Tag: God

If God Were a Peripheral God

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Faith3 Comments

If anyone knows anything about philosophy it is certain that Frederick Nietzsche’s idea of a “dead god” is either infamous or famous depending on one’s world view. Nietzsche’s dead god did not mean that our God was without life rather it was Nietzsche’s way of presenting the idea that God was not involved in His creation. It is much like the idea of Deism wherein it is believed that God created man and then pulled away from mankind with little to no involvement. This, by extension, would make God a peripheral God, an idea which must be challenged.
The fact of the matter is that God was involved with His creation from the time of the creation. The narrative in Genesis clearly shows that Adam and Eve enjoyed a relationship with God. Relationships are far from peripheral in that there needs to interaction between the parties involved in the relationship. With that God spent time with man until sin caused a breach in the relationship. In spite of the breach God continued to reach out to man to repair a broken relationship. God longed for the communion He once enjoyed with man so that from the time sin entered the camp God put in place a plan to restore that relationship. Peripheral thinking would lend one to believe that a peripheral God would not care about a broken relationship. Thus, if God were a peripheral God there would be no concern for what was lost.
There are many other scriptural examples of God working to restore broken relationships between himself and man. Take for instance the period of time when the Israelites were in bondage to the whims of the Egyptians. The people of God were not allowed to worship Him and desired to be in a place where they could worship without hindrance. God heard the desires of His people and worked diligently to bring His people out from the land of bondage into a state of freedom. With this in mind God chose Moses and gave him specific instructions as to what to do in order to deliver God’s people. It is not certain that a peripheral God would take the time and care to bring His people from a state of bondage into a state of freedom where worship of Him is not only allowed but also encouraged.
The multiple encounters of God in the Old Testament with His people clearly show that our God is not dead. That is to say that God is not separated from those that love Him rather multiple evidences show that God speaks to and works with not only those that love Him but also God reaches out to those who have not chosen to love Him. There is no more evidence of that then the text found in John 3:16-17 which reads:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
The fact of God sending His Son into a sinful world does not speak of One who is peripheral. In fact the converse is true. For instance, if God were a peripheral God there would be no concern for the sinful state of man. There would be no desire to restore the broken relationship. A peripheral God would not put the life of His Son into the hands of those that chose to forsake Him on every hand. Instead God with all His love looked down through the annals of time and saw a wretched people in need of deliverance. If God were a peripheral God salvation would be non-existent and all mankind would be dammed by reason of the first Adam.

Moreover if God were merely peripheral Jesus would not have sacrificed himself on the cross with the result of paving the way for man to accept Him, the one and only source of redemption. If God were a peripheral God the spilled blood of Jesus would be void thereby making His atoning work of none effect. If God were as suggested by Nietzsche the promise made by Jesus to never leave us nor forsake us would be a lie. Further His fulfilled promise to send the Holy Ghost to live in believers would be null. If God were a peripheral God then my life is not worth living. Yet because God is intimately involved in the lives of those that love Him I am awed that God is not a peripheral God.

Jesus and His Purpose

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I thought I would share the notes to a lesson I taught on the Person of Jesus. All too often Christians lack understanding in our Saviour so it is my hope that some will be stretched a bit by these notes.

 

 

Jesus and His Purpose

 

 

 

 

For

 

 

 

 

Springs of Refreshing Fellowship Church

1932 Gwynn Oak Ave

Woodlawn, MD 21207

 

 

 

 

Prepared by:

 

Elder William James Carter, The 1st

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 April 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© The Christian Perspective

 

Jesus and His Purpose

 

The Deity of Jesus

 

          Many of those that claim to be Christians today have very little knowledge of who Christ is and His purpose. It is for this reason this lesson will delve into the deity of Christ and His purpose. John 1:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

     The first thing that should be noted in this verse is the term “in the beginning.” It is similar term that was used in Genesis 1:1. The term does not refer to the starting point of time rather is refers to the beginning of recorded time. The idea here is that the text is pointing to the eternality of Jesus. It shows that Jesus existed before time was recorded by man. Even more importantly not only did Jesus exist before recorded time but He enjoys a status of pre-existence.

