1 Corinthians 5:5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2 Corinthians 11:14 and no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
1 Timothy 1:20 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Who is this Satan, the Greek word “sat-an-as,” means !”the accuser.” i.e. the devil.
Some theologians change the application for this word; they taught that this word can be employed on any one including the believers, they encourage believers to be a satan!
To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. They taught that someone can become a “Satan” to destroy the enemies, they see it is fit. In conventional warfare, the enemies must be eliminated by all means, likewise in spiritual warfare in the churches.
They taught, if you dislike someone in the churches, because he “accused” you, or he oppose your teaching or he disturb your reputation, someone become a “Satan” to you, become your enemy, you become “Satan’ to him, by all means. These theologians taught their doctors like this! Chilling!
Furthermore, if you hate him, the theologians say, you also find him to be a weak and sick, and the enemies became you treat, opposer, next, the theologian said it is all right to destroy the enemy’s body, all means to defeat him, use all method, use all toxic you may use onto the enemy! To destroy the enemy, destroy the flesh, for the destruction of the flesh, to defeat them, the body must be destroyed they said! And the believers can use this mandate to destroy someone in the Christian Fellowship!
The false teachers taught that “believer can become the author of bodily diseases.” of some bodily evil, this means the flesh may be tamed , so that that offender or enemy would be subject to corporal inflictions by the agency of these “Satan” employed. These false teachers taught that it was designed for the government of the church! They will send out secret workers, to destroy the body of an enemy, to destroy those they disliked. They destroyed even those who are weak in faith, those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, they destroyed the poor in spirit, and they continue to destroy the whole church!
This is the doctrine of the devils! Beza, and the Latin Fathers, suppose that this is only an expression of excommunication. Cast out. But these theologians taught that they must be excommunicated and destroyed the body all together by human effort, with poison or toxic! Whatsoever, the enemy must be silent! This is cruelty. We are living in the end time! End time!
My friends what I mean, is even with “word” we may killed and destroy a man, so becareful for what we say, what we talked! “Word” is poison and toxic when a man curse, all these words are coming from the devils, word without peace, is not from God, peaceable wisdom is from above, so with "word" they destroy, and destroy!
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
And the theologians even called other denominations and those opposed their teaching as the “churches of the devil.” Quoting the scriptures below,
Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
And Revelation 12:9 and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Satan is our enemy! Not our friend! But do not try to be one of them! False teachers like some, are doing destruction! Giving false witness about the scripture, and destroy the good image of God! The theologians destroy more than building up the faith of the congregation!
10.11.08
9.11.08
Sermon Summary
Same heart in the Lord
Paul wrote 3 letters to the churches when he was in prison, in the letter to Ephesians, he says the church is the body of Christ, in the letter to Colossians, he said Christ is the head of the church, and in the letter to Philippians, he wrote that the church must live like Christ.
It is sad to see the church, before the church is starting to fight the enemies, the church splits. Brothers became enemy! They had depression. It is hurtful. So that is why Paul wanted the Philippians to rejoice in Christ, because they were sad. The church had problems even in the beginning.
Paul remembered them, day and night, and he prayed for them. And he wrote there is one way to rejoice. There is only one way, it is to return to the Lord, focus only on Him. Without Him, we cannot rejoice.
There were chaos and confusions in the church. When the body of Christ, had problems, they are not small problems, but they had the most terrible problem in the world, sins, and they, the sinner lived together, and they had prayed, and they had taught the truth, and then they had believed the truth, but there was still the problem of sin.
The Lord wanted the whole church, not one or two leaders, who are serving the Lord. The church is not just of the leaders, one or two theologians, but the whole body is the body of Christ. When we had the problems, we must look to the Lord.
There are some theologians who taught doctrines, but beyond that, they gave impression that degree is everything in serving the Lord, not so, the training is a part of training, but there is another important part in the training, the heart.
What kind of the theologians had in them, then what kind of hearts they will produce in theirs follower. Lord looked heavily on the witness. But Christ must live in our hearts. Not just degree, but heart in Christ, Christ living in our heart or not?
God never withheld any spiritual goodness for His children. He never withheld any of the perfect Word from His children. There were the good words the Lord had given to His children, and they lived by every word proceed from the mouth of God.
It is very sad, to see that the theologians are doubting the Word of God, even come to put doubt in the heart of the young believers about the CUV, and they are pursuing the perfect underlying text, and they step on the good witness of the church. And they forget that the church is one, the one body of Christ. Dear friend, one day, the Lord will come, to receive, the bride, the church.
Rev 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Rev 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in
a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus,
and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 21:6
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega, these two letters of Greek speaks louder than all the doctrines those theologians put together! Alpha and Omega! 2 perfect words stand forever, Amen, Amen, Amen!
Alpha is the first, Omega the last, letter of the Greek alphabet, and as such they enclose all the rest. Christ calling himself the first and the last, that is, the first cause and the last end, (as nothing began before him, so nothing can outlast him,) he does hereby discover his divinity to us.
All begins with God and he closes the drama of earthly history.
And then, at the end of the earth, not just pastors and theologians, the church is not only friends, but brothers.
The fellowship in the Gospel, must have same heart and same mind, believing the same gospel.
Philippians 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
They must have same heart and same mind in preaching Christ, telling the salvation for the sinners, saying forgiveness for sins. This not about a company, but Paul said they are a fellowship.
A Fellowship in Christ is better than a Bible College which is teaching wrong doctrines!
Paul wanted them to know what is right and what is wrong?
He prayed, Philippians 1:10, That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
3 things for us to start to work on in the fellowship, let us be united in the fellowship of the Gospel.
1. Loving the truth is very important.
2. Loving those things are good,
3. Living in a blameless life, this is the hardest part.
There are people getting famous because the achievement and wealth they have, and the Lord said they had received the rewards.
Matthew 6: 2, 5,16.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before
thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that
they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their
reward.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of
the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as
the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you,
They have their reward.
We are called to bear fruit by connecting to Christ. Before we can bear any fruit we must grow up first, if we can bear fruit, then God will be glorified. Pursue this life changing, life growing, fruit bearing life, and lastly we have the glorifying life.
I hope the Lord may grant us joy and power in our life. Amen.
The Lord is Alpha and Omega !
Paul wrote 3 letters to the churches when he was in prison, in the letter to Ephesians, he says the church is the body of Christ, in the letter to Colossians, he said Christ is the head of the church, and in the letter to Philippians, he wrote that the church must live like Christ.
It is sad to see the church, before the church is starting to fight the enemies, the church splits. Brothers became enemy! They had depression. It is hurtful. So that is why Paul wanted the Philippians to rejoice in Christ, because they were sad. The church had problems even in the beginning.
Paul remembered them, day and night, and he prayed for them. And he wrote there is one way to rejoice. There is only one way, it is to return to the Lord, focus only on Him. Without Him, we cannot rejoice.
There were chaos and confusions in the church. When the body of Christ, had problems, they are not small problems, but they had the most terrible problem in the world, sins, and they, the sinner lived together, and they had prayed, and they had taught the truth, and then they had believed the truth, but there was still the problem of sin.
The Lord wanted the whole church, not one or two leaders, who are serving the Lord. The church is not just of the leaders, one or two theologians, but the whole body is the body of Christ. When we had the problems, we must look to the Lord.
There are some theologians who taught doctrines, but beyond that, they gave impression that degree is everything in serving the Lord, not so, the training is a part of training, but there is another important part in the training, the heart.
What kind of the theologians had in them, then what kind of hearts they will produce in theirs follower. Lord looked heavily on the witness. But Christ must live in our hearts. Not just degree, but heart in Christ, Christ living in our heart or not?
God never withheld any spiritual goodness for His children. He never withheld any of the perfect Word from His children. There were the good words the Lord had given to His children, and they lived by every word proceed from the mouth of God.
It is very sad, to see that the theologians are doubting the Word of God, even come to put doubt in the heart of the young believers about the CUV, and they are pursuing the perfect underlying text, and they step on the good witness of the church. And they forget that the church is one, the one body of Christ. Dear friend, one day, the Lord will come, to receive, the bride, the church.
