Legalistic and Charismatic

Legalistic became a problem to many, some of the fundamental are too judgmental, and some are having the attitude of holier than you, some are pursuing things that are not from the Bible, some attacking fellow Christian until there is not fellowship in Christ, some are too legalistic until the their teaching become unbiblical teachings, and then there are some who had gone beyond until become the foothold for doctrines of the devil.

Legalistic is like the Pharisee in the New Testament times. That is a reason, why God allowed Charismatic movement to move into the picture of Christianity. Legalistic is balanced by Spiritual tongue and gifts, there is a camp for Charismatic movement, there a market for Charismatic teachings, and so the lesser and lesser demand for fundamentalism due to the problem of legalistic. Some fundamentalist had gone too far to reach higher ground in legalistic way of life and then even having lost their conscience of love and truth. At the same time, some Charismatic had also gone beyond the teaching of Christ and apostles until they lost the joy of the salvation of Christ.

They are some who had been blocked to come into these camps of fundamental and charismatic, they are left to join any other group which is welcoming them, so this group of smaller number of churches had to find their identity in Christianity, some of these people started to join new movement like eminent church. Postmodernism had gain position in Christianity, some started to delude the distinction of denominations, they dislike denominations, and because for them they are also too legalistic, legalistic is a bad name for fundamentalist.

At the same time Fundamentalist had a standard they thought they are the legal one, they are right one, they are perfect one, they are the better one, until they lost the battle in balancing themselves, they are fallen away from the first love, so that is why people started to turn away from fundamentalism, and they open themselves for new movement. There are too much of congestion and frictions even the in the pool of fundamentalism, some had to get out from the pool, some of the strong swimmer still leading for the championship; they are fighting themselves in the swimming pool of fundamentalism. Trying to find a quite corner for themselves, but there are too much noises in the pool, they are fighting and calling name. Pulling and pushing, it is a witness of the life and teaching of Christ in the end?

And some jump into another swimming pool which full with love without truth, some jump into pool full with nails, and they ended there. Some jump into the pool with spiritual gifts there they can forget all the theological jargons, where they say they can practise Christianity, and there they at least find a greener pastures for the flocks some where near the poolside. What about them who are still looking for newer pool, yes there are still someone digging and digging and trying to find water and making new pool.

I hope there are hope, faith and love in that pool, let us all jump into it. What about “Loving God and Man,” but some had failed to obey these greatest commandments, and they are making their pool more attractive and attracting people into it, with all kinds of advertisements! The end times there are rumor of wars, and there are also wars within ourselves, how to take care of other, when we are still fighting among ourselves? When we are still fighting, punching, pulling hairs and legs, how is the love of God and man to do with those lawsuit among Christians? Are fundamentalist too judgmental and too legalistic? Is fundamentalist being humbled by Charismatic? Is there a demand for new doctrines? Is there a demand for new teaching? For example, do not pray, but fight, is this teaching a teaching from the Bible? Is it biblical?

What is the meaning of Christmas, giving, gaining, forgiving, forgetting, praying and fighting, some are sinful and puny creature like me are losing directions, each is the right way? I hope jingle bell is still jingling…jingle all the way? The Word becomes flesh, how the fundamentalist and charismatic explain this time? Is there any differences? Who is fundamentalist and who is Charismatic? And who is Christ, does Jesus love them? Are they reading the same Bible?

The Book of Jude with VPP

Verse 2, “multiplying the blessings to you” the word “plethuno” was used here, double portion increment, when the believers were drawing closer to God, God bless them with mercy, peace, and love, abundantly shed on them without limit.

Verse 3, here Jude wrote that the believers are to faithfully fight for the truth given to the believers.

What is this truth? This truth is the “Gospel” this the truth is what Jesus and His disciples preached about, is recorded in the Bible, the New Testament, this is the truth which can not be changed, unchangeable truth.

This truth must be obeyed, in love and holiness, this is about life! With this truth, the kingdom of God is revealed, by the truth, the believers receive the Holy Spirit, then they receive the gifts, some in miracles and charisma, so that the believer can deliver the truth to the end of the world.

“epagonizomai” means the faithful follower are defending the truth like a warfare. It means “fight” and “suffering,” “in great oppressions” and “war” Even though we may have to sacrifice and endured great pain, but the faithful believers must fight for God’s truth, and defending the purity of the belief until to war, even by faith, until to death, to the end. Some had to give up their lives for the truth of the Gospel.

