Mar 4:33-34 NKJV – “And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear [it]. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.”
Why did Christ speak in parables?
Body
Passages where He answered the question:
Mat 13:34-35 NKJV – “All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
Mat 13:10-13, 15-17 NKJV– “And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. … For the hearts of this people have grown dull. [Their] ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, Lest they should understand with [their] hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ “But blessed [are] your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; “for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous [men] desired to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it].”
Explanation
God’s plan, from the rebellion of Adam and Eve, is to allow mankind to go his own way, and to experience firsthand the result of his foolishness and pride. This was not the time for the healing of the people of the earth as a whole.
As a witness, it was not Christ’s intent to challenge the masses with specific details”, forcing them into making a decision to believe or disbelieve. For the masses, he was giving them a WITNESS of who and what He was. We see a difference when He worked personally with individuals. (Luke 9:57)
Conclusion
God has a purpose and a plan for mankind, with every human having the opportunity to understand and submit to His way. Speaking in parables served His purpose that this time.
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 7 min.
Did you know that King David declared that there are pleasures at God’s right hand to be enjoyed forever?
He often faced life-threatening dangers. Even as he fled from King Saul or some of his many enemies, including one of his sons, David trusted the Almighty not only to preserve his mortal life but also to grant him God’s eternal pleasures in a better world should he die at the hand of his persecutors. He expressed his faith in a psalm of trust. This Digging Deeper on David’s Psalm 16 explores his confidence to discover how this assurance also pertained to Jesus’ resurrection and to God’s people today. Our study of certain aspects of this psalm will give Christians great hope for facing the future – by life or even by death.
Over these past two troublesome years, we have witnessed the deaths of millions of people around the world due to Covid-19. No doubt, you know of people, including Christians, who have contracted it. You may even know some who have died from this dreaded disease. Covid-19 has made most of us consider our mortality more seriously. As we journey through life, we face many perils. Yet the Christian has trust in God who has delivered him/her repeatedly. Even in the face of our temporality, we can continue to trust Him not to leave us forever in the dust of the earth. Our God is One in whom we can completely trust to restore us to life eternal.
Death is an ever-present prospect for all of us. None of us likes to think about it; yet it is assured (Hebrews 9:27), unless we are alive when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Jesus Himself faced death. We will discover what gave Him such confidence in God’s promise of restored life as He faced crucifixion. One of the Messianic Psalms quoted in the New Testament is Psalm 16. In this Psalm, David writes, under inspiration, prophetically about Jesus’ trust in the Father to raise him again. Being the God of the Old Testament, Jesus knew the promises of this psalm since He was the one who inspired David to write it.
Our focus verse is: “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV throughout). Immediately, David declared his trust in Almighty God (v. 1). He avowed his love for God’s people and disdain of idol-worshipers (vv. 3-4). God was ever in David’s mind (vv. 8-9). It is important to note that verses 10 and 11 have a prophetic aspect that David inscribed about his greater descendant, Jesus Christ.
Die we must, but rise we shall
Peter’s Pentecost sermon made it plain that Psalm 16:9-10 did not apply to David in his lifetime for Peter declared that David was dead, buried, and his sepulcher was still in Jerusalem (Acts 2:29-32). Paul later cited this passage from Psalm 16 as well in which he explained that David did see corruption; therefore, David’s prophetic statements concerned his greater heir (Acts 13:33-37). As Peter and Paul both explained, Jesus did not see corruption because he was raised from the dead after three days and three nights. Because Jesus is alive, He assures His followers, who compose His spiritual body, that they too shall live eternally: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54). Jesus was the first to tread the path from death to life. He will not be the last, for He promised every believer: “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).
What an encouragement for all true believers this is: die we must but rise to eternal life we shall. The bodies of believers shall be delivered from corruption by virtue of their union with Christ. The victory of Jesus over death was both a victory for Himself and for his spiritual body, the church.
David seemed to know something about a future life (Psalm 16:9), even though this psalm’s prophetic aspect applied directly to Christ. David is yet in his grave, but Bible readers are assured that he will live again in the Kingdom of God when he reigns over the united tribes of Israel during the Millennium and beyond (Hosea 3:5; Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25). Along with all the faithful saints of the Old Testament era, he shall reign with Christ in the eternal theocracy.
