Grace Martial Arts Fellowship began in 1990, went online with a website in 1995 and began publishing newsletters to the Christian martial arts community in 1998.
Because of the quality of information found in those early newsletter articles and the fact they are no longer available online, we’ve decided to re-publish many of them in the coming weeks and months. Our hope is that a new generation of Christian martial artists will be blessed by the wisdom of those who were on the path before them.
GMAF NEWSLETTER
January – February 2006
Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
Thoughts from the Master
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
Jesus Christ
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
The Apostle Paul
Wisdom Notes
“A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted … Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.”
Proverbs 12:3, 7
“Standing Our Ground”
by
Sensei Mark McGee
GMAF Director
Martial artists understand the concept of “standing our ground.” Our purpose in yielding to oncoming force is to redirect the strength of the attacker and move them to a place where they can consider their bad behavior and where we are safe from their attack. When we yield ground to an attacker, we are really evading his attack to move to a superior position and are truly “standing our ground.” Our response to an attack is up to us. We determine how and when we move. Our movement has purpose as we take control from the attacker and counter his attack effectively and efficiently. We learn to use whole-body power to dispatch the enemy quickly and decisively. There is no question at the end of the encounter that we are in control and have stood our ground. It is the attacker who has lost ground and face in his cowardly attempt to harm us.
Christian martial artists understand an even higher concept of “standing our ground.” God calls on every believer to be grounded in His Word and in His Love. It is as we stand our spiritual ground that we grow in knowledge and understanding of what God can and will do for and through His children. God wants us to know the Love of Christ and to be filled with all the fullness of God. We do not gain that knowledge and filling by giving ground to the enemy. It is as we are strengthed in the inner man that we learn how to be grounded in Him. The results of that grounding, as with the physical attacker, lead to great and mighty things.
The following verses are some of the most powerful in the New Testament about the importance of standing on God’s Word. Memorize them. Meditate upon them. Make them as natural part of your actions as waking in the morning and closing your eyes at night. May this lifestyle of standing for what’s eternal give us the strength to put aside that which is temporal.
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:1-5
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-24
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.” Philippians 1:27-28
“Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” Philippians 4:1
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:1
“Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 3:7-8
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
It is our prayer at Grace Martial Arts Fellowship that you are grounded in Christ and learn the mighty weapons of spiritual warfare for the Glory of God!
(Mark McGee is Director and co-founder of Grace Martial Arts Fellowship.)
“Truth That Transforms”
by
Dr. Robert Xavier
Set Free Youth & Family Ministries
Confident Kid Martial Arts
Only through the grace of God and a conscious, truth-seeking effort can any of us reverse the years of contaminated thinking about our personal worth.
Affirming God’s truth with the Word of God is the weapon of great spiritual value. It is a process to exchange our bankrupt ungodly thinking for God’s truth. It takes time to acquire God’s thinking about changing situations and circumstances. God-centered beliefs gradually will produce godly thinking and godly responses. Affirming the truths of God’s Word enables us to experience joy, peace and hope, while overcoming the major deceptions and lies from Satan’s kingdom.
Four Major False Beliefs Contrasted With God’s Truth
(Personal Worth and Belief System)
_____________________________________
Satan’s Lie ___________________________________________God’s Truth
Your Performance Plus Others Opinions __________What God Says About You
| Those who fail are unworthy of love and deserve to be blamed and condemned (Fear of punishment; tendency to punish others) | I am deeply loved by God. (Propitiation, 1 John 4:9-10) |
| I must meet certain standards to feel good about myself. If I don’t…. (Fear of failure) | I am completely forgiven and fully pleasng to God. (Justification, Romans 3:19-25) |
| I must be approved (accepted) by certain others to feel good about myself. If I’m not approved….. (Fear of rejection) | I am totally accepted by God. (Reconciliation, Colossians 1:19-25) |
| I am what I am; I cannot change; I am hopeless. (Fear of humiliation and shame) | I am absolutely complete in Christ. (Regeneration, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21) |
If false, distorted beliefs remain in our minds, unchallenged and unrejected, they will maintain an unconscious influence on our emotions, on our reactions and on our relationships. Being able to identify Satan’s lies and then confront them with God’s specific truth is crucial! Most people find that their ability to apply these truths on a daily basis is directly related to their ability to recognize the lies. Recognition is the vital first step of your personal application. For this reason, be encouraged to memorize the four major false beliefs along with God’s corresponding truths. You will find your life situations much easier if you can recognize Satan’s deceptions in your life and refute tem with Scriptural truth.