Jude advices us to defend in 2 ways:

1. Firstly, we must rebuke those who denying the authority of the Bible and those who misinterpreted the truth from Jesus Christ and His apostles.

2. To preach the truth about the salvation to all man. When we are faithfully following the truth, we wanted the purified and preserved truth, but at the same time we should not distract the truth of the Gospel, because the gospel is the power of God to save sinners

Verse 4, there are those who teach that being saved, in the grace of God, the believers are allowed to sin in all they want, they will not be punished. Jude was rebuking this kind of false teachings. They said once saved always saved, they continue indulged in sins and filthiness, because they believe they had been saved long time ago. These teachers taught the forgiveness of sin, but they are silent about the nessecity of holiness.

Verse 6, there are fallen angels, from honorable places, fallen into the darkness, waiting to the judgment day, they disobeyed God, disobey the law, they are bound. But Satan and its evil followers are walking around on earth to devour some.

Verse 9, Micheal dare not to rebuke Satan, but he turned to God for help, so like wise we are not to rebuke the evil creature like Satan and evil spirits. We must turn to God in prayers.

Verse 12, those who wrongfully teach the Bible, and those who had fallen from the truth, these teachers are having second death, died and then die again. They were coming out form the death, but later they went back to sinning and death. These are the second spiritual deaths.

Jude was quoting from the Book of Enoch, written some 110 years ago, maybe it is a Jewish legend, in quoting that verse, Jude find Enoch prophecy there to be true, he does not indicates that all the Book of Enoch to be true or authenticated.

Jude wanted the believers to defend the truth,

1. Self edification in the truth. The Bible is the revelation from God Jesus Christ and His disciples, deligently study and learn the Word of God, so that we may understand the Bible truth and teachings. (Acts 2:42)

2. Praying in the Holy Spirit, means, in these prayers we want the Holy Spirit to touch our heart and feeling, let Him guides us, empower us, lifting us, and help us, positively facing the spiritual warfare. Pray in the spirit and also pray with our understanding. (I Cor 14:15)

3. Keep ourselves in the Love of God, in this, means we must totally surrender to God and obeying His Words. (John 15:9-10)

4. Thirsting and waiting for the second coming of the Lord, and looking forward for the eternal glory.

Lastly, may God bless us in defend the truth of the Bible, in defending the very Word of God, the inerrant and perfect autograph of the Word of God, defending the doctrine of the scripture, let us pursue and to be united and continue to be united in Christ, and to love one another, and continue in the walk, rightly dividing the word of God, continue to expound the Word rightly and add nothing into the Word of God, subtract nothing from the truth of the Gospel, faithfully fight the war until to the end, may God bless all the Chinese ministers and Chinese pastors, elders and Chinese preachers, all the congregation of the beloved and friends in Christ, so that they may love one another, care for one another, and cry for another, like Jesus and Mary cared for one another, like Jesus and Peter cried for one another, like Jesus and John loved one and another, and then they put down the war within, defending the truth, fight the true enemy of Christ, united, and to be strengthen in the grace of the Mighty God, continue to walk together, hand in hand, heart in heart, eyes to eyes, tears with tears, bring the best and perfect gift to the Lord in this Christmas, that is to celebrate the love of God, may we be watchful with tears and loves in hearts, in the last days and looking up to heaven, the better and solid inheritance prepared for you, and there is the land unshakable by man and devil, there, one day all must be united, lining to join the Great Feast in heaven, may you be comforted in sickness and even in poverty, because where our treasure is, our eyes and hearts will be, may God bless us in Christ, faithfully teaching and learning the very Word of God, and may God forgive me in this writing, may God remind and help me in writing this blog, and continue to write until the truth of the VPP is to be found, by leaning on the arm of Jesus, may God forgive us.

The end of the first part. “The New Testament with VPP”

The Book of 3 John with VPP

1:2, God’s will is to bless believers with strong body, life full with abundant heavenly blessings, God wish every things we do in peace and success, in work, in life, in planning, in purpose, in our aims, even the spiritual ministry, and family, in God’s will everything will be in stable and normal functioning. In God’s hope, through the Christ’s redemption, He blesses us, to satisfy our physical and spiritual needs.

John use “euodoo,” means a “wonderful and satisfying journey, walking in a good path.” John wished us to walk into the salvation and even continue to walk in God’s will, so that we can abundantly tasting His blessings.

