We Trivialize God.and Justified Sin.

Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Events or expressions that I witness or overheard on a day to day base often causes me to reminisce of my days growing up in a Christian environment.  My parent would often chastise or punish me for what was described as taking the name of the Lord in vain.  A slip of the tongue outside of the home was also known to bring on a slap upside the head by any offended Christian adult.  The rules have changed in today's pessimistic society.  The Holy name of God is referenced in all types of endeavors.  

In the midst of my Bible study last week, I asked a rhetorical question.  "Do we really believe in God"?  The question was asked to bring about a personal assessment of our belief system.  Can a generation that has defined Santa Claus as the figment of old folks imagination really believe in a metaphysical  God? What happen to this nation, a nation that was founded upon a strong belief in God?  A nation whose workers and framers spent so much time invoking the blessing of the immortal deity seems to have lost it way.  Somewhere along the road of deciding what to believe and the freedom to believe, the foundation of our belief structure has become shaken.  The sacredness of the Holy Scripture is constantly being called into question and is constantly being re-interpreted and the God of our salvation is been reinvented.   

Compared to the bygone days, the God of today is an alien entity.  The God who once was hailed as the destroyer of nations, a God whose fierce anger was extolled in the Old Testament is now presented as  a God of favors.  Even the church has dumbed down  the rhetoric of it founding Apostle and the message of the cross is considered hate speech.  According to the watered down messages emulating from many pulpits, the masses are more attracted to a message of favors rather than a message of salvation.  The focus of many churches seems to have entered a state of apostasy.  The mission is bringing souls into the church to improve the financial bottom line and enhance personal status, rather than soul saving.

The trivialization of God begins at that point where the justification of sin becomes a necessity and reality.  To promote a new agenda, it became necessary to declassify God as the supreme ruler and allow humanity to function as the controller of his own destiny, a position that John described as the spirit of antichrist.  That which now can be justified is no longer evil, it become a point of understanding between the seeker of justification and its personal idea of God.  According to the pious prelate, the God of today simply wants his creation to be happy. It seems as if humanity has recreated God in the image of man. Proverbs 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  

The Facebook post said,  “I saw over 700 miracles while praying.  To you reading this with faith, there is a miracle from God in your life this week.  The Lord said your problem is over.  To every hand that will share this testimony and type ‘Amen’ with faith, a miracle has been assigned to you in Jesus name.”  I often wonder, is it just me or is there others who feel like me.  Though subtle in nature, the ‘somebody’ card is being played.  This seems to be an overt act of showmanship, design to promote one's personal status and fame and has nothing to do with the true promise or message of God.   

The age of miracles is upon us and there is a search high and low for that scripture that says a miracle is coming your way. 


These types of postings are reminiscent of the bygone days when a minister or prophet would stand before a group of people and scream, “the Lord says, there is somebody in here with a headache, God says come up here and get your healing.   This always worked in a crowd of a few, until the younger generation began to question these antics and began to wake up.  Once a church lady prolonged the service thirty minutes communing with God, when it was over the message received was, "Somebody is going to die, let's pray that God rebuke the hand of death."  Well, the truth is somebody did die and she was hailed a prophet.  Once a person is proclaimed a prophet, there is no limit nor shame to the type of prophecies that will be made in the name of God. 

Mark 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

There is a type of church folks gullibility that is preyed upon by the unscrupulous, those who are seeking to make a name for themselves.  The snake oil salesman mentality, the Jim Jones approach to Christianity, the doctrine of Rev Ike is still flourishing. There also appears to be an element of play-acting.  It is also equivalent to the preacher who constantly urge you to shout 'Amen' throughout the message or The overuse of the phrase "touch your neighbor."  A proven method of subtle indoctrination, designed to foster a relationship between the speaker and the hearer. This is an act that many find distracting and somewhat distasteful but are ashamed to admit it.   

Another post said, “Money will come your way this week.  Type Amen and Share.  Another said, Type Amen if you believe Jesus can heal you.  Now, what truly indoctrinated Christian would not believe Jesus “can” heal?  The list was short compared to those who responded to the offer of money.  

When reading the Facebook post of the sometimes famous and the not so famous people promising  instant money in my bank account. Typing the word "Amen" is the key to unlocking the windows of Heaven and allowing blessing and healing to flow.  Have we become a people who approach our God on a day to day base, with outstretched hands, begging for a blessing.  Many are not impressed by those who use fancy titles to misinterpret the scripture and teach the doctrines and commandments of men.

A Proper Perspective, (Part #2)

Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #2)

Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #1)

The Thessalonicaian were an unruly bunch, like many of us today, when they heard Paul and Silas teach the scripture from a different perspective.   Rather than studying the scripture, they sought to attack the messengers.  Paul and Silas escaped by night and took their message to Berea.  Acts 17:11   These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. The Scriptures should be examined daily. If we wish to arrive at the truth, the scripture should be the object of constant study. There is little reason to expect that a person will grow in knowledge and grace, if that person does not read carefully, with sincerity and with prayer, a portion of the Bible every day.  2^nd Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Like many my age, I grew up in an age when young people were required to go to church and attend Bible study.  Bible study often became a platform of indoctrination and emotionalizing, rather than searching for answers.   In Bible study, we were often taught Matthew 7:7, Jesus said, “Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be open to you”.  Now, on the surface without considering the contextual nature of these statements, this seems to be a blank check.  Generations grew up with the focus on all types of trivial things rather than the Kingdom of God.  When that unspeakable doubt began to creep in because it seems as if God was not fulfilling our prayer request, we were told that God may not come when we want him to come but he is always on time.   There is truth in this statement and this was enough to keep many of us going as we struggled to believe that God was going to answer our requests.  Then a strange thing began to happen, we began to trivialize the works of God, this caused an increasingly large number of souls to fall by the wayside.  The problems began to manifest themselves when God refused to be bullied into action thru loud and boastful prayer.  It can be augured  that because of a failure to understand the Word of God the believability of God has suffered.

The Hebrew and Greek languages as with other languages does not allow for a smooth translation to the English language.  A literal translation, especially when it comes to the words and teaching of Jesus is not always possible.  Understanding the numerology, symbology and phraseology used in the Hebrew and Greek language are necessary to  unlocking and understanding the scripture.  If your brother smites you on one cheek, turn the other, do this mean, if someone hit you stand there and let him to hit you again?  The interpretation becomes clear when we continue to read the teaching of Jesus, it simply mean, do good to those who do you wrong.  There were those who walked away from the teaching of Jesus because of a lack of understanding when he said, “you must drink my blood and eat my flesh.”  

Another important aspect of understanding the word of God is the context.  The context is that part of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect: Misinterpretations are caused when we take spoken or written words out of their original context and present them as the complete message. The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, based upon who is talking, who is being spoken to and what is the subject matter determines the context.  Failure to apply these rules will cause the scripture to be misinterpreted and misapplied.  My brother who raises cows, once ask me to stand in the gate and only let the female cows pass.  Did my brother just offer me a lifetime job or was it something that just needed to be done at that moment.

A literal interpretation of the scripture will often place the Bible student in an untenable position and force the injection of interpretations based upon doctrinal or personal beliefs.  Theological syncretism will creep in as we began to read the Bible through the lens of our denomination, organization, ministry strategy.  This type of interpretation is the basis of  the divisions within the household of faith.  To be true to the Word of God, we should not try to explain away certain thing God said and accept others.   If  we strive to understand the language of the Bible and allow the Bible to speak in its true form, we will not have problems with understanding and  accepting what God said.  If we consider the book to be a perfect book, then it words and interpretation should flow in a perfect manner.  For the Bible story to flow in perfect order we must be rightly divided the word of truth into ages and dispensations.  This is something we will discuss later.  The point that I am trying to make is when Jesus said, “Drink my blood, and eat my flesh”, “If thy right eye offend the pluck it out” “Ask and it shall be given” the perspective and context of these statements is a spiritual.  We should embrace the “spirituality” of Jesus messages and study to understand the signification of his speech.  When asked the question about the disciples washing their hands before eating, he said, “It is not what goes into the body that defiles it, it is what come out”.  The natural question was given a spiritual answer. 

When there is a question about what we should do, or should not do,  this scripture is often quoted.   Matthew 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  It is backed up by a similar  quote from Luke 4:4  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.   Matthew and Luke are recounting, though somewhat different in wording, of an encounter that Jesus had with the Devil.  Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.  A close examination of these verses seems to indicate a present and future commitment to living by the Word of God.  What does it mean to live by every word of God?  This is a question that you should strive to answer.

Does the ideology of living by every word that proceeded out of the Mouth of God mean we must literal obey commands given to Abraham, Moses or the ancient patriots?   God seems to have put everything in the proper perspective when Peter wanted to build a tabernacle for Moses and Elisha so they could listen to the teaching of these great leaders.  God became angry and said, “This is my beloved son, hear him.”

The problems manifest themselves when we try to take what God said to Moses and the prophets and apply it to the church.  There is a great lesson to be learned from reading how God dealt with the children of Israel.  To use this verse to justify teaching the law is in error if we say to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God indicate that we must live in according with the laws given to the Children of Israel.   As much as we try and teach it, we do not live according to the Law of Moses.  Paul stated Galatians 3:24 wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  To justify our inability to live under the Law we split the Law of Moses up into groups.  There are the moral law and the ceremonial law.  Now we have the grounds for debate, disagreement and confusion.

Let's use the Sabbath, as an example of how Jesus kept the law.  Let’s read: Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”  On one extreme we have one standing in the Pulpit on a Sunday, saying we are to keep the commandants which is a point of confusion, and another condemn a host of people to Hell because they don’t keep the Sabbath.   There is a third group who leaves the assemblies wondering why Jesus died.

Now, God gave this command in Exodus 20:10, “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shall 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.”  Jesus said in Matthew 12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  The pious attitude of the self-righteous was voiced by John, 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, how can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.  This division exists even today.

Paul joined the fray in Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:

2^nd Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  The Word of God is to be divided into ages and dispensations.

2 Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #1)

A Proper Perspective (Part #1)

Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #1)
Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #2)

Mark 8:22-25  And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring a blind man unto him and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored and saw every man clearly.