     The pre-existence of Christ lend considerable credibility to His Deity. Jesus removes a little of His veil in John 8:58 with the words:

          “Before Abraham was I am.”

This interesting choice of words shows that Jesus not only existed before Abraham but that He remains eternal. At no point does His existence or deity cease to be. The fact that the Jesus remains before Abraham is testament that He continues to exist in eternity past. Only deity can exist in such a fashion as to be in the past and present simultaneously.

     The next aspect to be examined is the term “Word.” One partial definition of “Word is: “the ultimate revelation of Jesus Christ in the incarnate Word of God”.[1] By this Jesus is personified as being the very image of God. This is what makes the term “Immanuel” significant. Immanuel means “God with us” and the Word being presents the very picture of an ever-present God becomes clear.

     Verse one continues by showing that the Word was with God. This is a clear indication of two distinct personalities. Jesus, the Word, existed and continues to exist with God the Father. The term with is not simply positional rather it is relational. It shows an unbreaking union in the Godhead. Additionally this union is not just a strong relationship but that the Godhead is in full agreement insofar as all is concerned. There is no disagreement between the members of the Godhead.

     The ending of verse one points not only to the Deity of Jesus but also to the very fact that Jesus is God. He is just as much as God as the Father is. This fact is NOT a form of polytheism rather is shows the multifaceted God mentioned in Genesis 1:1. While we may lack understanding how one God can be present in three Persons we must understand that clarity to the matter will be part of a victorious end to this life.

     The incarnation of Jesus is not a coincidental or happenstance matter. God planned this from the time of the fall of man in the Garden. As such many prophecies concerning the virgin birth of Jesus were made throughout the Old Testament. One prominent prophecy is found in Isaiah 7:14:

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

This prophecy came to pass as Mary gave birth to the Messiah (Luke 2:6-7). It is important to note that Jesus was conceived while Mary remained a virgin. This is significant because Jesus did not come from the seed and blood of man. Remember that it is the father’s blood that is in offspring. Because Jesus is the Son of God he could not be tainted with the blood of man. This is the reason He had to come through a pure vessel not tainted by man’s sinful blood.

     Because of His incarnation many see Jesus as being man only. However that is far from true. However Jesus could not come to earth in the fullness of His glory. He had to lay aside some of His attributes in order to accomplish His task. Philippians 2:7 points to this fact:

“But stripped Himself [of all privileges and [a]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being” (Amplified Bible).

     The term for this action is called “kenosis” which means that Jesus “surrendered no attribute of His Deity, but that He did voluntarily restrict their independent use in keeping with His purpose of living among men and their limitations.”[2]  He did not stop being God but emptied Himself by:

  1. Veiling His divine glory – no man could look on God in the fullness of His glory and live
  2. Subjecting Himself to human limitations – Jesus was fully man in that He lived in the shell of a man having to be limited as man is.
  3. Giving up independent use of comparative attributes – Jesus willing laid aside His omniscience, omnipresence and omnipresence. These attributes were still available to Him but He chose to surrender the use of these attributes so that He could identify with man.

     Even with this pouring out Jesus remained Devine even though He lived as a man. With this Jesus was one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man. It is for this reason that Christ has been called the God- Man. It is the union of God and man which is called the hypostatic union. At no time was Jesus less God nor did He ever become less man. He was “Immanuel” or God with us. There are a number of reasons this union is significant but for the sake of this lesson only three will be discussed. Those reasons are that:

  1. The union is evidence of the eternal priesthood of Christ – Hebrews 9:11
  2. The prophetic office of Christ is evidenced in the union – Matthew 21:11
  3. The kingly office of Christ requires both the Divine and human – Revelation 15:3

