God’s Church
Let No Man Put Asunder
By: Frances Swaggart
Matthew 19:4-6 – “And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, declaring that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. Moments after the decision was announced, President Obama made a personal cell phone call to the lead plantiff in the case, Jim Obergefell.
After offering his congratulations and praising Obergefell’s leadership, the president told him: “Not only have you been a great example for people, but you’re also going to bring about lasting change in this country. It’s pretty rare when that happens, so I couldn’t be prouder of you and your husband, and God bless you.” 1
Ladies and gentlemen, God is not going to bless any part of this court’s decision because it was made in complete and utter disobedience to the Word of God.
NOT A CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE
In a message preached over the Fourth of July weekend at Family Worship Center, Donnie did an excellent job of dealing with this subject of same-sex marriage. He said, “It’s not a civil rights struggle. It is a moral problem. It’s not political. It’s not constitutional. It is a moral problem that defines who we are as a nation and how far we have sunk as a people.”
We don’t believe that it’s right for the U.S. Supreme Court or anybody else to try and redefine marriage as something other than what God says it is. In the book of Genesis, we see that marriage is the first institution that God ever created:
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept (records the first anesthesia): and He took one of his ribs (the word rib here actually means ‘side’), and closed up the flesh instead thereof (the woman is not merely of a rib, but actually of one side of man);
22 And the rib (side), which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman (the Hebrew says, ‘built He a woman’; Horton says, ‘When God created the man, the word form was used, which is the same word used of a potter forming a clay jar; but the word build here seems to mean God paid even more attention to the creation of the woman’), and brought her unto the man (presents a formal presentation, with God, in essence, performing the first wedding; thus He instituted the bonds of the marriage covenant, which is actually called the covenant of God [Prov. 2:17], indicating that God is the Author of this sacred institution; this is the marriage model and was instituted by God; any other model, such as homosexual marriages, so-called, can be constituted as none other than an abomination in the eyes of God [Rom. 1:24-28])” (Gen. 2:21-22, The Expositor’s ).
MAIN SOURCE OF SUPPORT
This is what the Word of God says, but it’s not what people want to believe, especially America’s young people. Just weeks before the Supreme Court ruled on same-sex marriage, we sent a TV crew from SonLife Broadcasting Network to the streets of Baton Rouge to ask random people for their definition of marriage.
Nearly all of the people we interviewed — middle-aged and up — said that they believed marriage was between a man and a woman, but take a look at the responses we received from the younger set, roughly 25 years old and younger:
Q: How do you define marriage?
A: “I think marriage is love between two people, and it doesn’t matter what two people it is.”
A: “I’m open-minded. I have a lot of gay friends, and I’ve never seen anything wrong with it. Traditionally, I guess it’s the union of a man and a woman but to me, I think it’s just the union of two people that love each other.
A: “Our generation is known for doing things completely different and I think [traditional marriage] is out of date; [same-sex marriage] is a new thing that’s happening, and we should all accept it and not judge.”
A: “Anybody who wants to have same-sex marriage or anything, I feel like that’s your choice, and I don’t think anyone should judge somebody for that. I think whatever you feel like you want to do, you should do.”
The responses of these young people are not surprising. In June of this year, a Pew Research Center’s report pointed to youth as a major source of support for same-sex marriage.
The report states: “A key component of the shifting attitudes on this issue is the strong support for gay rights among younger Americans. Younger generations have long been more accepting of homosexuality and of same-sex marriage than older generations, and as millennials (who are currently ages 18-34) have entered adulthood, those views have influenced overall public opinion.” 2
CHANGE OF HEART
At 31 years old, Heather Barwick qualifies as a millennial and, as the daughter of lesbian parents, she grew up as an advocate and supporter of gay marriage. But somewhere into her 20s, she said she could no longer be a supporter because “of the nature of the same-sex relationship itself.”
Barwick, now a wife and mother of four, is a children’s rights activist. In March, she wrote an open letter entitled, “Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting,” to explain her change of heart. “It’s only with some time and distance from my childhood that I’m able to reflect on my experiences and recognize the long-term consequences that same-sex parenting had on me,” Barwick wrote. “And it’s only now, as I watch my children loving and being loved by their father each day, that I can see the beauty and wisdom in traditional marriage and parenting. Same-sex marriage and parenting withholds either a mother or father from a child while telling him or her that it doesn’t matter. That it’s all the same. But it’s not. A lot of us, a lot of your kids, are hurting. My father’s absence created a huge hole in me, and I ached every day for a dad. I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.” 3
For other children of same-sex couples, the damage is even greater.