Not long ago while walking through the woods on the way back from one of my favorite fishing spots, I took a picture, of nothing more than a peaceful wooded scene.  Uploading the picture to my social media page I caption it with, “Can you see the bear?”  The varied response was surprising, and I divided them into groups.  There were those who could see the bear, those who did not see the bear, and another group who spread rumors saying, “I saw a bear in the woods”.  The fourth group was the most intimidating, in that it suggested that I should lay off the hard liquor while walking in the woods.  The result of the study became more embarrassing when some of my friends insisted on organizing a bear hunt.  This experiment proved that our perception is often clouded by our perspective.  In many of Jesus messages he referenced this flawed condition of humanity as such:  Mark 8:18 having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

                                                  

The theme of this seminar, “Understands the Word of God”, it is not based upon the proclamation of a new doctrine, nor is it an attempt to confirm or enforce a new set of rules governing the interpretation of the scriptural.  This lecture series s designed to pose questions.  We will pose more questions than answers, the same as Jesus did during his ministry.  In the Hebrew Bible, Jesus asked at least 183 questions, compared to the more than 307 questions he was asked.  He only gave a direct answer to three.  Jesus often formulated his response to questions in such a manner that the person asking the question was forced to provide the answer.  Questions are an important asset to teaching and learning.  It is through the entertainment of questions that our perception will be sharpened, and the mind is able to adjust its perspective and gain a deeper insight into the knowledge of God. This lecture and the ones that follow is a process of searching for answers.  The answer for many of the questions that we will pose is necessary to reaffirm the faith of the emerging generation. A generation who maintains the frameworks and vocabulary of Christianity while having lost touch with their substance. 

Understanding The Word of God will allow us to adjust our vantage point, it will enable us to address many of the flawed facets of religious ideology.  The world has embraced a new and permissive order; the scriptures are quickly discarded as clichés without substance and the irrelevant rants of ambiguous church folks.  Christianity once was heralded as the true religion and protected by the Western world, it is now being offered up on the altar of political correctness.  The detractors are presenting it as a failed religion while many of our religious leaders glory in worldly excesses.   Through these lectures or classes, we intend to reaffirm the ideology that the journey is spiritual and the message is the Word of God; it is not about the art of preaching and addressing the emotional and motivational aspects of humanity.  It is not about coming to church and standing in line waiting for God to hand out a blessing.  The message is the same one that was preached by Jesus and his disciples, it is a call to the world to repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Over the course of this event, we will conduct a number of discussions.  In this venue in order for a Bible discussion to be believable the foundation of that discussion must rest upon several principles, among them are perspective and context.  The context and perspective began at the point of interpretation.  If this is true, then we must guard against a subtle form of syncretism.  Syncretism is defined as the tendency to read the Bible through the lens of our denomination, organization or ministry strategy.  When the interpretation of the scripture is based upon our personal views or perspective we take a chance on missing out on much of what God reveals in the scripture.   Theological syncretism is a form of spiritual suicide,

For a deeper understanding of the Word of God, a prayer for God to open our eyes must be at the forefront of our endeavor.  God’s perspective is from one vantage point, man’s perspective is from many different vantage points.  It is, therefore, easy for a man with a slight influence from that old devil to see things different from God.   Mark gives us a startling example of Jesus adjusting the perspective of the once blind man.  Mark 8:23-25  And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. (Remember the picture.  “Can you see the bear?)  After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.  What stands out in this scripture is, Jesus touched the man and he was healed, but he did not see clearly.  Being touched by the Savior and viewing life from the proper perspective was a two-step process.

There are guidelines for establishing perspective and context, and they are based upon who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and what is the subject matter.  There are three major groups addressed in the Bible, the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church. Paul referenced these three separate entities in 1^st Corinthians 10:32, “Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”  To preclude an argument within the mind of many, the Jews and Gentiles are earthly people, the church is a spiritual body, and as Paul stated in 1^st Corinthians 12:13,  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  Paul is addressing the spiritual makeup of the church, not the earthly makeup of a person.

What is perspective?  Perspective is defined as a particular attitude toward our way of regarding something; in essence, it is a point of view.  If the perspective is a point of view, then it can vary from person to person.  No doubt the blind man whom we discussed earlier saw men as trees walking based his assessment upon the knowledge he had received as a blind man.    Perspectives can be clouded by indoctrinated beliefs, whether they be true or false.  Perspectives can be based upon what we want to believe and not what is.  Solomon addressed the issue in Proverbs 16:25, he said, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.”  Solomon had previously stated in Proverbs 12:15 that, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel, is wise.”  A simple conclusion by examining these two verses is, there is a proper or true perspective and there is a false perspective. 

A professional photographer will spend valuable time adjusting and repositioning his camera in search of the proper perspective as pertaining to its subject.   Even after the photograph is processed, it is subjected to critical review.  This review sometimes results in the photos being discarded and a new photo shoot scheduled. This does not detract from the expertise or professionalism of the photographer. In the world of professional photography there is a constant search for the proper perspective of static objects, thus highlighting and signify the difference between a snapshot and a photograph.

 Lets view a common scripture from different perspectives.  When I was a small child I saw a picture of Jesus standing at a door knocking.  The caption for the picture was Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.   Most, if not all of us have seen that picture and the image is burned into our memory.  Sermons and Bible studies are often presented, emphasizing Jesus at the door knocking.    Would the message be the same if it was viewed from a different perspective,  let's take a closer look at two of them. Perspective (1). We see Jesus standing at the door and depending upon our proximity to him, we might be able to hear him knocking and pleading.  In order to see and hear what Jesus is doing, we must get as close to Jesus as we can.  Therefore, we are now in the same position Jesus is in, and the message is not to us because we are outside of the room.  Our perspective will not allow us to act upon the message, rather it has allowed us to become a projector of the message, rather than a receiver of the message.  With all of the smugness of a saint of God, we can now proclaim, “Jesus is standing at the door knocking, will you please let him in.”  To some this might seem as it is an extreme analogy, but remember the bear that did not exist.  We must be careful that the view from the outside does not cause us to strive for a position equal to that of Christ as Lords of his church.

Perspective (2) We are inside of a room and we hear this knocking on the door.  We hear the voice saying, “let me in”.   To act upon the request of Jesus, you must be in the room.  Jesus said, “if any man hears my voice and open the door.” He did not say hear me knocking, which was an act to get the attention of those in the room.  He said, “hear my voice”.  The message was a call to action.  The uses of the term, “any man” makes this a message to the individual, a personal message. The message contained within this verse was never about seeing Jesus standing at the door, it was about hearing the Word of God on an individual level and opening the door.  To spiritualize this, if you cannot hear Jesus knocking at the door of your Heart, then you must be in the wrong place.  The message of the Word of God in Revelation 3:20 and even from the beginning of time has always been, “If you do this, this is what I will do.”

Bible Seminar, Lesson 1  (Part #2)

A Call For Unity

Acts 4:31  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Acts 4:33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Acts 4:34  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Acts 4:35  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4:36  And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Acts 4:37  Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Unity is being together or at one with someone or something. It's the opposite of being divided.

What Is Unity

This is a word for togetherness or oneness. When a group of people act as one and are, as we would say today, “on the same page”, they're displaying unity. Unity and love are two entities of a spiritual nature that defines the moral high ground of humanity.  Yet, they are often spoken of in a cavalier manner as if they are easily obtained and maintained.   The opposite is often true.  When people are bickering and disorganized, there's no unity.   In many  families, group settings or causes, unity can be hard to find and maintain. 

The war between the states was supposed to be a means of bringing about unity between the states.   As we know this was far from the truth.  In ideology and concept, the United States might have become a unified body, but a deeper and darker hatred was born.  In today's society, unity is suffering on the altar of political correctness, our leaders have chosen a path of division.  In the name of good our churches, communities, the nation and the world is suffering an expanding divide that is terminal in nature.   Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 12:25, he said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:”

What Is The First Step Of Obtaining Unity?

Verse 31. And when they had prayed. The event which followed their prayer was regarded by them as an evidence that God heard their prayer.  We must conclude that prayer was the first step to obtaining unity  among the brethren.  Thus, without prayer and God's intervention, even war cannot bring about unity.  The place was shaken. The word which is translated "was shaken," commonly denotes violent agitation, as the raging of the sea, the convulsion of an earthquake, or trees shaken by the wind, Matthews 11:7; Acts 16:26; Hebrew 12:26. The language here is fitted to express the idea of an earthquake. Whether the motion was confined to the house where they were, is not said. They regarded this as an answer to their prayer, or as an evidence that God would be with them,

Verse 32. And the multitude. The number of believers at this time had become huge. In Acts 4:4, it is said that it was five thousand; and the number was constantly increasing.  They existed with one heart. This expression denotes a tender union. They felt alike or were attached to the same things, and this preserved them from dissensions.

One soul. This phrase also denotes close and tender union. No expression could denote it more striking than to say of friends, they have one soul. Plutarch cites an ancient verse in his life of Cato of Utica, with this very expression, "Two friends, one soul." (Grotius.) Thus Diogenes Laertius also (5 i. 11) says respecting Aristotle, that "being asked what was a friend, answered, that it was one soul dwelling in two bodies." (Kuin”el.) The Hebrews spoke of two friends as being "one man." There can be no more striking demonstration of union and love than to say of more than five thousand suddenly drawn together, that they had one soul! And this union they evinced in every way possible; in their conduct, in their prayers, and in their property. How different would have been the aspect of the church if the union had continued to the present time!

Verse 33. And with great power. See Ac 1:8. The word power here denotes efficacy and means that they had ability given them to bear witness of the resurrection of the Saviour. It refers, therefore, rather to their preaching than to their miracles. 

Gave the apostles witness, etc. The apostles bore testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This was the main point to be established. If it was proved that the Lord Jesus came to life again after having been put to death, it established all that he taught and was a demonstration that he was sent from God. They exerted, therefore, all their powers to prove this; and their success was such as might have been expected. Multitudes were converted to the Christian faith.

And great grace, etc. The word grace means favor. And the expression here may mean either that the favor of God was remarkably shown to them, or that they had great favor in the sight of the people. It does not refer, as the expression now commonly used, to the internal blessings of religion on a man's own soul; to their personal advancement in the Christian graces of humility, etc.; but to the favor or success that attended their preaching. The meaning probably is, that the favor of the people towards them was great; or that great success attended their ministry among them. Thus the same word grace (Greek) is used in Acts 2:47. If this is its meaning, then here is an instance of the power of the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to impress the minds of men. But this is not all, nor probably is it the main idea. It is that their union, their benevolence, their liberality in supplying the wants of the needy, was a means of opening the hearts of the people, and of winning them to the Saviour. If we wish to include others to our opinions or to bring them to be Christians, nothing is better adapted to it than to show them kindness, and even to minister to their temporal wants. Benevolence towards them softens the heart and inclines them to listen to us. It disarms their prejudices and disposes them to the exercise of the mild and amiable feelings of religion.

Hence our Saviour was engaged in healing the diseases, and supplying the wants of the people. He drew around him the poor, the needy, and the diseased, and supplied their necessities, and thus prepared them to receive his message of truth. Thus God is love and is constantly doing good, that his goodness may lead men to repentance, Romans 2:4. And hence no persons have better opportunities to spread the true sentiments of religion or are clothed with higher responsibilities, than those who have it in their power to do better; or than those who are habitually engaged in bestowing favors. Thus, physicians have access to the hearts of men, which other persons have not. Thus, parents have an easy access to the minds of children, for they are constantly doing them good. And thus, Sunday-school teachers, whose whole work is a work of benevolence, have direct and most efficient access to the hearts of the men women and children committed to their care.

