Born Free! (Galatians1:11-24)

November 8, 2019

Chapter 2 Questions

In what ways do you think Christians today value conformity? In what ways do they value nonconformity?

I think we are living in the days of that people value conformity of nonconformity. In other words, it’s just cool to stand out. Everybody wants to be different. But in doing so, they’ve all become the same. In people’s desperate attempt to be original, they’ve copied the copy of the copy. People glory in their stand for nothing. They pride themselves in how tolerant and diverse they are. And they think that they’re different for doing so. But they’re not. They’re just the same as everybody else.

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Just like a child (a teenager that thinks they know everything) they think they stand for something new, something different, something original, something independent, but in truth, they’re just being carried about with every wind of doctrine.

There’s comfort in conformity. They almost seem like the same word. No doubt they are. To be comfortable means it’s the right fit. To conform means to fit it. The value in conformity is the peace of fitting in, the peace and ease of comfort; the old even keel. Whereas the value of nonconformity is standing out; independence.

I’m reminded of the definition of university: unity in diversity. Interestingly, I believe this was actually a Christian term used to describe Christian schools and colleges. It’s a wonderful term to describe the church. The church is unity in diversity. In the church, conformity and nonconformity coexist in harmony: university; unity in diversity. God saves people from all walks of life; different as day is from night. But then conforms them to the image of his dear Son.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Romans 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.

Even the definition of conform maintains nonconformity. Conform means to form together with. It carries with it the meaning of twisting and turning two individual things together until they become one. To be conformed to the image of his Son does not mean to be changed into the image of his Son, but to be formed together with the image of his Son.

That’s why Paul called marriage a mystery. He was speaking of Christ and the church. Two become one. Abraham sent Eleazar to find a bride for Isaac. It brought him joy when they came together as husband and wife. God the Father desires a bride for his Son, Jesus. If all he wanted was Jesus, why then did he save us? Amen. He has predestined us to be conformed, formed together with, the image of his Son.

Pardon the cliche, but we are not all robots. We maintain our individuality in the church; our nonconformity. Yes we all strive for unity and conformity. Both are valued when we love the brethren. Brethren loving represents the value of conformity. While loving brethren demonstrates how we value nonconformity.

Why do you think Paul felt it was necessary to share his conversion experience in this letter?

The easy answer is that Paul shared his experience to establish his credibility to the Galatians. However, I’m not sure as to how Paul’s experience really offered him credibility. Today, if someone came and said that the gospel he preaches came from God and not from man, we’d run him out on a rail. There is probably more credibility to someone who was sent out of a church that had their doctrine straight.

I would think that it would have lent Paul more credibility to have conferred with the apostles; and to have said:

Hey, what’s going on foolish Galatians. These Judaizers are not preaching what the original apostles preached. I know because I was taught of them.

But that’s not what he said. Therefore, there are some possible implications made in this matter.

  1. Paul did not trust the apostles. He obviously had a problem with Peter; not to mention Mark, Demas, and others. Paul spoke of his (2 Corinthians 11:26) perils among false brethren.
  2. There was something peculiar about Paul’s gospel compared to the apostles. Peter, in the beginning, preached to the Jew a message concerning the King and the Kingdom. He persuaded the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah Christ, the son of God. This is particularly different from what Paul preached to the Gentiles. The doctrine of substitutionary atonement was not really introduced until Paul came around. The death of Christ was preached as their sin on Pentecost by Peter. But Paul preached that the death of Christ was their salvation. Subtle differences, but they were there.
  3. Judaizers were a particular problem to Paul and needed to establish a particular credibility. So here is the argument of credibility the credibility must be established in regards to the law and to the transition away from the law. Paul was an expert in the law. And after such a dramatic conversion, he taught a dramatic change in the law. What he was expecting from the Jews is what had become a reality in his own life. He said  Galatians 4:12 (KJV) Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are…

Whatever the case, I don’t think it’s honest to just say that Paul was trying to establish credibility; especially by association. If anything, he seems more to be setting himself apart from the apostles, not in a bad way. He even said at one point that Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation. Barnabas might not have been the only one. Maybe other apostles had a hard time with this. Peter, all the way into the tenth chapter of Acts says Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. This is after the death of Stephen and the conversion of Paul. This is after Paul preached in Damascas and went to Jerusalem. So you’re looking at three years after Saul was converted, that Peter was still following the law; the dietary law at least.

Colossians 2:20-22 (KJV) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

So you see, it was necessary for Paul to set himself apart from the apostles instead of using their association as credibility.

The author says, “Election involves responsibility.” Why did god elect to save Paul?

That’s like asking Why did God save Moses? Who comes up with these questions? First of all, God did not elect to save Paul. He elected to save the whole world. He elected to take from this world a bride for his Son. Did God have a purpose for Paul? Sure. Does God ever have a Plan B? In other words, if Paul did not elect to repent and be saved, would God have been up the creek and have nobody to write the New Testament? I think not. The fact that God checkmated the devil is a testament that our God thinks, possibly strategizes, and plans.

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

I’ve always wondered if the life that God has laid out for you is like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Many of us can testify how we made the wrong choice years back. We missed it so to speak. And that God has graciously brought us back around into his will. Interestly, I just saw this:

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. Proverbs 19:21

Now, this is not King James. And notice that it almost negates the point I’m saying. Read now the King James Authorized text

Proverbs 19:21 (KJV) There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

Big difference, huh? The perverted text gives you the impression that man has plans and God has only purpose and that planning is not something God does; that planning is somehow wicked. There’s just something about this question that irks me. Why did god elect to save Paul? Am I supposed to answer that God saved Paul in order to bring the gospel to the gentiles, to write the new testament, to suffer many things? With the exception of writing the New Testament are we not all called to do these things? To whom much has been given, much shall be required. Yes. Election involves responsibility.

Paul’s experience of conversion was by grace through and through. In your own process of coming to faith in Christ, where was (and is) grace at work?

Let me count the ways.

  1. He kept me until the day of salvation.
  2. Preacher Allen actually loosed one of his best members to Odem, Texas.
  3. Brother Janow was willing and obedient to his preacher and the Holy Ghost.
  4. Brother Janow didn’t have a television (I challenged God).
  5. God broke through my own deceptions.
  6. The opening of my eyes.
  7. The pigs running across the lawn.
  8. My wife’s advice and actions.
  9. When He told me that He loved me.
  10. When He gave me the help I needed to call upon his name.

It’s was all grace.

Paul says he received the gospel not from the apostles who had known Jesus during His earthly ministry, but directly by revelation from Christ. What reasons does he give the Galatians to believe something so extraordinary?

I’m not sure if he actually gave reasons to believe his extraordinary account. That is not to say that there were not reasons. After much thought about this, I believe that Paul’s reasoning for explaining his conversion and revelation was to distance himself from the apostles. I believe that he found it necessary to establish a difference between them and himself. The evidence in the scriptures is clear that the earliest church was still in a learning process and that God was progressively revealing the gospel to his church. The Judaizers were in the midst and may even have been associated with some of the apostles. I know that is speculation, but as I said before, Peter was still holding to the morality of the dietary law three years after Paul was converted.

So to put this in perspective, God revealed to Peter that Gentiles were to be added to the church AFTER He had already conferred with Paul in Arabia concerning these matters. This is proof positive that there was to a certain degree a difference between what Peter preached and what Paul preached. Therefore, it was necessary to distance himself from the apostles’ Jew First Principle. Ha ha ha.

Is Paul saying that in general it’s bad to consult other people when we hear something from God?

