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What version of the Bible are you using? Check Deuteronomy 32:43

By David John
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Deuteronomy 32:43 is now my "go to" verse to see if a Bible translation reflects the original text of the Bible. And why is the "original text" important? Because it is the original text, known as the vorlage or autographic text written by the Biblical author that is what God has inspired as His Word. He didn't inspire later copies, manuscripts, although we can know through the science of textual criticism with near certainty what the original, inspired text of Scripture is today. What do we find in Deuteronomy 32:43? Full disclosure - from the time I came to Christ in the 1980's I was told that there is no translation as good as the New American Standard (NASB) - the most literal, based on the oldest and best possible manuscripts. Some of what I was told was true, but as you will see in this blog post, some of what I was told is NOT true. And yes, I am aware of the King James ONLY (KJV) crowd and their arguments against many of the other modern translatio...
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If there is ONE God, aren't Christians committing blasphemy for believing Jesus Himself is God?

By David John
Today, a Christian friend of mine, who was formerly a Muslim, shared an illustrated diagram to describe how Jesus is both God and man. He wanted to know what I thought about the diagram. Such illustrations can indeed be helpful, but I told him that I thought all analogies fall short As we are talking about God and His Eternal nature. Instead, I told him that I explain it like this.  The Scriptures teach there is ONE God.  And He has revealed Himself as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus is God, fully God, because He revealed Himself to be so.   The best description I have heard is about the difference between UNITY and SINGULARITY.   Islam and Judaism (at least the Judaism that formed AFTER Christ as earlier Judaism had a doctrine called "Two Powers in Heaven") believe God is a mathematical singularity.   It can be called it UNITARIANISM. The oneness of God for them is a mathematical singularity, a mathematical 'unit'. Mus...
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"But Jesus NEVER Claimed to be God" (or DID HE?)

By David John
I recently had a lengthy discussion with a man who repeated an argument he had heard elsewhere that "Jesus NEVER claimed to be God". Coming from a Muslim-background, he was arguing for a UNITARIAN view of God, that the One God exists as a type of mathematical SINGULARITY. In his view, followers of certain religions over time DEIFIED their founders. For example, Buddhists made Buddha in some type of God and Christians as well over time, turned Jesus into God. Leaving Buddhism aside, I will address the latter claim that over time, Christians DEFIED Christ and corrupted the pure UNITARIAN MONOTHEISM that Jesus and all true prophets taught which only later was perverted by subsequent generations of followers. This MYTH is widespread on the internet and propagated widely even in popular books and movies. The version that this man had heard was that Christians "invented" the doctrine that Jesus was God in the 4th Century at the Council of Nicaea (AD325). What I proceeded ...
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and NO, Christmas trees are NOT PAGAN either!

By David John
"The Christmas is pagan" crowd comes out in force this time of year and sadly, we many of us have to deal with their claims.  Since the Hebrew Roots/Torahism/Torah Observant false teaching has been on the rise, a lot of their anti-Christmas videos and memes have been getting shared in recent years. Thankfully, their arguments have been dealt with thoroughly for those who are open to the truth. I've done two previous blog posts about this issue for those who want to consider the historical realities of how Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25th. Is Christmas a 'Pagan' Holiday/ (2023) -  LINK Is Celebrating Christmas on December 25th something that came from paganism? NO. -  LINK One of their common arguments is one I haven't dealt with but deserves to be dealt with here.  The claim: CHRISTMAS TREES HAVE A PAGAN ORIGIN I'm not sure why I didn't get into this topic before. I guess I wanted to focus upon the origins of Christmas as a Christian ho...
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What a WORD in an hour when so much ministry has been defiled by monetization!

By David John
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Let the "Virtue Signaling Games Begin"!

By David John
I'm seeing it from several sources already - NeverTrumper Christians and other Christians who are firmly within "the Babylonian System" virtual signalling  about all the ways they "imagine" Christians who believe the incoming Trump Administration and MAGA mandate are going to neglect the poor, mistreat the LGBTQ+ community (yes, I literally saw that from someone criticizing our opposition to "Drag Queen Story Hour"), violate our Biblical mandate to welcome the "alien and stranger" (let's not mention about those who are violent, criminal, drug trafficking, terrorist, human trafficking ones!). They are convinced that somehow we are racist (and blind to it of course) who will take America back to the days of wicked racial discrimination and abusive policies. The list of accusations they are making our truly incredible! And that is ALL that it is. VIRTUE SIGNALING. They will do nothing themselves. But they will message endlessly about all of ...
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Beware ESPECIALLY of Bitterness and a Critical Spirit in this hour!

By David John
Bottom line is bitterness and critical spirits are always things we should be aware of! And don't mistake needed criticism for a 'critical spirit'. Why a post about "this hour" in particular? And these two particular things - bitterness and critical spirits? I see that these two things are particularly prevalent right now and they seem to be potentially two of the most toxic things that will hinder what God intends to do. As I've argued, I believe we are in a unique hour of history. There is a kairos moment that we are about to enter into. And the path forward is littered with landmines - two of those are succumbing to bitterness and to critical spirits. It isn't that I can't think of other 'landmines', but these two have been highlighted to us. So if the shoe fits, then wear it. If somehow you don't track with what I am saying and don't see these potential pitfalls, praise God. Pray for me! We have come through one of the most difficu...
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