Verse 34. That lacked. That was in want; or whose wants were not supplied by the others. As many as, etc. The word used here is employed in a large, indefinite sense; but it would be improper to press it so as to suppose that every individual that became a Christian sold at once all his property. The sense, doubtless is, that this was done when it was necessary; they parted with whatever property was needful to supply the wants of their poor brethren. That it was by no means considered a matter of obligation, or enjoined by the apostles, is apparent from the case of Ananias, Acts 5:4. The fact that Joses is particularly mentioned, Acts 4:36, shows that it was by no means a universal practice thus to part with all their possessions. He was one instance in which it was done. Perhaps there were many other similar instances; but all that the passage requires us to believe is, that they parted with whatever was needful to supply the wants of the poor. This was an eminent and an instructive instance of Christian liberality, and of the power of the gospel in overcoming one of the strongest passions that ever exist in the human bosom--the love of money. Many of the early Christians were poor. They were collected from the lower orders of the people. But all were not so. Some of them, it seems, were men of affluence. The effect of religion was to bring them all, in regard to feeling at least, on a level. They felt that they were members of one family; belonging to the same Redeemer, and they, therefore, imparted their property cheerfully to their brethren. Besides this, they were about to go to other lands to preach the gospel. They were to leave their native country; and they cheerfully parted with their lands, that they might go and proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Verse 35. And laid them down, etc. That is, they committed the money received for their property to the disposal of the apostles, to distribute it as was necessary among the poor. This soon became a burdensome and inconvenient office, and they, therefore, appointed men who had especial charge of it, Acts 6:1-2,

Verse 36. And Joses. Many manuscripts, instead of Joses, here read Joseph. The reasons why this individual is selected and specified particularly were, doubtless, because he was a foreigner; because it was a remarkable instance of liberality; and because he subsequently distinguished himself in the work of the ministry. He gave himself, his property, his all, for the service of the Lord Jesus, and went forth to the self-denying labors of the gospel. He is elsewhere mentioned with honor in the New Testament, Acts 11:24,30; and usually as the companion of the apostle Paul. The occasion on which he became connected with Paul in the ministry was when he himself was sent forth by the church at Jerusalem to Antioch. There, it seems, he heard of the fame of Paul, and went to Tarsus to seek him, and brought him with him to Antioch, Acts 11:22-26. Before this, he had been acquainted with him, and had introduced him to the other apostles at a time when they were afraid of Paul and unwilling to acknowledge him as an apostle, Acts 9:26-27. At Antioch, Barnabas was led into dissimulation, by Peter in regard to the Gentiles, and was reproved by his friend and companion Paul, Ga 2:13. He and Paul continued to travel in fellowship until a dispute arose at Antioch about Mark; and they separated, Paul goes with Silas through Syria and Cilicia, and Barnabas with Mark sailing for his native place, Cyprus, Acts 15:35-41.

v32-37 The disciples loved one another. This was the blessed fruit of Christ's dying precept to his disciples and his dying prayer for them. Thus, it was then, and it will be so again when the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high. The doctrine preached was the resurrection of Christ; a matter of fact, which being duly explained, was a summary of all the duties, privileges, and comforts of Christians. There were evident fruits of Christ's grace in everything they said and did. They were dead to this world. This was a great evidence of the grace of God in them. They did not take away others' property, but they were indifferent to it. They did not call it their own; because they had, in love, forsaken all for Christ, and were expecting to be stripped of all for cleaving to him. No marvel that they were of one heart and soul when they sat so close to the wealth of this world. In effect, they had all things common; for there was not any among them who lacked, care was taken for their supply. The money was laid at the apostles' feet. Great care should be taken in the distribution of public charity, that it is given to such as have need, such as are not able to procure a maintenance for themselves; those who are reduced to want for well-doing, and for the testimony of a good conscience, ought to be provided for. Here is one in particular mentioned, remarkable for this generous charity; it was Barnabas. As one designed to be a preacher of the gospel, he disentangled himself from the affairs of this life. When such dispositions prevail and are exercised according to the circumstances of the times, the testimony will have very great power upon others.

Return To God's Word

Return To God's Word

To fully understand the background of this lesson it is necessary to read and understand the entire book of Nehemiah.   Nehemiah was the Persian king's cup-bearer.  When Nehemiah lived at ease, and in honor in the King’s house, but he did not forget that he was an Israelite and that his brethren was in distress.   This was an attribute of his training.  Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The scripture tells us that Nehemiah inquired of the condition of his brethren.  Nehemiah 1:3-4  And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,  Not only did he inquire of the condition of his people, he was willing to leave his comfort zone.

The interesting aspect of Nehemiah’s plan that was put into motion was that it required the blessings of the heathen King.  The exiled Israelites returning to Jerusalem needed God’s word to prepare them for the re-establishment of their nation. Led by Nehemiah, their first task was to rebuild the city wall.  This plan, although it was approved by God and the ruling king, it was not readily accepted by all of the people.  Nehemiah 2:19  But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?   Persevering through tremendous conflict and ridicule, the people were encouraged to work, they completed the wall in only 52 days. After that, Nehemiah organized the allocation of the dwelling places back to the returning exiles based on genealogical records. They resettled their towns and then looked forward to rebuilding their culture.

What Really Caused The Downward Spiral?