     Because Jesus was and remains one hundred percent God, while incarnate, He had within Him no ability to sin. Multiple texts point to the sinless life of the God-man. Among them are:

  1. Hebrews 4:14 -15:  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
  2. I Peter 2:21-22:  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
  3.  I John 3:5: And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

 

 

His Purpose

     While Jesus performed many works prior to His crucifixion is task at large was really simple. That task was to perform the will of His Father. John 5:30:

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

     This statement by Jesus is indicative of the obedience Jesus. It shows His complete and total submission to the Father. Jesus did not come to do anything apart from the Father. Remember that He and the Father are one and as such it is impossible for One to operate without the absolute consent of the Other. But what is the will of the Father? In order to fully understand the will of God there must be an understanding of the nature of man before sin corrupted him. The first man initially:

  1. Was sinless because he was created without sin.
  2. Communed regularly with God.’
  3. Had an intimate relationship with God.

The fall of man caused a divide that God was not desirous of. From that time He put into action a plan to restore man to his rightful relationship. Part of that plan is put in to play by redemption.

 

Redemption – To redeem mean to buy back. When man sinned the process of death began. The death was not merely physical death rather the death was separation from God. With this meant that man no longer belonged to God but that God had to pay a price in order to restore man back to his pre-sin state.

I Corinthians 7:23:

          “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.”

Before redemption man is a servant to not only other men but also to sin. Those who are not redeemed are basically owned by sin because of their service to sin.

Romans 6:6:

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Hebrews 9:12

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

I Peter 1:18-19:

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Reconcile – To reconcile a thing is to restore it to a former state. Formally God enjoyed an unhindered relationship with man. There was nothing that could cause a divide other than disobedience. From the time of the fall the Godhead sought to restore that relationship.

II Corinthians 5:18-19:

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

Ephesians 2:15-16:

“Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby”

Salvation- Salvation is deliverance from the power of sin. It was sin that caused the divide between man and God and the eradication of the power of sin presents the ability for a restored relationship.

John 3:16-18:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Acts 4:12:

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Titus 3:3-6:

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour”

 

 

[1] Townes, Elmer Theology for Today

[2] Townes, 192

The Denominational Divide

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized14 Comments

 

     Now that I have been around Christendom for a little while I have found that there are a number of things that some count as Christian that are really far from Christ like. Take, for instance, the matter of denominations. There are about 39,000 “Christian” denominations worldwide. The problem is that there is no Scriptural context for denominations. Yes, it is certain that some believe that John the “Baptizer” was Baptist and that Peter was the first Pope. This further complicates an already complicated conundrum. But before I scrape the history of denominational divisions I think it only fair to lend some light to my worldview.

     First, I am a Christian, plain and simple. Nothing else comes even close to that declaration. But because this discussion on focused on denominationalism I must address my denominational preference. The fact is that I can be counted as “Catholic” because I am part of the universal church. And while being part of the universal church I lean towards “Holiness” because the Word of God clearly teaches that without holiness no man shall see God. Even more I am “Pentecostal” because the truths of what happened on the Day of Pentecost rings true even today. Yes, I can also be counted as “Baptist” because I believe that once repentance is made baptism is mandated. I am also “Apostolic” because I believe that the teachings of the Apostles were God-ordained.  As such some might say that I am interdenominational but I would rather count myself as nondenominational. My interests have little to do with denomination and everything to do with serving the True and Living God.

     Now that that is out of the way I can get to the heart of this message. I have heard some say that if you are not of this sect or that sect then you are not in Christ and that salvation has eluded you. Yet there are no evidences of such a divide in Scripture. I find nowhere in the text any discussion by Jesus that such a divide should exist. Even more Paul, in I Corinthians chapter three, bemoans division by reason of schisms. Paul’s rebuke was to prevent divides because of individuals rather than reliance on the Word of God. One might say that Paul sought to prevent denominational divides and showed that all that served the One and True God worked together rather than apart.