Rev 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Rev 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in
a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus,
and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto
Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 21:6
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Christ is the Alpha and Omega, these two letters of Greek speaks louder than all the doctrines those theologians put together! Alpha and Omega! 2 perfect words stand forever, Amen, Amen, Amen!
Alpha is the first, Omega the last, letter of the Greek alphabet, and as such they enclose all the rest. Christ calling himself the first and the last, that is, the first cause and the last end, (as nothing began before him, so nothing can outlast him,) he does hereby discover his divinity to us.
All begins with God and he closes the drama of earthly history.
And then, at the end of the earth, not just pastors and theologians, the church is not only friends, but brothers.
The fellowship in the Gospel, must have same heart and same mind, believing the same gospel.
Philippians 1:5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
They must have same heart and same mind in preaching Christ, telling the salvation for the sinners, saying forgiveness for sins. This not about a company, but Paul said they are a fellowship.
A Fellowship in Christ is better than a Bible College which is teaching wrong doctrines!
Paul wanted them to know what is right and what is wrong?
He prayed, Philippians 1:10, That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
3 things for us to start to work on in the fellowship, let us be united in the fellowship of the Gospel.
1. Loving the truth is very important.
2. Loving those things are good,
3. Living in a blameless life, this is the hardest part.
There are people getting famous because the achievement and wealth they have, and the Lord said they had received the rewards.
Matthew 6: 2, 5,16.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before
thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that
they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their
reward.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of
the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward. Moreover when ye fast, be not, as
the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you,
They have their reward.
We are called to bear fruit by connecting to Christ. Before we can bear any fruit we must grow up first, if we can bear fruit, then God will be glorified. Pursue this life changing, life growing, fruit bearing life, and lastly we have the glorifying life.
I hope the Lord may grant us joy and power in our life. Amen.
The Lord is Alpha and Omega !
6.11.08
Wesley on Scripture
Biblical inerrancy is the historically traditional and currently conservative evangelical doctrinal position that in its original form, the Bible is totally without error, and free from all contradiction; "referring to the complete accuracy of Scripture, including the historical and scientific parts."
The basis for Christian belief and practice is the Holy Bible. John Wesley was steeped in Scripture in Scripture from childhood. He said the final authority for belief was derived from the Bible.
He says, “All faith is founded upon divine authority, so there is now divine authority but the Scriptures…” (John Wesley, Works, Vol. X, p.91)
What Bible version was used by John Wesley? Wonder...Did he says anything about the preservation of the Bible in a single one Bible version?
He wrote in his journal: “My ground is the Bible…I follow it in all things great and small” (June 5, 1766)
“O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God!” (John Wesley, Sermon, Vol. 1, pp 31-32)
In “The general Rules of Our Society,” he wrote, the Bible is “the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both for our faith and practice.”
He knew that no one can read Scripture without bringing to it something of his own interpretation.
He realized there would be differences in interpretation among even the most sincere and informed Christians. But most differences among Christians, Wesley believed, usually concern matters that are not essential to salvation and practical Christian living.
Wesley regarded the Biblical teaching on justification and New Birth as the two most important Christian doctrines. (Sermon, Vol. 2, pp 226-227).
The second emphasis the John Wesley made in his use of Scripture, he insisted that “inward holiness” required “outward holiness.” Simply emphasis is pay attention to “Inner life and evangelistic demands of the Gospel.”
The third emphasis is concerning the promises and blessings God gives His children when they open the Bible. One of the most important of these is “assurance,” or the witness of the Spirit. He also emphasized many other blessings which God has for His Children: victory over sin, joy, the peace of God.
He never got away from the authority of Scripture, did he preach or write, emphasis the important of the scripture until to pursue a “perfect underlying scripture text”?
Question for you to answer:
How many denominations are teaching this “Verbal Plenary Preservation” like the theologians in Nov 2008?
5.11.08
Methodist sister
One day I met a sister in Christ on the street, she was a student from FEBC Singapore, she is now worshiping in a Methodist Church.
After few times of conversations, one day we met again, she breaks the ice, she says, “No one knows who is saved or who is not saved in the church.”
There are differences between Methodist’s doctrines and Calvinist. Calvinist taught us, “once saved always saved.” This is the role of God, this is God’s part, God assurance.
Presently, some Methodists does not reject this Calvin’s doctrine, but they rather see everyone as sinner in the church, every soul is equal, sinner, everyone is treated equal, every one is seeking the truth, seeking the new life in Christ, seeking better spiritual growth in Christ, seeking blessing from God. Seeking double blessings; seeking secondary blessing; seeking more blessings from God, the holiness!
But the Methodist should inspired us that human has human roles, humans part, human responsibility, that is to see humbly, our salvation is not secured yet, until one is genuinely saved, Paul said so think carefully when you say you stand, or you fall backward. Pursuing holiness in our Christian’s life, is a great reformation, great awakening in Methodist movement.
1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
I agreed totally that we should not pull people legs, especially those who are weak in faith, and the beginner, and the babe, and the milk must be given faithfully, without argue about words. Arguing who is “saved or not saved,” rather give our full effort to pursue holiness, the secondary blessing, holiness in our life. And continue to grow in faith and love.
Do not take thing for granted, so, what?
So, every one is treated as “someone may lose their salvation,” like a babe needed milk, and constant abiding with God in our walk with God. So the members must be well taken care of, without prejudice weather she or he is the saved or the unsaved.
We do our part in nurturing the church. God surely know who belongs to Him.
And the Methodist goes all out for evangelism, goes all out with all kinds of method to attract people to come to church, by all means of Bible Study, dramas, songs, book selling, home visiting, all are treated equally, as sinner, needed constant cares, all needed the blessing, further blessing, better and better, until we meet at the Lord’s face.
We should not take pride in our doctrine of “once saved always saved.” But rather doing our human part and responsibility.
That sentence she spoken, had a deep impact in my Calvinist view, it means that we should not waste our time in attacking those who are weak, but build them in the holy faith.
Do not waste time in VPP! 5 years wasted in defending and defending the VPP. Do not waste our time in stumbling young and weak beginner, faith seeker, professor, even saved one.
And the theologians are teaching the Bible, especially favored underlying TR, they are teaching that the Bible is “once preserved always preserved.” I really felt they gone to far this time. Do not take things for granted.
“Who is saved, who is better, who is born again, who will lose their salvation, who is not saved, who is spiritual, who is not spiritual.” Rather offer a silent of prayer for them all.
Someone says this “Gain all you can, save all you can, ........ all you can!”
What is our Haman's responsibility!
Saving the Bible?
Soul?
Gospel?
Holiness?
After few times of conversations, one day we met again, she breaks the ice, she says, “No one knows who is saved or who is not saved in the church.”
There are differences between Methodist’s doctrines and Calvinist. Calvinist taught us, “once saved always saved.” This is the role of God, this is God’s part, God assurance.
Presently, some Methodists does not reject this Calvin’s doctrine, but they rather see everyone as sinner in the church, every soul is equal, sinner, everyone is treated equal, every one is seeking the truth, seeking the new life in Christ, seeking better spiritual growth in Christ, seeking blessing from God. Seeking double blessings; seeking secondary blessing; seeking more blessings from God, the holiness!
But the Methodist should inspired us that human has human roles, humans part, human responsibility, that is to see humbly, our salvation is not secured yet, until one is genuinely saved, Paul said so think carefully when you say you stand, or you fall backward. Pursuing holiness in our Christian’s life, is a great reformation, great awakening in Methodist movement.
1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
I agreed totally that we should not pull people legs, especially those who are weak in faith, and the beginner, and the babe, and the milk must be given faithfully, without argue about words. Arguing who is “saved or not saved,” rather give our full effort to pursue holiness, the secondary blessing, holiness in our life. And continue to grow in faith and love.
Do not take thing for granted, so, what?
So, every one is treated as “someone may lose their salvation,” like a babe needed milk, and constant abiding with God in our walk with God. So the members must be well taken care of, without prejudice weather she or he is the saved or the unsaved.
We do our part in nurturing the church. God surely know who belongs to Him.
