Jesus Christ and Antichrist (2 of 3)‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome back as we continue with our three-part study of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ our Lord and the revealing of the end-times worldwide tyrannical dictator – Antichrist…

 

Jesus Christ and Antichrist

Nearly 200 years before Daniel described the Antichrist, the greatest of all the Old Testament writing prophets – Isaiah – was given a glimpse of this human "serpent" dictator.

 

The “Serpent” of Isaiah 27

After describing the Great Tribulation, he tells us that it will climax with the removal of Satan and his human agent, the Antichrist:

In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea – Isaiah 27:1

Who is this "serpent"? He is the same one mentioned in the book of Revelation:

beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name – Revelation 13:1

He is the Antichrist who emerges from the sea of humanity to rule the world under Satan for 42 months (see Revelation 13:5). Amazingly, the “serpent" of Isaiah 27 is similar to the name given to Satan in Revelation chapters 12 and 13! Their character is so similar that they both can share that image. To that extent, Antichrist can be called Satan incarnate.

The "Little Horn" of Daniel 7

Daniel, of course, knew and loved the writings of Isaiah, just like he knew and loved the book of Jeremiah:

…in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem – Daniel 9:2

That helped him understand the identity, function and destiny of the future Antichrist. One night, about 553 B.C., God showed him:

four great beasts came up from the sea (of humanity), each different from the other – Daniel 7:3

These “four great beasts” are equivalent to the four great empires of Daniel 2, which were:

Neo-Babylonia
Medo-Persia
Hellenistic Greece
Rome

Fifty years earlier, Daniel saw these same empires as beautiful metals - "gold," "silver," "bronze" and "iron" in the form of an “image” of a man:

This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay – Daniel 2:32-33

But now they appear as wild, ravenous "beasts" (see Daniel 7:3). How different are man's perspectives from God's perspectives!

This time the fourth kingdom, Rome, produces "ten horns" and "ten kings" equivalent to the 10 "toes" of Daniel’s vision:

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay – Daniel 2:41

But then, to our amazement, an 11th horn appears:

I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words – Daniel 7:8

Who is this? It is the same Antichrist of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, 1 John chapters 2 and 4 and the book of Revelation! At first, he will be comparatively inconspicuous - just a “little horn” at this time. He is contemporary with the first 10, but "shall rise after them" (see Daniel 7:24). Very soon, however, the “ten kings” – probably representing the nations of Europe – will discover that they have met their match. In fact:

…before (him) three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots… before which three fell… shall subdue three kings – Daniel 7:8, 20 & 24

Jesus Christ & Antichrist

I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me – Daniel 7:15

But everything was, is and always will be under God's total control!

I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed – Daniel 7:13-14

We praise God for this assurance! The Antichrist, Satan's masterpiece, will rule the world for 42 months. During those three-and-a-half years, he will even be allowed by God to be "making war against the saints, and prevailing against them" (see Daniel 7:21), he "shall persecute the saints of the Most High" (see Daniel 7:25) and "make war with the saints and...overcome them" (see Revelation 13:7). But then, at Jesus Christ's Second Coming – Armageddon:

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone – Revelation 19:19-20

That is only one small part of what our Lord Jesus Christ meant when He commanded us to pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven – Matthew 6:9-10

May that prayer be ours each day we live – until He returns!

More to follow…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Jesus Christ and Antichrist (1 of 3)‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome to our new three-part study of end-times prophecy. What will the world be like just before the second coming of Jesus Christ? Our Lord emphasized the enormous potential of global deception at that time…

 

Jesus Christ and Antichrist

In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus Christ answered His disciples' urgent question:

What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? – Matthew 24:3

Our Lord warned them:

Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many... Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many... For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect – Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24

