HOW THE EARLY CHURCH UNDERSTOOD THE APOSTLES

by Ken Silva pastor-teacher Features, Roman Catholicism
from apprising.org

By Apprising Ministries special correspondent Bob DeWaay

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone”(Ephesians 2:19, 20).

This article explores the idea of apostles in the church throughout church history…we will review how the early church understood apostles in church history… At a 1996 Fuller Seminary conference hosted by C. Peter Wagner, a movement that Wagner previously labeled “post-denominational” became the New Apostolic Reformation.1

Besides Wagner himself is another person prominent in the movement—Bill Hamon—who is strongly endorsed by Wagner. Hamon is important, as we will see, because his ministry goes all the way back to the early 1950’s and began on the heels of the Latter Rain Movement.

In 97 AD, Clement of Rome wrote an epistle to the church at Corinth. The epistle provides solid evidence that the early church did not believe that the apostles had successors or that new apostles were needed in order to provide direction to the church.

At issue was the fact that certain individuals in Corinth challenged the duly constituted elders’ authority; Clement wrote to correct them. Clement’s testimony is remarkable because he likely was the Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3, whom Paul called a “fellow worker.”

Clement mentions the apostles in this passage:

The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God. Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God.

Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labours], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.2

Although the Roman Catholic Church claims that Clement himself was an apostle of Christ in succession from Peter, Clement claimed no such title and neither did he acknowledge any apostles but the true apostles—the ones Christ appointed personally. What we will see from Clement is that the apostles appointed overseers and elders (the same group), and these were the authorities in the local church.

The apostle Paul had given instructions on the qualifications and roles of elders (Acts 20:28 – 31; Titus 1:5-9; 1Timothy 3:1 – 7) and provided for their continuation (2Timothy 2:2). Clement goes on to discuss this:

Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect fore-knowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned, and afterwards gave instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry.

We are of opinion, therefore, that those appointed by them, or afterwards by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Church, and who have blamelessly served the flock of Christ in a humble, peaceable, and disinterested spirit, and have for a long time possessed the good opinion of all, cannot be justly dismissed from the ministry. For our sin will not be small, if we eject from the episcopate those who have blamelessly and holily fulfilled its duties. Blessed are those presbyters who, having finished their course before now, have obtained a fruitful and perfect departure [from this world]; for they have no fear lest any one deprive them of the place now appointed them.3

Clement did not claim the apostolic authority to intervene, but rather pointed to elders who were appointed according to the standards of the Biblical apostles. It is noteworthy that he used the terms “episcopate” and “presbyters” interchangeably for the same people. Soon the church would develop “bishops” over cities (the “monepiscopate” or single bishop over a city), which was an innovation not endorsed by the Biblical apostles. However, Clement, who had been an associate of Paul, used episkopos (overseers or bishops – KJV) and presbuteros (elders) to describe the same group of people. This is precisely what Paul did in Acts 20:17, 28 when he called the elders together and described them as “overseers.”

By 97 AD, the authorities in the church were not apostles and prophets, but elders who had been appointed according to the standards lain down by the apostles. Those who claim that God always intended there to be authoritative apostles in the church who give binding revelation ignore the fact that the apostles themselves never anticipated that they would have successors and gave no instructions for the qualifications of any such successors.

But they did provide qualifications for elders, and these would apply to future generations. Sadly, the fact that there are no qualifications for apostles (other than that they must have seen the risen Lord and have been appointed directly by Him – which qualifications the NAR apostles ignore or reject) has opened to the door the proliferation of apostles around the world, many of whom claim apostolic status even though they do not even have the necessary qualifications to be elders in a local church.

The Roman Catholic Church’s Apostles

As church history progressed, the understanding of church authority as seen in the days of Clement of Rome disappeared very quickly in favor of the monepiscopate and progressed from that unbiblical innovation to the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. This idea eventually led to the Papacy. Later in church history, and in amazing irony, the Roman Catholic Church claimed that Clement was a successor of Peter and had apostolic status. This travesty dishonors the very teachings of Clement himself who taught no such thing.