And the Methodist goes all out for evangelism, goes all out with all kinds of method to attract people to come to church, by all means of Bible Study, dramas, songs, book selling, home visiting, all are treated equally, as sinner, needed constant cares, all needed the blessing, further blessing, better and better, until we meet at the Lord’s face.
We should not take pride in our doctrine of “once saved always saved.” But rather doing our human part and responsibility.
That sentence she spoken, had a deep impact in my Calvinist view, it means that we should not waste our time in attacking those who are weak, but build them in the holy faith.
Do not waste time in VPP! 5 years wasted in defending and defending the VPP. Do not waste our time in stumbling young and weak beginner, faith seeker, professor, even saved one.
And the theologians are teaching the Bible, especially favored underlying TR, they are teaching that the Bible is “once preserved always preserved.” I really felt they gone to far this time. Do not take things for granted.
“Who is saved, who is better, who is born again, who will lose their salvation, who is not saved, who is spiritual, who is not spiritual.” Rather offer a silent of prayer for them all.
Someone says this “Gain all you can, save all you can, ........ all you can!”
What is our Haman's responsibility!
Saving the Bible?
Soul?
Gospel?
Holiness?
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, book 1, chapter 8
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
Book 1
Chapter 8
Calvin use God’s word to support his writing, 1 Corinthians 2:4 “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
In writing this, it means, that the Bible comes together with the demonstration of the Spirit and power.
The Bible is not a common book, not a powerless book, what Bible version did he referred? The LXX......
We wrote,"Another objection and answer. Of the wondrous Providence of God
in the preservation of the sacred books. The Greek Translation.
The carefulness of the Jews."
Calvin said there were people who were out of their mind, find fault with some Bible verse, they overdo in some Bible verses, the Bible is full with wonderful sentences, but one thing for sure, man ability is limited.
It means, that human ability in discerning and explaining the truth is limited, and they are still people around, who like to find faults! They are the extremist.
He said, Moses never create any God, he is only preaching the eternal God whom Israelites believed for generations. Moses wanted the Israelites to return to God, there is no other motive other than this.
In writing this, Calvin stressed that the Bible motivates us to return to God, and finding Him!
Calvin said there were people like to fight, and like to struggle, they fight against God’s truth to show people, that they are learned and they were cleverer. Those people said, Antiochus had ordered to burn the Manuscripts, so they doubting about those copies of Manuscripts, which Calvin was using, they asked where they came from?
You see even Calvin’s time there were people like today, like to argue about Manuscripts, doubting the authentication of the mss. One thing I sure of is that, Calvin never claimed that he had perfect BIBLE TEXT!
Calvin writes that we have to think carefully, God had preserved the Bible from the hands’ of the cruel emperors, like save out from the fire, there were people sees the Bible more precious than their life.
This means, Calvin believed fully by faith, that God had preserved the Bible, down from the ages.
Calvin wrote, there were people happily rejoiced, thinking that the Bible had been destroyed, but then, the Bible was resurfaced speedily, the Bible was given to generations, it the Bible was better than ever presented, Calvin asked the readers a question, “If we do not admit this is the work of God, then whose work is this?”
In writing this, Calvin is saying the Bible was presented better and better, and he said this is because God is working on this.
My dear friends, in saying this, Calvin did not disapprove any of those previous Bible translations, or any other translations to come, and did he disapprove any MSS?
There is no such a perfect Bible in his doctrines! This point of time there is no teaching of the VPP exists.
Did Calvin say there is only one Bible for the generations to come? No, he did not.
Did he say the Bible must be preserved in only one translation, even in one perfect TR?
No! Only one Bible? KJV only!
No!
But the fact turned to another ways! See what Calvin wrote.
He wrote here, LXX was famous in the world. And he said this is God’s work, God preserved His covenant, even through many calamities, Judah nearly destroyed, the Hebrew languages was despised, but God take care this Christian belief. One can sees that Calvin looked highly the Old Testament in Greek, the Septuagint, and LXX, a translation rather than the Hebrew Text.
Question is did he stress on that one Bible translation only?
Did he say the Septuagint is perfect?
Did the reformers go on to translate the Bible into other languages? Yes, they did!
Down to the age, did people revise their Bible translations, did they edit the translations?
If they did revisions on their Bible, it means, they did see that their Bible translations were not perfect!
Did the church being destroy in editing the translations? No.
Did God preserving the Bible down to the ages? Yes.
Augustine’s said the Jew is the Christian’s librarian, the Jew given us a Book they did not use.
Lastly, Calvin writes if the Bible is only depends on human efforts, how it is to survive all those attacks? No matter how the people fight The Bible, the Bible with its power, overcome all dangers, so this is proving the Bible is from God!
Calvin said, before that, there were a lot of saints, sacrifice even until to their blood to witness and holding fast the teaching of the Bible, how we should react about them? When those saints accepted the Bible, they became brave and strong, even decided to be a martyr, they were so firmed in giving the Bible to us, so Calvin said we must be firmed and faithfully to accept the Bible then!
And he continue to write in this chapter that the Bible is to received as without mistake, the Bible will make a person come to know God and then be saved.
THE BIBLE IS TO RECEIVED AS WITHOUT MISTAKE! This is by faith!
To end this chapter, CALVIN QOUTING AUGUSTINE, “If a man wanted to understand this mighty and great truth, he must has a devoted and quiet heart.”
Book 1
Chapter 8
Calvin use God’s word to support his writing, 1 Corinthians 2:4 “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
In writing this, it means, that the Bible comes together with the demonstration of the Spirit and power.
The Bible is not a common book, not a powerless book, what Bible version did he referred? The LXX......
We wrote,"Another objection and answer. Of the wondrous Providence of God
in the preservation of the sacred books. The Greek Translation.
The carefulness of the Jews."
Calvin said there were people who were out of their mind, find fault with some Bible verse, they overdo in some Bible verses, the Bible is full with wonderful sentences, but one thing for sure, man ability is limited.
It means, that human ability in discerning and explaining the truth is limited, and they are still people around, who like to find faults! They are the extremist.
He said, Moses never create any God, he is only preaching the eternal God whom Israelites believed for generations. Moses wanted the Israelites to return to God, there is no other motive other than this.
In writing this, Calvin stressed that the Bible motivates us to return to God, and finding Him!
Calvin said there were people like to fight, and like to struggle, they fight against God’s truth to show people, that they are learned and they were cleverer. Those people said, Antiochus had ordered to burn the Manuscripts, so they doubting about those copies of Manuscripts, which Calvin was using, they asked where they came from?
You see even Calvin’s time there were people like today, like to argue about Manuscripts, doubting the authentication of the mss. One thing I sure of is that, Calvin never claimed that he had perfect BIBLE TEXT!
Calvin writes that we have to think carefully, God had preserved the Bible from the hands’ of the cruel emperors, like save out from the fire, there were people sees the Bible more precious than their life.
This means, Calvin believed fully by faith, that God had preserved the Bible, down from the ages.
Calvin wrote, there were people happily rejoiced, thinking that the Bible had been destroyed, but then, the Bible was resurfaced speedily, the Bible was given to generations, it the Bible was better than ever presented, Calvin asked the readers a question, “If we do not admit this is the work of God, then whose work is this?”
In writing this, Calvin is saying the Bible was presented better and better, and he said this is because God is working on this.
My dear friends, in saying this, Calvin did not disapprove any of those previous Bible translations, or any other translations to come, and did he disapprove any MSS?
There is no such a perfect Bible in his doctrines! This point of time there is no teaching of the VPP exists.
Did Calvin say there is only one Bible for the generations to come? No, he did not.
Did he say the Bible must be preserved in only one translation, even in one perfect TR?
No! Only one Bible? KJV only!
No!
But the fact turned to another ways! See what Calvin wrote.
He wrote here, LXX was famous in the world. And he said this is God’s work, God preserved His covenant, even through many calamities, Judah nearly destroyed, the Hebrew languages was despised, but God take care this Christian belief. One can sees that Calvin looked highly the Old Testament in Greek, the Septuagint, and LXX, a translation rather than the Hebrew Text.
Question is did he stress on that one Bible translation only?
Did he say the Septuagint is perfect?