(Next newsletter: The Cycle of a False Belief System)
” How Much Do You Love God?”
By
KARL WILLIAM MARX SR.
Founder of Keichu-Do Martial Arts
This is a question not much attention is given too. Many Christians profess that they Adore Their Heavenly Father, they claim God is their Creator, and Jesus Christ is their Savior. However when push comes to shove, their love and loyalty is somewhat like Peter’s were when he denied even knowing Jesus. Think about this. Do you have the same kind of love for God as you do for your girl or boy friend? How about the equal love you have for your husband or wife. Do you love Jesus Christ as much as you do your mother or father? Have you ever felt the sheer pain and agony of braking up with a girl or boy friend? Or even worse going through a separation and then a divorce from your spouse. I have experienced the heart-braking mind bending destroying lonely deep depression, of such actions. How many male bumble brains have acted so stupidly that some even ended up killing themselves, their girlfriend or another man because of a brake up. The passion between male and female is so high in many cases, that murder is the result of someone’s action. How many people do you know that would have the same passion for Jesus Christ? Not to the point of murdering someone, that is ridiculous, but would feel the pain and loneliness of having lost the Joy of the Lord.
I confess I was one of them. When my girlfriend broke up with me, I became a drunk trying to bury the pain in booze. A harden heart is not a pleasant thing to live with. I speak from personal experience not something I learned in Collage from a book. This is a pain almost indescribable. No don’t start feeling sorry for me, that’s not what I want or need. The truth is my need was and is and always will be Jesus Christ. I wish I could have Loved Christ back then as much as I thought, I loved my girlfriends and wives. Just think for a moment, do you really believe your love for God is more than the love for your spouse. There is a saying that that proves that what I am saying is TRUE. “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” Jesus Christ said that. So get a clue, hay! I’m not accusing or judging I’m just as guilty as the rest of you. I loved or thought I did many things more than I loved my God. Hay! How many times did fishing, or hunting, or a Golf game come before Going to Church to worship and Praise the Lord God and Creator of all things?
Remember the times you said or heard, ” I can’t get to Church on Sunday, Sunday is the only time I have to spend with my family.” Now that is Lame, man. What better place to be with your family than at Church? So many times in a day we forget to even talk to our heavenly Father. When someone opens a door for us we usually say thank you, when we meet someone it is common to say Hello, however how often during the day do we thank God for anything? Most folks think of their sweethearts, or loved ones much more than they do their God, or Savior Jesus Christ. That’s sad, really sad. Anything put higher than God is an Idol. Now you know the penalty for that SIN. You don’t want to go there. Humans have a tough time separating themselves from themselves. I remember a time when I was suffering from a major mental attack brought on from by anxiety. When experiencing an anxiety/Panic attack it always helped to have someone to talk to. At two am one night Living alone there was no one there with me, so I called my daughter Joanna, she and her husband Tim got up and were driving the 7 miles (I think) to help me. She was asleep, and Tim fell asleep at the wheel and crashed his pick up truck into a large ditch, sending my daughter head and face into the windshield. I was praying before for help, asking God to take away the anxiety, but I wasn’t even showing respect let alone love for my Creator, I was just thinking about myself. By so doing my darling daughter and her husband both could have been killed? Were was my love for God? I wanted my daughter and her husband to be with me in my time of difficulty, I called on God with a Gimmy-gimmy attitude, not as a child asking his father to pick him up or hold him.