Roman Catholic innovation removed the status of the Biblical apostles as the foundation of the church4 and replaced it with a succession of apostles who claimed the liberty to give new, binding revelation to the church. Here is how the Roman Catholic Church explains its own position:

We teach and define that it is a dogma Divinely revealed that the Roman pontiff when he speaks ex cathedra, that is when in discharge of the office of pastor and doctor of all Christians, by virtue of his supreme Apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine regarding faith or morals to be held by the universal Church, by the Divine assistance promised to him in Blessed Peter, is possessed of that infallibility with which the Divine Redeemer willed that his Church should be endowed in defining doctrine regarding faith or morals, and that therefore such definitions of the Roman pontiff are of themselves and not from the consent of the Church irreformable.5 (Catholic Encyclopedia)

It is ironic that C. Peter Wagner claims we need restored apostles when there have been claimants to the office of apostle going back over 1,000 years. Wagner acknowledges this:

[I]n certain segments of the Church the office of apostle has, indeed, been recognized throughout the past two millennia. The Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican or Episcopal Church and many denominations that have actually incorporated “apostolic” into their name would come to mind as examples. However, just as was true of prophetic movements, the emphases of these apostolic movements had not penetrated the mainstream of what I am calling life-giving evangelical churches that are now the cutting edge of the spread of Christianity. This only began to happen in the 1990’s.6

So, with regard to having apostles Wagner sees the Roman Catholic Church not as guilty of unbiblical innovation as Luther and the other Reformers claimed, but as a positive role model for evangelicals. His new “reformation” claims to have many thousands of apostles and prophets. At least Rome put some reigns on apostles in that they only have one at a time and he speaks “ex cathedra” only occasionally. The new apostles are continually speaking new revelations from God.

The Reformation Teaches “Scripture Alone”

The Reformation rightly rejected the authority of the Pope and church tradition and returned to “scripture alone.” This was a return to the true foundation of the church, the Biblical apostles and prophets who speak to us through the Scripture. This means that the decrees of men in church history are not binding on any believer unless those decrees are valid implications and applications of Scripture.

This brings up an important point mentioned in the previous issue of CIC: God only binds us to what is inerrant and infallible.7 Words from men that contain mixture and error and lack the qualities of inspired Scripture cannot be binding on the lives of believers. This truth was at the crux of the Reformation. The words of the Popes do not have this quality nor do those of latter day apostles and prophets.

My Son

This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day! The ending will surprise you.

Take my Son…..

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.

They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.

They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war.

He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.

The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas,

There was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands..

He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life.

He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety

when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly…

He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package.

‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father Opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man.

He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting.

The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture..

‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home,

he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings.

Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings

and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.

‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son.

Who will bid for this picture?’ There was silence…

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandts.

Get on with the Real bids! But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son.

‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’ ‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son.

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel.. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will…

I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned.

Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross.

Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,
WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…THAT’S LOVE

‘coped’

Accountability

Years ago I owned and operated about 4 Traffic Exchanges.

Basically a Traffic Exchange is a place where in exchange for looking at other peoples pages you can have your site shown in return.

Anyway I was on a different site and they had a chat room, which means while looking at sites you can also chat with other people at the same time. It is another way to promote your business and or make friends.

Anyway this one man was having a conversation with a women [one of the admins on that site], and he used the f-word in the conversation.

I told him I didn’t think it was necessary to be vulgar to carry on a conversation. That it wasn’t the right place to be doing that. It took me saying it a few times before he responded with excuses about being on drugs and drinking too much.

Well, I can understand that some people don’t know how to behave, but what I didn’t understand was all the people who came to his defense. Our society has gotten to the point that not only is it acceptable to speak to women that way, but it is even better if you make excuses for these people [everyone is a victim].

Another man informed me I should accept the first ones half hearted apology and move on. I sent him a private message telling him it wasn’t his place to tell me I had to accept anything, and that apeasing Satan only makes him stronger.

Here’s the reason for this post, not only did I have an obligation to speak up, but it occurred to me that many people in society today are just too willing to stick their heads in the sand and ignore everything.

I wonder how God will feel about that attitude? Does He want us to just shut our eyes and just cheerfully move on as the other man suggested I do?

Or

Does He want us to stand up for whats righteous. I know that many would just ignore the situation and say it’s not their fight, but you have to remember the church did that when the Supreme Court said it was legal to kill babies in 1973, and now there are over 60.000.000 dead babies.

Something to think about.

A Christian Creed

I believe in the one God, the Christ Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, The only begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father and the Holt Spirit by whom all things were made.