No. There is no hint that he is implying that at all. However, there is a principle demonstrated here. It’s amazing what the Holy Ghost will show you in the word of God without the use of commentaries. They have their place and I use them often. But you can trust the Holy Spirit to do what Jesus said he would do. He will guide you into all truth. The revelations that God gives us in His word are the ones that stay with us for a lifetime. We rarely remember what the preacher said Sunday morning. But you never forget when God speak to you through his word; when God reveals to you himself in your bible reading and studying. Don’t ever be afraid to believe what the Bible plainly is teaching you and saying to your heart.

Why does it matter to us that the gospel is not of human origin (1:11)?

It just does.

If someone came to you with what he or she said was further revelation that is from God, no man, how would you determine the truth or falsity of that person’s claim?

We’d run them out on a rail! Just like they tried to run Paul out. Go figure.

Psalm of Galatians Chapter 1

September 11, 2019

Galatians 1:1-2 (KJV) Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

Greetings. It’s Paul and all the brethren.
I am an apostle by Jesus not men;
Called of the Father who raised up the dead.
To the churches of Galatia, this letter be read.

Galatians 1:3-5 (KJV) Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Grace be to you and peace from on high;
From Jesus the Savior who suffered and died;
This evil world over us cannot win.
To him be all glory forever. Amen

Galatians 1:6-9 (KJV) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

I marvel. I marvel. You’re making such haste;
You’re leaving the one who called you to grace.
If angels or brethren or, God forbid, we
Preach a gospel that’s different, accursed shall we be.

Galatians 1:10-12 (KJV) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Christ is the master. For him do I toil.
I’ll please him and serve him. Yes, I will be loyal.
His gospel I preach I received on this wise:
I got it from Jesus when he opened my eyes.

Galatians 1:14-16 (KJV) And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

 

I profited

I was zealous

 

 

 

 

Bad News About the Good News (Galatians 1:1-10)

September 9, 2019

So I started taking a course on Galatians from Macedonia Baptist College. The textbook is Be Free by Warren Wiersbe. There’s question at the end of every chapter. Though we are not required to do this, I thought I might go ahead and answer these questions. I’m trying to go as quickly as I can so don’t expect full explanations of every though or perfect spelling and grammar please.

Chapter 1 Questions

What were the Galatian Christians doing that caused Paul to write this letter?

Paul says that he “marveled that they were so soon removed from him”. Ultimately, a departure from doctrine, from faith, from grace is a departure from the Savior’s side; a departure from the presence and fellowship of Christ. I wonder, however, which is the cause and which is the effect. For it can be said that a departure from fellowship with the Savior will lead to a departure from doctrine and things as such. The Bible does admonish us that the Spirit will indeed guide you into all truth. I would say that a departure from truth is indicative of a departure from the leading of the Holy Spirit. And he does address that later: (Galatians 3:2-3) This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

But what were they actually doing? They were doing what they decided. They were behaving what they believed. They were practicing their principles. The letter to the Galatians does not tell us much directly what they were doing. Here is what Paul directly deals with:

  1. (Galatians 1:6-9) They were receiving doctrine that was contrary to what Paul had originally preached to them.
  2. (Galatians 3:2,5,10) His question concerning the “the works of the law” and his discourse on “law” gives us the indication that they were trying to justify themselves by the works of the law, as they did before Christ.
  3. (Galatians 3:10) They were continuing in the law.
  4. (Galatians 3:19) Paul asks Wherefore then serve the the law? Compare this to what Paul says in Chapter 1:10 Fo if I yet pleased men, I should not be a servant of Christ. The Galatians were serving the law and not Christ.
  5. (Galatians 4:9) They were turning again to the weak and beggarly elements, They were desiring bondage over liberty. They were observing days, and months, and times, and years.
  6. (Galatians 4:16) They were so zealously affected by false teachers that they have turned their loyalties against Paul and Paul considered himself an enemy to them.
  7. (Galatians 5:2) They were trusting in circumcision.
  8. (Galatians 5:15, 21, 26) The results of living under the law and not in the Spirit: bite and devour one another; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, etc…; desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying on another.
  9. (Galatians 6:7-8) They were sowing to the flesh, attempting to mock God, and deceiving themselves.
  10. (Galatians 6:12-13) They were constrained to be circumcised.

What stands out to me is that Paul addresses works of the flesh. It’s as if he’s saying The proof is in the pudding. He says that the people that constrain you to follow the law don’t follow the law themselves. He quoted what he said to Peter: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compel lest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

He sees the the heavenly pattern. You’re saved by Him. You stay and fellowship with Him. And you’ll live for, serve and please Him. But instead the Galatians are saved by Him, but then depart from Him. And as a result, they’ve gone back to the law and consequently gone back to sin; serving the law, and settling into sin. They’ve done as the church of Ephesus in Revelation has done: They’ve left their first love. It’s not so much that Paul does not believe that the law should be fulfilled. But there is a weak element to the law: the flesh.

Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So Paul establishes in Galatians again that there is no justification in the “works of the law”. The law is fulfilled in us by Jesus’ death on the cross and manifested in our life by sweet Holy Spirit.

How was Paul qualified to give the Galatian Christians advice and help?

Warren Wiersbe gives the outline:

  1. His ministry. Wiersbe deals with Pauls apostleship, his founding of the Galatian churches
  2. His message. The problems of the Galatians were direct contradiction to the message of the Gospel.
  3. His motive. Paul sought to glorify God whereas the Judaizers sought to boast in the flesh.

I want to add 4) His maestro. Paul was an apostle, yes. But the authority lies in who made him an apostle. It was not of man, or by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father. The same one that raised up Jesus from the dead had made him an apostle.

Paul had the gospel, yes. But the authority lies in who gave him the gospel. After he got saved on the Damascus road, he conferred not with flesh and blood, nor did he commune with the other apostles, but he went into Arabia. I believe he went up to Mount Sinai as Moses did; and as Moses was given authority and the word of God, so was Paul. Pure speculation? Yes. But Paul said he didn’t receive the gospel of men, neither was he taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ.

Also, throughout this letter to the Galatians, you get the sense that Paul is saying Been there, done that. And it doesn’t work. The reason Paul had the authority to admonish the Galatians concerning the law is because he was an expert on the law and the law had played out in Paul already. (Romans 7) Once again, the proof is in the pudding.

He said Wherefore the law was our school master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Christ was Paul’s master (his maestro). But he was brought to him by another master, the school master of the law. Paul had graduated and was qualified to reprove.

I want to add 5) His metamorphosis. Paul said Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am… Paul had undergone such a transformation from the law into grace. He wanted all to be as he was: free from the curse of the law. The trouble that Paul had gone through. The stature he had lost. The pains he had endured. To allow such contradiction was to be changed in vain. To have learned in vain. To exist in vain. They frustrated him and God and grace. And something had to be said.

Grace is God’s unearned favor and activity in our lives. How does Galatians 1:4 reflect God’s grace?

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Let me address this in Paul’s life. It means much for Paul to say this.

Paul, who knew full well what it took to take away sin, said this. A student of the law, a Pharisee, who knew the requirements of God in order than sin may be atoned, said he gave himself for our sins. He knew that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. He knew that almost all things are purged by blood. And Paul, being a sinner himself, full of sin, even the murder of Stephen, says in confidence of God’s loving grace, that he gave himself for our sins. Paul believed in God’s grace.

Paul, who was evil in his religion and worldly in his heart, said this. Paul proclaims his own deliverence. He admits where he was in saying this. He was delivered by God into grace. To Paul, grace is a place. He says Him that called you into the grace of God. Elsewhere he says, (Rom 5:2) into this grace wherein we stand. To be saved is be delivered from one place to another place; from an evil world to a place of grace.

Paul, who was so mistaken as to God’s will said this. Paul thought at one point that God’s will was to kill Christians, to persecute and waste the church. Paul has since learned that God’s will is not to destroy those that trust in him, but to forgive them and deliver them. To be so utterly wrong about God and his will, but then to be forgiven and delivered and to be accepted and included into God’s will is the grace of God.

“You cannot mix grace and works.” How does one exclude the other?

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Paul, in Romans, makes it clear absolutely that you cannot mix the two; grace and works. But as to how does one exclude the other must be explained. I think maybe Paul is saying in Romans 11:6 that simply by definition, we cannot have it both ways. Grace is unmerited favor. Works is merited payment. You can’t obtain God’s salvation by both. It’s one or the other. It’s one or hypocrisy. It’s beyond sense to be saved by both. They exclude each other by definition. Or maybe as Paul has said in Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

How does one exclude the other? By the law of faith! You are what you believe. If you want to mix them. By all means go ahead, but you will not do that by faith in Christ. The law of faith excludes works in salvation. You either believe and trust in the grace of God, or you trust on the merit of your own works.

Why is grace important, not just for salvation, but throughout the Christian’s life?

We are saved by grace, but also kept by his grace. Staying saved is only by the grace of God. We need grace every day of our life. Paul thought so. You’d be hard pressed to find one thing in the New Testament that Paul desires for God’s people more than grace.

Grace is important because the king is important. The king is the most important in the kingdom. The king has all authority. The king rules and reign. And for the Christian, grace is king. Long live the king! Grace reigns in the life of the saint. Only by grace can we live a victorious Christian life.

Romans 5:17 …they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

There is no Christian life outside of grace. Important? Yes. But more accurately, it’s necessary. It’s paramount. It’s vital. We need grace. It’s not they which receiveD abundance of grace shall reign. It’s they which receive abundance of grace shall reign. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

What does it mean to ‘fall from grace”?

To fall from grace means absolutely nothing. This is an oxymoron that Paul uses to explain grace and salvation and the love and care of Christ. Paul does not believe that you can fall from grace any more than he believes that Christ can be crucified again (afresh).

Paul uses such contradicting terms in Galatians 5:4 fallen from grace and Hebrews 6:6 fall away to demonstrate the ludicricy and ridiculousness of turning from grace. He uses the ridiculous to reprove. It’s almost like a joke.

However, the real key to understanding Galataians 5:4 is Galatians 5:3 For I testify again to EVERY man that is circumcised… Every man that trusts in the law is bound to the curse of the law. So in essence, Paul is demonstrating and establishing the end of the law in order to appeal to those who have been saved by grace. He’s saying, this is where you’ve been delivered from. This is the end of living under the law. But, we who are saved by grace, expect and hope for better things. You are either one or the other. Paul is admonishing to simply commit to what they are.

What are the differences between living by grace and living by the law of Moses?

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. Living by the law of Moses is utter failure and condemnation. It’s weakness.

God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh….. That the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us…. Living by grace is glorious victory and freedom. It’s strength.

It’s day and night. That’s why Paul was so frustrated by the Galatians. Even Moses could not fulfill the law of Moses. Jesus said Be angry and sin not. Moses got angry and sinned. He was denied access to the promised land. Moses failed the law of Moses. But in Jesus, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…

However, who lives under the law of Moses but Jews themselves. And even they don’t follow the law. There is no sacrifice presently in their religion. What is much overlooked is that all are under the law. All live by the law of Moses, though they know it not. Anything that is not the grace of God is the law of Moses. Why would anybody care about the law of Moses? Most don’t. But that does not mean they are no under the law of Moses. Therefore, the same differences apply not just to Jews, but Gentiles also.

The Judaizers’ altered gospel wasn’t the gospel at all. What are some altered gospels that are common today? What changes do they make to the gospel?

Paul lays down much regarding the gospel in the first few verses of the letter to the Galatians. There are elements of the gospel he addresses. These elements are what are changed or perverted.

  1. The power of the Gospel (vs 1, who raised him from the dead)
  2. The people of the Gospel (vs 2, all the brethren… the churches)
  3. The promise of the Gospel (vs 3, Grace be to you and peace…)
  4. The purpose of the Gospel (vs 4, Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world…)
  5. The person of the Gospel (vs 5, To whom be glory..)

The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And that is rarely missing from other gospels. What they change are these secondary elements of the gospel.

The power of the Gospel for example: The power to raise the dead; to give life to that which is dead. We see the power of the gospel in our eternal security. We see how others change the power of the gospel when they call into question God’s power to take and sinner a pass him from death to life.

The people of the Gospel for example: People nowadays insist that the local church and the brethren are not necessary. They can worship God and carry on as a Christian without them. But the Bible says (1 John 3:14) We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

And so forth. Every element of the gospel seems to be messed with and perverted but the three primary elements of his death, burial, and resurrection.

How can the desire to “please men” ruin a Christian?

I would say that if a Christian desires to please men, he’s probably already ruined. I recall again what Paul said: I marvel that ye are soon removed from him that called you… If one seeks to please men, this must be a result of a lack of fellowship with the Lord, or an abundance of fellowship with man and the world. If you spend enough time with the Savior of the world, you’ll want to see the world saved. How can you ever know what pleases somebody unless you spend time with that somebody. Therefore a desire to please men comes from an inordinate time with and location to men.

What questions do you have about living grace?

I don’t really have questions about grace. But rather, I question my own ineptitude in trusting and living by it. If the victorious life of grace is so far superior to the law of Moses and work and power of the flesh, then why in the world do we live in defeat? Why in the world are we not shouting and praising God every second of the day for the amazing grace he’s bestowed upon us.

Jeremiah 5:5 I will get me unto the great men…

May 29, 2019

I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God… (Jeremiah 5:5)

I met Brother Ballew back in the fall of 2004 in Odem, Texas. He was preaching on the home. My wife and I got saved shortly after that meeting. Long story short, in the summer of 2006 we packed up and came to Resaca, Georgia to attend Faith Baptist Institute. My first year there was Brother Ballew’s last year teaching there. He may have taught again years later. I’m not sure. But for my part, this is where I spent the most time with Brother Ballew. Occasionally, he’d have a Sunday evening off the road and we’d see him at Concord. But other than that, it was at missions meetings, revivals, and camp meeting that I would get to hear him preach again. I got to drive him twice to meetings and even got to clear some brush at his house.

So you see, I don’t have the depth and intimacy with Brother Ballew that many others have been blessed with. I don’t claim to be close him, but I love him just the same. I am grateful for the man of God he has been to me. When Brother Ballew asked my son Frank to help drive him to meetings this past year, I was as grateful as I was envious. I was hoping he would ask me. I wanted that for myself, but I knew there would probably never be such great an opportunity for Frank than to spend some time with Brother Ballew.

I dare not boast more about our relationship than truth can tell. The last time we spoke might have been the first time he got my name fully right. Like I said before, I know I lack the depth and intimacy that others have had the privilege of. But understand that I’m an introvert by nature. I lack depth and intimacy with everybody. That being said, little is much when God is in it. It may be little, but with tear-filled eyes and a full heart I can honestly say it’s everything I’ve got. I’ve been under the influence of Brother Ballew all my Christian life.

Every time I fill out that little envelope on Sunday morning and look at the words Faith Promise, I think of Brother Ballew.

Every time I turn my bible to the letter to the Hebrews, because of Brother Ballew, in my heart I’m turning to The Book of Better Things.

Every time I think of the local Church (my local Church especially) and the doctrine of the Church, I think of Brother Ballew.

Every time I think upon Faith Baptist Camp I see Brother Ballew up there with his hands up raised shouting, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” I think about that night on the way to the dining hall he stopped Patty and me and said he wanted to have a word of prayer with us. He prayed that we would know God’s will for our life. At a time I couldn’t get a prayer through I think maybe Brother Ballew got one up for us.

When I think upon Faith Baptist Institute and the sacrifice that my teachers made in order to help me, I think of Brother Ballew. He gave himself to us one night every week. I hardly remember all the different things he taught. But I do remember his faithfulness to the ministry of the college. I do remember his love for Christ and the Word of God. I do remember that he cared about us young preachers. I remember his heart’s desire to pass on what he’s learned. He may have not known me personally, but he gave of himself personally.

When I think upon the call to preach, I think of Brother Ballew. He is the preacher’s preacher. He is Elisha’s Elijah. Just tonight, as I sat under the tent at the Copper Creek Farm and as my son preached out of Luke 15, I looked over on the other page and found a note I had written:

Bro Ballew 6/20/07 CHARGE!!!
1) Cross to be carried…
2) Cost to be counted…
3) Course to be conquered…
4) Consequence to be considered…

When I think upon the Spirit-filled life, I think of Brother Ballew. I read something just a little while ago from another brother that sat in the same class with me that year at the college. Brother Chris Simpson couldn’t have said it any better:

Thank you Dr. Ballew for challenging an entire generation to go higher with God.

Lester Roloff once said that the old preachers used to preach on Calling Out The Call! Brother Ballew put it out there time and time again. I don’t know if he was pushing me or pulling me. After every message he preached, I always came out with greater hunger for the things of God. Always!

I remember sitting down there at Faith Baptist Camp on Monday morning of the 2017 Thanksgiving meeting. Brother Ballew preached on The Importance of the Church. You talk about grievous chastening! I wouldn’t be back here at Concord with my family serving God in His perfect will if it had not been for this precious man of God being faithful to preach that Monday morning.

Everything I know of the Word of God and of this life in Christ has been touched in some shape or form by Brother Ballew. His influence on me is probably more than I can even comprehend. The typing I’m doing this very moment is a testament to what Brother Ballew means to me. I write because he writes. I guess that’s what a hero does to you.

God bless you Brother Ballew. I’m proud of you. Living down here knowing that you’ll be up there among the great cloud of witnesses cheering us on makes me want to go with God.

Matthew 14:36 Perfectly whole…

May 20, 2019

Here is the account in Matthew. It can also be found in Mark 6:53-56.

34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Matthew 14:34-36

This passage reminded me of the first line to that great hymn, Whiter Than Snow. The songwriter says, Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole… Now this first verse is of course is the song of the sinner; not the saint. We saints sing it in remembrance of that wonderful day that we too touched the hem of Jesus’ garment; when we were saved and made perfectly whole.

But I wonder, do we truly believe that we’ve been made perfectly whole? Do we live in the reality of the work of the Great Physician? We’ve heard it been said many times, that we’re two-thirds saved. Our soul is safe. Our spirit is renewed. And we’re still waiting on the last third, these mortal bodies. If we are truly a trichotomy, the mortal body part of it seems to rule the roost from day to day; even though he is outnumbered. Why is that?

Why should he get precedent over our spiritual reality in Christ? Why should our eternal spiritual senses, needs, expressions, etc. take a back seat to something corrupt and dying? The bible says that For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (1 Peter 1:24) Why should something so temporary and susceptible to corruption and as fickle as grass have dominion?

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17) You know, this great text is given in a certain context. Verse 14 says this: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Galatians 5:14) So in the context, I think we see the nature of the flesh, and that is one of selfishness. Paul goes on to say, And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24) It’s our flesh, with our affections and our lusts. This struggle between the Spirit of God and the flesh of man is a struggle between his will and our will. 

What keeps us from the reality of the Spirit-filled life is selfishness. Our comfort is more important. Think about those Hebrews at the edge of Canaan. They didn’t want to possess what God had given them. They saw the giants and they were uncomfortable. They saw that they had to get out of their comfort zone in order to do the will of God. So they thought it better to go back to Egypt. Selfishness. Interestingly, God said that their children would possess the land. Their comfort was more important to them than the future of their children. They were perfectly able to possess the land. God would have marched in with them or even before them, if they would have just believed.

If you are saved, you are perfectly whole. Paul said, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. (Romans 8:9) Being perfectly whole, is a spiritual reality in Christ. I know there’s a lot religions out there that preach health and wealth, but I know not of one person on this earth other than Jesus, Elijah, and Enoch that their body did not ultimately succumb to corruption. Everybody’s body is far from whole and will never be whole until the resurrection.

Or will it?

Or will it? Can perfectly whole mean fully what it implies? Do we always have to explain the supposed trichotomy of man to understand this? I wonder if we are somehow misunderstanding our standing and consequently and inadvertently making excuses for God. Why can’t perfectly whole mean perfectly whole?

This brings to mind another passage in the Bible where the Pharisees questioned Jesus authority to forgive sin. Jesus said to them, (Luke 5:22-23) What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? Jesus has the power to do both. I wonder maybe our view of this is skewed to where we have no choice to believe that perfectly whole actually means two-thirds whole and not one-hundred percent? Maybe we got something off.

Let me ask you this? We think we know what perfectly whole in a physical sense means? But do we? What experimental knowledge does any man have of being perfectly whole? Consider all that we’re healed in the land of Gennesaret that day. Every single one of them died and is still rotting in their grave. Yet the Bible says that they were made perfectly whole.

You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.

Inigo Montoya

Let me throw something at you. Paul tells us, Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11) I had this thought the other day. Is it possible that this death in which Paul admonishes us to reckon, is the same death in Ephesians 2:1? And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; What was dead in trespasses and sins? All of you. Who was quickened? Well, it wasn’t your mortal bodies. That’s for sure. And that will happen later.  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11) He’s speaking of the resurrection.

So until then, there seems to be a part of you that is still dead in trespasses and sins: your body. Or at least it appears to be. In other words, whether you are lost or saved, that mortal body of yours operates as if it is dead in trespasses in sins; subject to vanity and in the bondage of corruption. That’s why Paul said, So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:25) That’s why we got this two-thirds saved explanation. Because there appears to be no difference in our bodies, which Paul acknowledges, we latch on to the two-thirds saved explanation. Paul never said we were two-thirds saved.

Paul did say, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) The truth and reality is that the Christians has been crucified with Christ; In toto, perfectly whole; Not just spiritually, but wholly and perfectly. Paul said Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3) Baptized means to be completely and utterly overwhelmed. There may appear to be no difference in our bodies when we got saved. But there is a difference.

Think of the beautiful butterfly which emerges from the cocoon? Was there something unwhole about the cocoon? No. It did what it was made to do. It veiled the beautiful creature that dwelt inside that would at the right time be made manifest. It doesn’t have the color or the beauty or the glory of the butterfly, but it wholly and perfectly did what it was supposed to do. Likewise, as the cocoon, these supposed unwhole bodies will bring us wholly and perfectly to that blessed day when the sons of God shall be revealed.

Consider Old Testament saints. Jesus had not died yet. But were they going to hell? No. They were as saved as saved could be at that given time. Did they have the Holy Ghost living in them? No. But that doesn’t mean they were none of his. So likewise, during the millennium, are we going to look back and declare that there was something missing from our salvation. No. We’ll praise the lamb for making us perfectly whole. 