God opened my eyes to see the Truth. Depend on HIM, not on any other thing, human or substance. I never had another anxiety attack for about a year, when I was stranded in England with no money on my way to France were I was to be picked up by Keichu students for a Clinic. I became so stressed out because of my circumstances that allowed disappointed, angry, frustration, and depression to overcome me, which is nothing, more than ” stinking thinking”. I remembered my last experience and called on my God in a way, (this time first off, not after everything else failed.) of deep sincerity. You know what, Loving God is a good thing. Talk about miracles, God sure pulled one out for my screwed up self that day. The London Police called France however my Cajun French was not good enough to allow the Frenchman on the other end to understand. No one in the Bobbie (police) station could speak French and there we were, in a bind. Then quite by (God’s) providence two women walked into the station. One had just been Mugged a block away and the lady helping her spoke fluent French. Praise God.
She and the fellow in France made arrangements for me to stay with an English Family whose wife was a Frenchwoman. My plan ticket was no good anymore and I had no money to pay for a fare from England to Paris. I was praying on the train on the way from London to the little town were I was to stay until money could be wired from Paris I think. I witnessed about my situation and how God had saved my bacon again on this trip to an older Lady while we rode the 100 miles or so. My host family and driven to their home picked me up, about 12.00 midnight. I have to say I was really tired. However, anxiety grabbed like it does if I become to exhausted and I could not sleep. I had to get up and walk and pray to calm myself or until I just crumbled and crashed from total exhaustion. My Gracious host came in and he and his lovely wife allowed me to tell them about the love of Jesus Christ. We talked until 4:00am in the morning. Then to my delight My Host Mr. Woods accepted Christ as his Savior. I thought at first he was doing that just to shut me up so we could all go to sleep. However he proved to be a faithful servant to the Lord. Even to the point of helping my pastor move to England to start a Calvary Chapel there. Loving God is a good thing, right? Try it you’ll be glad you did.
“Persecuted, Not Fallen!”
by
Phil Lewis
Ambassador Martial Arts
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9
Recently, someone wrote an article about Christians and the 10 Commandments suffering defeat in the public arena. This author indicated that this was not consistent with biblical stories of God’s people being victorious when walking in God,s ways. He went on to say that, as in the days of Israel, when disobedience, and, or idolatry, were found in their midst, they suffered defeat, so also Christians today were suffering defeat because of what he called the idol of a false gospel. He explained that, because Christians no longer believed in the full 10 Commandments, and did not observe the Sabbath, they were being defeated. He went as far as to call this article “Fallen Soldiers. While I can agree that the Christian, and the Church, will be defeated in his/its spiritual life because of sin, I believe the author,s conclusions to be erroneous.
First, let me say that to equate the Old Testament Theocracy with today’s government and nation, in the application of “victory is poor hermeneutics. God did not promise us victory in the public arena, or in politics. Jesus, in fact, said the following: “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33), and “they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:12). Doesn’t sound like “victory in the public, or political, arena, does it? But God does not call those who take a stand, yet fail to change government, or public opinion (John the Baptist, Noah, etc.) “Fallen Soldiers! Jesus himself failed to change public opinion about himself: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11). However, His Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). And our battle is not with the courts of the land.
Ultimately, Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11-18 what our primary battle is and how to stand prepared. We are in a spiritual battle against spiritual forces. And yes, “the whole world lieth in wickedness.” (1 John 5:19). Victory starts on the individual level when we submit to God and trust him even in the trials and apparent set-backs. As we allow God to first change our hearts, then He can use us as “light” and “salt” to those around us. Everyone needs a new heart, a clean heart, which can only come through repentance and faith in Christ. Then we can walk in victory as we walk in faith and in God’s Spirit, despite circumstances, feelings, or decisions of the government, or those around us. If I am not in bondage to sin and the devil, then I am free to worship God and enjoy His presence and His peace. I am victorious. I am not “fallen”. How close I walk with God will determine the fruit I produce. But the “fruit of the righteous is used in conjunction with a “tree of life and winning souls” (Proverbs 11:30); and the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22). I don’t see a guarantee of constant success in getting Christianity accepted by law, the court, or the public.
Next, I think that God’s “Law” is still fully for today, in that God does not change. However, some fail to understand what this really means. Just as Israel could not keep, or be justified by, the Law, neither can we today. That is exactly why Jesus lived a perfect life, and died in our place. All the “ordinances” that were against me, that is, that stood condemning me, He nailed to His cross (Colossian 2:14). Some would make a distinction here between the moral law, and the ceremonial law. God makes no such distinction anywhere in the Bible. Yes, the Law was our “Schoolmaster”, showing us our guilt, and bringing us to Christ, our Savior. The “Schoolmaster” in New Testament times was often the one who taught and prepared a son until the day when in an “adoption” ceremony he was now considered “of age”, and came into his inheritance with full “son-ship”. John 1:12 tells us “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Paul says we “have received the Spirit of adoption” (Romans 8:15) already. That’s past tense. We are already sons! When Jesus hung on the cross, He said “It is finished” (John 19:30). His work of redemption was complete. Nothing was left out. Nothing more could be added to it. “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Our righteousness is complete in Jesus Christ. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” (Romans 8:3). In view of all this, adding a “Saturday” observance of the “Sabbath” is not going to change our relationship with God.
Finally, the Sabbath (literally “rest) was an eternal picture of the “rest” we are to find in God. This can only come when we “rest” in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. When the writer of Hebrews says “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9), he is writing to the Jews among whom many were still undecided whether Jesus was “enough”, and were therefore still hanging back and feeling the Law was necessary for salvation. The whole book of Hebrews is dedicated to showing that Jesus is superior to Moses, superior to the priests, superior to the angels, superior to the sacrifices, and superior to the law. Paul adamantly states “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come.” (Colossians 2:16, 17). He also confirms that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ” (Romans 10:4). This means Jesus was the “goal, or purpose” of the law. He fulfilled it. His righteousness is ours when we put our trust in Him.
When you understand the Sabbath as God intended it, and you’ve given your life over to Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sabbath is being fulfilled in you through His Spirit, regardless of the observance of one day over another. Should we take time apart for our Lord? Most certainly! Should it be a 12 hour period, a 24 hour period, a Friday, and Saturday, or a Sunday? Jesus did not speak specifically to this issue, and actually did not observe the Sabbath in the traditional way most of the Jews of His day would have liked. He did state that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). He rose on the first day of the week, appeared to the two on the first day of the week, then the 11, and then the 50 also on the first day of the week. The New Testament church apparently met on both the Sabbath and the first day of the week, a Sunday, eventually meeting more and more only Sunday, as they moved away from Jewish traditions. Paul writes: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.” (Romans 14:5, 6). God has called us to freedom. Freedom from sin, and freedom from the condemnation of the law. In the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. ” (Gal. 5:1) Remember, “the letter killeth, but he Spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6) What will you choose: the letter of the law, or the Spirit of life in Christ? “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:9, 10) Is He in you?
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) Now that’s God’s definition of victorious!
God bless!
“We Believe God’s Word!”
by
Sensei Mark McGee
Introduction
We began a special series of studies about God’s Truth in the last GMAF newsletter. We started with a look at Archaeology and the Bible. True science supports God’s Truth as revealed in His Word at every point. This is a continuation of my thoughts as a former atheist about how God’s Word, the Bible, is the Truth. I used to believe Christianity was a “silly and foolish religion” based on half truths and no truth. I came to understand I was the fool. I did not realize how much proof existed for the accuracy of the Bible as God’s inspired Word. That fact, that God’s Word is eternally True, will impact your life like no other truth in this world or the next. This is what we believe.
“We believe that the entire Bible in its original writings is inerrant, being verbally inspired of God and is of plenary authority.”
Terms for Understanding
1. Bible
The word “bible” comes from the Greek word biblia . It means “books.” That word comes from a more ancient word meaning the inner bark of the papyrus reed. Ancient books (or scrolls) were made from papyrus.
The words biblia, biblion, and biblos, are translated “books” in the English translation of the New Testament and Septuagint. By the 13th century A.D. all the books of Scripture were called “The Bible.”
Jesus referred to the Old Testament Books as “the Scriptures.” The Apostle Peter called Paul’s writings “Scriptures.”
2. Orginal writings
The Old Testament was written almost entirely in Hebrew. Hebrew is a Semitic dialect akin to Phoenician and Ugaritic. Portions of Ezra, Daniel and Jeremiah were written in Aramaic.