Did the reformers go on to translate the Bible into other languages? Yes, they did!
Down to the age, did people revise their Bible translations, did they edit the translations?
If they did revisions on their Bible, it means, they did see that their Bible translations were not perfect!
Did the church being destroy in editing the translations? No.
Did God preserving the Bible down to the ages? Yes.
Augustine’s said the Jew is the Christian’s librarian, the Jew given us a Book they did not use.
Lastly, Calvin writes if the Bible is only depends on human efforts, how it is to survive all those attacks? No matter how the people fight The Bible, the Bible with its power, overcome all dangers, so this is proving the Bible is from God!
Calvin said, before that, there were a lot of saints, sacrifice even until to their blood to witness and holding fast the teaching of the Bible, how we should react about them? When those saints accepted the Bible, they became brave and strong, even decided to be a martyr, they were so firmed in giving the Bible to us, so Calvin said we must be firmed and faithfully to accept the Bible then!
And he continue to write in this chapter that the Bible is to received as without mistake, the Bible will make a person come to know God and then be saved.
THE BIBLE IS TO RECEIVED AS WITHOUT MISTAKE! This is by faith!
To end this chapter, CALVIN QOUTING AUGUSTINE, “If a man wanted to understand this mighty and great truth, he must has a devoted and quiet heart.”
The Athanasian Creed (Fifth Century)亞他那修信經
The Athanasian Creed (Fifth Century)亞他那修信經
From CMI title: Ecumenical Creeds and Reformed Confessions and Catechisms
Translated by Dr. Charles Chao D. D.
Edited by Dr. Jonathan Chao
Copyright by China Ministries International
P. O. Box 366, Taipei 112, Taiwan
據說此信經是亞他那修在第四世紀，根據以前的信經及奧古 斯丁的三位一體論寫成的，最早曾在第五世紀的拉丁教會中出現 過，而完整的形式則要到第九世紀，那時大家都認為它是亞他那 修的作品，所以它極具權威性。但在第十七世紀時，羅馬天主教 的學者Voss宣稱此信經并非出于亞他那修之手，他提出亞他那修 必以希臘文著作，但此信經卻流傳于拉丁教會中，可見原作必是 以拉丁文寫成，決非出于亞氏，而且文中并未使用亞氏最為強調 的“本體相同”（Homoousia）一詞。從此無人確知此信經之作者。 《亞他那修信經》是第一個陳述三位一體教義的信經，也是 最好的一個。它的文詞簡潔、清晰，是西方三大信仰正統告白之 一，且為路德及改革宗所肯定，但如今只流傳于天主教及英國國 教聖公會之中。 此信經是以詩體寫成，共有四十句教條，可分為兩部分：第 一部分以三位一體為主題，是依據奧古斯丁的神學寫成﹔第二部 分則強調基督的神人二性，道成肉身及救贖。
亞他那修信經》在當時教會中最主要的功能有三：
1. 在公共崇拜中使用。
2. 作為教會教導的指引及基准。
3. 其清楚的教義可用于抵制撒伯流、阿波林、亞利烏及猶 提乾等異端。
亞他那修信經
1. 凡人欲得救，首先當持守大公教會信仰。
2. 此信仰，凡守之不全不正者，必永遠沉淪。
3. 大公教會信仰即：我等敬拜一體三位，而三位一體之神。
4. 其位不紊，其體不分。
5. 父一位，子一位，聖靈亦一位。
6. 然而父子聖靈同一神性，同一榮耀，亦同一永恆之尊嚴。
7. 父如何，子如何，聖靈亦如何。
8. 父不受造，子不受造，聖靈亦不受造。
9. 父無限，子無限，聖靈亦無限。
10. 父永恆，子永恆，聖靈亦永恆。
11. 非三永恆者，乃一永恆者。
12. 亦非三不受造者，非三無限者，乃一不受造者，一無限者。
13. 如是，父全能，子全能，聖靈亦全能。
14. 然而，非三全能者，乃一全能者。
15. 如是，父是神，子是神，聖靈亦是神。
16. 然而，非三神，乃一神。
17. 如是，父是主，子是主，聖靈亦是主。
18. 然而，非三主，乃一主。
19. 依基督真道，我等不得不認三位均為神，均為主。
20. 依大公教，我等亦不得謂神有三，亦不得謂主有三。
21. 父非由誰作成：既非受造，亦非受生。
22. 子獨由于父：非作成，亦非受造﹔而為受生。
23. 聖靈由于父與子：既非作成，亦非受造，亦非受生﹔而為發 出。
24. 如是，有一父，非三父，有一子，非三子，有一聖靈，非三 聖靈。
25. 且此三位無分先后，無別尊卑。
26. 三位乃均永恆，而同等。
27. 由是如前所言，我等當敬拜一體三位，而三位一體之神。
28. 所以凡欲得救者，必如是而思三位一體之神。
29. 再者，為求得永恆救贖，彼亦必篤信我等之主耶穌基督成為 人身。
30. 依真正信仰，我等信認神之子我等之主耶穌基督，為神，又 為人。
31. 其為神，與聖父同體，受生于諸世界之先﹔其為人，與其母 同體，誕生于此世界。
32. 全神，亦全人，具有理性之靈，血肉之身。
33. 依其為神，與父同等，依其為人，少遜于父。
34. 彼雖為神，亦為人，然非為二，乃為一基督。
35. 彼為一，非由于變神為血肉，乃由于使其人性進入于神。
36. 合為一﹔非由二性相混，乃由位格為一。
37. 如靈與身成為一人，神與人成為一基督。
38. 彼為救我等而受難，降至陰間，第三日從死復活。
39. 升天，坐于全能神父之右。
40. 將來必從彼處降臨，審判活人死人。
41. 彼降臨時，萬人必具身體復活﹔
42. 并供認所行之事。
43. 行善者必入永生，作惡者必入永火。
44. 此乃大公教會信仰，人除非篤實相信，必不能得救
How can we be sure about the Bible accounts?
How can we be sure about the Bible accounts?
In the days of the first Christians, there were many writings about the life of Jesus. But some had special quality--they had been written by Jesus' followers or their close friends. These gospels and letters were carefully copied by hand. Over the years, archaeologists have found thousands of manuscripts of bits of the New Testament and even some complete copies. By comparing these, we can get very close to what the New Testament writers originally wrote. Some of these copies are dated less than 100 years after the original gospel or letter was written.
For an idea of how good this evidence is, compare the New Testament with other writings that are about as old as the New Testament. For example, Julius Caesar wrote a book called The Gallic War about 50 years before Christ was born. We obviously do not have the original copy. Yet, we do have nine or ten copies, and the earliest of these was made about 900 years after the original. This is a typical gap for ancient writings.
When, however, we examine the historical evidence relating to the Bible, one learns that there are thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament books. Therefore, we have good reason to believe that we know almost exactly what Luke, Paul and the others wrote.
TO THINK ABOUT
Jesus came to help the "poor", the "captive", the "blind", and the "oppressed." What are ways in which people today are poor, captive, blind or oppressed?
in N. America, call 1 800 226 4051 to talk with someone now
www.whoisjesus.org
Dear friends,
DO NOT DOUBT!
BELIEVE!
TRUSTING JESUS!
READ YOUR BIBLE!
Even God care for a small mosquito, a small bird in the air,
How will He take care of His Word!
4.11.08
Institutes of the Christian Religion, book 1, chapter 7
Institutes of the Christian Religion,
by John Calvin
Book 1
Chapter 7
The authority of the Bible is totally depends on the witness of the Holy Spirit, if the church becomes the judge of the authority of the Bible, Calvin said it is baseless and it is ungodly!
This is the summary of the chapter:
The Bible is accepted by the public as the Word of God. Unless one was ignorant, one will not doubt and destroy the faithfulness of the Speaker.
And because we cannot receive the revelation from God every day, and furthermore the Lord have preserved His truth only in the Bible, so if the believer believe the Bible is from God, and the believers obeyed and submitted to the Bible truth and authority, they are actually hearing God speaking to them.