Jesus who, for mankind and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified for our sins under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day according to the Scriptures He rose again and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

I believe in one holy Christian and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism, of the Holy Spirit; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. I also acknowledge that the Lord’s Church is the people, not a denomination.

I believe there are two ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are to be practiced by all Christians. Amen

Gossip

This is in response to a situation that came up. The details are not important but, the subject is very important to me. Almost all of the information came from: Yochanan יהוה-הוא-אדיב Lilley, I really appreciate him taking the time putting the info together.

I will attempt to show why God according to His word hates gossip…

Proverbs:

8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.

10:11-14 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding. 14 Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

11:12-13 12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace. 13 talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

12:23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.

15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

16: 28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.

17:27-28 He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. 28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

James 1:19-20 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 3:1-12 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh

Ok you get the idea. I have to make it clear that I have participated in gossip also, and I don’t want anyone to get the idea that I have put myself on a pedestal here. I have had to ask the Lord to forgive me too many times. But

I am coming to realize more and more how much of this goes on in the church. As the body of Christ we have an obligation to be diligent in our ways.

If your participating in this type of behavior please think of the damage it causes.

Exposing false teachers and gossiping are not the same thing. Exposing false teachers and  false doctrine if righteous is done in the open. Gossip is usually done behind peoples backs.

An Eternal Decision

Matthew

The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign

16 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

In those days and today some people want to be entertained [given a sign]. The religious leaders of that day wanted to see a magic trick. Show us and we will believe, problem is they would have turned it into saying it was just a trick. Sadly there are those who still think their smarter than God. As you probably know that will never happen. The being who created everything in the universe including man. The one who determines all science is never surprised. He is so powerful He even knows our thoughts.

Mark 3;20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.” This is what prompted Jesus to say 28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.” The Septuagint renders the name as Baalzebub (βααλζεβούβ) and as Baal muian (βααλ μυιαν, “Baal of flies”). However Symmachus the Ebionite may have reflected a tradition of its offensive ancient name when he rendered it as Beelzebou * Beelzebub was the Lord of the flies. A cult formed because someone noticed that flies would land on feces. Larvae (maggots) hatch from the eggs, and a fly is born. Somehow they got the idea that is where life came from. It turned into worship of the Lord of the flies.

My plea: In my mind and millions of other peoples. Jesus is the very essence of God who came to Earth while making Himself a little lower than the Angels, taught us the way to relate to the Father. Showed the world the things promised in the Old Testament and finally gave His life as ransom for the sins of everyone who was born and who will be born.

The only thing we can do is meet Him at the foot of the cross, repent and seek His forgiveness. Ephesians 2:8 Being saved is through repentance and asking for forgiveness.

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; If you reject Jesus your calling the Holy Spirit [God] a liar.

God bless

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have the “day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival.

Luke’s Letters

The Books of Luke and Acts

Luke 1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

Acts 1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Both letters {books} were addressed to Theophilus. Paul was on trial in Rome and his coworker in the Lord was the Physician Luke, who made Paul’s plea.. Theophilus was the lead investigator for the court of Cesar. Cesar was going to decide Paul’s fate and Theophilus brought in the evidence. The two books Luke wrote were written not only about the beginning Church but also how Paul played a role.

The letters were in essence affidavits; a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court. Luke had a first hand account of everything and was more than qualified to testify.

These two letters or books in the New Testament not only give solid evidence they are part of the Canon. Church fathers added them because they were also inspired by the Holy Spirit.

God’s peace

A good reason to leave God? by Dan Phillips

We have all heard or read stories that end “so after that, I couldn’t believe in Christianity anymore.”

Many of them are like the story of a man who stopped attending church when a close friend’s two daughters died tragically in a car accident. “For him, God just couldn’t allow such a thing and still be worthy of worship and praise,” Adams writes. (This story has a happy ending; not all do, of course.)

To my wholly subjective impression, this seems to be one of three main kinds of “deconversion stories.” Most of these stories are patent fakes, told by someone who clearly had about as much Christian involvement as I have in the government of China. (To wit, I can spell “China.” See? C-h-i-n-a.)

Another tries a more rational approach, claiming Science or contradictions or the like.

A third comes from the other direction, telling sad stories that amount to “not feeling it” anymore for one reason or another.

All of the stories have in common that the God of Christianity let the speaker/writer down. And that was that.