The scripture background highlights a subdued nation or community  in distress.   Their suffering was attributed to the fact they had turned away from the Word of God, the people had become complacent  as pertaining to the worship and  observance of  the laws of God.   This self-righteous attitude of many was was because of their lack of understanding of God’s word  which created a lack of fear of God.   Ezra, the priest, knew that leading the people to return to the priority of God’s word in their lives was essential to the Israelites’ regaining their identity as God’s chosen ones.  He put out the call and all the people gathered in the square in front of the Water Gate to hear the Law of Moses read.   This was something that had long been cast aside. The reading of the law of Moses was to restore the fear of God within  the heart of the people.  Deuteronomy 5:29  O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!  The fear of God is a phrase that modern society tends to shy away from.  The reason being is that if the fear of God is taught, people would run from God.  This statement is merely a diversion of the truth.

The elimination of the fear of God in this country is symbolized by the Supreme court ruling in 1963, as pertaining to prayer in our schools.  This ruling, although denied by many led to a dramatic increase in crime, venereal disease, premarital sex, illiteracy, suicide, drug use, public corruption, and other social ills. This is documented by Specialty Research Associates, under the direction of David Barton, that has released a report entitled America: To Pray or Not to Pray.  

It is not hard to see the benefits that a nation, a society, or a person would derive if they chose to live by the Word of God.  In our modernist and pessimist society, Statistics indicates that our kids are more sexualized now than ever and that 70% of kids will have sex before graduating high school!   A new report says that 45% of Americans think that God wants them to be happy more than anything else.  A pew poll report shows that church attendance is at the lowest mark in twenty years.  Studies now indicate that the current presidential administration is the most anti-Christian administration of the modern era! 

George Orwell said, “The further a society drifts away from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”.

When we hear these kinds of reports and stats, our gut instinct can be to throw our hands up in despair, panic, or disgust. We are shocked at the behavior of young people these days. Shocked at the levels of immorality at universities. Shocked at the apathy of people toward spiritual things. Shocked at the spike in gay marriages. Shocked at the smut being produced by Hollywood. Shocked at the increase in sexual promiscuity in our culture. What is this world coming to?!?

The definition of God and his Word has been redefined and trivialized in such a manner that the believability of God is suffering.  Cute clichés and emotionalized expressions have become the standard of a new age worship.  The mission of Christianity, the mission of the church, the mission of the individual should be to go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to return to the word of God.  The scoffers and doubters will ask why when science and humanity have ruled that God and the Bible are irrelevant in world affairs.

Returning to God

Return to Me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 1:3). 

The children of Israel were blessed as a nation when they obeyed the laws of God. There is always blessing in store for those who follows the teaching of the Bible. This statement in itself often leads the church, a spiritual body, to promise earthly blessing in exchange for one returning to God. With God in our lives, we are able to live a more bountiful life because of the hope we have in our Heart. God promised the Children of Israel the blessings of Abraham. In Matthew 5, Jesus promised his followers blessings of a different nature. When we attempt to entice people to God by making promises, that God has not sanctioned, we are guilty of being false teachers. It is this hope that burns within our heart that give us a type of peace that is of a spiritual nature. It is that peace that John exhibited while he languished in Jail. His only request was “are you the Christ or shall we look for another?” In a situation of that type, what would our request be?

 Titus 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Revealing The Antichrist?

Is The Antichrist A Biblical Fact?

We are living in unprecedented times. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are converging and many of the signs are being ignored because of our vast increase of knowledge or simply because we are being distracted.  The cauldron of hate is constantly being stirred, setting the stage for the fulfillment of Revelation 13.  Biblical symbology define beast as a nation and the sea signify a multitude of confused people.  This new nation “beast”, an ungodly beast “nation”, rising up out a “sea” of confused people, will it be ruled by the antichrist?  Will the antichrist be revealed soon?  Is “the antichrist” a biblical fact or are we being distracted?

The divisions of most major religions who holds different views on the subject are being amplified as they await and anticipating the appearance of their “savior”, called, “Messiah,” “Jesus Christ,” “the Twelfth Mahdi,” “the Fifth Buddha,” or “the Tenth Avatar.”  There is a growing awareness among religions that one single man might actually fulfill all these religions’ expectations. The ecumenical concept promotes the ideology that a one-size-fits-all messiah would bring the entire world’s religions and governments together forming a New World Order.  World leaders and religious leaders seem to be auditioning for the part. Is the antichrist a person or is it just a word meaning false teachers?

One of the most commonly held positions by many premillennial Christians today concerning the interpretation of the prophecy pertaining to the antichrist is as follows:  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us that the Day of Christ will not come until “the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.”  This person is said to be identified in 1^st John 2:18-19 as “the antichrist”.  The Temple of God will be rebuilt and the antichrist will sit in the Temple in Jerusalem and demand to be worshipped as God. In Revelation 13:1 the antichrist is called “the beast,” which will rise up and rule the world.  In Daniel 9, he will establish a peace pact with many nations, but after three and one-half years this peace pack will fail.  This tyrannical world dictator, empowered by Satan and the embodiment of all that is evil, will be defeated by Christ at His Second Coming (II Thessalonians 2:8).  All of this sound fine, but are we guilty of ignoring Bible symbology?  Where is the solid Biblical basis for this view?  Maybe we are guilty of creative interpretative assumptions.