But, Calvin wrote that at the moment he wrote the Institute, there was a grave error, and it was a trend, the Church become the judge of the authority of the Bible, the authority of the Bible was limited by the church, this is look like what? Calvin said this is wrong, it means that the eternal truth, the unbreakable truth was under the will of man, based on the human wrong perception!
Calvin continues to explain, there were people who despise the Bible, to ask a kind of question like this, “who can guarantee God is the author of the Bible? Who dare to confirm the authentication of the Bible, that the Bible was preserved until today? Who can make us to believe that which book has to be received, and which book has to be removed? Unless the book of the Bible was decided by the Church and his council.” So those who despised the Bible said that, the canon and the honor of the bible was decided by the church.
Calvin, said to refute those argument, and those who argued, he rather used Paul’s saying, and one sentence is enough to refute, he had proven that the church is build on “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Eph 2:20)
Those who criticize that the Bible was under the church, and the content of the Bible was base on the church, this is totally wrong. Calvin stressed here, he said, that church had accepted the Bible, not base on the effort in clarifying arguments, not base on the effort in settling the doubts, nor because the solution for the problems from those arguments, Calvin said clearly, one thing he is very sure of, that the Bible is the truth of God, in the duty of a saint, and in the duty of a devoted Christian, he must respect the Bible.
And to make his point clearer, the Bible has proven it’s truth, it is very clear cut, like black and white, bitter and sweet.
So Calvin said that we must not satisfy about our personal opinions, we must build our foundation in the strongest truth. Like he said before, we have to believe strongly a teaching, first of all, we must believe God is the creator of that teaching.
Even the prophets and apostles did not boast about their wisdom or the ability in preaching, they were even not to argue about philosophy, they did not base their thesis on logic, one thing Calvin stresses that they were only preaching the Holy Name of God, and let the world follow Him.
Calvin said that we must not use the name of God in vain, we must not careless, we must base on truth, and not on personal view.
Calvin said God is speaking in the Bible, so the teachings in the Bible are from the will of God.
Calvin wrote that the Bible is higher than other writings, the dignity of God is involved, we must obey. But there are arguments, trying to argue about the purity of the truth of the Bible, this is wrong, it is unreasonable. They were those who boast about themselves, they were trying to reduce the authority of the Bible, despising God, Calvin said they were producing subtle arguments, and Calvin himself find no difficulty in stopping their mouth…..
Calvin wrote here, that only God can witness for His Word, he explained, that the Bible was trusted because of the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the reader.
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet, this same Spirit, must goes into our hearts, the Holy Spirit making us to believe what the prophet said is actually from God.
Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
So he wrote, we must admit, all those who received the teaching from the Holy Spirit, he will agree totally with the Bible, and believe the Bible has it own proof, this is wise, it should not become our argument or problems, because we have the witness of the Holy Spirit, we must believe the Bible.
Calvin lastly wanted us to understand, that is, only with the Holy Spirit witness in our heart, our belief become the true belief, ….Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
We must remember, God spoke through Moses’ mouth, Romans 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Conclusion:
No doubt that Calvin was very sure God had preserved the truth in the beginning of this chapter. So as a Calvinist, we must believe the Preservation of the truth of the Bible like John Calvin did!
I felt that, to the VPP reader, The Bible authority is higher than the church, we should not limit the authority of the Bible to few Bible version. John Calvin did not limit the study of the Word of God to any Bible versions!
There are people who despised the Bible in Calvin’s time. Are we?
Calvin said clearly, one thing he is very sure of, that the Bible is the truth of God! The Bibles of Calvin’s time, in this he meant all bible versions, the Latin, LXX and Greek NT is the Word of God….he did not argue which version is perfect, which version is not, he is silent about the VPP.
So it is clear that, Calvin believes God preserved the Truth in the Bible. But he did not go to the extent that God preserved the truth only in a single TR, he never did.
by John Calvin
Book 1
Chapter 7
The authority of the Bible is totally depends on the witness of the Holy Spirit, if the church becomes the judge of the authority of the Bible, Calvin said it is baseless and it is ungodly!
This is the summary of the chapter:
The Bible is accepted by the public as the Word of God. Unless one was ignorant, one will not doubt and destroy the faithfulness of the Speaker.
And because we cannot receive the revelation from God every day, and furthermore the Lord have preserved His truth only in the Bible, so if the believer believe the Bible is from God, and the believers obeyed and submitted to the Bible truth and authority, they are actually hearing God speaking to them.
But, Calvin wrote that at the moment he wrote the Institute, there was a grave error, and it was a trend, the Church become the judge of the authority of the Bible, the authority of the Bible was limited by the church, this is look like what? Calvin said this is wrong, it means that the eternal truth, the unbreakable truth was under the will of man, based on the human wrong perception!
Calvin continues to explain, there were people who despise the Bible, to ask a kind of question like this, “who can guarantee God is the author of the Bible? Who dare to confirm the authentication of the Bible, that the Bible was preserved until today? Who can make us to believe that which book has to be received, and which book has to be removed? Unless the book of the Bible was decided by the Church and his council.” So those who despised the Bible said that, the canon and the honor of the bible was decided by the church.
Calvin, said to refute those argument, and those who argued, he rather used Paul’s saying, and one sentence is enough to refute, he had proven that the church is build on “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Eph 2:20)
Those who criticize that the Bible was under the church, and the content of the Bible was base on the church, this is totally wrong. Calvin stressed here, he said, that church had accepted the Bible, not base on the effort in clarifying arguments, not base on the effort in settling the doubts, nor because the solution for the problems from those arguments, Calvin said clearly, one thing he is very sure of, that the Bible is the truth of God, in the duty of a saint, and in the duty of a devoted Christian, he must respect the Bible.
And to make his point clearer, the Bible has proven it’s truth, it is very clear cut, like black and white, bitter and sweet.
So Calvin said that we must not satisfy about our personal opinions, we must build our foundation in the strongest truth. Like he said before, we have to believe strongly a teaching, first of all, we must believe God is the creator of that teaching.
Even the prophets and apostles did not boast about their wisdom or the ability in preaching, they were even not to argue about philosophy, they did not base their thesis on logic, one thing Calvin stresses that they were only preaching the Holy Name of God, and let the world follow Him.
Calvin said that we must not use the name of God in vain, we must not careless, we must base on truth, and not on personal view.
Calvin said God is speaking in the Bible, so the teachings in the Bible are from the will of God.
Calvin wrote that the Bible is higher than other writings, the dignity of God is involved, we must obey. But there are arguments, trying to argue about the purity of the truth of the Bible, this is wrong, it is unreasonable. They were those who boast about themselves, they were trying to reduce the authority of the Bible, despising God, Calvin said they were producing subtle arguments, and Calvin himself find no difficulty in stopping their mouth…..
Calvin wrote here, that only God can witness for His Word, he explained, that the Bible was trusted because of the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the reader.
The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet, this same Spirit, must goes into our hearts, the Holy Spirit making us to believe what the prophet said is actually from God.
Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
So he wrote, we must admit, all those who received the teaching from the Holy Spirit, he will agree totally with the Bible, and believe the Bible has it own proof, this is wise, it should not become our argument or problems, because we have the witness of the Holy Spirit, we must believe the Bible.
Calvin lastly wanted us to understand, that is, only with the Holy Spirit witness in our heart, our belief become the true belief, ….Isaiah 54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
We must remember, God spoke through Moses’ mouth, Romans 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Conclusion:
No doubt that Calvin was very sure God had preserved the truth in the beginning of this chapter. So as a Calvinist, we must believe the Preservation of the truth of the Bible like John Calvin did!
I felt that, to the VPP reader, The Bible authority is higher than the church, we should not limit the authority of the Bible to few Bible version. John Calvin did not limit the study of the Word of God to any Bible versions!
There are people who despised the Bible in Calvin’s time. Are we?
Calvin said clearly, one thing he is very sure of, that the Bible is the truth of God! The Bibles of Calvin’s time, in this he meant all bible versions, the Latin, LXX and Greek NT is the Word of God….he did not argue which version is perfect, which version is not, he is silent about the VPP.
So it is clear that, Calvin believes God preserved the Truth in the Bible. But he did not go to the extent that God preserved the truth only in a single TR, he never did.