Candidly, as I mentioned, I often simply do not believe the speaker or writer. A great many of these stories range from paint-thin rationalizations unable to withstand 23 consecutive seconds of rational analysis, to cut-and-paste alibis. They’re concocted or borrowed simply to cover up an overruling love for a particular sin or sin-pattern. And that’s just about as deep as it goes.

Observation: the speaker/writer would invariably deny that analysis, insisting on the nobler-seeming, more solid-seeming cover story. But if there’s really no God, why bother with a cover? Just get on with it, no explanation necessary. Especially if you really are no more than matter-in-motion in an amoral, careening, meaningless universe. But I digress.

So let’s ask: when would it be a good, valid time to leave the God of the Bible? Simple: if He does not keep His promises.

Re-inflect: if He does not keep His promises.

I realize that is a daring statement. But I think God Himself drives us to it when He voluntarily enters into covenant, as we see it in Genesis 15. After all, what is the symbolism of only the smoking fire pot and the flaming torch passing between the pieces of animals? What is God saying when He swears by Himself (cf. Genesis 22:16-18; Isaiah 45:23; Hebrews 6:13ff.)?

All of the sad stories I’ve heard or read, by contrast, amount to this: I left God because He did not meet my expectations. Let’s try on a few of the more popular specifics:

1. Death might be a good reason to leave God if He had promised that men and women would never die. He did not.
2. A tragic death might be a good reason to leave God if He promised to prevent all tragic deaths. He has not.
3. Any death might be a good reason to leave God if He lacked the right to deal out both life and death. He does not.
4. Misfortune might be a good reason to leave God if He promised His children, let alone everyone, exemption from misfortune. He does not.
5. Inexplicable (by us) tragedy might be a good reason to leave God if He promised to prevent all such tragedies from happening. He does not.
6. Hard events befalling believers of which no sense can immediately be made, and in which no good can immediately be seen, might be a good reason to leave God if He promised that such would never happen. He does not.
7. Apparent contradictions in Scripture, even ones for which we’ve found no solution, might be a good reason to leave God if He promised that all Scripture would be simple, and equally immediately transparent to every reader. He does not.
8. Lack of evidence that forces the unwilling to convert against their will might be a good reason to leave God (A) if such were even definitionally possible, and (B) if God promised to provide such. He does not.
9. Lack of evidence that no one can possibly pervert, ignore, twist nor deny might be a good reason (A) if such were even definitionally possible, and (B) if God promised to provide such. He does not.
10. God’s failure to meet expectations we put on Him might be a good reason if He promised to be the servant of our expectations. To say the least, He does not.

I know the dogged disbeliever’s response to this, because I’ve heard it: “You’re stacking it in such a way that there is no denying the God of the Bible. You’re saying we should just believe God because He says we should.”

To that, this:

1. Assuming that God is as the Scripture says He is, what would you expect? And
2. Assuming that God is as the Scripture says He is, to what higher authority could any appeal be made?

Since Genesis 3:6 fallen humanity’s agenda has been the pursuit of one goal: to make the world safe for sin.

Five signs proving the Bible to be true

When it comes to looking at proof regarding the truth and Divine origin of the Bible there are at least five main categories of evidence:

1. The evidence coming from scientific facts contained in the Bible.

(See article entitled “Signs of Inspiration”). Examples include such things as, Isaiah stating that the earth is round, and Job referring to the earth being suspended in space, etc. All these facts were stated hundreds of years before modern scientific research discovered these things to be so.

2. The evidence coming from archaeological discoveries.

Nelson Glueck the renowned Middle East archaeologist points out; “In all of my archaeological investigation I have never found anything from antiquity which contradicts any statement in the Bible.” See http://www.arkdiscovery.com This website shows a range of exciting discoveries such as the remains of Pharoah’s army which drowned after the Israelities escaped through the waters of the Red Sea. See also “The Exodus Case” written by Dr Lennart Moller which examines the accounts given in the Book of Exodus, and “Untold Secrets of Planet Earth” written by Vance Nelson looking at the subject of dinosaurs and the Bible.

3. The evidence coming from history.

The historical accuracy of Scripture has been verified time and again and many books have been written on this subject such as “The case for Christ Study Bible; Investigating the Evidence for Belief” General Editor Lee Strobel and the five volume series entitled “Evidence for the Truth” by Dr E.K. Victor Pearce.