     It is for this reason that I urge all to lay aside idiosyncratic pontifications of irrelevant issues and return to the truths of the Word. If there is a simple reliance in God’s Word the denominational divide can be repaired. After all Jesus did not come to create a divided church rather He came for one body. Consider for a moment the Pauline discussion in I Corinthians 12. The fact is that denominational divides are doing harm to the church. Therefore we need to hang up our hang ups and let God be God and His Word stand for itself. In other words, let us come together and serve God!

     The fact is that denominations came about as a result of isms and schisms. Much of the fighting had little to do with the Word of God and much to do with selfish control. It is for this reason that I again urge all to lay aside denominational dogma and pick the Word. Careful and proper exegeses are in order so that we all speak and live the same thing so as to bring as many as possible to the foot of the cross.

Holiness and Mess Just Don’t Mix

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized3 Comments

     Throughout the Pentateuch God shows that He demands a standard of holiness from His people.  When Adam and Eve violated His standard there was an immediate consequence. The same was true of Cain who took it upon himself to kill his brother. These decided it was more important to follow after their own whims rather than present themselves holy before the Almighty God.  This meant that they pulled away from God thereby setting up a “world” order that God was not pleased with. It meant that any devices that came to man’s heart would be fulfilled no matter the offense to the God of holiness.

     Leviticus 19:1-2 reads, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.” This is a call for the children of God to separate themselves from the many forms of sin that were eminent in that day. There was the turning to false gods, idolatry and hosts of other things that God not only frowned upon but warned against in multiple ways from the time of man. Yet man saw reason to ignore the Creator of all and do all the evil he could imagine in his heart. But the love of God proved to be more eminent than the sin man chose to live in. God continued to urge His people to live a holy life. But, what is holiness?

     Holiness is being separated and set apart from the world. It is that simple. Yes, there will be some that tout holiness as some distant, mystical aspect of Christianity that but a few are able to acquire. Yet the above Scripture shows that holiness is for all the people of God. It is not an aspect that is suitable only for the preacher and deacon but all are required not to bend to the world order rather the people of God are required to lean on the basic principle of holiness. This is to say that God called for His people to be separate and apart from the world order because He is above and cannot be touched by the world order. Therefore the people of God must not pervert the holiness of God with the mess of the world.

     More evidence of God’s holiness is found in Deuteronomy 23:12-14; “Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:  And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:  For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. Said in more modern vernacular God saying  here to cover your mess. God is so holy that He does not want to see that which comes out of you. The instructions are clearly show that God’s holiness does not mix with mess.

     Even so many that call themselves Christians have no problem relieving themselves and leaving their mess in the open. By this many “Christians” cuss and quickly ask God’s forgiveness even though the cussing is part of the norm in their lives. Others steal and declare that God knows their hearts. And the mess continues on with these as though there is no Holy God. The problem is that holiness and mess just don’t mix and this matter is further evidenced in Galatians chapter five. Even more the questioned is posed and answered, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid” Romans 6:1-2).  The fact is that mess is nothing more than works of the flesh and those that indulge in works of the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Among the works of the flesh is reveling (Galatians 5).

     Reveling, in part, is dancing in the street. Reveling historically was in honor of false deities and took place in the evening. Today many not only dance in the streets in honor of some “hero” or other reason but also bars and clubs are filled with drunken celebrations. Some may well be physically sober but drunkenness of the mind is just as dangerous. This mess is an atrocity to the Word of God and does not mix with His holiness.  Our bodies are not to be used as instruments of unrighteousness, or mess, rather we are to glorify God in our bodies. There is no way to do both at the same time. The fact is holiness and mess just don’t mix.

 

 

Get Right With God

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized1 Comment

The past couple days of been somewhat somber for me. A family that I mentor and advise spiritually lost the lady of the house. The most immediate impact of her untimely demise is to her husband of thirteen years and four young children from the ages of seven to eleven. While I can delve into the hurt and pain associated with losing a loved one the thing that came immediately to my mind was the old song “Get Right With God.”

Yes, there is mourning taking place. Even I expect to see her sitting in her favourite spot when I enter the family home. It simply does not seem real because she was taken out by a sudden massive heart attack. But I am reminded of the fact that when Christ returns to collect His Church He will come quickly and without warning. He has provided us with warning after warning of His soon and sudden return. Preachers having been warning for years that the return of Christ will be as a thief in the night as the Church is suddenly taken from the present world. Just look at the present situation in the United States alone.

It is accepted by many to tell lies of the lie is harmless. Yet Scripture teaches that all liars will have their place in the lake that burns with fire. Yet even those holding positions in church choose to lie. But lying is part of the problem. Many continually entertain unclean thoughts. The vast array of unclean thoughts will not be addressed here but one can easily surmise that when thoughts are not taken captive according to the Word of God any number of things can happen.  Unclean thoughts are part of the reason that many are living with the idea that altering their minds with marijuana, alcohol and other illicit drugs are OK so long as no one else is being harmed.

And the evil thoughts continue in so many ways such as the increase of immorality on every front. Said differently, this nation has succumbed to the disease of sin. Sin is what pulls away from God and sin will be the cause of eternal damnation. You see in the Book of Numbers God provided His people specific instructions. If they adhered to God’s Word they would find themselves walking in God’s blessings. Yet if they disobeyed Numbers 32:23 clearly indicates that “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

I certainly mourn the untimely death of this forty-six year old lady even while I wonder how many people die without making things right with God. How many die knowing that God is there for them yet they figure that they have the rest of their lives while the numbering of their days is at hand? And then what about those on the fringes of the church walking around with a form of godliness but denying the very power thereof? And then you have those that work as though their very services are the means to get into the Kingdom.

It is high time that this nation return to its roots of trusting in God. We have left our first love and need to fall on our faces in repentance. No, just a verbal acknowledgement of shortcomings but rather actions turning away from those things that turn from the holiness of God. It means that those on the fringes will submit to the Cloud that covers and protects while allowing the Holy Spirit to not only indwell but also to guide and comfort. It is time that we, collectively and individually, get right with God and do it now!

The Insanity of Christianity

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized8 Comments

Those of us that practice Christianity the way God intended have been called many names. Among those names are “Holy Rollers” and Bible Thumpers.” No wonder Christians are called names! We choose to be holy because the Word of God instructs us to be holy and we choose to thump through the Bible so that we can understand what holiness is all about. And when the principles of the Word of God are applied we are called many other names; many of which I cannot bring myself to repeat.

Despite the many names Christians have been called Christianity still thrives and drives others over the brink of name calling. With this it must be true that whoever practices Christianity must be insane. The fact is Christians celebrate a God that has never been seen. We worship and adore One who cannot be seen. I Timothy 1:17 confirms that we celebrate an invisible God with the Words, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Yes, we must be insane to worship the invisible God that created all rather than worshiping images created by own hands.

Our insanity deepens when we begin to obey the Word of the invisible God. You see we are called homophobic simply because God has ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman. Without parsing the term “homophobic” I think it somewhat reasonable to say that the term makes no sense linguistically.  Still it is no wonder that there is much insanity in Christianity. We choose to honor an invisible God that teaches that homosexuality is an abomination. Leviticus 18:22 is the very standard the invisible God has set and by that standard insane Christians live. “ Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” Yes, there is much insanity in Christianity.

But not all Christian phobias are so blatant. We are told throughout scriptural text teaches that Christians are not to be conformed to the world rather we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). No wonder there is insanity in Christianity; we are being brainwashed. We live according to the mandate of God and don’t give in to the rudiments of the world. We stand separate and apart from everything that pulls away from God.  We are counted as boring and sticks-in-the-mud all because we have renewed minds. Yes, one would have to be insane to trust and rely in an invisible God that teaches marriage as being a union between one man and one woman who have transformed their minds from the things of the world into the mind of Christ.

