(09/02/2019) Those Who Prefer Evil

Today, reply is on those who prefer evil and wickedness, and holy writings that teach on such sinners among those who are to be in accord and covenant relationship with divinity. Developing and mature Christian believers eventually acknowledge that evil, sin, and wickedness are not fruits produced through the imparted Spirit of GOD. None may lay hold on salvation relying on the operations of carnal desire, self-will, and finite human willpower. It is written: Romans 8: 5-9, King James Version (KJV): 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. One of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” public forum on Religion and Spirituality who uses the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the following:

What if I prefer evil over good?

THE GOLDEN ARROW: See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. (Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, King James Version, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Heathen and Pagan Ways (09/01/2019); Works Without Divine Faith? (05/06/2019); The Penalty of Death? (04/26/2019); Known By Spiritual Fruit (03/06/2019); Doing The Devil's Work? (02/21/2019); Recognizing Holy and Unholy (01/31/2019); Sinners Must Become Convicted (11/27/2018)

“Anonymous”, there are many who feel that (1) GOD does not exist; (2) there is no reason to be afraid of bad consequences or punishment for your attitudes and behavior; (3) mankind only has to answer the laws of nature; and (4) I am free from the laws and restrictions made by other people. When those who are entered into accord and covenant relationship with divinity repeatedly choose to violate divine law, and continue as unrepentant sinners, they come under the curses of the law, rather than the blessings. As those in defiance and rebels against the sovereign will of GOD, they are labeled as “workers of iniquity” and “transgressors”. More than this, they are those who reject forgiveness and despise divine mercy. Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:

1. Deuteronomy 29: 16-21, King James Version (KJV): 16 (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; 17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) 18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: 20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. 21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:

2. Leviticus 26: 13-21, KJV: 13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright. 14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; 15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: 16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. 18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. 21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

3. Psalms 7: 11-16, KJV: 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, 4. Ezekiel 18: 23-28, KJV: 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

Image downloaded @ 9:51 AM, September 01, 2019 @ https://i.pinimg.com/736x/90/d4/d5/90d4d5e9442b1f67022d62fa8755aa26.jpg

THE BLACK PHOENIX

Washington, DC

(10/08/2013) Of War and Judgment

Focus, today, is upon covenant, sacrifice, and warfare as divine operations in Scripture to establish sacred relationship.  Also, there is more on the assurances for salvation.  The “Yahoo!7 Answers (Australia)” writer using ID “Jens Pawtroski” (Level 1 with 199 points, a member since 2 November 2011) posted the following:


Somone for the love of God rationalize Numbers 31 17-18!?

First of all atheists do not bother to answer since this is a question directed at christian ONLY.

I am a christian 18 years old and have been having trouble with the many of the killings and war in the OT as it seems out of sync with Jesus in the NT. This is like the fifth time I have asked this question here on YA so i would appriciate it if you could help me out here.
I have read that many of the wars and killings in the OT are allergorical and hyperbole. Meaning that when they say for an example: "They put them all to the sword and left nothing alive that breathes" It really means that they kicked their asses and won. Not literally that they killed everyone including women and children.

There is alot of evidence for this that many of the war accounts use hyperboles and not all they say is to be understood literally but I won't go into detail now. Anyway do you think this could be the case here? I can understand that God would kill those who had already committed great sins such as the midinite women who were not virgins but the little boys? Can you imagine going around hacking and slashing 2-3-4 year olds to pieces? I don't know about you but MY God would never command such. Again I am not trying to bash the bible but I am seeking answers for something that really bothers me.


THE BATTLE AXE:  Assurances of Salvation? (10/07/2013)—(5)  The many gifts from GOD through his Spirit make possible the confidence of believers.  Fresh spirit content from GOD equip believers to increasingly operate having discernment (i.e., ability to correctly recognize the godliness and spirit content in events, other persons, things that are spoken or written, etc.).  Using discernment, believers are able to avoid situations set up to attack, confuse, destroy and discourage belief.  They do not allow themselves to become bogged down, depressed, dominated and entangled by those who insult and undermine their faith; believers are those grateful, saved and under the authority of Jesus Christ.  Christian believers acquire holy boldness that serves like courage or fearlessness, making it possible to approach GOD to seek correction, forgiveness, help, and spiritual supplies; and making it possible to see that every “enemy” is already defeated.  Believers do not always get every material thing they may desire, or feel they want as humans in flesh.  However, with the record of covenant duties discharged, answered prayers, divine promises fulfilled, and prophecy continuing to be in force, all believers may have incontestable certainty for their sacred expectations (we say, hope).  See Deuteronomy 28:  1-48, Hebrews 10:  15-30, 1st John 2:  1-3 and 1st John 4:  16-18, King James Version.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth:  and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:  but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;  For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:  And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land:  therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD:  for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.  If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.  And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him.  And they said, We are witnesses.  Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.  And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.  So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.  And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.  And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us:  it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.  (Joshua 24:  14-27, KJV)


DOUBLE DAGGER:  Jericho Justified? (07/02/2013); Theoretical Forgiveness? (07/03/2013); Why Did The Judges Fight? (10/19/2012); The Spirit is Willing (10/20/2012); Mob Rule and Violence (09/27/2012); Suppose I Am Wrong? (09/28/2012)


Jens, here are a few points Christian believers find useful to avoid spiritual confusion when considering accounts of warfare in the holy writings:

(1.)  GOD is a spirit who uses divine utterance and sacred events to reveal divinity among and to created beings and living creatures.  Included are commands, miracles, praise, promises, prophecy, and vision.  Judgments against sin (we often say, plagues, punishments) are commanded by GOD that appear in the Scriptures as warfare between tribes and nations.

(2.)  Many of the nations that come under the utter destruction of GOD in seeming warfare are in covenant and sacrificial relationships with GOD.  Those who left Egypt with Moses, the twelve tribes of Jacob and the mixed multitude (we say, Gentiles), were called into covenant as an instrument to restore a peculiar balance between heaven and earth, GOD and mankind.  Those who violate covenant do more than simply sin in behavior and conduct that is naughty.  As with the betrayal of Judas, they overthrow divine relationship, and disturb cosmic order throughout the universe.

In addition to breaking off revenge, judgment, redemption, and salvation, there are multiple topics and issues, here, that one comes to understand only by spirit growth.  There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood.  (For example, (3.)  Devices for Divine Person and finite beings to be in continuing relationship that cannot be ended by death have included dynasty, family, inheritance, divine proclamation and promise.  What GOD begins in the life of one individual (e.g., Abraham) may be completed through the lives of others (e.g., Moses) who continue in the same posture to GOD.  By death on the cross as an altar and holy table where heaven and earth are joined, Jesus established a greater way for intimate relationship.  Mankind now receives a fresh endowment of sacred content from the makeup and person of GOD.  Included are faith, holiness, gratitude, joy, longsuffering, wisdom, and wrath against sin.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.


THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC