Today,
reply is on the character and process of the Scriptures as
forward-looking. Salvation often requires a clear and complete break
with the past (we say, “burning our bridges behind us,” and “new wine
into new bottles.”). We should recall Israel’s
lament looking back (Numbers 11: 4-6, King James Version (KJV): 4
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting:
and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give
us flesh to eat? 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions,
and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there
is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.);
and Jesus taught, “Remember Lot’s
wife.” (Luke 17: 32, KJV) Christians are to face the future
without fear, and continue to acknowledge the Old and New Testament
Scriptures because both provide many immutable and unchanging truths.
Followers of the Lord are wise to consider that, in the same way it
is an error to long for and set our hearts on present circumstances
and carnal things, it is an error to examine present events seeking
signs and portents from GOD that will foretell the future. For those
who will stand before GOD in judgment as disciples of Jesus Christ,
their past condition as sinners and transgressors that was written
within the Book of Life will be covered by the blood of atonement,
and their condemnation is cast into “the sea of forgetfulness”
through sacred practices such as rebirth, faith, forgiveness, and
hope (the expectation of divine fulfillment for things promised and
prophesied). The fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” Religion and
Spirituality forum who uses the ID “Anonymous” (Level 1 with 3
points, a member since February 16, 2016) posted the following:
What
does the Bible say about missing the past?
I
really miss the 90’s and early 2000’s those were the good days,
but I heard somewhere that God says don’t look back but keep
looking forward, so I was wondering is it a sin?
THE
GOLDEN ARROW: What do ye imagine against the LORD?
he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second
time. (Nahum 1: 9, King James Version, KJV)
THE
DOUBLE DAGGER: “The End Is Near” (03/14/2018); On Facing The
Future (01/17/2018); Time and Sacred Events? (03/30/2017); Sin Must
Be Personal (04/29/2016); A Dry Thirsty Land (05/01/2016); Sin Turned
To Goals (05/02/2016); They Shall Not Be Mentioned (05/03/2016);
Remembering Lot’s Wife (11/04/2014); Sinless Until Advent?
(11/05/2014)
“Anonymous”,
be encouraged! Christian believers are to look to the past for
admonition, correction, guidance and warnings; even so, their
consciousness is to be forward-looking and focused on the Advent of
Jesus Christ (we say, his appearing; the harvest; the Rapture; the
Second Coming). The revelation of divine fullness (we say, the
GODhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) is given to make
the Creator knowable, known, accessible, and approachable to all
created beings and living creatures. In place of mysteries, puzzles,
riddles and secular knowledge sinners who turn to GOD
are provided with comfort and edification through gifts that include
divine law, sovereign proclamations, covenant promises, prophecy, sacred knowledge, a structured lifestyle, and multiple
opportunities for service and sharing within a community of
believers. Sinners must become “born again” through baptism,
become joined to GOD through the Holy Spirit, and “grow up again”
as “developing believers.” Consider the following that uses
language from the Bible:
(1.)
Deuteronomy 32: 1-7, King James Version (KJV): 1 Give ear, O ye
heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the
dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon
the grass: 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD:
ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his
work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God
of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. 5 They
have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot
of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people
and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee?
hath he not made thee, and established thee? 7 Remember the days of
old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he
will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
(2.)
Ecclesiastes 7: 9-11, KJV: 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be
angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou,
What is the cause that the former days were better than
these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom
is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit
to them that see the sun.
(3.)
Ezra 3: 10-13, KJV: 10 And when the builders laid the foundation
of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests
in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph
with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the
ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang together by
course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD;
because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever
toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when
they praised the LORD, because the foundation of
the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of
the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were
ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of
this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and
many shouted aloud for joy: 13 So that the people could not discern
the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the
people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was
heard afar off.
(4.)
James 4: 13-17, KJV: 13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to
morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and
buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall
be
on the morrow. For what is
your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and
then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought
to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But
now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it
not, to him it is sin.
(5.)
Matthew 16: 1-4, KJV: 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees
came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from
heaven. 2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye
say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3 And in
the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the
sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the
face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the
times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;
and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
There
is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually
apprehended. (For example, (6.) 1st Thessalonians 4:
13-18, KJV: 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others
which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with
him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall
not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another
with these words.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.
Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE
BLACK PHOENIX
Washington,
DC
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