Institutes of the Christian Religion, book 1, chapter 6
Institutes of the Christian Religion
by John Calvin
Book 1
Chapter 6,
To know God as Creator, we need Bible teaching and guidance. This is the summary of chapter 6, in this chapter, Calvin wrote that we may found a lot of evidences in the New Testament, even not to forget the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, when we are referring to the New testament, they all have the same witness, that the purpose of the Bible for us is to prove God is our Creator, so that we may not need to try to find Him like finding a God hiding in puzzle.
Calvin was very clear about the message of the Old and New Testament, the Bible is a tool for us to find God, and Calvin never doubt about the Bible is the very Word of God, without this faith, there is no 16th Reformation!
And Calvin continue to stress that if we had strayed from the standard, strayed from the truth, no matter how fast we go, still we cannot reach the destination, Calvin stressed that God’s face is glorious, and as Paul said, “dwelling in an unapproachable light.” (1 Tim 6:16)
And as a theologian, he taught us the truth, in the Bible, and he advised us not to stray from the truth in the Bible. So we can notice that he took the truth seriously and look highly to the Bible he read.
Along this chapter, Calvin continues to write that man is unwise, without the help of the Bible, he cannot know God. He continues to stress that all mankind must depend on the help of the Bible to find God, if we depend on Bible, then, we may not fall into lies and falsehood.
He was saying there is a way falling into lies and falsehood, beware of this! He advised us to read the Bible, and understand the truth in the Bible. Depend to the help of the Bible.
Who is John Calvin?
John Calvin was born in 10 July 1509 and died on 27 May 1564, he was a great theologian, when he wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion, he was nearly 26 years old, Institutes of the Christian Religion was published in Latin in 1536 and in his native French in 1541. If you ask me, the reformation is started from what? It is from a perfect Bible, no, they have no perfect Bible, but from a simple faith in Christ, by the working of the Holy Spirit.
John Calvin was reading what version of Bibles? What kind of Bible he referred to when he wrote the Institutes of the Christian Religion?
Latin Vulgate, Septuagint LXX, Greek OT and the Greek NT? It is?
Furthermore, do no forget, that there are 5000 mss in Greek, and 8000 mss in Latin!
Did John Calvin write anything about the perfect Bible? Or write any thing about The Perfect Greek TR? Did he claim he has the perfect Bible, no!
Even, long before Calvin was born, about 50 year earlier, the printing machine was already invented, in the year 1450 AD, the German printed the Latin Bible, first Bible printed in the world. It never claimed to be perfect! John Calvin never intent to print his perfect Bible, as a theologian, he expounded the truth. From all the resources he had at his time, all kinds of Bible and mss was being referred.
John Calvin did not argue about the words in Latin Vulgate, he did not argue about words in Septuagint, nor did he argue any words in Greek Bible. He never wasted any time on that crucial moment in the Church History, the 16th Century Reformation to pursue a “perfect underlying text.”
I think I am out of this world in writing these! Who will read this?
But he continues to spend his time to expound the truth about God, and he continued to write the 500 pages plus, Institutes of the Christian Religion, without arguing for the perfect Bible. By faith, Calvin believes like most of us, by faith we believing the Bible is the very Word of God! I hope all those who are reading Calvin’s books, will continue to uphold the Bible by faith like John Calvin did!
by John Calvin
Book 1
Chapter 6,
To know God as Creator, we need Bible teaching and guidance. This is the summary of chapter 6, in this chapter, Calvin wrote that we may found a lot of evidences in the New Testament, even not to forget the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, when we are referring to the New testament, they all have the same witness, that the purpose of the Bible for us is to prove God is our Creator, so that we may not need to try to find Him like finding a God hiding in puzzle.
Calvin was very clear about the message of the Old and New Testament, the Bible is a tool for us to find God, and Calvin never doubt about the Bible is the very Word of God, without this faith, there is no 16th Reformation!
And Calvin continue to stress that if we had strayed from the standard, strayed from the truth, no matter how fast we go, still we cannot reach the destination, Calvin stressed that God’s face is glorious, and as Paul said, “dwelling in an unapproachable light.” (1 Tim 6:16)
And as a theologian, he taught us the truth, in the Bible, and he advised us not to stray from the truth in the Bible. So we can notice that he took the truth seriously and look highly to the Bible he read.
Along this chapter, Calvin continues to write that man is unwise, without the help of the Bible, he cannot know God. He continues to stress that all mankind must depend on the help of the Bible to find God, if we depend on Bible, then, we may not fall into lies and falsehood.
He was saying there is a way falling into lies and falsehood, beware of this! He advised us to read the Bible, and understand the truth in the Bible. Depend to the help of the Bible.
Who is John Calvin?
John Calvin was born in 10 July 1509 and died on 27 May 1564, he was a great theologian, when he wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion, he was nearly 26 years old, Institutes of the Christian Religion was published in Latin in 1536 and in his native French in 1541. If you ask me, the reformation is started from what? It is from a perfect Bible, no, they have no perfect Bible, but from a simple faith in Christ, by the working of the Holy Spirit.
John Calvin was reading what version of Bibles? What kind of Bible he referred to when he wrote the Institutes of the Christian Religion?
Latin Vulgate, Septuagint LXX, Greek OT and the Greek NT? It is?
Furthermore, do no forget, that there are 5000 mss in Greek, and 8000 mss in Latin!
Did John Calvin write anything about the perfect Bible? Or write any thing about The Perfect Greek TR? Did he claim he has the perfect Bible, no!
Even, long before Calvin was born, about 50 year earlier, the printing machine was already invented, in the year 1450 AD, the German printed the Latin Bible, first Bible printed in the world. It never claimed to be perfect! John Calvin never intent to print his perfect Bible, as a theologian, he expounded the truth. From all the resources he had at his time, all kinds of Bible and mss was being referred.
John Calvin did not argue about the words in Latin Vulgate, he did not argue about words in Septuagint, nor did he argue any words in Greek Bible. He never wasted any time on that crucial moment in the Church History, the 16th Century Reformation to pursue a “perfect underlying text.”
I think I am out of this world in writing these! Who will read this?
But he continues to spend his time to expound the truth about God, and he continued to write the 500 pages plus, Institutes of the Christian Religion, without arguing for the perfect Bible. By faith, Calvin believes like most of us, by faith we believing the Bible is the very Word of God! I hope all those who are reading Calvin’s books, will continue to uphold the Bible by faith like John Calvin did!
3.11.08
A Somber Warning !
Such a realistic facing of the issue of how far Satan and demons can go in the life and experience of a truly born again believer is bound to stir up opposition in some quarters. But let us, as God’s people, be careful that we do not listen to the evil one. He would blind us to the extent of his power and deceive us as to exactly how far he can go in the case of God’s people when they sin blatantly and scandalously.
Satan knows how far he can go. Let us be sure that we know as much as he knows on this score if we hope to get the better of him in the gigantic battle that is looming as the occult age advances and he demonic era, foretold in the end of time, close upon us like a thick fog.
Certainly Satan would like us to underestimate what he can do and how far he can go. How delighted he is to have us theorize in a theological dream world that does not face the relevant Scriptures fully and fairly nor come to grips with the facts of experience realistically. How gleeful he must feel if he can cast the halo of supposed orthodoxy over the paradise so that we will be unable to sound a full warning to the perils of occult contamination and other willful sins, as well as the demonic bondage that follows.
Surely we who reject the bugbear of the insecurity of the believer must honestly face the full issues of security and set forth fully exactly what the power of darkness can do to serious sinning saints. The result, far from doing harm, will do nothing but good. All sinners, including sinning saints, must be warned of the consequences of sin. Satan would not have it so. But let us, as God’s people, not side with him on this momentous issue.
Quoted from: Merrill F. Unger, “What Demons Can Do to Saints,” The Moody Bible Institute of Chichago, 1991, 141-167.
Throughout this book the emphasis has been placed upon the fact that demonic power exerted upon a believer can be various degrees of intensity. Stress has been laid upon the necessity of this fact because of the varying power, degree of wickedness, number, and actual control exercised by the spirits.
"Be sober, watch, pray and search our hearts!"
Satan knows how far he can go. Let us be sure that we know as much as he knows on this score if we hope to get the better of him in the gigantic battle that is looming as the occult age advances and he demonic era, foretold in the end of time, close upon us like a thick fog.
Certainly Satan would like us to underestimate what he can do and how far he can go. How delighted he is to have us theorize in a theological dream world that does not face the relevant Scriptures fully and fairly nor come to grips with the facts of experience realistically. How gleeful he must feel if he can cast the halo of supposed orthodoxy over the paradise so that we will be unable to sound a full warning to the perils of occult contamination and other willful sins, as well as the demonic bondage that follows.
Surely we who reject the bugbear of the insecurity of the believer must honestly face the full issues of security and set forth fully exactly what the power of darkness can do to serious sinning saints. The result, far from doing harm, will do nothing but good. All sinners, including sinning saints, must be warned of the consequences of sin. Satan would not have it so. But let us, as God’s people, not side with him on this momentous issue.
Quoted from: Merrill F. Unger, “What Demons Can Do to Saints,” The Moody Bible Institute of Chichago, 1991, 141-167.
Throughout this book the emphasis has been placed upon the fact that demonic power exerted upon a believer can be various degrees of intensity. Stress has been laid upon the necessity of this fact because of the varying power, degree of wickedness, number, and actual control exercised by the spirits.
"Be sober, watch, pray and search our hearts!"
“White magic” in the Christian world.
A young missionary was working in a third world country, there he met a man, people called him “a pastor” or “a priest” of a Christian church, he is a tongue speaker, a miracle seeker, a health and wealth believer, and he called himself as a faith healer and prayer worrier. He is recognized by those big churches, he said he was praying for big bosses, politicians, and CEO and they were all blessed by his prayers. The young missionary and the priest knew each other few years in that town.
One day the priest came to see the young missionary, he told the young missionary, he has a trouble with a developer of a housing project. The Christian developer, refused to return the down payment to the priest, because the priest could not finance his house, he could not buy the house, the priest asked the developer to return the down payment, he had stayed in the house nearly one year. The developer refused, they had a big quarrel. And he left the developer’s office with anger. The priest came to tell the missionary about the quarrel.
After few days, he came to tell the missionary, that the developer had agreed to return the down payment, and the missionary was curios about the event, and he asked the priest, “What happened?” It was told by the priest to the missionary, since the developer refused to return the down payment, the he was very angry, in anger he brought a bottle of olive oil, and he went to Christian developer, and there he prayed, and mumbling, and then he pour the olive oil in front the developer’s office, the young missionary asked him, what is the meaning of pouring the oil there, the priest told the young missionary, that he was anointing the office, since the developer refused to return the money. He wanted to pray for the developer’s business, asking God to scare the developer.
The developer was scared that something bad will happen to his business, after seeing the Christian priest pour oil and praying in anger, there in front his office, so he dicided to return the money to the priest. The priest was happy about his doing.
The young missionary felt the Christian priest had done an abomination to the developer, praying like that, acting like a “medium of occult,” his prayers seem like a curse to the developer’s business. Faith healer and wealth preacher sometimes practicing “white magic!” The minister of God’s Word is to encourage and helping the believers to grow in truth and love, until to be like Christ.
1 Tim 4:1-2,
Matthew 24:24
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7
Revelation 9:20-21
One day the priest came to see the young missionary, he told the young missionary, he has a trouble with a developer of a housing project. The Christian developer, refused to return the down payment to the priest, because the priest could not finance his house, he could not buy the house, the priest asked the developer to return the down payment, he had stayed in the house nearly one year. The developer refused, they had a big quarrel. And he left the developer’s office with anger. The priest came to tell the missionary about the quarrel.
After few days, he came to tell the missionary, that the developer had agreed to return the down payment, and the missionary was curios about the event, and he asked the priest, “What happened?” It was told by the priest to the missionary, since the developer refused to return the down payment, the he was very angry, in anger he brought a bottle of olive oil, and he went to Christian developer, and there he prayed, and mumbling, and then he pour the olive oil in front the developer’s office, the young missionary asked him, what is the meaning of pouring the oil there, the priest told the young missionary, that he was anointing the office, since the developer refused to return the money. He wanted to pray for the developer’s business, asking God to scare the developer.