Note the emphasis on the words "false" and "deceive" in our Lord's answer. One moment after the rapture of the church, every surviving religious leader in the world will be a false one. Yes, millions of good gospel tracts, books and recorded messages will still be here – but all born-again Christians will be gone. Human reflectors of the Light of the World will be in heaven with their Savior. Suddenly, the worst person the world has even seen will introduce himself to the people of Israel, and will offer to them hope for security and military victory in the midst of a world that hates them. That person is the Antichrist. He is the one of whom the Lord Jesus spoke:

I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive – John 5:43

So the true Christ knows about the future Antichrist? Of course! In fact, our Lord will actually launch him into his seven-year career on planet Earth:

Now I saw when the Lamb [Jesus] opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer – Revelation 6:1-2

The Significance of Daniel's Prophecy

At first, the Antichrist will pose as Israel's friend, and millions of Israelis will put their trust in him. But then, three-and-a-half years later, his true character as Satan's masterpiece will be revealed. How can we understand this?

Our Lord explained:

When you [Jewish disciples] see the "abomination of desolation," spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place' (whoever reads, let him understand)... 'Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be – Matthew 24:15, 21

There it is! The command is clear: "Understand" – “Daniel the prophet." What a tribute to that faithful servant of God who had died nearly 600 years earlier. The Lord had told Daniel:

Seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase... and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand – Daniel 12:4 & 10

At this point we can truly identify with Daniel himself. With curiosity bordering on desperation he cried out:

My lord, what shall be the end of these things? – Daniel 12:8

Fuller revelation was to come in the next four verses, as we shall see - God willing. Then later through Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and again later through the New Testament – especially the capstone of all prophecy – the book of Revelation. But the foundation of God's teaching concerning the final Antichrist was laid in the book of Daniel.

Let us say of Daniel's book what Peter said of Paul's letters:

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures – 2 Peter 3:14-16

Praise the Lord!

More to follow…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!


We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Bible & Textual Criticism‏

Hello Friends!

In continuing with our studies of Textual Criticism and its proponents, the following are some more key points to consider.

 

The unbiblical fruit of Textual Criticism is doubt – not biblical faith. The idea that man could set himself in a position to be a judge over the Bible – the very Word of God – is inappropriate to say the least!

The Bible & Textual Criticism

To change the wording of the Bible for any “convenient” reason is crossing into another area of danger for the individual offender, for those who follow suit, and for those who must deal with the lingering affects thereafter – The Body of Christ. There are certainly many problems with the "modern" translations of the Bible. In particular, the popular New International Version (NIV). Why?

 

As an example of modern day corruptions within the various translations of the Word of God, consider the following resource for a quick comparison of the King James Version (KJV) verses the NIV:

http://www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/comparison.asp

Old Testament

God preserved the words of the Old Testament by the Levitical priests, who faithfully copied them through the centuries. The best manuscript is the Ben Chayyim, also known as the "Bomberg Text." This faithful Rabbinic Old Testament was rejected by the many Bible translation committees in favor of a Vatican-published text. It requires a careful and discerning eye to spot the differences.

New Testament

God preserved the words of the New Testament by His faithful Christian disciples, from Antioch of Syria (see Acts 11:26) to the Vaudois (also known as the Waldensians) people of the French Alps about AD 120. From the 150's on they passed this Old Latin Bible – called the "Common Bible" or "Vulgate" – throughout Europe and the British Isles. The Vaudois people were regarded by the Protestants and Baptists as "pre-Reformers," passing down the gospel message until the Protestant Reformation of the 1500's. Their Bibles and others translated from them were so accurate they were also included in translating the King James Bible. Various translation committees unwisely used none of these Bibles when deciding the meaning of God's Words and how to translate them into the English language. 

The Preserved vs. the Perverted "Vulgate"

Please remember – The Vaudois' Old Latin Vulgate is not the same as the later Roman Catholic Latin Vulgate. The Vaudois' Vulgate is God's preserved words of God in Old Latin which brought the gospel to all Europe. The Roman Catholic Vulgate is completely different. It wrongly mixed God's words with the perverted Alexandrian Greek Old Testament, Apocrypha and New Testament. Modern "scholars" falsely declare there's only one Latin Vulgate. But there are two: the preserved (Vaudois) and the perverted (Roman Catholic).