4. The evidence coming from fulfilled Bible prophecy.

The Bible is unique amongst ancient literature because one third of it is composed of prophecy and predictions. Many of these prophecies have already come to pass although they were written down hundreds and in some cases thousands of years before the events they foretold. No other ancient or modern work is similar to this in content. This is one of the main ways in which God displays the truth and authenticity of Holy Scripture; by predicting events long before they come to pass. It is a clear sign revealing the Divine origin of the Bible. It is God’s way of clearly demonstrating to the world that the Bible really has been inspired by Him and can be trusted and relied upon. Unbelievers may try to ignore the fulfillment of these prophecies, but they are a matter of fact and are there for all to see, if they want to see. (See articles such as; “Amazing Prophecy Fulfilled”, “Israel and the Middle East in Prophecy”, etc).

5. The evidence coming from mathematical patterns and numeric designs in the text of Scripture.

(NB This is a purely mathematical subject and mustn’t be confused with “The Bible Code” or indeed anything associated with numerology).The Bible has many unique properties revealing its Divine origin but one of the most amazing is that it was written with “a sevenfold mathematical structure and design” hidden in the Hebrew and Greek languages of which it was composed. The number seven, or an exact multiple of seven, repeatedly features in every conceivable way from Genesis right through to Revelation.

The Bible, which is the world’s number one best seller, is not strictly one book; it is in fact a volume of 66 books written over 1500 years by about 44 different authors. Each of these authors state that they are describing and recording visions, commandments and information inspired to them by God and that He is the ultimate Author behind what they have written. A sevenfold mathematical pattern pervades Scripture showing clearly that it is indeed the product of “supernatural engineering” rather than mere human thought. It is something so complicated, no human composer could have achieved it and is a clear sign of God’s Hand.

Take for example, the genealogy of Jesus, the Son of God, as recorded in the first 11 verses of Matthew’s Gospel. Studying the passage as it was written in New Testament Greek, research reveals the following amazing details-

The number of words in the entire genealogy is exactly divisible by seven. The number of letters used, are exactly divisible by seven. The number of vowels and consonants used are exactly divisible by seven. The number of words that begin with a vowel is exactly divisible by seven. The number of words that begin with a consonant is exactly divisible by seven. The number of words which occur more than once is exactly divisible by seven. The number of words which occur in more than one form is exactly divisible by seven. The number of words which occur in only one form is exactly divisible by seven. The number of nouns is exactly divisible by seven. Only seven words are not nouns. The number of names in the genealogy is exactly divisible by seven. Only seven other kinds of nouns occur. The number of male names is exactly divisible by seven. The number of generations is 21, exactly divisible by seven.

The mathematical structure observed in the genealogy of Jesus is staggering, the numerous heptadic features showing clearly that this couldn’t be the work of unaided human thought, but the result of Divine inspiration.

Then again, numerous examples occur in Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus (verses 18-25).

The number of Greek words in the passage is 161, exactly divisible by seven. The numeric value of all these 161 words is exactly divisible by seven. (NB. Ancient cultures used their alphabet not just to form words but also as their numbering system. Each letter in their alphabet also meant a number. The numeric value of a word is the sum total of what its letters add up to, when each letter is taken as a number). The number of Greek vocabulary words in this passage is exactly divisible by seven. The one word found nowhere else in the New Testament is the Greek word “Emmanuel”. It has a numeric value exactly divisible by seven. The number of forms in which these 161 words occur is 105, exactly divisible by seven. Of these 105, the number of verbs is exactly divisible by seven. Of the 105 forms, the number of proper names is exactly seven. The number of Greek letters in these 7 proper names is exactly divisible by seven.

When it comes to Matthew’s account of Christ’s Childhood yet again the same numerical pattern is found.
The number of Greek vocabulary words used in Matthew ch 2 is 161, exactly divisible by seven. The number of Greek letters in these 161 words is 896, exactly divisible by seven. The numeric value of the 161 vocabulary words is 123,529, exactly divisible by seven. The number of forms in the passage is 238, exactly divisible by seven. The numeric value of these forms is 166,985, again exactly divisible by seven.