Consider the Saturn V rocket. It was a three stage rocket. Each stage was expendable. As each stage of the rocket used up it’s fuel, it separated from the main rocket and fell to earth as space waste. Most of that rocket was spent and burned up, but it carried those astronauts beyond low Earth orbit. The only way for them to do that was for them to work perfectly. If they weren’t spent and wasted as designed, Saturn V would have failed. These bodies are going to carry us to the next stage of this journey by the will of God one way or another. That’s what they are designed to do. We need to remember that our salvation in Christ Jesus was obtained legally and lawfully. We are not under the law, but we are not above it either. The law of the LORD is perfect… (Psalm 19:7)

Maybe this might help us to have a better attitude about our health issues, what the bible calls infirmities. I just turned 44. I feel like I lost stage one a long time ago, and stage two is almost gone. But by the grace of God, He that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22) Paul said 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. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

What I’m saying is that maybe we’re not two-thirds saved? I don’t know about you, but I would rather be perfectly whole than two-thirds saved. They say you are what you think. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: (Proverbs 23:7) Didn’t Paul say,  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.(1 Corinthians 6:20) I was crucified with Christ in toto. Make no mistake, there is something different about the bodies of the saved. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2) We’re all returning to the dust of the earth in the same fashion, but we’re not all coming back up the same. Wheat and tare seeds look the same going into the ground, but come the time of harvest, the fudamental difference between them will surely be evident.

Let’s get back on track!

So, with that all said, let’s get back to this struggle between the flesh and the spirit; this struggle between God’s will and our will. We saw that the nature of the flesh is one of selfishness. So I wonder, does seeing ourselves as two-thirds saved conducive to selfishness? Maybe. Maybe not.

Think about this: Not reckoning the change indeed is not acknowledging the price that was paid. In other words, it was not just our soul and spirit that were bought with a price, but all of us, body included. I mean you can’t just buy the inside of the banana. When we don’t yield our members unto God, we are essentially saying, My body is not saved. So to me it makes sense that if we first say My body is not saved, then it may lead to us not yielding it. To be saved is to belong to God. Maybe we yield ourselves to the flesh and it’s affections and lusts because we don’t reckon the difference that has been made in our mortal bodies, being that we have been totally and completely crucified with Christ. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6) Why do we assume that the old man represents something only spiritual or internal? Why do we assume that the body of sin that has been destroyed excludes our mortal bodies? Paul did say Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Alright! I’m done with this. I just found out from another preacher that our body is actually part of our soul. So yeah. Whatever. I probably don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m just trying to say this: By the miraculous hand of God, you can glorify God in your body. That change cannot be denied. A body that is spent and wasted for the glory of God I believe can be considered perfectly whole.

Remember the sabbath day…

April 6, 2019

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)

We say that we uphold the Ten Commandments, but that fourth commandment has always troubled me. Can the Seventh Day Adventist be right? They are of the few sects of Christianity that can actually claim that they keep the fourth commandment. What do we claim, as Baptists?

It seems that there are only two ways to go on this. One, we actually uphold the Nine Commandments. We just don’t observe that one anymore. Or two, we loosen up on the meaning of sabbath day. We say that our sabbath is Sunday, the first day of the week. I’ve never been comfortable with either of these choices. But it seems, fundamentally, we must, or at least think that we must, hold one of these two positions concerning the sabbath.

A third view…

I’ve always had a hunch that there is another way of looking at this. When trapped from going to the right and going to the left, perhaps there’s another way out. Maybe up or down? Maybe there is a whole other dimension to all this that we’re missing? I know. Too much Star Trek.

I feel also that with such a move in this country to take down the Ten Commandments from our public institutions, there has also been a take down of the Ten Commandments in the heart of our country already. So it troubles me to say We don’t do that anymore. We do this. Simplistic and irreverent. I certainly don’t want to admit that what we actually believe is the Nine Commandments. And I certainly don’t agree with changing the commandment. Is there a position that we can take that will uphold the fourth commandment without changing it? I believe so. It’s nothing new though. It’s just application of established doctrine.

You can easily do a Google search on the Lord’s Day and get a three point outline on why we observe the Lord’s Day instead of the Sabbath. But I usually do that after I go through what I do know and what’s fresh in my mind.

We Do Not Make Void the Law…

Our faith in Jesus Christ fulfills the fourth commandment. Paul said, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3:31) This is the essence of this perspective. This is the foundational truth to our understanding of the fourth commandment. We are not to make it void. We don’t toss is out. Our faith does not abolish the fourth commandment. But rather, it must establish it.

We do view other aspects of the law in this manner. We no longer sacrifice because our faith is in the sacrifice made on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we do not make void the law that calls for sacrifice. We would never say that the shedding of blood is no longer necessary for the remission of sin. We would never say that we thought that the law was no longer valid. Our salvation proves and established the validity of the law; it satisfies the law. And in this manner, our salvation satisfies the fourth commandment.

Faith is Rest…

Paul made it very clear in the letter to the Hebrews, Chapter 4, that there does exist a rest for the people of God. For we which believed do enter into rest… (Hebrews 4:3) Now as we stated earlier, our faith does not make void the law, but rather establishes it. The key is faith. Our faith in Jesus Christ establishes the law. It’s faith. Paul said, For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2) The profit is in the faith.

Paul makes it clear that entering into this rest by the faith of Jesus Christ is a one time happening. He said, Again, he limiteth a certain day… (4:7) Then he makes this curious statement: For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (4:8) If Adam, or if the Israelites, or if David, had truly entered into this rest, then Jesus would have not spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. (4:8) I believe the day that you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you enter into that rest.

Now Paul does say, Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after same example of unbelief. (4:11) I believe that is a call for all Hebrews to enter into that rest; to cease from the labours of the law and enter to the rest in Christ. To fall after the same example of unbelief is to never enter into that rest; to be lost and stay lost; to never cease from your works and rest. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5) I believe that Paul uses that word labour purposefully. Instead of labouring to satisfy the law, labour to cease from the law. Honestly, I think Paul is just being witty.

Now, does us mean all Hebrews in the rest of the text? Is that problematic? Sure. But it’s problematic the other way too: for us to mean only Christians. Then, a man could fall from salvation. I don’t see a real problem for Paul to speak specifically regarding things pertaining to salvation while addressing more than just the saved. Remember Paul did say, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (Romans 9:2-3) To address his kinsmen in this manner is consistent. To include them, his kinsmen, in the us of Hebrews is not to include them in salvation, but rather to appeal to them for salvation. To make that distinction can give you much liberty in understanding the scriptures. Don’t quote me on that. I’m still exploring that. Remember, We which have believed do enter into rest… (Hebrews 4:3) So when we get to Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest… (4:11) what happened? I thought we which are saved have already entered in. We have. Therefore us is more broad. He’s appealing to all Hebrews, and all man, to enter into the rest that he has entered in by faith in Christ Jesus.

Anyhow, I’m getting off the track. To place your faith in Christ is to cease from your labours and enter into his rest. So to garner some spritual advantage from working six days and resting on Saturday is to make void faith. The rest that Jesus has procured for us is not something we can enter in and fall out of on a weekly basis. Just like the blood that he shed for us is not shed over and over and over. Once for all. The rest that Jesus gives, in the same manner, is once for all. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) Rest from your labour is freedom from it. And Jesus said, If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Making Void Faith…

So in this light, our faith does not make void the fourth commandment. And it doesn’t change the commandment. However, to observe the Sabbath in the manner that Jews observe it makes void faith. Just like getting a lamb and sacrificing on an alter for our sins would make void faith, observing the sabbath also makes void faith.

It’s like telling God that the rest that he has provided in Christ Jesus is not sufficient or effective. Now I know that nobody that observes the sabbath will conscientiously admit to making faith void. They’d deny it up and down and explain their doctrine, no doubt.

But for us, as Baptists, worshipping on the first day of the week instead of the seventh is a testament to our faith; a testament to the sufficient rest that Christ has given us; as well as a testament to the new life in Christ that we now live. In fact, all Ten Commandments are kept because of our faith in Christ; not in order to gain favor with God. We don’t observe the fourth commandment. Our faith satisfies and establishes it.

Think about this for a second. It’s not much different for any other commandment. Take any one of them. Commandment #6: Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13) Do we think that we have successfully observed that law? I think not. What did Jesus say?

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)

We’re murders in our hearts. But by faith in the blood of Jesus, Commandment #6 is satisfied and established. That goes with all of them. Love the Lord God with all your heart? The gospel says that we love him because he first loved us.

Anyhow, for us, worshipping on the first day of the week and not the seventh, is a matter of standing fast in the Christian liberty. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

Paul had addressed this in the early church as well. He said But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (Galatians 4:9-10) Faith in Christ made a change in the life of a Jew back in the day; and Paul preached as such.

This was evident in Jerusalem when the Jews of Asia saw Paul in the temple, laid hands on him, and cried out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law… (Acts 21:28) My son is always quoting Rick Green, Communication: It’s not what you intend, but what the other person perceives. There obviously was a change that Paul was preaching that they perceived to be bad. Paul never said that the law was not valid or made void. And neither do we. But there is a change that is effected in Christ. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (Hebrews 7:12)

The letter to the Galatians deals specifically with Christian going back to Judaism. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. He obviously taught them observing sabbaths was no longer necessary under grace. And that’s all we’re continuing to do today in this present time.

Keep it holy…

So then, if our faith in Christ satisfies and establishes the fourth commandment to Remember the sabbath day, then can you now see what it means to keep it holy?

Paul said to the Ephesians, 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) He asked in Romans, Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27) The law of faith excludes boasting and works from salvation through faith. Therefore, if our faith upholds the remembering of the sabbath, then to keep it holy, works must be excluded. Thou shalt not do any work… (Exodus 20:10)

We keep the sabbath day holy by not frustrating the grace of God. When we don’t trust the grace of God and lean on our own flesh and abilities and righteousness, we desecrate God’s holy sabbath; pollute and defile the rest of God. For us, to observe the sabbath day in the same manner as the Jews did would be to desecrate it. So in a sense, we keep it holy by not keeping it.

In conclusion…

So we do observe the sabbath day; and we do strive to keep it holy. But we fulfill the law in Christ Jesus. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4) A believer is one who has ceased from his labours, has come to the Saviour, and entered into His rest. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us… (Romans 8:3-4) So my point in all this is that we don’t have to make void the law. We don’t have to change the law. We can, however, be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.

Does this not wet your appetite for good bible study? I know that this just barely scratches the surface on the sabbath day, the Lord’s day, law and grace. There’s nothing wrong with questioning what we’ve learned. The Bible can handle it. It can handle us. Them Berean Christians searched the scriptures daily. Preacher Allen always says that meant that they ransacked them. Anyhow, moving on…

Over my cold, dead, political body…

March 8, 2019

These are the words of Republican, Phil Graham, standing against fellow Republicans during the Clinton administration while many of them were capitulating to the notion of government-run healthcare. Cold, dead, political bodies is probably the only thing that this National Emergency is going to create.

The more I consider this move by the President, the more sick I feel to my stomach. I don’t think people see the true nature of what is going on. The Democrats are looking for a joint resolution from Congress to stop the National Emergency. That is at least what they’re saying. But hear me for just a second. This is an orchestrated maneuver by Democrats, RINOs, and Trump to quash conservatives. You don’t believe me? Of course you don’t.

The Establishment (or Deep State or whatever Rush is telling you to call them) is not mad and shaking in their shoes in fear and trying to figure out Trump like some pundits are trying to convince you. They’re either playing Trump or Trump is playing you. They’re all laughing at us right now. They’re toasting their champagne glasses.

Checkmate

If Democrats fail and Republicans win with the joint resolution, what happens? Nothing. If the Democrats succeed and the Republicans fail with the joint resolution, what happens? That’s right. You guessed it. Nothing. Trump just vetos it and we go home. This is the essence of a show-vote. Everybody gets all up and arms and votes, but nothing ever gets done. But you see, they don’t care. Why? Because they already won.

They won when he signed the spending bill

In conjunction with his declaration of a National Emergency, he signed the omnibus spending bill. This bill gave no funds for new wall. It specifically restricted new wall from being built. It expanded catch and release. Reduced the amount of detentions at the border. And it gave immunity to all the MS-13 gang members that claim they sponsoring a UAC. Trump signed the bill. That means he approves of it. I like the way Rand Paul put it very simply.

Congress appropriates money, and his only constitutional recourse, if he does not like the amount they appropriate, is to veto the bill.

It was a very simple matter. But instead of vetoing the bill and making his case to the American people to pressure their legislators to fund the wall (Which would have been super easy to do), he chose to cut a deal with Mitch McConnell and the Deep State.

They won political points with their base

The Democrats through this resolution can effectively prove to their supporters that they are against the wall without actually stopping Trump, even though there’s not much to stop. It’s pretense. They look good. Trump looks bad. This is obviously a setup for 2020. It’s pandering. It’s voting for nothing.

The RINOs are doing the same thing. While they underhandedly take the American people for a ride on their omnibus, everybody is looking the other way because Trump has declared a National Emergency. Oooooo. The Democrats are trying to block it, but the RINOs get to go on record while everybody is looking that they are FOR the wall; all while they’ve never been for it. Win or lose, they get to show everybody that they want to Make America Great Again.

They won because they know the Executive Branch is never gonna a build a 2000 mile wall without them

You have to know and understand that most Republicans legislators are against the wall. They are against Americans. They want what the Democrats want. However, they can vote freely against Democrats because they know it will not have any real bearing on the outcome. The money that Trump plans on reallocating is not enough to build a 2000 mile wall; but only a mere fraction of it.

And it’s ludicrous to think he should be able to. I’m sorry, but that is just not how our government works. That is not how our Constitution works, but rather what it prevents. And these freaks in Congress know that. That’s why McConnell agreed to support the National Emergency. Because it will never establish a wall on the border but it will however establish an unprecedented power grab that every conservative should be against.

They won in demonizing true conservatives

This is probably their greatest victory. The House has already voted on the joint resolution and it passed. There was a handful of Republicans that voted with the Democrats. Some of those were your most dedicated constitutional conservatives in the halls of Congress. And all the MAGA guns are turned on them now. These are the ones that have fought hard against illegal immigration. They’ve been for the wall all along. They voted against all these omnibuses that haven’t funded the wall. But now they’re the enemy? Way to go Trump.

The Senate is due to vote and some Republican Senators that have been champions of our Constitution have come out against the National Emergency. I almost can’t believe the vitriolic hate that is coming from MAGA-maniacs against them. It’s sickening. Where was all that passion on February 15th, when the RINOs voted against the wall and for the Democrat’s omnibus? Now they say they’re for the wall, and every MAGA-maniac is going buy it; lock, stock, and barrel.

The Democrats and RINOs ultimate win will be in 2020 when real conservatives have a hard time getting elected because people are so stupid that they fell for this National Emergency charade. And then where will we be as a nation when the conservative voice in our legislature is quashed?