The New Testament was written entirely in Greek. This was the common, everyday language of the contemporary Graeco-Roman world.
3. Inerrant
The Bible is free from error. It is infallible. People in the Bible made errors, but the writing of Scripture is free from error. It is an accurate record.
What was said was said. What was said was said was said. Facts are facts and lies are lies. What happened happened just the way the writers of the Bible say it happened.
4. Verbally inspired of God
God so guided and superintended the writers of the sacred text, making use of their own unique personalities, that they wrote all He wanted them to write, without excess or error.
Inspiration Basics
- Inspiration is inexplicable. It is the operation of God, but we do not know exactly how that power of God operates.
- Inspiration, in this restricted sense, is limited to the authors of Scripture. Other books are not inspired in the same sense.
- Inspiration is essentially guidance. That is, God supervised the selection of the materials to be used and the words to be employed in writing.
- God preserved the authors from all error and from all omission.
- Inspiration extends to the words not merely to the thoughts and concepts.
The English word “inspired” means the act of inbreathing or inhalation. The Greek word translated “inspired” or “inspiration” means “God-breathed.” God breathed into the writers and brought into being His infallible Word. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) (“Private interpretation” follows the verb ginetai . It means “originates.” Peter is saying that no prophecy of Scripture originated in the mind or will of man, but that holy men spoke as they were borne or carried along by the Holy Spirit.)
5. Of plenary authority
The Bible is complete and full as we have it. It has the total authority for communicating God’s Truth. There is nothing more to add to it.
What do people think of when we say “The Bible?”
1. The present-day Hebrew Bible has 24 Books. Those Books are divided into three divisions:
The Torah (Law) — Genesis – Deuteronomy
The Nebhiim (Prophets) — Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve
The Kethubhim (Writings) — Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Eccclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles.
The Christian Bible contains the same material as the Hebrew Bible in addition to Christian writings of the 1st Century A.D.
The formal collection became known as the Old Testament and the New Testament after the 2nd Century A.D. Tertullian was the first to use the term Novum Testamentum (New Testament).
The Catholic Bible adds several books to the Christian Bible. The New Testament is the same, but the Old Testament is different. In addition to the books in the Christian Bible, the Catholic Bible has what is called the Apocryphal Literature: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, The Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Daniel 13 & 14, The Song of the Three Hebrew Children, The Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees.
There are many reasons why many Christians do not accept the additional books in the Catholic Bible as being inspired by God.
1. They abound in historical and geographical inaccuracies and anachronisms.
2. They teach doctrines which are false and foster practices which are at variance with inspired Scripture.
3. They resort to literary types and display an artificiality of subject matter and styling out of keeping with inspired Scripture.
4. They lack the distinctive elements which give genuine Scripture their divine character, such as prophetic power and poetic and religious feeling.
5. Philo, Alexandrian Jewish philosopher (20 B.C. – 40 A.D.), quoted the Old Testament prolifically and even recognized the threefold Hebrew division, but he never quoted from the Apocraphya as inspired.
6. Josephus, famous Jewish historian (A.D. 30 – 100), explicitly excludes the Apocraypha, numbering the books of the Old Testament as 22. He never quotes from the Apocrypha as Scripture.
7. Jesus and most of the writers of the New Testament Books did not quote the Apocrypha although they included hundreds of quotes and references to almost all the canonical books of the Old Testament.
8. The Jewish scholars of Jamnia (A.D. 90) did not recognize the Apocrypha.
9. No canon or council of the Christian Church for the first four centuries recognized the Apocrypha as inspired.
10. Many of the early church fathers spoke out against the Apocrypha: Origen, Cyril of Jerusalem, and Athanasius, for example.
11. Jerome, scholar and translator of the Vulgate, rejected the Apocrypha as part of the canon. He disputed with Augustine on that point.
12. Many Roman Catholic scholars rejected the Apocrypha as inspired. Not until A.D. 1546 did the Apocryphal books receive full canonical status by the Roman Catholic Church.
13. Luther and the Reformers rejected the canonicity of the Apocrypha.
What is a canon? The word comes from the Greek kanon . It was a reed used for a measuring rod and came to mean “standard.” It was the standard the church put against all books to see if they were the inspired Word of God.