The story of the antichrist has inflamed and influenced Christian theology and indoctrination, for as long as most can remember.  As a child, I was introduced to the ideology that “the antichrist” was coming, and like many, my indoctrinated responses were, “I don’t want to be here when he come.”  The antichrist is coming created the same level of fear as being told, judgment day is coming.  Yet, for me to subconsciously acknowledge that I would rather be dead than face the “the antichrist”.  This created a sense of dread as I contemplated the frailty of my mortal existence.  The antichrist was the bogeyman of Christianity and the crowning point of many speakers elucidations was to place a face on this godless wonder.  For some reason unknown to many, without a face the antichrist was scarier than the devil.  

Studying the scripture and researching the antichrist, I came across a lot of speculations about the antichrist, who he is or who he might be.  The most popular names to come up were Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and the Pope.  Since the antichrist has long been used as a label for everything from presidents to movies; it is only natural to ask: Who is the antichrist?  Does this term have anything to do with us today? The logical place to begin when searching for the identity of the antichrist is in the Bible.  Do Revelation 13:18 identify the beast as the antichrist as a man whose number is 6-6-6?   Again, we must be careful that we do not become guilty of creative interpretations filled with assumptions.  As I studied the scripture and other postings I became acutely aware of the attempt to put a face on the antichrist, yet the scripture did not speak of “the antichrist” as a person. 

The fault that stood out in our creative interpretative assumptions is that we change the word from “antichrist” to “the antichrist”, doing so we changed it from an adjective to a noun, thereby changing its meaning.  The terminology used in the scripture is “antichrist" not "the antichrist" and it is only found in 1^st John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, and 2^nd John 7.  The term “antichrist” appears five times in the writing of John.  The antichrist is primarily a concept based on interpretation of passages in the New Testament, in which the term "antichrist" occurs five times in 1^st John and 2^nd John, once in plural form and four times in the singular.  If the Apostle John was the only Bible writer to use the word antichrist; we must look to John, not Paul or Revelation to tell us its meaning.  If we study the writing of Apostle John carefully, we will learn what antichrist is, not who is the antichrist.

1^st John 2:18-19, little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 

There is no need to engage in a long and confusing discussion, John is not talking about one person who will come in the name of Jesus, sit in the temple and declare himself God as many have proposed. John is speaking of the spiritual embodiment of Satan that invades the heart of many men.  The key points of John’s elucidation are;   ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are  many antichrists.  They went out from us, but they were not of us.  Antichrist is best defined as an adjective that describes the condition of humanity’s heart.  Adding the word “The” to antichrist changes the word to a noun that signifies a person. There are many today even as it was in John’s day that is filled with the antichrist spirit.  As the word "anti" infers it is the opposite of being filled with God's spirit.  Simply put, John said, “He is antichrist (against Christ) that denieth the Father and the Son.” He further stated in 2^nd John 1:7, for many deceivers, are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  He is an antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son.   Isn’t it true John is speaking of false teachers?

A common fault of creative interpretation is scriptures from different segment of the Bible are mixed together without regard to who is talking, what is being talked about and who is being spoken to.  We dump this into the pot of our personal opinion; add a touch of emotionalism and what emerges is a polluted mess that is neither supported by the Word of God or even common sense.  It is justified as secondary doctrines the same as Christian denominations.  Now, if we read the following verses without a preconceive notion that Paul is talking about “the antichrist” rather than “antichrist” it is possible that our views of the entire subject will be different.  2^nd Thessalonians 2:3-4, Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  If we use this scripture to draw the face of the antichrist, we have been distracted.  Paul began his elucidations to the Thessalonians by warning them not to be deceived by false teachers.   In the final days of Paul’s ministry, he warned the church of these people who would come among then, distract them and led them astray.   Jesus and John among others warned the sheep of those who preached not the Gospel of the Kingdom.  The came in some other way and their intent was and is to lead the sheep astray.  Jesus said you are for me or you are against me, the Apostle John said, those who were antichrist were against Christ.  

Have We Been Left Behind? (Part 3 of 3)

The Tribulation

Is The Rapture A Real Event, Part 1

A Church Without Light, Part 2

There are questions, relevant and rhetorical that ought to be asked before this article is casted aside. Whether we accept the thesis that we are in the midst of the tribulation period or not, we ought to come to a conclusion and/or consensus as to the status of the church as we know it today.   In most studies, the church is often used as a marker to signify when the tribulation period began. The flourishing denominational church of today is a divided body and the scripture teaches us that a divided body will not stand.  So, do we accept this divided body as the true church or do we condemn all churches except one denomination?  This division goes deeper than denominations, it exist within the local church on an individual level.  As earthly people, we are not prepared to accept certain conclusions on spiritual matters that causes us to question our indoctrinated view of worship and salvation.  Why?  It is easier to believe that Christ is coming back for his divided church, rather than believe that Christ has already called for his church before it became a divided body and we are in the midst of the tribulation.  If there is any truth in this, then the parable of the ten virgins  is validated and amplified.  Five went in with the bridegroom and five went into the village and the surrounding area pretending to be members of the bridal party in search of oil.  In reality, the bridal party had already left.  Those that were selected went in with him to the 'award ceremony' and are preparing to return with him as His Holy angels.

A study of the history of the Christian Church is revealing and thought provoking.  All church historians have stated that the Christian Church survived the Roman persecution and continued to exist afterwards.  The church lived as one church with one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5), common doctrines, and very closed rituals throughout the whole world for about five centuries. Durning that time denominations or sects did not exist in the Christian Church. Churches were named after big cities.  In Revelation 1-3, Jesus referred to the churches by the name of the city in which they were located.  The division of the churches took place in year 451 AD in the Chalcedon Council.  What took place during that council is researchable and should be important to all believers.  Did Christ suddenly appear and call for his church? At the end of this meeting, a sharp division occurred among the churches. 