A Mixture of Perversion

Modern versions of the Bible mix many Alexandrian errors into their text. We know this because they tell us which ancient texts they used when they made their Bible. Don't be deceived by the clever names and symbols often utilized in their footnotes, etc. Here are some examples – and supporting thoughts – of what the modern translating teams claim they used for their versions:

• The Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia or BHS is not the preserved Hebrew Old Testament. This text is approved by the Vatican and printed jointly by the Vatican and Protestant Bible societies. In 1937 the "scholars" rejected the preserved Ben Chayyim exchanging it for an "older" – but not more accurate – text: the Leningrad Ms B 19a (also known as the "Ben Asher text"). The BHS states:

"...it is a welcome sign of the times that it was published jointly in 1971 by the Wurttemburg Bible Society, Stuttgart, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome...." –  Prolegomena, p. XII

• The Septuagint or LXX was actually written after Jesus Christ was born – not before. There are many Septuagints, as each Alexandrian Old Testament is different from every other. In fact, they are Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus and Alexandrinus – the same exact codices from which the modern perverted New Testaments originate!
• The Latin Vulgate is not the preserved Vaudois Christian Old Latin Vulgate. The modern translation "scholars" consulted the perverted Roman Catholic Latin Vulgate.
• The Majority Text (MT). With a name like "Majority Text" it should be a compilation of the majority of Greek New Testament manuscripts. But it is not. The "Majority Text" is actually a hand-picked set of manuscripts grouped together by the "pro-Alexandrian" liberal Hermann Von Soden. Less than 8% of the over 5,000 Greek manuscripts were compared to each other by Von Soden's team of collators! However, many translation committees give the MT great prominence, documenting this inaccurate information in the footnotes.

For example, some critics believe the Textus Receptus is incomplete because they disagree with the "Majority Text." However, the "Majority Text" is not the majority of texts! The "Majority Text" is a fake. Don't be deceived – do not trust any Bible that holds to the "Majority Text".

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ALEXANDRIAN – PAGAN – SCHOOL OF GREEK

1. Devoted to Gnosticism – Believed that the NT God was the real God and the OT God was the false God.
2. Devoted to Arianism – Denial of the deity of Jesus Christ.
3. Denied Christ’s humanity – full humanity and full Deity.
4. By the time of the Council of Nicea it was believed that the Arians outnumbered the Christians throughout the Roman Empire.
5. Devoted to the philosophical/allegorical interpretation of Scripture.
6. Was the major hotbed of occultism.
7. Home of the famed library of occultism where the “wisdom of the Serpent” reigned. “Hermes” was claimed as the greatest god. See The Adepts: Mystics & Mysteries of Alexandria: by Manly P. Hall. (Manly P. Hall was a high level Freemason Luciferian/Satanist/Occultist).
8. Was opposed to the Antioch school of Greek.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANTIOCH – CHRISTIAN – SCHOOL OF GREEK

1. Devoted to the literal interpretation of Holy Scripture rather than the philosophical/allegorical interpretation. The “Historical/Grammatical” method of interpretation for the New Testament has its roots in Antioch. Whereas the Hebrew Mazzuratic Text’s very strict Jewish custom of interpretation & accountability for every single word & letter of the Old Testament and their exact placement is true to Biblical history.
2. Was the center of the Church after Jerusalem (see Acts 15:22)
3. Was ardently opposed to the Alexandrian school of Greek.