My hat goes off to the Republican statesmen that have to vote with Democrats on this National Emergency charade because they’re consistent. Working with hypocrites will always make strange bedfellows. They have a lot of guts to invite upon themselves the ire of the MAGA-maniacs. To the conservative Republicans that find a way to ease their conscience in voting against the Democrats resolution, I understand. I guess you got to pick your battles. But to all those Republicans that have sold our country out and now carry out this show-vote with the Democrats, shame on you. One day, I hope you pay for this.

I’m tired of all this winning

Americans? Freedom-loving, Constitution-loving, God-fearing Americans? Hello? We are not winning! They are! They’re at the bar right now toasting their champagne glasses because they’re winning. Just this last month, we had record-breaking 76,000 apprehensions at the border. And what is Trump and Congress doing about it? Nothing. I’m tired of them winning.

 

Estimated Completion Date for Border Wall: 2685 AD

February 28, 2019

Do we need a wall? Absolutely. Do we need it now? Absolutely. Do we have a border crisis? Absolutely. So what’s the problem?

We’ve heard comparisons between Donald Trump and Nehemiah, the quintessential wall-builder from God. Now, Nehemiah actually did build a wall. Trump, on the other hand, hasn’t gotten past Chapter 1, Verse 1. Apparently God has called Trump to build the wall, but unfortunately Paul Ryan has tricked God.

As of February 22, 2019, two years into this man’s presidency, there has been a big fat zero of miles of new wall built. All we got so far is repair and replacement work and it’s not wall. It’s bollard fencing. Now that is pretty tough: steel tube packed with concrete and rebar supposedly. But an oxygen-acetylene torch and a cordless saw with diamond blades for concrete is pretty tough too. They do make ladders in Mexico by the way. Can you picture magnetic repositionable climbing holds? Anyhow, effectiveness of bollard fencing is moot, I suppose. The point is we’ve been given a lot of promises, tweets, and rhetoric, but no wall.

Back in October 26, 2018, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen held a press conference right next to a fence that the Trump administration was touting as the first section of the wall to be completed.

Hurrah! The first transport is away! Well, it was only 2 miles long, and it took 8 months to build. So at that rate… Let’s see? Lets do the math. 2 miles in 8 months? That’s the same as 3 miles in 1 year. 2000 miles divided by 3? That is a whopping 667 years. But if we expedite things and work a little OT, maybe we can get this done in about 500 years? And there’s much reason for hope because Trump just tweeted a few days ago that we are ahead of schedule. Please.

I thought Trump was some divinely appointed wall builder of the likes of Nehemiah as these MAGA-maniacs would have you believe? You want to talk bible? Let’s talk bible. Yes, Nehemiah built a wall. But there was more going on that was far more important than the wall. Listen to his words:

We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. (Nehemiah 1:7)

I’m not even going to address the spiritual state of our nation and our turning from the Word of God. Maybe I should. But our country does have commandments, statutes, and judgements. And these are the areas where we have erred and dealt corruptly.

I hope it’s clear now, two years after we captured the House, Senate, and Presidency all in one, that simply capturing control of all three of these alone is a failed policy. Now we’ve lost the House and almost nothing has been accomplished. And anything that has been accomplished, was done via the Executive Branch and will consequently be undone the second a Democrat takes office; which may be sooner than we think.

In the same interview mentioned above where the Trump Administration boasted about completing 2 miles of FENCE, Kirstjen Nielsen said this:

The big problem is… The way that our system works… We have a very low threshold for what we call the the Initial Credible Fear Interview. We have about 80-90 percent that pass that interview. Once that occurs, they then come into the United States, they’re given a work permit, and they begin to go through the asylum process which involves the judicial system and immigration judges. At the end of that process (We have a 700,000 backlog currently) only 20 percent are determined by a judge to meet the United States statutory requirements for asylum.

So essentially most everybody that comes to the United States’ door and applies for asylum is allowed to walk freely into our country. They catch them. They take them in. They give them the Initial Credible Fear Interview. They pass with flying colors and then disappear into our society. Mind you, the 20 percent that do eventually meet the requirements are of those that actually follow through with the process. Most don’t.

Nielsen said, “The big problem is… The way that our system works…” This is our system of commandments, statutes, and judgments. This is where we are failing. Trump was elected because he promised that he would do something about our borders and illegal immigration. We were warned that electing a life-long liberal Democrat as our Republican nominee was a mistake. We had true principled conservatives on the ballot to choose from. But no. All we heard was MAGA MAGA MAGA. Now look where we’re at.

Why? I’ll give you some more bible, the words of Jesus himself:

These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)

Trump and all the supposed conservatives’ focus was on this wall. He had no plan or a sorry plan to deal with the perversion, corruption, and usurpation of our commandments, statutes, and judgments. To think we could have solved our problems from a purely executive standpoint is not conservative.

We’ll never make meaningful changes in that manner regardless of how tough the candidate claims to be. A tough executive branch with no plan to deal fundamentally with the perversions, corruption, and usurpation in our government is not a win for freedom but indeed a loss. It’s half-time now. We’re not winning. The lack of progress we’ve made, particularly regarding our southern border, is a serious indication that we need another strategy.

So now what? I don’t know about you. But I don’t like being lied to. Don’t tell me that we’re winning when we’re not. Don’t sign legislation that restricts building of new wall, expands catch and release, and gives amnesty to criminals; and then turn around the same day and tell me there’s a national emergency to build a wall. Shut up!

Where do you go from here? If the Trump train is going nowhere, then where and how do we get off of this thing? There’s a lot of MAGA-maniacs out there that will not hesitate to call you a liberal, or un-patriotic, or all manner of vitriolic nonsense if you dare question all this winning that we’re getting so tired of. Do we have to support this President no matter what?

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. (Exodus 17:11-12)

I know Trump is no Moses. But I don’t see any reason to stay up Trump’s hands if there just isn’t any prevailing going on, or winning. If there was maybe just a flicker of light at the end of this tunnel, then maybe I’d consider giving him the benefit of the doubt. But 2 miles of fence in 2 years is not going to cut it. Illegal immigrants still just walking into our country unabated is not going to work. I want my money back.

Please read my other article on this matter Illegal Immigration, The #1 Reason Trump was Elected.

Illegal Immigration, The #1 Reason Trump was Elected.

February 17, 2019

This is Rush Limbaugh’s take on the omnibus that Trump signed:

The attempt in this budget deal is to send a message to you Trump voters that it’s worthless voting for him, that it is a waste of time supporting him, because they are demonstrating that he can’t get anything.

I quit listening to Rush two years ago because of how he handled the election. I tuned in recently just to see where he was at. He’s still carrying Trump’s water. He sure does fancy work. Read it again and think about this for just a moment. The Democrats and the RINOs do not need to craft legislation to demonstrate anything. The record is clear even before omnibus deal was made. As far as immigration reform goes, the number one reason Trump was elected, the most important issue in 2016, Trump has successfully demonstrated himself to be a loser.

Loser on Sanctuary Cities

The only two most significant legislative attempts to do something about this was done in the 115th 2017-18 session: H.R.3003 – No Sanctuary for Criminals Act and H.R.3004 – Kate’s Law. Kate’s Law tried to levy stiffer penalties on criminals that re-entered the country but both bills denied cities that harbored criminal federals dollars. Both of these bills passed in the House on June 29, 2017 and were received July 10, 2017 by the Senate and allowed to die.

Jan 25, 2017 Trump issued Executive Order 13768 that threatened to pull federal immigration funds from cities that did not comply with federal immigration law. Long story short, it was stopped by injunction in April and on November 20, 2017 US District Judge William Orrick ruled the Trump move unconstitutional.

Most sane people are fine with the concept of punishing jurisdictions that don’t want to comply with the law and prosecute, punish, or deport illegals. They should not get federal immigration money if you don’t comply with the law. That’s not up for debate.

What we see though is a pattern emerging. And it’s not winning. It’s losing. Trump acts on his own through executive order and gets shut down by the courts. He lets the Legislatures give a stab at it and what happens? Failed again. This is a demonstration that Trump is not able to work within the system to get the job done.

You can blame Mitch all you want, but that is not how it works. Trump is the leader. He must carry the blame. Everybody knew he was going to have to deal with old Mitch when we voted him in. He said he would deliver on the deal and he didn’t. He said we’d win, win, win. But as far as sanctuary cities are concerned, we’ve lost, lost, lost. He had House and Senate and didn’t deliver.

Loser on Catch and Release

When Trump was campaigning he made immigration reforms his number one campaign promise. This is what he said on August 31, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona:

We are going to end catch and release… Under my administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country and back to the country from which they came.

Catch and release has not ended. Granted the tough talk at the beginning of his Presidency did curb the amount of catches and subsequently the amount of releases. But five months after the administration took the reins, ICE field offices had yet to receive any new directions and were still releasing at their discretion as they always have been.

Fast forward to April of 2018. Trump issues a memorandum to his administration regarding catch and release. A number of things about this should be considered. Under Section 1. Purpose:

The backlog of immigration-related cases in our administrative system is alarmingly large and has hindered the expeditious adjudication of outstanding cases. Border-security and immigration enforcement personnel shortages have become critical.

How is this still a problem? He’s had two years. He said he was going to appoint more judges. He was going to triple ICE deportation officers. He was going to hire 5000 more border patrol agents. So what happened is one of two things. You can decide which. He either failed to enact his plan or his plan has failed. Either way, he has failed and this memorandum sounds as if we are still at square one. And this time without the House and less than two years left.

Listen to this wonderful plan to make America great again given a year and a half into his Presidency :

Within 45 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit a report to the President detailing all measures that their respective departments have pursued or are pursuing to expeditiously end “catch and release” practices. 

This, my dear reader, is a memorandum from a man without a plan. Here’s more:

Within 75 days of the date of this memorandum, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit a report to the President identifying any additional resources or authorities that may be needed to expeditiously end “catch and release” practices.

So the memorandum declares clearly that catch and release has not been terminated and he has no real plan to end it. Win! Win! Win!

Loser on DACA

Perhaps this one should have been the easiest to get rid of. After all it was just recently created by that last President by simply wielding his pen and making a few phone calls, right? Wrong.

DACA stand for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Talk about deferred action! That’s a perfect description for how Trump is handling this one. He deferred all the way to September of 2017 to announce plans to phase out DACA. And mind you announcing that you have a plan does not mean that you actually have one.

And that was evident because the plan was apparently to wait another six months so Congress can have a chance grant amnesty to the Dreamers. Yes. You heard that right. Trump’s plan was to do nothing about DACA so that Congress can give amnesty to 800,000 illegal aliens. That was the winning plan.

He even issued a warning that DACA recipients were out of time and to prepare for deportation. It was all nonsense. Congress did nothing as usual. Here’s the latest from an article DACA Is Still in Effect as It Heads to Supreme Court on November 13, 2018:

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stinging rebuke to President Trump’s ongoing efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative last week, unanimously upholding a lower court injunction which had blocked the Trump administration from ending the program.

So I suppose instead of winning we must settle for more deferred action until Spring at the earliest.

More losing

And now, the latest 1169-page business-as-usual spending omnibus? The one that your representatives had only 12 hours to review and still voted for? Can we have just maybe a little winning this time? No. Nothing. Citizens who want borders and control over immigration and to preserve the country we love get absolutely nothing. Nothing but more losing. From Conservative Review, this:

Trump is permitted to construct just 55 miles of border fencing and is only allowed to build these physical barriers in the Rio Grande Valley.

The president is also prohibited from building barriers in strategic locations where fencing is needed.

The federal government is required to consult with local governments, which must approve of any plans for wall construction.

So, he signs this mess, effectively crippling his so-called efforts to build the wall and solve our immigration problem. And if that’s not enough winning, get a load of this:

Perhaps the worst aspect of this law is a section that will grant de facto amnesty to illegal immigrants. Section 224(a) prohibits the deportation of anyone who is sponsoring an “unaccompanied” minor illegal alien – or who says they might sponsor a UAC, or lives in a household with a UAC, or a household that potentially might sponsor a UAC. This part of the border deal uses migrant children to shield these illegal aliens from deportation, granting effective amnesty to an untold number of illegal immigrants and inviting human traffickers to smuggle children to the border and engage in immigration fraud to stay in the United States.

Is that enough winning? There’s more:

The legislation also contains a cap on ICE’s detention capacity, expands catch-and-release, and a raises pay for federal workers without spending offsets. 

What’s even more incredible than the fact the Deal-maker signed this anti-American filth that has come from the cesspool of Congress is that the MAGA-maniacs are still praising him instead of questioning him. They sincerely believe that they’re winning.

Build the Wall!

So go ahead and keep beating that drum. Everybody but Trump is to blame. He’s the newbie. He didn’t understand the system. Paul Ryan tricked him. Poor little baby Trumpy. It’s okay little baby. You tried. You still get a little baby ribbon for trying.

And No. No new wall has been constructed. Old walls have been replaced with new structures. That’s hardly a win. He’s not the deal-maker. He is the deal-breaker. He has failed to deliver on any of the promises he made regarding immigration thus far. What makes you think he’s gonna win on the wall?

Romans 6:12-13 Let vs Yield

November 30, 2018

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (Romans 6:12) Regarding this verse, I had recently come to a bible truth which can be stated as simply this: We, as Christians, cannot let grace reign in the same manner that we can let sin reign. In other words, it’s not in our power to choose who is king. Either sin is king or grace is king. If grace is king, then grace reigns. If sin is king, then sin reigns. A choice to let sin reign reveals the truth of sin’s power over the child of God; in that is has no power. It reigns only because we let it. But if grace truly reigns, then it is not a matter of our choice like it is with sin. We cannot let grace reign. With grace, that choice is not before us. But with sin, it is.

However, the next verse poses a slight problem to what I thought was a simple truth. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:13) In this verse, it seems that we indeed do have a choice on both sides of the matter. And we do. But after looking carefully at this, I see now that it is two different matters to which these two verses deal with. And the previous truth remains unharmed and unaltered.

Verse 12 deals with the question of Who is King? And verse 13 deals with the question of Whom shall you serve? Verse 12 addresses the sovereignty of the King. While Verse 13 addresses the servanthood of his subjects. We cannot actiively choose for grace to reign. That choice was made the moment we got saved. We don’t keep choosing that to be so. It’s just so. But we can however choose who or what we shall yield to; the true and rightful King or that which has been dethroned and defeated.

I heard a preacher say the other day that this republic of the United States of America is the only form of government on earth that God has sanctioned. I think not. I do however remember an older preacher say this: There’s only one government that God sanctions. And that is the kingdom. And when the King comes, he’ll bring the kingdom. I always thought that was pretty good. Say amen right there. Nationalism without God makes an abomination before God.

I’m glad we don’t have to reelect grace to reign every four years, nor every day for that matter. When you get saved there’s no question, neither will there ever be a question, as to who the King is. The question before us is not Who shall be your King? But Who is your King? Thank God I’m not under the law, but under grace. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:18) Like a sore-losing politician, sin does not go gently into that goodnight and is slow to relinquish what it has no hold on. How much more does grace abound? How much more does grace reign in the life of the believer? Grace is going nowhere and grace will never let go.