Although there are several “topics” covered in Matthew ch 2 which are separate from the rest of the passage, each one has numerical features all of its own. They are separate from the rest of the passage and yet in a peculiar and intricate way, they form a part of the amazing feature of the whole chapter. They are intertwined in such a phenomenal way that the entire chapter is one great mathematical unit. There are 3 speeches in the chapter. Herod speaks, the wise men, and the angel speaks. Each speech shows numeric features in itself yet each forms only part of the chapter which as a whole has numeric features of its own.

Studying the Old Testament in the Hebrew language in which it was written, reveals exactly the same structures and patterns which are found in the New Testament.
Take for example, Genesis ch1v1; the simple yet profound statement “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
The number of Hebrew words in this proclamation is seven. The total numerical value of the three nouns, God, heaven and earth is 777, a figure exactly divisible by seven. The number of letters in these three nouns is 14, exactly divisible by seven. The numerical value of the verb “created” is 203, exactly divisible by seven. The numerical value of the first and last letters of the seven words of this proclamation is 1393, exactly divisible by seven. The total number of Hebrew letters in the seven words is 28, exactly divisible by seven. And so it goes on. In this proclamation alone, linguists have identified a total of 18 separate features of the number seven.

This sevenfold structure or pattern is found throughout Scripture and is completely unique to the Bible. The number seven underlies and permeates the text in every conceivable manner. These patterns aren’t found in any other ancient literature. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and all the other writings of John including Revelation, James, Peter Jude and all the writings of St Paul displays this phenomena as do all the writings of the Old Testament.

Different kinds of this phenomena are being discovered all the time.
For instance, it has been noted that the numeric value of the Hebrew names of the 21 Old Testament writers is exactly divisible by seven. Of these 21 writers, those named in the New Testament are Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Joel, in all exactly seven. The numeric value of these seven names is exactly divisible by seven. These seven names occur in the Old Testament 2,310 times, again a number exactly divisible by seven.
The examples never seem to come to an end. This sevenfold pattern in Scripture interlocks paragraph with paragraph and book with book throughout the entire Bible.

The founding father of the Science of Biblical Numerics, was a Russian mathematician and literary scholar called Dr Ivan Panin. This mathematical and analytical genius was born in Russia in 1855. He grew up an ardent athiest and after being involved in plots to overthrow the Czar ultimately entered Harvard University in the US. He was a Master of Literary Criticism and was so well known in the literary field that his conversion from believing in atheism to accepting Christianity in 1882, made newspaper headlines. (He was a sort of “Richard Dawkins” figure to the people of his generation).

One day in 1890, Panin was casually reading St John’s Gospel in New Testament Greek. As a gifted linguist and mathematician he suddenly noticed what appeared to be a numerical relationship between certain words. This aroused his curiosity to examine the Biblical text from a “mathematical perspective” something which had never been done before.

As a committed Christian, Panin devoted the next 50 years of his life to exploring and highlighting the numerical designs underlying both the Greek text of the New Testament and the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. During these years he produced over 43,000 pages of analysis showing the Hand of God working behind the human authors of the Bible. The mathematical patterns he revealed have never been denied; one cannot argue with mathematics, and the implications of their presence has encouraged and strengthened the faith of countless millions across the world. It has awakened the conscience of individuals who have tried to ignore God’s commandments, and it has comforted the afflicted and bereaved with the knowledge that God’s promises of the life beyond will most certainly be fulfilled.

His research proved the supernatural origin of Scripture at the very same time liberal critics were becoming popular in casting doubts on the reliability of the Bible. (See article entitled “Liberal Theology and the Truth of the Bible”). Owing to the Providential timing of his research, Panin’s work is often regarded as God’s answer to liberal theology and His rebuke to the notion that Scripture is but an untrustworthy composition of human hand. The Science of Biblical Numerics which he founded proves the unique character of the Bible. It shows its Divine origin; it shows it can be trusted and relied upon.

In an age when people are looking for signs and evidence that the Bible is true, how reassuring it is that God raised up and gifted this man to strengthen the faithful and help the wavering. Panin died in 1942 but the research he began continues to this day. As can be seen, the Bible is no work of mere human origin but the work of God the Holy Spirit. As it states in 2nd Peter ch1v 21 “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” and in 2nd Timothy ch3v16 “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God…”.

This article has been written to help strengthen faith and provide information on how to defend the Bible in an age of scepticism. If you have found it useful then please share its contents with others. It can be viewed along with the other articles mentioned on http://www.internetpulpit.co.uk