November 6, 2009
Dr. Brown Answers Your Questions (including Will the Antichrist Be Jewish?)
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Dr. Brown Talks about Hebrew and Greek with Dr. Joe Desloge (and Answers Your Questions)
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Dr. Brown,
I listen to you sometimes when I’m out, and contributed once. First of all, I tried to e-mail from the main website and there was no ’send’ button, and at the coalition website, it said the address was not active, so here I am. I am persistent.
As an Armenian, what I find objectionable about Calvinists, is their need to define how God should apply His sovereignty. By analogy, God gave us dominion over the Earth, and the freedom to exercise it with respect, or to replace His forest with condos. Why must Calvinists not only put God in a box of their making, but revise and distort scripture to justify it? They are one proof-texting bunch of folks.
I am writing a collection of Post-modern devotions, and as I completed a draft of the following one, I thought of you.
Encounter with the Spirit
I facilitated Disciple Bible Study, and at one point our class suggested we attend a weekly service at the Temple, and meet with the Rabbi beforehand to better understand their tradition. Shabbat (Sabbath) is held each Friday after sundown. The usual soloist had left town, and was replaced by an 8th grader with an incredible gift for music. Her command of the service would have been amazing enough, but she offered her music to God with a joy and humility rarely seen except in a child. That night, God and His scripture ‘went forth’ through her, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Was this just for me? I don’t know, but it was pure and authentic, and I was very moved. Will she walk the wide road to hell as she grows older, and more steeped in Jewish tradition? If she had died that night, I believe she and I would have spent eternity together in heaven; not because she was a child, but as believers. The Nation of Israel has a long scriptural experience with the Holy Spirit; He delivered them from Egypt to the promise land, and He gave them direction through the prophets for hundreds of years. Years ago, I interviewed the Rabbi at this same congregation about how Jews perceive Christ. As he and I walked out, he said he wished more of his congregation lived lives which exemplify Christ’s teaching; justice and mercy to the poor, the sick and the lost. If Jews had not resisted Christ’s message, they would recognize what He taught as their ‘old, old story’. This is a bridge God encouraged the Israelites to cross for thousands of years; hundreds of Jews cross it each year, and now experience joy and freedom in Christ.
May God bless your ministry.
In Christ, Dan
I know how that woman feels, the one who felt rejected. I think she may have OCD like I do, and it’s affecting her faith. I check my salvation and worry if I’m saved just like how some people check locks and doorknobs. It’s the same way with not going to collage/work for more church time. I’ve felt like that if I don’t go to Africa to be a missionary I’d be abandon by God. That is hardly the case though… If you want to take up the conversation about OCD and how it affects our faith feel free to email me about it.
As for feeling rejected I know how it feels as well. The problem is that we cannot always trust our feelings. I haven’t been able to trust my own feelings for a while now. We need to trust in Jesus and his salvation. Instead of worrying about our salvation we should let Jesus worry about it! “God is not a man that he should lie.” He will not lie or change overnight. Our salvation is assured when we look at the cross.
Kyle,
What do you think Paul meant when he said “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love?
He means that faith is what counts. I understand that but it’s hard not being able to trust your own feelings. My feelings used to be in sync with my spirituality but now I’m all jumbled. I don’t “feel saved.” But I know I am, I trust that, I trust that my price has been paid. It’s just really hard seeing all my friends in church so full of the Spirit and joyful, and I’m fighting with every fiber of my being just to worship God. It’s discouraging. Could you pray for me?
So, that being said, could not Paul mean that that love is given to be given–even to you and I? That would mean it cannot be earned, but simply received. I once heard Dr. Dobson talk about how every person is cyclical, with ups and downs. For some it happens over and over in a given day, and for yet others the ups cycle for months, then the downs, and so on. This would mean that we need to compensate for feeling states that do not build us up, with an acceptance of faith, and a place in the beloved Kingdom. The author of Hebrews, chpt. 10 talks of having a “full confidence” working for us, in the accomplished work of Yeshua/Jesus. If He cared enough to die for us, we can rest assurred that He continues His extension of grace to us. Even John MacAruthur speaks of “Grace to You” as a central theme of adoption, justification, and relationship while the Father sanctifies our inner person over time.
We must resist the tendencies, that come with the cycles, to either think too much of ourselves, or be too hard on ourselves. He, not we, is the author of salvation, its plan for the Ages, and your present relationship with faith. Of course, I’ll pray for you, and ask that you pray for me and my family as well.