It is the question of salvation that bothers most when a discussion of this type proceeds.  If the church is with Christ, and the tribulation have begun, is salvation still possible?   A study of Revelation seems to indicate that John saw many different 'saved' groups.  One of these groups are mention in Revelation 7:13-15:  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. John did not know the answer to the question when it was first presented, but he knew that the one asking the question knew.  By allowing the elder to speak, John chooses to be enlightened.  The operative words for this discussion are, "These are they which came out of great tribulation".

The tribulation is a period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and pour out his wrath on the unbelieving world.  The church, the bride of Christ is made up of all who believed and  trusted in the works of the cross as a pathway to salvation, will not be present during the tribulation.  The Church or saints is a special group, they are being recruited to judge the world.  1 Corinthians 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?  The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). The church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names such as the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2); trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah 1:1); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the tribulation period (Matthew 24:21); time or day of trouble (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15); time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7).

In order to understand the tribulation that is to befall this earth, an understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 is necessary.  A problem might accrue with the acceptance  of the modern day interpretation of this passage when we seek to impose a timeline on the beginning and ending of the tribulation.  Once a timeline is imposed words such as pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation are used to validate the discussion.  This often leaves the hearer or reader in a confused state.  Daniel speaks of 70 weeks that have been declared against “your people.” Daniel's people are the Jews, the nation of Israel, and Daniel 9:24 speaks of a period of time that God has given “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.   Seventy weeks are often interpreted as seventy weeks of years. Most Christian scholars, regardless of their view of eschatology (future things/events), have the above understanding of Daniel's 70 sevens.  Yet, we must be careful that in the attempt to impose a timeline on the prophecies of God we do not detract from the prophecy.  

It is also a common trick of the Devil,  if the emphasis can be shifted from the prophecy to the time and place of the prophecy the message can be easily manipulated and rendered invalid.  This holds true with the creation, when the pious prelates learn to count  the years from the creation to the birth of Christ, they were able to state the biblical age of the earth.  This became a point of contention between science and the Bible as the dates did not agree. A generation filled with the knowledge of good and evil, (the knowledge of the world) were forced to choose between the teaching of their pastor or the teaching of their science teacher.   Translating the time elements into years give mankind the ability to predict and project when the events of the prophecy will take place, rather than acknowledging that they will take place or is taking place.  It is possible that to acknowledge time constants within the Holy Scripture as, 'a period of time that God has ordained' is a more effective means of transmitting the knowledge of God. 

The Bible says that in the end times Jesus Christ will be rejected of that generation. Already in the world today in 2015 we're seeing many people reject Jesus Christ. Ethnic groups are clamouring for their own God, this in itself is a form of rejection.   The alternate lifestyle agenda is being advanced and those who disagree are being intimidated into silence.  The social media has become a breeding ground for hate and division. In nearly every Hollywood movie today, the name of Jesus Christ suffers from trivialization to  blaspheme. Increasingly, churches are becoming entertainment centers instead of preaching the Word of God. Instead of singing the old hymns of the faith, churches today have emotional experiences and call it praise worship.  Ministers of God are becoming more concern with the 'planting of a seed' rather than preaching the gospel of the kingdom, preachers are preaching messages of prosperity, favor and earthly blessings, none of this has a place or purpose in the design of the coming Kingdom.  

As we near the End Times, hostility toward Christianity will intensify. Jesus foretold that Christians will be killed, thinking they're doing God a favor (John 16:2). Jesus said that many will betray and hate one another (Matthew 24:10), and due to unpunished evil (iniquity) the love of many will wax cold (Matthew 24:12). Already today we are seeing legalized same-sex marriage, legalized abortion and legalized pornography in America. Sodom and Gomorrah weren't this rebellious!   Now the scoffer and detractors will say, "this is nothing new", it is true the persecution of the Christians began under the Roman Empire, and it is also true that the Roman Empire called for a cessation of persecution.  It is the widespread intensification of hostility towards Christians that should concern us. 

if we chronologically follow the events projected in Revelation, in chapters 1-3, Jesus message to the representative churches ends with his rebuke of an apostate church.  Revelation 3:15-16  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  In Revelation 4:1, John is caught up, which is indicative of the true church being caught up into Heaven.  What proceeded after that event, was John’s view of Heaven and a view of the earth from Heaven.  Immediately, John witnessed a silent God, whose objective was the pouring out of his stored up wrath upon the earth.  John also saw Jesus as a “Lamb, standing as if it had been slain”.  A reminder of the price he had paid.  The works of the cross were the only thing standing between man and an angry God.  The angry God concept does not coincide with our newly created God, who is constantly giving out blessings.

John also saw the bride of Christ, the Lamb’s wife safe in Heaven from the wrath of God. Revelation 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. Revelation 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 

Jesus said it would be  just as in Noah's day when only eight people boarded the ark. Luke 17:25-26, “But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.”   The reading of this verse can be narrowed and can be said to be indicative of the time that Jesus was on earth.    I prefer to accept the expanded view that Jesus was referencing the time of his return after the tribulation.  Luke 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?  Framing the question in this manner seems to indicate he is referencing a point in time after the church has been taken out.   He had already indicated that the gate of hell would not be able to stand against his church.

Revelation 6:9-17  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Daniel 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

Is The Rapture A Real Event, Part 1
A Church Without Light, Part 2