The believers can pray for materials blessing, at the same time, the Bible also says that God is allowing His children to experience difficulties; this is a part of training, so that they may depending on God, to increase their faith, to persevere in ministry. There are also many persecutions from the world. These are part and parcel in training.

There are also wars and hungers, dry seasons, recession, and conflicts with the governments. In all these troubles, the believers still can experience the blessings and spiritual abundance. They are called to pray for God’s will to be done. Obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit, separating from the world, loving and reading the Bible, in prayer asking the helps from God, hardworking, by faith looking to the Lord in provision and providence, seek ye the kingdom of God. May God heal us when we are sick and weak. Fearlessly facing the fiery darts and trials in the world, in these you are called.

1:5, John said Gaius is faithful; he is obeying the truth, and walking in the truth. He was faithfully receiving the traveling missionary; he gave food and shelter to them, even money so they can travel with ease. John never forgets what he had done to those missionary. He has done a good work in love.

1:7, God’s children are taking care of those ambassador of Christ, to give in hospitality, and sent them away in support them, do not treat them like a bagger! Gaius was treating them like treat Christ Him self, they were the honorable servants of God. Giving them food and drink in evangelize the world.

Do not take anything from those we had evangelized, if we receive anything from them, this will hinder the gospel work. The missionary may tempted to have more greedy gains. So evangelist has to support from the church that sent him or her, even sometime to self-support.

Jesus gave 5 loaves 2 fish from a boy, to the 5000 hungry men.

The Book of 2 John with VPP

1:1, John, when he was old, he was still serving the Lord as an elder in Ephesus. He wrote to the chosen ladies in the church, they are called the sisters in Christ.

1:3, John did not wrote long letter about doctrines, or discuss much about theology here, he wrote 3 important words, “grace, mercy and peace.”

1:5, simply he said, there is a new commandment.

1:6, obeying God is the way to love God. Sign and mark of a Christian, in obeying God’s commandment, do not forget, God commanded us to love one another.

1:7, there are heretics who denying that Jesus Christ come in flesh.

1:8, do not teach beyond Christ’s teaching.

1:10, do not spend money or food on the heretics. Have nothing to do with their sins in preaching heresies.

1:12, paper and ink were expensive in the first century, sometimes parchments were also being used. John did not misuse their function to convey only the truth, nothing but the truth. Those earlier manuscripts are priceless compare to 15th century TR! The earlier the better!

Those ancient ink cannot replace the blood of Christ! Only the blood of The Lamb of God can erase the sin of the whole world. The ink was used to convey to us about His story and the truth! the Bible is inspired Word of God, put down to us in paper and ink. May God forgive me in writing, the more I wrote, there are more mistake!

The Book of 1 John with VPP (part 2)

1:1, John wrote about the Word become flesh. He is the living Word.

1:2, when a man received Christ, he has the life of Christ, he will not live in the world, but come out of the world, and to love brethren in Christ.

1:3, Koinonia, fellowship in Christ is mentioned with man, and man fellowship with God.

1:4, our happiness in full.

1:5, John wanted them to be children of God.

1:6, there is darkness.

1:7, To go into the light, the man must be cleansed by the blood.

1:8-10, that man still capable to sin, he needs forgiveness, sometimes we lies to ourselves. Willful sinning disqualified us from every good work and service.

2:1, there is a mediator.

2:2, He died on the cross.

2:3-4, we are called to obey Him.

2:5, in His Commandments.

2:7, Christ’s love on the cross in greater!

2:9-11, there are brethren who hate brethren, in an un Christian way.

2:12-14, God’s has high expectation on all of them.

2:15, there are some still in the world.

2:18, The Lord is coming soon. And there is anti Christ and its followers.

2:20, the believers have received the Holy Spirit.

2:22, beware there are heresies.

2:23, The Father is with the Son.

2:27, the believers are completed in the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the apostles.

2:29, they are the children of God, in holiness.

3:1, they had nothing to boast about their own self.

3:2, there is glory in the future.

3:3, for the time being lets self cleansing and searching.

3:6, throw away the bad habits. The Lord destroyed the work of the devils.

3:11, love other is to show mercy. Sacrifice ourselves for others.

3:12, Cain belongs to the world, hate and jealousy.

3:14, lets come out from death.

3:15, there were killings.

3:20, God’s love is greater.

3:23, there is love in his followers.