In this coming kingdom will be fullness of joy in God’s presence along with pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). Christians are assured such pleasures because of their position in Christ as His spiritual body. Because God has shown Jesus the path of life, He also will show it to those united in Christ. Though their bodies go down to the grave, they will not be left there forever.
When Jesus appears the second time, all who have died in Him shall be raised up incorruptible and glorious: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:52-55 KJB:PCE).
The pleasure is in God’s presence
Editor J.R. Dummelow in A Commentary on the Holy Bible clarifies Psalm 16:11: “The contrast which the Ps. draws is not, perhaps, so much between life here and life hereafter, as between life without God and life with Him. In its very nature, however, the latter life is enduring, and hence the Psalmist’s words contain an anticipation (though it may be a dim and only semi-conscious one) of the immortality which Christ has brought to light” (e-Sword 13.0.0). God’s people will be at that time in the Almighty’s presence at His right hand, a position of honor since that is where Christ is now (Psalm 16:11).
The apostle Paul supported this prospect of pleasures for evermore in God’s presence when he wrote: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV). Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible on Psalm 16:11 elaborates: “Happiness there, whatever may be its nature, will be eternal. Losses, disappointment, bereavement, sickness, can never occur there; nor can the anticipation of death, though at the most distant period, and after countless million of ages, ever mar our joys” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary demonstrates how these promises fortified King David: “David had full confidence that his life with God – both now and forevermore – would be marked by the highest and best pleasures. This is life lived above shallow entertainments and excitements” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Based on God’s assurance recorded by David, Christians now experience benefits and prospects because Jesus Christ is alive. Even in the face of death, we have every reason to live joyously in hope. At God’s right hand, this place of honor, will be inconceivable pleasures for evermore.
Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.
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Looking to improve your prayer life? Did you know we have a great topical scripture list on prayer available for you to utilize? Delve into the topic of prayer straight from the pages of your Bible!
Author:Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.
To be deceived is to believe in a lie.
For the forum this week, Mr. Phillip West described three lies Satan is using to deceive the whole world. Cautioning the Living Education students to beware of these lies and giving them the biblical truths to combat them, he encouraged the students to always be on guard—while the elect are distinguished by their knowledge of the truth, even they can be deceived.
Lie 1: “All Truth is Subjective”
Satan has been very successful in convincing the world that there is no objective truth. Mr. West referenced John 18:37, where Pilate asks Jesus what truth is, as a biblical example of this. Just like so many others today, Pilate was trying to justify his actions by reasoning that all truth is subjective. So many live their lives with the thought that “if I feel it, it must be true,” but subjective truth is affected and changed by emotions.
To illustrate this, Mr. West used the example that if you asked everyone in a room their favorite dessert, you would likely get vastly different answers. The subjective truth is their dessert preference. However, objective truth is unchanging—it will forever remain the same. It is said in Malachi 3:6 that God does not change. The objective, provable truth of His word will never change, and it will soon be revealed to the world.
Lie 2: “Follow Your Heart”
Any fan of Disney films will likely be familiar with this concept. A theme of many stories is to follow your heart, but we find in Jeremiah 17:9 that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked….” In truth, this is the nature of mankind. It is because of this that Satan is able to deceive the whole world. He knows what he is doing when he encourages us to follow our hearts. Yet, as Mr. West brought out, God is not blind to the nature of man, and He is judging our hearts (v. 10).
Now, this all may sound very biblical at first; Jesus does want us to love one another. But Mr. West explained that progressive Christianity is rooted in a misunderstanding of love. Looking at John 7:24, we see that we are to “judge with righteous judgment.” We are to love the sinner, but not the sin, and we are to learn to judge between right and wrong. The reality is that condoning bad behavior is not love; love and judgment are not mutually exclusive. Scripture tells us that God is a righteous judge whose judgment is both just and loving.
Mr. West ended his forum by commending the students for engaging in the Living Education program and encouraging them to have an open, teachable mind to the knowledge they’ll receive this semester. Yet he also warned them to beware of and close their minds to Satan’s tricks, staying in the path of righteousness and not turning to the path of deception.
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/kyle-glenn-kvIAk3J_A1c-unsplash.jpg10001500lcgadminhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pnglcgadmin2022-01-18 12:30:002022-01-14 12:50:32Forum Summary: Understanding Satan’s Culture of Lies
Author:Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 2 min.