THE “TEXTUS RECEPTUS” – RECEIVED TEXT – ACCEPTED BY THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH FOR 1,800 YEARS

1. The Apostolic churches.
2. The churches in Palestine.
3. The Syrian Church at Antioch.
4. The Vaudois people of the French Alps (Waldensians) 120 AD onward.
5. The Peshita Syriac Version 150 AD.
6. The Italic church in Northern Italy 157 AD.
7. The church of Southern France 177 AD.
8. The Celtic church in Great Britain.
9. The Church of Scotland & Ireland.
10. The Pre-Waldensian churches.
11. The Byzantine period 312-1453 AD.
12. The Gothic versions of the 4th century.
13. The Codex W of Matthew in the 4th Century.
14. The Churches of the Reformation all utilized the Textus Receptus:

Erasmus 1516

Luther’s German Bible 1522

Tyndale 1534

French Olivelon 1535

Coverdale Bible 1535

Taverner’s Bible 1539

The Great Bible 1539

The Geneva Bible 1560

The Bishop’s Bible 1568

15. Spanish Version 1569
16. The Czech version 1602
17. The Italian version of Diodatl 1607
18. The KJV Bible of 1611 – known as “The Authorized Version”

THE DANGERS OF “WESTCOTT & HORT” AND THEIR DUBIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

1. These two men were known occultists.
2. These two men didn’t believe in Heaven and denied the deity of Jesus Christ.     
3. These two men provided the Greek text for the modern translations. The “Sinatic” manuscript was “discovered” at Mt. Sinai in the monastery of St. Catherine and agrees closely with the “Vaticainus” manuscript which was in the Pope’s – Vatican – library since 1481.
4. These two men were Members of “The Hermes Club” an Occultist group. Hermes was the serpent god-worshiped in Alexandria, Egypt.
5. These two men in 1881 utilized the Alexandrian manuscripts “Codex Vaticainus” – which omits the beginning of the Bible: Genesis 1 as well as Psalm 106-138 – in order to attack the inerrancy of the Bible.

In closing:

The Alexandrian text also favors Occultism and acquired the endorsement of the infamous “Madam Helena Petrovna Blavatsky” who was an occultist witch, founder of The Theosophical Society and an associate of Westcott & Hort. They were all members of The Ghostly Guild also known as The Society of the Investigation of Ghosts. Many séances were conducted within their meetings. Finally, homosexual activity was not uncommon at these meetings. These facts are indisputable.

May the Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of the lost – naturally and spiritually – before it is too late… 

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Jesus Christ: Son of God and Son of Man‏

Hello Friends!

Who created the universe, including all animals, angels and men? Are you ready for the answer? A Man who physically walked upon this earth 2,000 years ago! His name is Jesus Christ the Lord, the Son of God and Son of man...

Jesus Christ: Son of God and Son of Man
 
How could a man do this? He was not only a genuine human being, but also a genuine member of the eternal Godhead - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. By supernatural conception in the body of a virgin woman, a human nature - body, soul and spirit - was added to His divine nature so that He could die for our sins on the cross.
The angel Gabriel told Mary:

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" - Luke 1:35

Thus, the Holy Spirit revealed through Dr. Luke, "the beloved physician" (see Col. 4:14), that Mary's human nature and her genetic connection with Adam, Abraham and King David were inherited by Jesus, but not her sin nature.

But who was this "Son of God"? Or, as He so often called Himself, "Son of Man" (see Dan. 7:13)? Many years after Dr. Luke's account of His conception, the Apostle John explained:

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made - John 1:1-3

This is totally beyond our comprehension. John goes on to say:

He was in the world and the world was made through Him and the world did not know Him - John 1:10

This first chapter of John's gospel is actually the capstone of divine revelation concerning Christ our Creator. To the apostle Paul, God had given this insight:

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist - Colossians 1:16-17

Indeed, God the Father (see 1 Corinthians 8:6) and God the Spirit (see Genesis1:2) were vitally involved with creation events, but it was the Son who actually did the work of creating "all things" even as it was the Son who actually paid the infinite price to redeem us from the penalty of sin on the cross of Calvary. Thus, God the Father:

has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds - Hebrews 1:2

Thank you, Lord, for giving us the gospel of John, with its final identification of Jesus Christ - the One who created the universe!

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!


We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Protestant Reformation: A Brief History

Hello Friends!