Before the Supreme Court’s ruling, B. N. Klein was one of four adult children of gay parents who testified against same-sex marriage at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and reportedly argued that “government-sanctioned homosexual unions could lead to disaster for thousands of kids.” 4
In her brief to the court Klein wrote, “While I do not believe all gays would be de facto bad parents, I know that the gay community has never in my lifetime put children first as anything other than a piece of property, a past mistake, or a political tool to be dressed up and taken out as part of a dog-and-pony show to impress the well-meaning.”
Klein’s brief also stated that as a child of a lesbian mother, she was pressured to pay “constant homage and attention” to her mother’s gay identity, taught that “some Jews and most Christians are stupid and hate gays and are violent,” and told that homosexuals were “much more creative and artistic because they are not repressed and are naturally more feeling.” 5
Katy Faust was another one of these four adult children who testified. She said, “The label of bigot or hater has become very powerful and effective tools to silence those of us who choose not to endorse the marriage platform of many gay lobbyists. For much of my adult life, I was content to keep my opinions on the subject of marriage to myself. I was (and still am) sickened by the accusation that I was bigoted and anti-gay for my belief in natural marriage.” Faust said she was speaking out now because she believes that a child has the right to a mother and a father.
“When we institutionalize same-sex marriage … we move from permitting citizens the freedom to live as they choose, to promoting same-sex headed households,” Faust wrote. “Now we are normalizing a family structure where a child will always be deprived daily of one gender influence and the relationship with at least one natural parent. Our cultural narrative becomes one that, in essence, tells children that they have no right to the natural family structure or their biological parents, but that children simply exist for the satisfaction of adult desires.” 6
Dawn Stefanowicz, who was raised by a homosexual father who later died of AIDS, testified against same-sex marriage in her native Canada, which legalized gay marriage in July 2005. According to Stefanowicz, Canada has changed a lot in those 10 years. She said that as soon as same-sex marriage passed in her country, parenting was immediately redefined. Stefanowicz writes, “Necessary parental rights to teach children your beliefs, express your opinions, and practice your personal faith are infringed upon by the state when your beliefs, opinions, and or faith practices are in opposition to what is taught and promoted at school. In fact, in Ontario, Canada, the Human Rights Commission regulations permeate and surround all public education.” 7 Think of that.
I thank the Lord that these people were brave enough to come forward and speak out on this issue. Their testimonies illustrate the impact that same-sex marriage is having on our children, schools, and our nation.
REPETITION REDUCES RESISTANCE
Still, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community remains unsatisfied and continues their fight for what they call “civil rights.” We see their agenda unfolding every day in the news: the Boy Scouts welcoming openly gay men and boys; Baylor University–a prominent Christian college in this country—dropping the phrase “homosexual acts” from its sexual misconduct policy; an Oregon labor commissioner ordering Christian bakers to pay $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
On Frances & Friends, Mike Muzzerall commented on this type of progression. He said, “What happens is, if we’re in a situation where we’re tolerant–we’re not abusive toward the person, but we don’t acknowledge it–that’s no longer good enough. Now they want us to accept. Repetition reduces resistance. We’re seeing it everywhere, and it’s wearing us down as a church, and we need to stand on what the Word of God says.” Pastor Mike is absolutely right.
The Bible says, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
What authority does the U.S. Supreme Court have to change the definition of marriage? They don’t. Four of the justices disagreed with the majority on that historic ruling, including Associate Justice Samuel Alito, who offered America a warning.
In his dissent Alito wrote, “Today’s decision usurps the constitutional right of the people to decide whether to keep or alter the traditional understanding of marriage. The decision will also have other important consequences. It will be used to vilify Americans who are unwilling to assent to the new orthodoxy. In the course of its opinion, the majority compares traditional marriage laws to laws that denied equal treatment for African-Americans and women. The implications of this analogy will be exploited by those who are determined to stamp out every vestige of dissent.” 8
JUDGMENT AND THE CROSS
On the same night of this ruling, President Obama decided to illuminate the White House in rainbow colors, symbolizing gay pride. Outraged by this demonstration, Rev. Franklin Graham wrote, “God is the one who gave the rainbow, and it was associated with His judgment. God sent a flood to wipe out the entire world because mankind had become so wicked and violent.” 9
Ladies and gentlemen, as my husband has said so many times, “The only thing holding back that judgment and wrath of Almighty God is the Cross of Christ.” If the church is not preaching the Cross, then judgment comes.