Mr. Jerry Ruddlesden opened his lecture to the students with the following questions: What comes to mind when you think about the Church? What do we do as a Church? How does that relate to those of us at Headquarters or in the local congregations?
Mr. Ruddlesden defines the Church as a body of believers from all from different walks of life who have a specific job to do. Matthew 28:18–20 describes the commission that the Church is given by Jesus Christ: We are to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all nations. We all have different functions that are needed in the Church, as illustrated in 1 Corinthians 12:1–23.
Behind the Scenes
Mr. Ruddlesden went on to describe some of the ways in which the Church accomplishes this mission. One example would be locating and negotiating with facilities at which to keep weekly services, Feast of Tabernacles services, or even Living Youth Programs. The Church has a financial audit that is done yearly, which shows the number of programs and facilities that it sponsors. For all of this to happen, the Church must have a number of people behind the scenes who come together to help the Work continue to move forward.
Another example would be putting the telecast together. A telecast presenter will write his script and have the Editorial Department review it. Afterward, the Media Department will review it and begin to think about corresponding graphics. The media team must get ready for shooting, which involves putting makeup on the presenters, setting up the cameras and sound system, and a lot more. The Church will also need to buy a slot on a TV station in order to air that telecast.
Every member counts
Mr. Ruddlesden made the point that even though the Church is one body, there are many different parts of that body. Some parts of the human body do not get mentioned too often, but that does not diminish their roles. The same is true for the Church of God—there are many people performing functions behind the scenes in order to get the Gospel preached to the world. Of course, we also acknowledge the faithful members who pay their tithes and offerings consistently. Without them, it would be very difficult to get the Work done. Christ has given us big things to do, and through His spirit and power, the Work will continue until He returns.
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If you want your SPS to get attention, use these guidelines…
1. Always use ACTION VERBS in your SPS
Vague and general verb phrases result in a weak or non-existent SPS, while action verbs guide and define a strong SPS.
“About” is the most commonly abused passive verb phrase in speaking, leaving the audience (and sometimes the speaker) with no specific idea where the message is going.
For example: “Today, I’m going to talk about how to study the Bible.”
Exactly what do you mean?
While “How to Study the Bible” may be a topic, it is not an SPS.
Here are some examples of action verbs that establish a clear, strong SPS.
convince
My purpose is to convince my audience that we need to focus our minds on God’s Word more consistently.”
persuade
My purpose is to persuade the congregation to pray every morning.
inspire
My purpose is to inspire my audience to be more courageous in living God’s way.
explain
“My purpose is to explain meaning of the phrase “without form and void” in Genesis 1:2″
challenge
“My purpose is the challenge the audience to consider Matthew 7:3 and the ‘log in their eye'”
prepare
“My purpose is to prepare the congregation for challenges to their faith, by recounting the story of Abraham and God’s command to sacrifice his son.”
rehearse…
“My purpose is to rehearse Christ’s lesson about the laborers in the vineyard from Matthew 20.”
2. Create strong, connected support pillars
Ask yourself…
“Do each of my points clearly tie to my SPS?”
If they had to stand alone, would they clearly do so?
A three-fold cord is not easily broken, and three support points are hard to beat. But every point should be able to be tied into the SPS in your own mind.
If you don’t have the connection clearly in mind, don’t expect the audience to do any better.
3. Remember that a QUESTION is NOT an SPS.
A question can serve as a title.
A question can serve as a means to present the SPS.
A question can help the speaker to develop an SPS.
However, remember that an SPS is a Specific Purpose Statement. What is the point that you are trying to get across to your audience? What “statement” are you trying to prove, support, or explain to your audience?
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 6 min.
Did you know that a psalmist entreated God to not forsake him in his old age until he had proclaimed God’s truth to the next generation?
He accepted his mission seriously by asking God to strengthen him in his final years so that God’s truth would be perpetuated to future generations. Senior citizens have a responsibility by deed and word to convey God’s truth to younger people who look to them as mentors and role models. This Digging Deeper explores this sacred responsibility to discover how God continues to work with people no matter their age or physical condition.
Our focus verses are: “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come” (Psalm 71:17-18 KJV throughout). This verse parallels a previous one: “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth” (Psalm 71:9).