I have to say with all boldness that I am one of those insane people trusting in the invisible God Who sent His only Son to be born of a virgin (man that’s insane) Who lived a sinless life pointing men to His Father. This same sinless Man was killed because He was insane enough to do the will of His Father. Yes, there is much insanity in Christianity but I would rather be with insane Christians than with sane infidels.  

Quick Testimony

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized6 Comments

It is not my norm to give personal testimonies in a public forum such as this but in light of my post yesterday I think this one to be pertinent.

This morning I had an early appointment with my doctor. We have been working on one issue of concern with me and that concern is my blood pressure. I have been on medications for a couple years but I believe that we can live life without medications. I truly believe in divine health. But there are times when we do things that pull from our health. Even so my discussion with my doctor included the fact that I did not want to spend my entire life taking medication.

Here is the good news. Over the past two years I have lost about forty pounds. When I last saw my doctor I was a little anemic. I was provided vitamins to resolve the issue and anemia is now a thing of the past. And, to top it off, my doctor has reduced my medications by 25% which is on the way to my goal of no medications.

One might say that the wisdom of the doctor is just cause for celebration. While I thank God for a good doctor it is God that has given him the wisdom to guide me to good health. Even more God’s faithfulness to me allows me to walk according to His Word which provides me divine health. The bottom line is that God has my health on the upswing rather than degenerating.

Have Some Confidence

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Faith2 Comments

There is much talk today about faith. People are starting groups entitled “Faith” and others suggest that their faith in God is immovable. Preachers are slamming their fists on pulpits to make the point of the necessity of faith. Yet many people still have no idea what faith really is nor are they sure how to employ it. Despite this the matter of faith is a rather simple one and one that even a baby can employ in his life.

The fact is that faith, at its simplest level, is nothing more than absolute assurance that God is true to His Word. It is the realization that God cannot and will not lie to the extent that the Word of God has never failed. Faith is knowing that no matter how long and difficult the journey God will bring it to a successful end. He has to because God has promised man that He would never leave nor forsake him. And If God will never leave man then His Word is true and has to stand on its own.

This being the case why do so many Christians live defeated lives? Why is there not only discouragement on a large scale but many Christians seem not to understand the very fundamentals of faith as laid out here? Perhaps the answer is found in Romans 14:23, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Hereby we see the problem, doubt which sin is. But the question must be answered as to what doubt is. Specific to Romans 14:23 doubt is “to be at variance with one’s self, hesitate, doubt.”[1]

The picture of doubt here is an internal struggle. The fight is whether or not to trust God. And if God is trusted is it feasible to depend on Him? And if there is a dependency on God will He do what He says? Is what God says for me? And the questions go on and on. It is for this reason that doubt becomes strong thereby eradicating faith. The fact is that doubt is sin and God cannot operate where there is sin. This is the reason when doubt raises its head God is forced to withdraw His hand. Even so the tables can just as easily be turned.

Let not faith be a word of convenience rather it should be part of the Christian lifestyle. Faith recognizes that God is faithful that promised (Hebrews 10:23) and will do just what He says. So don’t waver because the winds blow. Instead pull your coat closer, bow your head toward the wind in prayer and continue to move toward the promise. It is there and waiting for you. Just don’t doubt. No, don’t give in and let God pull from you because of the sin of doubt. No, hold on to the promise of God and let God bring it to pass.

[1] Blue Letter Bible. “Dictionary and Word Search for diakrinō (Strong’s 1252)“. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012. 28 Nov 2012. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1252&t=KJV

Thanksgiving

On By Dr. William James Carter, IIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I have just a few words but more is to come later. I just ask that those that do stop calling it “Turkey Day” because that very idea pulls away from the celebration. We have much for which to be thankful so let’s celebrate Thanksgiving Day with attitudes of gratitude giving homage to the Most High God.