Autumn/Winter 2017-18 Issue

Is Christianity a “white religion?”  In this issue, read topics about race and racism in the Bible, discover how to study the Bible effectively, and learn if you are a Christian racist.  Also, find out why it’s not that great to be a Barnabas, learn how the prosperity gospel hurts Christians, and why is it important for women to be shamefaced?  Plus, check out an article by contributing writer, Pat Jeanne Davis.

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Moment of Truth: Casting Down Lies #22

“Jesus wasn’t crucified nor rose from the dead.”

Are you believing this lie?

This is the doctrine that Islam believes. This is what you need to know:

LET’S START WITH FATHER ABRAHAM: HISTORICAL FACTS

If you know Abraham, he had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac is the blessed seed of promise through Christ our Savior. Ishmael was blessed because he was the son of Abraham, but he was the son of a slave woman, not of the free woman, Sarah. Isaac’s line is in Christianity. Ishmael’s line is in Islam. Remember also that Ishmael was not raised under his father Abraham so he did not have his guidance because him and his mother were cast out. Therefore, Islam claims to be God’s seed, but they are not the seed of promise because the Savior of the world did not come through Ishmael. (Christianity has always been the top religion, Islam is second.)

Notice that the Holy Bible calls God, “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” not the God of Abraham, Ishmael, etc.

THE DIFFERENCES

Muslims prays 5 times a day facing east toward their temple. (So they need to understand a map of their city in order to face the right way.)

Christians pray all the time, but we don’t need to face east because we are the temple in which God sends His Holy Spirit to dwell in us when we believe, confess, and seek Him with our entire being.

WHY CHRIST HAD TO BE CRUCIFIED

The next thing to understand is that if Christ was not crucified, no one’s sins are forgiven. Therefore, there is no hope for anyone to stand before God unless they have God’s sacrifice. The reason Christ was crucified was to show the sins of the world first, but second— to show that Christ could defeat death because He was born of the seed of a holy God.

THIS IS HOW HE DEFEATED DEATH

He rose from the grave appearing to many witnesses. BUT then, He ascended into heaven. IF Christ did not ascend into heaven, we would NEVER have had the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. The Holy Spirit rested on us, and entered us, but did NOT live in us. We needed a Mediator—a High Priest, once and for all— and that was Christ.

THE PROOF

I have been baptized by water and had the Holy Spirit on me. This happens to every Christian who believes in their heart and confesses in full baptism. BUT THEN, I got the baptism of fire through obedience to His Word, where the Holy Spirit came to make His home inside of me with power. (When I say “power” I am NOT referencing tongues. That was not my initial spiritual gift. Plus, power is not gifts, but power comes with gifts.)

[21] He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. [22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, “Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” [23] Jesus answered and said unto him, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. ~John 14:21-23 KJV

Not every Christian realizes these distinctions and it is a terrible thing.

Nevertheless, the point of all this is to explain to you that because the Holy Spirit is given, the Holy Spirit is the proof of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Remember, I just told you that if Jesus Christ the Son of God wasn’t crucified by the sins of the world, He could never have risen, and IF He never rose from the grave and into heaven, we could NOT get the Gift of God WITHIN us. God planned this Gift for you. This is the great victory for the whole world.

This is how we know that Jesus is Lord. He proved it and gives the proof. Thus, we know, that it is, in fact, true that He died and rose from the grave.

Anyone who wants to know if Christ is true, will not be rejected if they seek Him diligently to receive the internal Gift of God, but you better run because the Bible warns that the Gift will be taken.

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