4:1, test the spirit in Christianity, there are some speak with Holy Spirit, some with the evil spirits.

4:2, one way is to confess Jesus Christ is come in flesh, the Son of God.

4:3, we are still living in the world.

4:4, God is living in you.

4:5, there are some who belong to the world.

4:8, “love” is mentioned in this epistle, 40 times.

4:17, let the followers love like Christ.

4:20-21, love God and love man.

5:1, continue to believe Jesus is Christ.

5:3-4, His commandments are not easy to obey, only in Holy Spirit he can obey them.

5:6, Jesus give us the water and blood on the cross, they are witnessing for Christ.

5:7-8, Jesus is Christ, even the Holy Spirit witness for Him.

5:9, receive their witnesses.

5:10, there is eternal life in Christ.

5:13, Christians have the eternal life.

5:14-17, keep praying for those weak and sinning Christians, but the heretics will died in their sins and lusts.

5:18-19, God’s Son will protect His children.

5:20, eternal life is waiting for you. Take freely!

5:21, the writer concluded, since the believers have the truth, the eternal life, so they must not be tempted by the heresies, keep away fro the false gods, holding to the truth, walk in the light, to be responsible to each other, and to love one another.

The Testing 6

One day a Chinese pastor chided a younger man, the pastor show his hatred to the young man, like God, who hates sins literally. This is my Christmas story!

There come one day in 2008, this pastor and the young man went to a place, and the pastor show him a night club, and he asked the young man to walk straight to the night club! The young man was very sad when he was asked to go there, because he was been to those places before, he was ashamed of himself. But he was embarrassed by the pastor.

The Christian pastor means God will not love any one who went to night club before, heaven is no place for ex-club goer! Only for the ex-church goer! This is another testing for the young man! The pastor is saying, "Young foxes, look, these are your tails...shame, shame, shame, these are your true colors!"

There came another time, just after the worship service, this same Chinese pastor, called the young man again, the young man look to him with hope and happiness, lo, the Chinese pastor slapped his own cheek few times, and spit in his own hands! To show the young man, how bad he is. Even calling his name is a curse to his mouth. The pastor means God will not called a man who was so bad and evil to serve Him, to him God is only call, those who had been living in holiness and perfection. No place for sinful man like us to serve the Lord. This is a testing to young men like us! There is no second chance, remember this! Woe to the young men who sin like us, Jesus said, sin no more! "There is no second chance for us! "

Young men, there is no fun to go to heaven in quarrel with pastors! Pastors are like God, they speak for God, they are God's mouth piece! That pastor is saying, young men, go your own way, follow your own sinful nature, follow your instinct, sin some more, run away from God, young man go your own way, there is no hope, no love, no faith in believing in Christ, wasting your time in trusting God, see what you had done, "I knew what you had done last summer! No second chance! No second chance! God hate you!"

For many well known pastors, those who believe that the Bible is perfect, the Bible is inerrant and infallible, but sad to say many of them believe "God is dead!" and they proclaimed, "Long live fundamentalist like us!" I sees them, remember them, they walk to the pulpit with full energy and glory of a pastor, preached touchy sermon, and breaking the bread and drink the wine in the holy communion. A church next to heaven.

These pastors said to the young men at another time behind the pulpit, "Be merry with your sins, until God called you like Jonah. There is no fun like Jonah to stay in the ship, jump, jump, jump from the ship into the sea. And let the whale came to take you! " This is what the Chinese pastors are preaching to the young man! They had gone to China, they had gone to the end of the world to preach, "God is love." But at another time, they told the young man, "Go to hell, I curse you forever, there is no second change for you! There is no hope for you, there is no love for you, there is no faith for you, young sinner, go away!"

One night, this young man, speak in his heart, "God, I hope You may forgive me, I hope You will not slap Your cheek when you call my name like that pastor, I know I am bad. God, please love me again, please do not spit in your hand when You call my name like that pastor, I know I am not Your loved one, I know I will run away from You like Jonah, until I know God is living, and knowing God is willing to love me again, I know I can do worst than that club going, I know I will run away from God, I know I will jump from the ship one day. I knew one day I may not serve the Lord any longer! I will go my own way this time. Give me a break this time, I want to take a rest!"