1. Is it authoritative? Did it come from the Hand of God?
2. Is it prophetic? Was it written by a man of God?
3. Is it authentic? The early fathers had the attitude of “If in doubt throw it out.”
4. Is it dynamic? Did it come with the life-transforming power of God?
5. Was it received, collected, read and used? Was it accepted by the people of God?
Jesus Christ testified to the Hebrew Canon: Luke 24:44.
- Law of Moses – The Torah (Law)
- The Prophets – The Nebhiim (Prophets)
- The Psalms – The Kethubhim (Writings) Another evidence is Luke 11:51. Abel was the first martyr (Genesis). Zechariah was the last martyr to be named in the Hebrew order. There are also numerous quotations by Christian apostles. Many extra- biblical writers also attested to the Hebrew Canon. What about New Testament canonicity? The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 2:20 that the church was “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” Acts 2:42 states that the Jerusalem Church continued in the “apostles teaching.” Apostolic authority and approval is at the heart of the New Testament Canon. That authority comes directly from God. The canon is not based on what men say, but what God says through men. There were three basic reasons for developing the New Testament Canon:
- 1. A heretic, Marcion (A.D. 140), developed his own canon and began to propogate it. The Church needed to offset his influence by determining what was the real canon of New Testament Scripture.
- 2. Many Eastern churches were using books in services that were spurious. It called for a decision concerning the canon.
- 3. The Edict of Diocletian (A.D. 303) declared the destruction of the sacred books of the Christians. Believers needed to know which books were worth dying for.
The earliest canon of New Testament Scripture comes from Athanasius of Alexander (A.D. 367). His list is exactly like our present New Testament.
Shortly after Athanasius, Jerome and Augustine defined the canon of 27 Books as we have them today.
Early Church Fathers (Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Ignatius) spoke of the writings of the Apostles as Scripture.
The Council of Hippo in A.D. 393 and Carthage in A.D. 397 suppored the canonicity of the 27 New Testament Books we have today.
Many books in use during the early centuries did not make it into the New Testament Canon:
* The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians * Epistle of Pseudo-Barnabas (A.D. 70)
* Epistle to the Corinthians (A.D. 96)
* Second Epistle of Clement (A.D. 120)
* Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 115)
* Didache, Teaching of the Twelve (A.D. 100)
* Apocalypse of Peter (A.D. 150)
* The Acts of Paul and Thecla (A.D. 170)
* Epistle to the Laodiceans (A.D. 300)
* The Gospel According to the Hebrews (A.D. 108)
* The Seven Epistles of Ignatius (A.D. 100)
* The Gospel of Nicodemus
* The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary
One last note about external evidences to the reliability of the Bible. As we mentioned in the last newsletter, archaeology is the study of material remains of past human life and activities. An archaeologist is the person who conducts the research of those material remains.
Here’s what some of the great archaeologists and students of archaeology had to say about how material remains of past human life and activities supports the reliability of the Bible.
1. Nelson Glueck – “It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference.”
2. William F. Albright – “There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament traditions.”
3. F.F. Bruce – “Where Luke has been suspected of inaccuracy, and accuracy has been vindicated by some inscriptional evidence, it may be legitimate to say archaeology has confirmed the New Testament record.”
4. Merrill Unger – “Old Testament archaeology has rediscovered whole nations, resurrected important peoples, and in a most astonishing manner filled in historical gaps, adding immeasurably to the knowledge of biblical backgrounds.”
5. Miller Burrows – “Archaeology has in many cases refuted the views of modern critics. It has shown in a number of instances that these views rest on false assumptions and unreal, artificial schemes of historical development … The excessive skepticism of many liberal theologians stems not from a careful evaluation of the available data, but from an enormous predisposition against the supernatural.”
The evidence is clear. The Bible “is” the Word of God. We should obey God’s Word and do what He wants us to do. What God wants us to do is His Will. God’s Revealed Will for our lives is presented clearly on the pages of His Word. God’s Word is Trustworthy and Plain. Read it. Do it. Love it. Embrace it. Live by it. Die by it.
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