A song of the aged
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible introduces this psalm thus: “It is a psalm of great value as describing the feelings of a good man when he is growing old, and is an illustration of what there has been occasion so often to remark in this exposition of the Book of Psalms, that the Bible is adapted to all the conditions of human life” (e-Sword 13.0.0). The Bible is written for people of all ages. G. Campbell Morgan’s Exposition on the Bible adds: “This is pre-eminently a song of the aged, and, like old age, it is reminiscent. The singer passes from memory to hope, and from experience to praise” (Ibid.). This psalmist explains that he has served the true God since his youth (Psalm 71:5-6). He then asks God to not abandon him now that he is older, as explained by Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: “Still keep me alive. Give me health, and strength, and ability to set forth thy praise, and to make known thy truth” (Ibid.).
The author understands he has a responsibility to teach the next generation about God and His plan, as explained by the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible: “The psalmist knows that it was critical that the faith be passed down through the generations. God told the Israelites to teach their children of him at any time of day or night (Deuteronomy 6:7), and he stressed that each generation needed to enter into the covenant anew (Deuteronomy 5:2–3; 29:14–15; Joshua 24:25–27). It was not enough to be born an Israelite; each generation had to appropriate the faith for themselves, and it was the responsibility of the entire community to proclaim the faith boldly and to pass it down: parents, priests, and even the king (as here)” (Tecarta Bible App). This is the sacred duty of previous generations.
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains how this conveyed instruction benefits civilization: “Society thus makes progress. One generation becomes wiser and better than the one which went before it, and the experience of all ages thus accumulates as the world advances, enabling a future age to act on the results of all the wisdom of the past. Man thus differs from the inferior creation. The animals, governed by instinct alone, make no progress” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Seniors are to pass along life lessons to younger people that will save them time, effort, and suffering.
Blessings and Responsibilities
The Scriptures abound with God’s promises to the elderly so that growing older should be a pleasurable time with a deep commitment to God, such as:
Psalm 92:12-14 “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. (13) Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. (14) They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.”
Psalm 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
However, there are also exhortations to this senior population:
Titus 2:1-5 “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: (2) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (3) The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5)To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Notice, that the elderly in a community, family, or congregation have an example to set and a duty to instruct younger folks with godly wisdom. However, it is equally important that the younger generation recognizes the value of instruction from their seniors, as explained by Henry Morris in his Defender’s Study Bible: “This is a worthy prayer for all elderly believers, as well as a reminder to younger Christians that the older generation still has much to contribute to the present spiritual conflict in terms of accumulated experience and wisdom…A concerned Christian should continue to serve the Lord, in prayer if nothing else, as long as he has breath” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
Leave a godly legacy
As people age, they may become resentful about limitations and infirmities associated with aging, leading to complaints to others and even to God. The ESV Study Bible addresses this matter: “The book of Psalms readily confesses that the believer’s life is full of many troubles and calamities and acknowledges that these are under God’s control (you who have made me see [v. 20]); and since God governs these troubles, he can also relieve them (hence the confidence of vv. 20–21)” (Tecarta Bible App). But they must not forget that God has some form of service assigned to every believer for the younger generation and those that follow in future generations. We all create a legacy. We must decide whether it will be a godly one. We have the potential to produce an abundant harvest if we have sowed the seeds of good fruit.
Joseph Benson’s Commentary of the Old and New Testaments provides us fitting food for thought in conclusion: “Those that have been taught of God from their youth, and have made it the business of their lives to honour him, may be sure he will not leave them when they are old and gray-headed, will not leave them helpless and comfortless, but will make the evil days of old age their best days, and such as they shall have reason to say they have pleasure in” (e-Sword 13.0.0).
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(Editor’s Note: This was originally published in the December 2015 Ministerial Bulletin, which makes it particularly interesting in light of the current Covid pandemic.)
Book Review The Great Influenza By Gene Hilgenberg
The Great Influenza, The epic story of the deadliest plague in history. by John M. Berry Penguin Group (USA), New York, 2004
I have always been fascinated about reports of the Spanish Flu of 1918. If it was so bad, why did we not learn more about in history? With the occurrence of a more severe than normal annual influenza this past winter I begin to research the 1918 pandemic Influenza and came across this book.
The author presents an in-depth study of the 1918 influenza from the condition of medical science at the beginning of the twentieth century, to a detailed trail that the pandemic took in three waves through the US and around the world. He spends a lot of time dealing with individuals that had the greatest effect on curtailing or extending the virus.