The month of October is very important to the history of Biblical Christianity, particularly the Protestant Reformation. If one does not understand the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation, one will hold to a skewed view of world history, the true Christian faith, Jesus Christ – the Only Begotten Son of God – and the Bible... The very Word of God!

The Protestant Reformation: A Brief History

During the month of October each year, it is good to remember the spark that ignited the Reformation 496 years ago. It was October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the Castle Church door of Wittenberg. That church had over 1,900 relics of dead saints on display. Catholics were granted indulgences for the remission of sins if they viewed the relics and made a confession. Luther became the center of a great controversy when his theses were copied and distributed throughout Europe. His initial protest exposed the pope's abominable practice of selling salvation from purgatory's fire for the price of indulgences. Many evangelicals today have either forgotten the Reformation or believe it was a mistake to divide the church. Others are denying that his first thesis, affirmed by Scripture, is not necessary for salvation. Luther's first thesis was:

"When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said 'Repent', He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance" 

Seven years earlier in 1510, Luther was sent to Rome. While there, he climbed Pilate's staircase on his knees, believing each step would take away one year in purgatory. Then God's Word gave him understanding of the Scripture:

The just shall live by faith – Romans 1:17

Eventually Luther's study of Scripture led him to oppose Roman Catholicism on issues pertaining to the supreme authority of Scripture and the doctrine of Justification. Catholic bishops had perverted the way a sinner can be made right with God by denying it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Luther rebuked them with the clear teaching from God's Word. Justification, which is God's declaration that believers are forgiven of sin and counted righteous in His sight, occurs at the moment God imputes the righteousness of Christ to the believer:

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him – 2 Corinthians 5:21

In August of 1518, Luther was pronounced a heretic without a defense. On the same day he was accused, judged and condemned by the so-called "Holy Father," the only supreme, infallible authority in church or state! Indeed the true spirit of popery was on display. Not a trace of Christian principle, or even of common justice, was witnessed in the process. In October of that year, Luther's trial began at Augsburg, and Cardinal Cajetan ordered Luther to recant his views on indulgences and papal infallibility. If he refused, he was to be excommunicated and share the same brutal fate as Jon Huss. Luther frustrated the Cardinal by answering all objections using Scripture as his authority. Needless to say, the large assembly of people had the opportunity to compare the two men, and to judge the spirit manifested in them. What a stark contrast! Luther was humble, firm and steadfast in the strength of God and with truth on his side. The Cardinal was self-important, overbearing, haughty, and unreasonable, without a single argument from Scripture. 
In March of 1521, the emperor called Luther to the Diet of Worms to plead his case. Knowing his life would be in danger, Luther responded:

"I place the matter in the Lord's hands. If He will not save me, my life is of little consequence. Let us only prevent the Gospel from being exposed to the scorn of the wicked, and let us shed our blood for it, for fear they should triumph. It is not for me to decide whether my life or my death will contribute most to the salvation of all. You may expect everything from me except flight and recantation"

A month later at the Diet of Worms, Charles V asked Luther to recant his heretical doctrines. He responded:

"I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the Councils, because it is clear as day, they have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unless therefore, I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture... I cannot and will not retract. Here I stand, I can do no other. So help me God, Amen."

In Closing:

There have been several new articles lately describing the activities of the first Jesuit Pope Francis, the new direction he seems to be taking the Vatican and Church of Rome. After a clandestine series of interviews that were published in 16 Jesuit journals around the world, Francis is now reported to have said that the idea of converting people to Christianity is "solemn nonsense," according to the Washington Post. The Pope also referred to the Vatican court as the "leprosy of the papacy," saying that the leaders of the Catholic Church have been "sickeningly excited by their courtiers."

 

There is no question that Pope Francis has developed a reputation for controversy, bringing criticism from Catholics and Protestants alike, who believe he is compromising the central tenets of the Roman Catholic faith. But given his membership in the Jesuit Order – Society of Jesus –, could there be more to this than meets the eye?

Those who reject the supreme authority of Scripture are very easily deceived...

"It is necessary to salvation that every man should submit to the Pope" – Boniface VIII Unum Sanctum, 1303

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9

Here lie two totally contradictory statements. They cannot both be correct. The one which you believe will depend on which authority you accept. Rome must find a way to supplant the true gospel with "another gospel." The only way to do this is to eliminate our faith in the Word of God. May the Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of the lost – naturally and spiritually – before it is too late…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Codex Sinaiticus: Correct or Corrupt?‏

Hello Friends!

With its some 23,000 edits and corrections – approximately 30 per page – textual critics hold in high regard and utilize the Codex Sinaiticus – calling it the “oldest” Bible – to argue that the Holy Scriptures cannot be the inspired word of God. But where did this manuscript actually come from? Can it be trusted? Is it theologically sound? 

Let’s investigate these claims and decide for yourself…

 

Codex Sinaiticus: Correct or Corrupt?

Since its discovery in 1859, it has been surrounded by suspicion and debate, as the critical text defenders have begun to challenge the story of Constantine Simonides, who claimed a German scholar named Constantin von Tischendorf created the Codex Sinaiticus in 1840. Against them are the defenders of the traditional Greek text of the Protestant Reformation, who are challenging the credibility of the Codex Sinaiticus, and whether or not it should have been entered into the Biblical record.  But… Why?

Dr. Scot McKendrick of the British Library in London claims:

"This [Codex Sinaiticus] is the ancestor of all the Bibles that everbody else has in the world”

In the 19th century, a revolution in biblical scholarship was prompted by the publication of a never-before-seen manuscript called Codex Sinaiticus. The work was allegedly “discovered” by a German scholar named Constantin von Tischendorf, who declared this to be the oldest Bible ever found. Tischendorf said he found the work in a rubbish basket at a Greek Orthodox monastery in Egypt. While many in the academic world did not fully believe his story, they were willing to accept his claims about the antiquity of the codex itself. 

 

Yet shortly after his “discovery” was published, a renowned Greek paleographer named Constantine Simonides came forward and declared that the manuscript was no ancient text at all, but had been created by Tischendorf himself in 1840. The controversy surrounding these events is perhaps the most incredible untold chapter in Bible history. It involves Jesuit Order, the Pope, a high-minded German, a committee of Anglo Romanists and a mysterious Greek patriot for the sole purpose of discrediting the Reformers doctrine of Sola Scriptura and denouncing the Holy Scriptures as the divinely inspired, inerrant and perfect Word of God. While quite true and well documented, these facts are unknown to a vast majority of modern academics of today. Yet this subject matter dramatically impacts the world of Biblical scholarship – even to this present hour. Most of what today’s Bible scholars learn and believe about manuscript evidence is based on the events of this era – and the footnotes in your Bible are the proof of it!

 

Discovered at the base of what is called Mount Sinai in Egypt, this curious codex emerged in the year 1859 and would dramatically transform the field of Biblical scholarship. Because of Codex Sinaiticus, the traditional Koine Greek text (Byzantine Text) used by the English Reformers would be questioned – and ultimately replaced – by “scholars” Wescott and Hort in 1881. But were these events the conclusion of an honest discovery? Or were they contrived to undermine the truth?

 

Much extensive research into the discovery of the Sinai codex and the controversial claim of Greek paleographer Costandine Simonides reveals that the manuscript was indeed a modern work that Tischendorf created in 1840. Is it possible that Mr. Simonides was telling the truth?