To all the young man, listen, "do not follow any pastor who is evil and wicked, you will become a bad pastor, go and find and follow a good pastor, if you are following good pastor, you will become a good pastor." And do find Jesus Christ, He is the best pastor. Young man do not blame any one when we sin! Ask Jesus, the Christ, did Jesus' hands really being nailed for us? Jesus, did Your cheek being slapped for us? We cannot blame any one this Christmas! Ask Jesus this Christmas, did Jesus' face being spit for us? Should we trust in You? Should we give our life for Jesus? Did You called us? Should I run away again? Let God deal with us, if there is no way in Jesus, we will died in our sins! But God, if You are living, please do not turn away Your face from us, how long we have to wait, before You answer us?

In this Christmas! Do we find love in God? Is there is a God who love us? Is there a caring pastor like Jesus? What does Christmas means to me this year?

God really love a sinner like me？ Really call a sinner like me? Really care for a sinner like me?

My Bible, my curse? my blessing?

"The Bible is without error or mistake, if there is any error or mistake, it is man made error and mistake, or there is because of the translation mistake, or it is because there is interpretation error or mistake." (Wong Ming Tao's The Truth of Born again. pg 58-59) 「圣经中没有错误。若有错误，不是圣经本身的错误，乃是人弄出来的。或是译圣经的译错，或是解圣经的解错。」——王明道，《重生真义》，页58-59。

"Our belief is, we will accept all truth in the Bible, and obey them; if there is any thing not from the Bible, we will reject totally." (Wong Ming Tao's Because of Belief, pg 320) 我们在信仰上的态度是：凡是圣经中的真理，我们都接受，都持守；圣经中所没有的东西，我们完全拒绝。」——王明道，〈我们是为了信仰〉，《王明道文库》，第七册，页320.

Today, the church must believe, God had inspired the Bible in its languages and words, God had chosen every language and word, His masterpiece is perfectly trustworthy and dependable, inerrant and infallible. (In fact, the inerrant is applied to the autographs, not to copies of the autographs) 今天教会必需维护一个信念，就是：神在《圣经》默示过程所选用的语言及文字，既由神亲自选用，其作品必然绝对真实可靠、无谬无误。(真实无误是指<<圣经>>的原本﹐不是指抄本。)

The copied text may has error, but the spiritual meaning is more important, the meaning is the power to change the life. 载体是肯定有误的﹔重要的是精义﹐是内容﹐是改变生命的大能。

The Bible is inspired and inerrant and infallible, this is historical truth, people in the 21th century need to hear this truth. 《圣经》默示及无误是《圣经》自身的宣称，是历代不变的真理，也是廿一世纪极需听到的讯息。

Today, the Chinese Churches are facing a great danger, if we do not renew and build our foundation of our theology in the doctrine of Scripture, after ten, twenty years, the present evangelical churches, seminary, will become Liberal churches and seminary. 今天华人神学及神学教育界面临重大危机，若不重新在《圣经》论建立稳固的信仰（神学）根基，十年、二十年之后，今天的福音派教会、神学院，会变为明天的自由派教会、神学院.

Look at Liberalism in the 19th century, liberals is following Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schleiermacher. For them, the truth in Christianity is based on man, not based on God. Christianity is the experience of man, it is not God's revelation.十九世纪之自由派，跟着康德(Immanuel Kant)，士来马赫(Friedrich Schleiermacher)等思想走，论到基督教信仰之真义时，认为只是人本，不是神本，是人的宗教经历，不是神的直接启示。

Neo-Orthodoxy is headed by Karl barth, he was influenced by Soren Kierkegaard, he said the religion is based on subjectivity. 新正统神学，以巴特为代表，受祁克果之影响，强调人宗教经历之主观性。

Barth's theology of the Bible had been taken by the American Presbyterian, in Confession of the 1967. They did not say anything about the Bible is the Word of God.巴特式的圣经观已被美国联合长老会写入1967年之信条中 — 从不提及《圣经》就是神的话。

Neo-evangelicalism was started in 1970s, in Fuller Seminary, in 1940 it was very fundamental, after in 1970s some of the theologians started to fall away from the truth, they rejected the infallible Bible. 新福音派(Neo-evangelicalism)于一九七零年代兴起。美国富乐(Fuller)神学院与1940年代创办﹐起初信仰非常正统﹔但到了七零年代﹐其中有一部分教授开始弃绝「圣经无误」观念。

How they explained the authority of the Bible, they said the Bible is inspired by God in totality, but at the same time they also say that some parts of the Bible is not inspired! 他们是如何理解《圣经》的权威呢？有人说，《圣经》整体是神所默示，但其中某些部分不是神默示的。