The developer was scared that something bad will happen to his business, after seeing the Christian priest pour oil and praying in anger, there in front his office, so he dicided to return the money to the priest. The priest was happy about his doing.
The young missionary felt the Christian priest had done an abomination to the developer, praying like that, acting like a “medium of occult,” his prayers seem like a curse to the developer’s business. Faith healer and wealth preacher sometimes practicing “white magic!” The minister of God’s Word is to encourage and helping the believers to grow in truth and love, until to be like Christ.
1 Tim 4:1-2,
Matthew 24:24
2 Thessalonians 2:6-7
Revelation 9:20-21
基督教要义 加尔文著 Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
目录
一五五九年最后修正版作者自序 题献
全书纲要
卷 一
论对创造者上帝的认识
第 一 章 认识上帝与认识我们自己之间的关系
第 二 章 对上帝的认识之性质与趋势
第 三 章 认识上帝是人心的禀赋
第 四 章 这认识的败坏消灭，半由于无知，半由于邪恶
第 五 章 对上帝的认识表现在宇宙的构造与继续管理中
第 六 章 认识上帝为造化主需凭圣经的指导和教训
第 七 章 圣经的权威必须完全建立于圣灵的见证，以教会的判断作为圣经权威的根据是不敬虔的虚构
第 八 章 圣经之真确性的理性证据
第 九 章 狂妄者以启示代替圣经，是破坏一切敬虔原则——从略
第 十 章 圣经纠正迷信，以真神对抗异邦的众假神
第十一章 以形像加诸上帝是非法的；拜偶像就是背叛真神
第十二章 论上帝与偶像有别，使人知道唯独敬拜他
第十三章 圣经从最初即指示，神的一个本体包含三位
第十四章 由于世界的创造，圣经辨明真神与假神
第十五章 人受造时的情形，灵魂的功能，神的形像，自由意志，原来天性的纯洁
第十六章 上帝以他的权能保守并支持宇宙，又按他的旨意统治宇宙的一切
第十七章 这教义须怎样应用才对我们有益？
第十八章 上帝利用恶人的行为和心思执行他的审判，自己却仍然纯洁无损
卷 二
论对在基督里的救赎主上帝的认识，这认识是首先藉律法显明给族长们，然后藉福音显明给我们的
第 一 章 亚当的堕落是人类受咒诅并从原始状态退化的原因——原罪论
第 二 章 人现在被剥夺了意志自由，并处于悲惨的奴役下
第 三 章 凡出于败坏的人性的，都得定罪
第 四 章 上帝在人心中的运行
第 五 章 斥支持自由意志的论点
第 六 章 基督为沉沦者的救赎
第 七 章 律法的赐与，不是要局限古人于律法之内，乃是要激励他们在基督里得救的盼望，直到他来临
第 八 章 释道德律
第 九 章 基督虽在律法之下为犹太人所认识，却只在福音里才清楚地显现出来
第 十 章 新旧约的类似
第十一章 新旧约的差异
第十二章 基督为完成中保的任务，不得不降世为人
第十三章 论基督之取得真实的人性
第十四章 神性人性的联合何以能组成中保的位格？
第十五章 要明白基督从父所受的使命，和他所给我们的益惠，必须思考基督作为“先知”、“君王”和“祭司”的三种任务
第十六章 基督执行救主的职责赎回我们；他的受死、复活和升天
第十七章 基督的功劳确会为我们博取了恩典和拯救
卷 三
论领受基督恩典的方式及其益处，和随恩典而来的效果
第 一 章 圣灵暗中的运行使有关基督的一切都成为我们的益惠
第 二 章 信仰的意义及其特性
第 三 章 论因信重生，兼论悔改
第 四 章 经院派对悔改的曲解距离福音真理甚远；论忏悔与补罪
第 五 章 补充补罪说的赎罪票和炼狱
第 六 章 论基督徒的生活，兼论圣经所提示的劝勉
第 七 章 基督徒的生活——克己
第 八 章 背负十架乃是克己的一部分
第 九 章 默念来生
第 十 章 论如何善用今生
第十一章 因信称义之名与实的界说
第十二章 上帝的审判与因信白白称义的关系
第十三章 白白称义所必须遵行的两件事
第十四章 称义的开始与继续进步
第十五章 夸耀行为乃是窃夺上帝称人为义所应得的光荣，并破坏拯救的确据
第十六章 驳斥罗马教徒反对因信称义说之谬论
第十七章 律法的应许与福音的应许之间的一致性
第十八章 论赏赐的应许不能当作因行为称义的证据
第十九章 论基督徒的自由
第二十章 论祈祷——信心的主要操练，每日接受神恩的媒介
第廿一章 论永恒的拣选，即神预定某些人得救，某些人灭亡
第廿二章 预定论在圣经上的证据
第廿三章 斥诽谤预定论之谬说
第廿四章 拣选由神的呼召而证实。被弃绝者的灭亡是自己所招致的
第廿五章 论最后的复活
卷 四
论上帝召我们与基督相交，并将我们保守在其中所用的外在工具
第 一 章 论真教会为众信徒之母，因而我们必须与之联合
第 二 章 真教会和假教会的比较
第 三 章 教会的教师和牧师及其选举和职务
第 四 章 古代教会的情况，和教皇制出现以前教会所用的体制
第 五 章 论古代的教政被教皇的专制所败坏——从略
第 六 章 论罗马教皇首位
第 七 章 论教皇权如何演进到现在的崇高地位并如何败坏了教会的自由和治理——从略
第 八 章 论教会对信条的权力有限并论教皇滥用权力败坏了纯正的教义——从略
第 九 章 论教会会议及其权威
第 十 章 论教皇及其党徒用以虐待人身心的立法权——从略
第十一章 论教会的司法权及其在教皇制度下的滥用——从略
第十二章 论教会的训戒及其对制裁和革除的主要用处
第十三章 论誓愿：仓促发愿之弊
第十四章 论圣礼
第十五章 论洗礼
第十六章 论婴孩洗礼符合基督所设立的洗礼及其记号的性质
第十七章 论圣餐及其所赐恩惠
第十八章 论教皇的弥撒不仅亵渎而且毁灭圣餐
第十九章 论误称为圣礼的五种仪式及其性质
第二十章 论政府
加尔文约翰重要短论三篇
一 答沙杜里多书
二 圣餐短论
三 论教会改革之必要
一五五九年最后修正版作者自序 题献
全书纲要
卷 一
论对创造者上帝的认识
第 一 章 认识上帝与认识我们自己之间的关系
第 二 章 对上帝的认识之性质与趋势
第 三 章 认识上帝是人心的禀赋
第 四 章 这认识的败坏消灭，半由于无知，半由于邪恶
第 五 章 对上帝的认识表现在宇宙的构造与继续管理中
第 六 章 认识上帝为造化主需凭圣经的指导和教训
第 七 章 圣经的权威必须完全建立于圣灵的见证，以教会的判断作为圣经权威的根据是不敬虔的虚构
第 八 章 圣经之真确性的理性证据
第 九 章 狂妄者以启示代替圣经，是破坏一切敬虔原则——从略
第 十 章 圣经纠正迷信，以真神对抗异邦的众假神
第十一章 以形像加诸上帝是非法的；拜偶像就是背叛真神
第十二章 论上帝与偶像有别，使人知道唯独敬拜他
第十三章 圣经从最初即指示，神的一个本体包含三位
第十四章 由于世界的创造，圣经辨明真神与假神
第十五章 人受造时的情形，灵魂的功能，神的形像，自由意志，原来天性的纯洁
第十六章 上帝以他的权能保守并支持宇宙，又按他的旨意统治宇宙的一切
第十七章 这教义须怎样应用才对我们有益？
第十八章 上帝利用恶人的行为和心思执行他的审判，自己却仍然纯洁无损
卷 二
论对在基督里的救赎主上帝的认识，这认识是首先藉律法显明给族长们，然后藉福音显明给我们的
第 一 章 亚当的堕落是人类受咒诅并从原始状态退化的原因——原罪论
第 二 章 人现在被剥夺了意志自由，并处于悲惨的奴役下
第 三 章 凡出于败坏的人性的，都得定罪
第 四 章 上帝在人心中的运行
第 五 章 斥支持自由意志的论点
第 六 章 基督为沉沦者的救赎
第 七 章 律法的赐与，不是要局限古人于律法之内，乃是要激励他们在基督里得救的盼望，直到他来临
第 八 章 释道德律
第 九 章 基督虽在律法之下为犹太人所认识，却只在福音里才清楚地显现出来
第 十 章 新旧约的类似
第十一章 新旧约的差异
第十二章 基督为完成中保的任务，不得不降世为人
第十三章 论基督之取得真实的人性
第十四章 神性人性的联合何以能组成中保的位格？
第十五章 要明白基督从父所受的使命，和他所给我们的益惠，必须思考基督作为“先知”、“君王”和“祭司”的三种任务
第十六章 基督执行救主的职责赎回我们；他的受死、复活和升天
第十七章 基督的功劳确会为我们博取了恩典和拯救
卷 三
论领受基督恩典的方式及其益处，和随恩典而来的效果
第 一 章 圣灵暗中的运行使有关基督的一切都成为我们的益惠
第 二 章 信仰的意义及其特性
第 三 章 论因信重生，兼论悔改
第 四 章 经院派对悔改的曲解距离福音真理甚远；论忏悔与补罪
第 五 章 补充补罪说的赎罪票和炼狱
第 六 章 论基督徒的生活，兼论圣经所提示的劝勉
第 七 章 基督徒的生活——克己
第 八 章 背负十架乃是克己的一部分
第 九 章 默念来生
第 十 章 论如何善用今生
第十一章 因信称义之名与实的界说
第十二章 上帝的审判与因信白白称义的关系
第十三章 白白称义所必须遵行的两件事
第十四章 称义的开始与继续进步
第十五章 夸耀行为乃是窃夺上帝称人为义所应得的光荣，并破坏拯救的确据
第十六章 驳斥罗马教徒反对因信称义说之谬论
第十七章 律法的应许与福音的应许之间的一致性
第十八章 论赏赐的应许不能当作因行为称义的证据
第十九章 论基督徒的自由
第二十章 论祈祷——信心的主要操练，每日接受神恩的媒介
第廿一章 论永恒的拣选，即神预定某些人得救，某些人灭亡
第廿二章 预定论在圣经上的证据
第廿三章 斥诽谤预定论之谬说
第廿四章 拣选由神的呼召而证实。被弃绝者的灭亡是自己所招致的
第廿五章 论最后的复活
卷 四
论上帝召我们与基督相交，并将我们保守在其中所用的外在工具
第 一 章 论真教会为众信徒之母，因而我们必须与之联合
第 二 章 真教会和假教会的比较
第 三 章 教会的教师和牧师及其选举和职务
第 四 章 古代教会的情况，和教皇制出现以前教会所用的体制
第 五 章 论古代的教政被教皇的专制所败坏——从略
第 六 章 论罗马教皇首位
第 七 章 论教皇权如何演进到现在的崇高地位并如何败坏了教会的自由和治理——从略
第 八 章 论教会对信条的权力有限并论教皇滥用权力败坏了纯正的教义——从略
第 九 章 论教会会议及其权威
第 十 章 论教皇及其党徒用以虐待人身心的立法权——从略
第十一章 论教会的司法权及其在教皇制度下的滥用——从略
第十二章 论教会的训戒及其对制裁和革除的主要用处
第十三章 论誓愿：仓促发愿之弊
第十四章 论圣礼
第十五章 论洗礼
第十六章 论婴孩洗礼符合基督所设立的洗礼及其记号的性质
第十七章 论圣餐及其所赐恩惠
第十八章 论教皇的弥撒不仅亵渎而且毁灭圣餐
第十九章 论误称为圣礼的五种仪式及其性质
第二十章 论政府
加尔文约翰重要短论三篇
一 答沙杜里多书
二 圣餐短论
三 论教会改革之必要
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