In the beginning of the book the author is baffled that the progress of Medical Science in the early 1900’s seemed to be far behind the other fields of science. He blames the lack of progress on religion. He feels that religion hindered the understanding of what caused disease and slowed the discovery of microbes. I contend that if he had been a student of the Bible he would have realized that God gave ancient Israel knowledge of what caused disease and how to prevent it.
According to the author, the 1918-19 flu pandemic killed up to 100 million people world-wide. His death estimate is significantly larger than earlier estimates, but one that is often quoted in contemporary articles. The description of how this virus infected and killed is quite graphic and provides the reader with a real sense of the suffering it caused.
A chapter is spent detailing the influenza virus pathology, what can cause it to become violent and deadly, and how it can spread so quickly. One interesting fact about pandemic influenza that it is normally a virus that first starts in either birds or swine. By crossing with a human strain of the virus it becomes a virus that no one has immunity to so that it then can spread quickly within a population.
Pandemics come around only about 3 or 4 times a century and modern medicine feels with some certainty that if an influenza virus like the Spanish flue would show up that it would be able to quickly develop a vaccine to limit its effect. But can a vaccine be developed in time? The author points out that in 1997 with the H5N1 Hong Kong virus it took scientists more than a year to develop a vaccine. In 1918 the flu infected so many people so fast that the hospitals were swamped. Many of the health staff became sick so were not able to help others.
This book was an eye-opener on how dangerous contagious diseases can be, even one as common as the flu. It is a well-written book, as long as you overlook the references to evolution and the negative approach to religion and God. After reading the book I have a greater understanding of how the coming pandemics that God prophesied could come upon modern day Israel and this world at the end of the age.
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/book-856151_1920.jpg10001500lcgadminhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pnglcgadmin2022-01-12 10:39:532022-01-14 10:14:00Recommended Reads: “The Great Influenza”, John M. Berry
“What was the precise crime of crimes for which Jesus was tried at these two sittings of the council?” Learn about the powers of the Sanhedrin and the condemnation for Blasphemy.
Author:Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22
Estimated Reading Time: 3 min.
In a recent assembly, Dr. Douglas Winnail told the Living Education students that in our world, behind the scenes, there is an ongoing war.
He stated that there are a lot of ideas floating around, such as the idea that the Bible is outdated and the idea that God is not relevant. He warned the students that we need to be careful not to get caught up in these ideas and beliefs.
Thirty percent of young people are turned off by religion. It is very easy to do what is right and expected of us when we are in the Living Education program, but Dr. Winnail challenged the students, “What is going to happen to you when you go out there?” There is a spiritual war being fought, and we need to understand what it is in order to defend against it. Dr. Winnail offered the students some scriptures to assist us in our understanding of the following topics.
The War is Spiritual
Isaiah 14:12–14 Satan rebelled against God.
Revelation 12 Michael and his angels will fight a war in heaven against the dragon and his angels.
Revelation 13:7 The Satan-inspired beast will wage war against the saints.
Ephesians 6:12 We wrestle against evil spirits in high places.
Why the War?
John 6:44 Only those who are called understand the mystery of God’s plan.
1 Corinthians 1:2 Those in the Church are called to be saints.
Daniel 7:27 God’s Kingdom will be given to the saints of the Most High.
Revelation 5:10 The saints will reign in the Kingdom of God as kings and priests.
Revelation 20:1–6 Satan will be bound and will be replaced by the saints in the Kingdom of God.
Know Your Enemy
2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan is the god of this world.
Ephesians 2:2 Satan is the prince of the power of the air and influences our thoughts and actions.
2 Peter 3:3 In the last days, scoffers will promote false ideas.
Prepare to Fight
Ephesians 6:10–18 We are to put on the spiritual armor of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 We must prove all things and hold fast to the truth.
Jude 3 We are to earnestly contend for the true faith.
1 Timothy 1:12 We are to fight the good fight of faith for eternal life.
Matthew 24:13 We must endure to the end to be saved.
There are many who ridicule God and the Bible, and Dr. Winnail reminded the students that the ideas being promoted are not new. There are lessons that we have to learn from this spiritual war. Our choices build character, and we must choose God’s way even though we live in Satan’s world. If we choose God, our ultimate rewards will be greater than we can imagine.
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