What about Postmodernist? They are not new in 21th century, they have powerful influences in the education and philosophy ares, they are promoting deconstructionism. 后现代的诠释学。迈进廿一世纪，学术界中最具影响力的诠释理论，乃后现代主义的「解构主义」。

How they translate the Bible? They said the author does not exist, the text is not exist, even the reader is not exist, and I myself also not exist! 后现代诠释学不但宣称作者不存在，文本不存在；连读者──我自己──也不存在！

How we believe about the Bible? The Bible is infallible and inerrant, not even in the doctrines, life, history and science facts in the Bible are infallible. The Bible is inerrant, this is talking about the autographs, but if the copies or the apographs are faithfull conveying the meaning of the autographs, we also treat the apographs as the Bible, as the Word of God. (Please refer to the Chicago's Confession about the inerrant of the Bible.) 圣灵所默示的《圣经》，是全无谬误的 (infallible and inerrant)。不单在教义、生活方面，而且在历史、科学范围内的宣称，也是无误的。「圣经无误」是指原本(autographs)，不过当译本准确地表达原本的意义时，我们也应当它为《圣经》，为神的话。（参阅《芝加哥圣经无误宣言》.）

Why we must read the Bible? To fear God, to worship God, to thank God, and to be holy like God, and hating the wicked and sins, and to find abundance and satisfaction in God. If we say we believe the Bible is inerrant, than we must accept the choice of God in all His Words, all His Meanings and all His concepts! 为什要读圣经? 应圣经可以使我们敬畏神,敬拜神,感谢神,与神的圣洁,忌邪认同,在神的丰富中找到满足,信靠神,爱慕神,顺服神.相信《圣经》之无误，必需同时接纳《圣经》中神所选用的所有文字、词语、观念。

Why we must have a Bible College? Because the goal and task of Christian education is education itself! 为什么我们要开办神学院呢？基督教教育之目标及任务，即教育本身！」

Farewell in Christ! 再见主面!

Mahatama Gandhi of India

Although Mahatama Gandhi was in no way the originator of the principle of non-violence, he was the first to apply it in the political field on a huge scale. The concept of nonviolence (ahimsa) and nonresistance has a long history in Indian religious thought and has had many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish and Christian contexts.

Gandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth. He was quoted as saying:

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always."

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?"

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

"There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for."

The world is busy

I have no work to do,
Someone say there is a work,
to believe in God,
God please help me,
to truly believe and trust in You.
this is my constant prayer.....

The best of the best

Hate is stronger or love is stronger?

Absolute power or absolute love?

Why our world is living in violence?

Mohammad Ali has a pair of hands, that punch,

Pele has a pair of legs, that kick,

Can love bring them together?

Can they embrace each other?

Is there a hope in this world?

Is there any hope for tomorrow?

Is there any love in my heart?

What is the best present for this Christmas?

Love? Faith? Hope? Which one I wanted the most?

God, may You give us a little bit of love!

Let us taste it, so we can feel good about other in this Christmas day!

The world in us was so cold and empty.

May God's love come and warm us tonight.

Merry Christmas

Thank God for great is His faithfulness,
Thank God for His mercy endured,
Thank God for the Word become flesh,
Thank God for the Son of God, Emmanuel, God is with you,
Thank God for the Bible given to us, the very Word of God,
Thank God for another Christmas is approaching.

Weather you are VPP proponents or VPP supporters, or those who are opposing and refuting the teaching of VPP. You all wanted to read the Word of God, the very Word of God. Yes, the Bible is the Word of God. Jesus loves you, this you know, because the Bible tells you so.

Furthermore, you must respect Rev Timothy Tow and his brothers and sisters, for they had been showing kindness to many in God's kingdom and faithfully serving in BP movement, and they had been used by God greatly in His Timing, many had been blessed by their works. And in his old age, you must not despised them. Treat them as your own parents and honor them.

In everything work good for those who love the Lord. In this time of season greeting, beyond VPP, let you forgive one another and love one another. hoping you may wish all pastors, elders, deacons and preachers, merry merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas from a stranger.

The Book of 1 John with VPP (Part 1)

This is a short letter to the churches in Ephesus, today Turkey, a gleam into the condition at the first century churches. It is consists of teachings of doctrine and spiritual life. The writer is John, he was the disciple whom was asking fire to rain down from heaven to destroy a village (Luke 9:53-54), when he was old, under the king Domitian, he was disperse to Patmos, he wrote letters to rebuke churches’ pride and lukewarm. He had the character like a thunder. He wrote to rebuke the heretics especially the gnostics, he said they are the “antichrist” (2:18), “liars” (2:22) and “children of the devils” (3:10).

At the end of the first century there were winds of heresies and false knowledge to distract new believers. John was openly rebuking those so called ordained but in fact the disciples of the evil one. And there were also, lustful, immoral false prophets. He then explained his experience, to witness the Jesus is the Christ, he wrote that the Creator God is light, is love, and is eternal life, He wanted to save all helpless men who indulged in sins, he declared those who trusted His name will become His children, knowing Him, and dwelling in Him, God’s Word is in them, they will not continue in sinning, but rather love the brethren, sacrifice for others, overcoming sin.

The book begins with “everlasting life” (1:2) and ended with “eternal life” (5:20) if we have faith, we may come to know God and He will grant us eternal life.

Gnostics’ movement was started to influence the churches, they did not accept that the Word had become in flesh. “Gnostics” means “knowledge,” it is a knowledge which is attacking the fundamental belief of Christianity. Sound very familier to us!

Gnosticism’ statement of belief:

1. The highest God is spiritual, living in light, totally separated from darkness.

2. Cosmos is not created by God, cosmos made of material, and they believe all material beings are evil.

3. God did not related with cosmos being, cosmos was created by a secondary god, and this god does not know who is God.

4. They believe man is consists of 2 parts, only a few people had spiritual wisdom, so they need a savior to save them from the evil cosmos.

5. Jesus was only a son of Joseph and Mary, he was not born by a virgin, but his righteousness, patient, wisdom are highest among mankind.

6. After Jesus was baptized, Christ came into Him; Christ came from the Highest God.

7. Christ is in Jesus, so Jesus started to declare the unknown Father in heaven to the world, and working the miracles.

8. Those a few who were enlightened with the spiritual wisdom will come to know God, return to God the Father.

9. Before Jesus was crucified, Christ left Jesus, Christ returned to heaven, on the cross only a mere human was being crucified.

Gnosticism biggest mistake is about the truth of “the Word become flesh.” They do not believe Christ has man and God attributes. So they will purposely distort the truth and the fact that “He becomes flesh.” They made Christ without a flesh and body. And they preached that Jesus was an ordinary man, if an ordinary man was being crucified on the cross, how can He redeem all mankind?

Another mistake is to say that man consists of 2 parts, dualism, a spiritual being with a sinning body; the spiritual being is separated with the physical body. Those sins, lusts and fleshly immoral activities were belong to the physical body, they do not related with the spiritual being, so Gnostics were usually living in lust and sin.

Gnostics were indoctrinating a false teaching, that only those who accepted Gnosticism and their mystical knowledge can be saved, they were enlighten, in other word, they did not depend on the salvation of Jesus Christ. They said they were born from God, they said they can converse directly with God; they said they had seen God. They said they were born sinless, they said they were working righteousness, so they said they do not need the commandments, and they do not need to follow Christ. This is also sound very familiar to us!

This falsehood had infiltrated the church, so John had to correct these mistakes. He wrote in 1 John 2:26 “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”

John wrote in this epistle:

1. God is light (1:5), there is no darkness in Him, the children of God must walk in the light, and those who do not walk in the light are not walking the truth.

2. God is life, through Jesus Christ, all man who repented, confessed and depending on Him will bestow eternal life. Holy Spirit is dwelling in the believers, He is teaching the truth, so that they may walk in the truth, and to live Christ’s life. (2:24-29)

3. God is love (4:8), all those who know God, must love one another, because love is from God, all those who believe the Lord must live in love, how God love us? God’s heart is shown when Jesus Christ came to the world. Those who disbelieve God’s word is to make God as a liar (5:10-11)

The contents of the book of 1 John

1. The writer rebuked those false teachers and their mistakes sharply, (2:26),

2. Without hesitation he rebukes their unrighteousness (3:8-10).

3. St. John wanted the believers to believe firmly and trust wholeheartedly that “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”

4. God had given his believer true knowledge (5:20)

5. The believers can be bestowing the eternal life, solely knowing the truth about Christ.

Beware of those teachers who taught false teachings, some of them teach Gnosticism, they had overdo some truths, especially some had distorted the about the person of Christ Jesus, He is the “Word became flesh!” Some people had certain claims! Some are qualifying as agnosticism and some are qualifying as Gnosticism, so their rational statements that assert a factual claim about the universe that begin "I believe that ...." are simply shorthand for, "Based on my knowledge, understanding, and interpretation of the prevailing evidence, I tentatively believe that...." These scholars assert that human intelligence has a non-material, spiritual element. They affirm that “not being able to see or hold some specific thing does not necessarily negate its existence,” it is sound very familiar, the unseen underlying text!