 

While most modern scholars have been led to believe that the controversy over Simonides’ story was settled in the nineteenth century, it is important to consider that there were those who disagreed. One such person was John Eliot Hodgkin, curator of the Mayer Museum in Liverpool London, whose writing collection is still housed at the British Library. Hodgkin was a zealous defender of Simonides, who stood by him until death. Also among them was renowned scholar James A. Farrer who published his classic work, Literary Forgeries in 1907. Of all the historians who have written on this matter, we believe Mr. Farrer to be the most thorough. After examining the details of the Simonides affair, he wrote:

“It is to be regretted that this matter was never cleared up at the time the claim was made.  It cannot be said to have been settled by the mere opinions of Tregelles or Bradshaw, or by the more critical and palaeographical objections urged by Mr. Scrivener…. On the side of Simonides is his unlimited skill in calligraphy; the very audacity of such a claim if entirely baseless; the remarkable presence in the Codex of a portion of the Shepherd of Hermas, which Simonides was the first scholar ever to have seen in Greek; the very natural allusions to the work in the lithographed letters (sent by a friend of Simonides years before the controversy); the fact that no visitor to the monastery at Mount Sinai before 1844 had ever seen or heard of such a work as belonging to the monks; and the very extraordinary story told by Tischendorf of his discovery and acquisition of the Codex.  The question therefore, pending the acquisition of further evidence, must remain among the interesting but unsolved mysteries of literature.”  (“Literary Forgeries” by James A. Farrer - 1907, pp. 64-65, emphasis added)

Notice that Farrer refers to the issue as one of the “unsolved mysteries of literature” nearly fifty years after these events happened. This is something that is not taught at many Bible colleges today. However, it is our desire to alert the Church to these very important issues for edification and that the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ might be better defended. It is important to remember that the Codex Sinaiticus is used by higher critics to undermine and discredit the Bible. Not just the King James Bible, but any Bible. Therefore, having a true and accurate history of the codex is very important for the Church today!

To learn more about the men mentioned above – Tregelles, Bradshaw & Scrivener – we here at Encouraging Concepts recommend viewing the excellent film by Christian J. Pinto "Tares Among the Wheat" where the role of these historic figures is explained in great depth and detail.

Also, to understand what is meant about how Codex Sinaiticus is used to discredit the Bible, we highly recommend viewing this seven minute clip from the BBC documentary – “The Beauty of Books: Ancient Bibles, the Codex Sinaiticus”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCkyakphoKE

Other important facts, facets and inquiries to consider in this discussion – among others – are:

• How Codex Sinaiticus changed the world's view of the Bible
• How the manuscript was used to "confirm" the Vatican's Bible -- Codex Vaticanus
• The scholars Westcott and Hort plan to create a new Greek Bible
• The story of Simonides – in his own words
• How Tischendorf accused Simonides of forgery – and later recanted
• Tischendorf's relationship with Rome
• How the details given by Simonides are confirmed by the manuscript evidence
• The mention of worm holes and why they may be significant
• The names of Simonides' helpers found in the manuscript
• Special markings discovered in 2007 that may be from Simonides
• Was Simonides really a forger or was he falsely accused?

The situation seems to parallel what happened to the 16th century scholar, Joseph Justus Scaliger. Mr. Scaliger was the father of developing a system of chronology for history, but some of his interpretations of historic documents put him at odds with the Catholic and Jesuit scholars. Mr. Scaliger would soon be attacked and discredited by the Jesuits as a result. Could this be proof that similar tactics were employed by Rome against Constantine Simonides? It is indeed.

 

What is our source of authority? Man’s opinion or the inspired, inerrant and all-sufficient Word of God? The Holy Scriptures are what God says – religion is what man says God says… AMEN!

 

In Closing:

We draw your attention to the following comment from the British Library’s website (official site for the Codex Sinaiticus manuscript) where they discuss the history of the codex. While many others believe that what happened in the 19th century is fully known and agreed upon, this quote proves that such is simply not the case. Remember: The Codex Sinaiticus website represents the most up to date information on the codex and its history…

 

According to the British Library, we are told that:

“… events concerning the history of the Codex Sinaiticus, from 1844 to this very day, are not fully known; hence, they are susceptible to widely divergent interpretations and recountings that are evaluated differently as to their form and essence.”

Notice how they tell us that the events are “not fully known” and are “susceptible to widely divergent interpretations.”  We would certainly agree that this is true!

May the Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of the lost – naturally and spiritually – before it is too late…

 

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!


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