and possesses so much more self-worth than what pornography pictures for her. Pornography dehumanizes men, women and children, presenting them as objects of base, animalistic indulgence. Pornography leaves in its wake victims of all sorts (e.g., men and women addicted to it; men, women and children depicted in it; men, women and children who though not directly involved with it may be assaulted by others fueled with …

Refuge

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.” In the Hawaiian Islands, on the Kona coast of the Big Island, there is a tourist attraction known as the City of Refuge. In the old days when tribes constantly fought each other and even offered human sacrifices, it was the one place a person could flee and avoid molestation. The idea did not originate with the Hawaiians, though, but in the mind of God. He had six cities of refuge in the Old Testament for His people. In the New Testament, he has a world-wide city of refuge he calls the “church.” In the Old Testament, each family had an “avenger1 of blood.” It could be any blood relative — a brother, uncle, cousin (Leviticus 25:48-49). His job was to take the life of one who killed a family member (Numbers 35:12), to receive restitution for crimes against a deceased relative (Numbers 5:7-8), buy back property lost to the family (Leviticus 25:25), redeem a relative who sold himself into slavery (Leviticus 25:48-49) or marry the widow of a relative without sons and perpetuate the family (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). In Old Testament times, if you killed someone, then that family’s avenger could hunt you down and kill you. (This sounds like the “wild west days” of our country.) The avenger did not take into consideration the motive for the killing. Suppose, for instance, you were cutting wood with a fellow Israelite and the axe slipped from the handle and fatally …

The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 Introduction Still on the Mount of Olives and immediately following The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus recited The Parable of the Talents to his apostles. Whereas in the former parable Jesus emphasized watchfulness, in the latter he stressed that his disciples need to work while they wait with watchfulness. The Parable ” For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. …