Indeed, in most Gnostic systems the sufficient cause of salvation is this 'knowledge of' ('acquaintance with') the divine. This is commonly identified with a process of inward 'knowing' or self-exploration, comparable to that encouraged by Plotinus (ca. 205–270 AD). However, as may be seen, the term 'Gnostic' also had precedent usage in several ancient philosophical traditions, which must also be weighed in considering the very subtle implications of its appellation to a set of ancient religious groups. In essence, it had been decided that 'Gnosticism' would become a historically-specific term, restricted to mean the Gnostic movements prevalent in the 3rd century, while 'gnosis' would be a universal term, denoting a system of knowledge retained 'for a privileged elite.'

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. May the Lord grant us grace and mercy in pursuing the truth about the “Word became flesh.” Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinner. He is come to be obey. Let us adored the “Word became flesh.” Let us preach “The Word became flesh.” Worshiped Him, the Word became flesh. He, the “Word became flesh” is not come to be debated! But to obey Him, and His commandments! He commanded us to love one another!

Do we hear Him, when He said He is, the “Word became flesh,” how does this verse speak to us? When God asked us, to unite in Christ, but we separated the congregation with the perfect underlying Text of the KJV! How about that?

In another place, do not quarrel about word! 1 Timothy 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.” Are THESE WORDS NOT FROM THE LORD Himself? What for the teaching about the perfect underlying text, the teaching of VPP, is it a type of Gnosticism? How about that?

The Gnostics purposely distort the truth and the fact that “He becomes flesh.” They did not look highly about, “the Word becomes flesh,” they are teaching some thing else, they replace this truth with falsehood. Some had taken lightly the truth “the Word, Jesus becomes flesh.” But they teach some thing else, they just teach the perfect Word, not relating to Jesus Christ, this is to distract people, not to learn the truth how “the Word become flesh” with pointing to the perfect underlying text of KJV, the Word in the underlying text!

John 1:1-5 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Some had taken the UNDERLYING TR HIGHLY, until they disobey the truth? John 1:14 and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The word of God has been perfect and preserved, even the Word can becomes flesh. The Bible is perfected and preserved by Jesus Christ. Jots and titles are fulfilled by and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The manuscripts and all the inspired Word of God were being perfected and fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Is He the perfect Word of God, and He is the living Word of God?

What about the Bible? The Bible is also called the Word of God, Westminster Confession. CHAPTER I of the Holy Scripture,

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical[r]; so as, in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them[s]. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them[t], therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come[u], that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner[w]; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope[x].

[r]. Matt. 5:18; Ps. 119:89
[s]. Is. 8:20; Matt. 15:3, 6; Acts 15:15; see II Tim. 3:14-15
[t]. John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Rev. 1:3; see II Tim. 3:14-15
[u]. Matt. 28:19-20; see I Cor. 14:6; Mark 15:34
[w]. Col. 3:16; see Exod. 20:4-6; Matt. 15:7-9
[x]. Rom. 15:4

The Bibles are therefore authentical! It is authentical! Means the Bibles are Genuine. Having a genuine original or authority, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, counterfeit, or apocryphal; being what it purports to be; genuine; not of doubtful origin; real; as, an authentic paper or register. [1913 Webster] Nothing about perfection of a Bible translation here! Nothing about the perfection of the underlying text, nothing about a perfect single TR, nothing about a perfect KJV, nothing about a perfect version. It means the Bibles are authentical, traced to the first hand writer, that is all it means here. Kept pure until they are authentical. Not perfection in a translation or version.

The theologians are like those 'gnosis' universally, had spend so much time and efforts to fight for the perfect underlying text, those time wasted can be used to defend the truth about the Lord, “The Word become flesh,” and time can be spent to defend the perfect Jesus Christ, to defend the truth about the perfect Christ, to teach the doctrine about Jesus Christ and His salvation.