I would also urge anyone in such a struggle to access the website for Fa. Keating, of Snowmass, CO> and read on and practice centering prayer (quite scriptural). The Lord frequently chose to go to separate places away from his followers and pressing crowds and simply be with his Father. There He listened to the Spirit in order to continue with His mission, equipped from the renewal of hearing His Father. We have the same privileged access based on adoption, and can practice the same disciplines which helped the Lord maintain his dedication and focus–while, it is written, overcoming temptation in the process.
Temptation is not only to break the commandments, it is also to disregard the work in, among, and for us of the Holy Spirit. He adopted us, and still calls us son or daughter, desiring that intimacy of care, regard, and renewed purpose. We do not share the message of ourselves with others, in His love, but Him, and us as servants for His sake. Life does not offer the illment the Kingdom offers on the path with His love. To apprehend that love is the challenge of time spent in alone prayer closet placement with the Father.
Life does not offer the fulfillment the Kingdom offers on the path with His love.
Dr. Brown,
I believe you mentioned rather knowing if the Anti-Christ was alive was even significant? Did i understand that correctly?
I believe recognizing the anti-Christ is important. We see in I Thessalonians 2:3 Paul in writing them to comfort the Thessalonians that they have not missed the 2nd return of Christ …writes of “man of lawlessness is revealed son of destruction”. He writes not to be shaken you have not seen him yet, leads us to understand we will see this being. Side note this is another reason i cannot accept a pre-trib rapture and are with agreement with all the Apostles, Church Fathers, etc.. Pre-trib rapture eschatlogy came into existance in the 19th Century from a 17 English girl that had a “vision” of this taking place.
Dr. Brown,
I believe you mentioned rather knowing if the Anti-Christ was alive was even significant? Did i understand that correctly?
I believe recognizing the anti-Christ is important. We see in I Thessalonians 2:3 Paul in writing them to comfort the Thessalonians that they have not missed the 2nd return of Christ …writes of “man of lawlessness is revealed son of destruction”. He writes not to be shaken you have not seen him yet, leads us to understand we will see this being. Side note this is another reason i cannot accept a pre-trib rapture and are with agreement with all the Apostles, Church Fathers, etc.. Pre-trib rapture eschatlogy came into existance in the 19th Century from a 17 English girl that had a “vision” of this taking place.
My understanding is the Old Covenant did not have a concept of body, soul and Spirit but the the New Covenant clearly does, as seen in I Thess 5:23 as well as many other New Testament scriptures, including at the crucifixtion of our Lord we see a triunity of his being (son of man). Do you agree with this.
One final question. I like truth and breaking alot of traditions which so easily beset us. Speaking with an indivdual this week has stirred up this question in me & would like your thoughts.
This is different than the typical current prophetic or apostolic belief. It is a question regarding sickness. He states sickness can come at us one of two ways. Ether as a sickness in which cases we call for the elders and the prayer of Faith heals us. Or, they come at us as afflictions which are sometimes sicknesses allowed by God to come to us to draw us closer to Him in someway.
WE have all known devout Christians that believed for healing yet it never came. I knew a pastor in the Faith movement that got sick & died in his early 50’s & I felt his death was possibly premature.
Paul almost bragged of his afflictions.
Interesting that in James 5:13 (NAS)it reads “Is anyone among you suffering?(other translations read afflicted) Then he must pray”. Here we see the believer praying to God! Is it possible the believer is to find out what God wants in their life, etc.? ….It reads on then in James 5:14 (NAS) Is any among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; (15) and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up”.
What do you think? Haven’t you seen or maybe personally prayed over ind.’s in faith & yet not seen them healed immediately or even later? Yet per the Scripture they should or are healed! We make excuses when they don’t get healed, but doesn’t the word clearly state they will be healed by our Lord? I wonder if this brother was correct in his making a distinction between afflictions (with a sickness) & sickness? What do you think? God’s Blessings to you!
I’m gonna take a punt: it’s gonna be Islam. Reason being is that it is satan’s most successful franchise. He’s gonna milk it for all it’s worth eh? i dunno.
As for the AntiMessiah, it is too early to demise, but, many scholars feel a Jewish person from the tribe of Dan due to prophecy indicators. The idea too of Messiah, or Mahdi, in Islam could play into such a person’s presentation as an inclusive outlook. Likely too is such an influence on events due to an alliance of EU and UN interests in the middle east. What all this seems to point to is about the convergence of post modern political methods and focus on the Jerusalem Temple Mount useage matter, and its place in prophetic history.
Regarding the question from hour 2 concerning incest between the first decendants of Adam & Eve, see this link. Dr. Brown is right to have alluded to the fact that there would have been no genetic problem with sons and daughters of Adam & Eve intermarrying because at this time genetic mutations would not have had time to accumulate to a point that would have resulted in genetic deformities in the offspring.