Sources:
1. Arlette Saenz, “Same-Sex Ruling: President Obama’s Historic Phone Call With Plaintiff Jim Obergefell,” ABC News, June 26, 2015.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sex-ruling-president-obamas-historic-phone-call-plaintiff/story?id=32051689
2. Pew Research Center, “Support for Same-Sex Marriage at Record High, but Key Segments Remain Opposed: 72 Percent Say Legal Recognition is ‘Inevitable,’” June 8, 2015.
http://www.people-press.org/files/2015/06/6-8-15-Same-sex-marriage-release1.pdf
3. Heather Barwick, “Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting,” The Federalist, March 17, 2015.
http://thefederalist.com/2015/03/17/dear-gay-community-your-kids-are-hurting/.
4. Kirsten Andersen, “‘Quartet of Truth’: Adult Children Of Gay Parents Testify Against Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ at 5th Circuit,” Life Site, January 13, 2015.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/quartet-of-truth-adult-children-of-gay-parents-testify-against-same-sex-mar.
7. Dawn Stefanowicz, “My Father Was Gay. Why I Oppose Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage,” Daily Signal, April 13, 2015.
http://dailysignal.com/print/?post_id=182334.
Let No Man Put AsunderSept 2015 |
| By: Frances Swaggart Matthew 19:4-6 – “And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, declaring that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. Moments after the decision was announced, President Obama made a personal cell phone call to the lead plantiff in the case, Jim Obergefell. After offering his congratulations and praising Obergefell’s leadership, the president told him: “Not only have you been a great example for people, but you’re also going to bring about lasting change in this country. It’s pretty rare when that happens, so I couldn’t be prouder of you and your husband, and God bless you.” 1 Ladies and gentlemen, God is not going to bless any part of this court’s decision because it was made in complete and utter disobedience to the Word of God. NOT A CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE In a message preached over the Fourth of July weekend at Family Worship Center, Donnie did an excellent job of dealing with this subject of same-sex marriage. He said, “It’s not a civil rights struggle. It is a moral problem. It’s not political. It’s not constitutional. It is a moral problem that defines who we are as a nation and how far we have sunk as a people.” We don’t believe that it’s right for the U.S. Supreme Court or anybody else to try and redefine marriage as something other than what God says it is. In the book of Genesis, we see that marriage is the first institution that God ever created: 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept (records the first anesthesia): and He took one of his ribs (the word rib here actually means ‘side’), and closed up the flesh instead thereof (the woman is not merely of a rib, but actually of one side of man); 22 And the rib (side), which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman (the Hebrew says, ‘built He a woman’; Horton says, ‘When God created the man, the word form was used, which is the same word used of a potter forming a clay jar; but the word build here seems to mean God paid even more attention to the creation of the woman’), and brought her unto the man (presents a formal presentation, with God, in essence, performing the first wedding; thus He instituted the bonds of the marriage covenant, which is actually called the covenant of God [Prov. 2:17], indicating that God is the Author of this sacred institution; this is the marriage model and was instituted by God; any other model, such as homosexual marriages, so-called, can be constituted as none other than an abomination in the eyes of God [Rom. 1:24-28])” (Gen. 2:21-22, The Expositor’s Study Bible). MAIN SOURCE OF SUPPORT This is what the Word of God says, but it’s not what people want to believe, especially America’s young people. Just weeks before the Supreme Court ruled on same-sex marriage, we sent a TV crew from SonLife Broadcasting Network to the streets of Baton Rouge to ask random people for their definition of marriage. Nearly all of the people we interviewed — middle-aged and up — said that they believed marriage was between a man and a woman, but take a look at the responses we received from the younger set, roughly 25 years old and younger: Q: How do you define marriage? A: “I think marriage is love between two people, and it doesn’t matter what two people it is.” A: “I’m open-minded. I have a lot of gay friends, and I’ve never seen anything wrong with it. Traditionally, I guess it’s the union of a man and a woman but to me, I think it’s just the union of two people that love each other. A: “Our generation is known for doing things completely different and I think [traditional marriage] is out of date; [same-sex marriage] is a new thing that’s happening, and we should all accept it and not judge.” A: “Anybody who wants to have same-sex marriage or anything, I feel like that’s your choice, and I don’t think anyone should judge somebody for that. I think whatever you feel like you want to do, you should do.” The responses of these young people are not surprising. In June of this year, a Pew Research Center’s report pointed to youth as a major source of support for same-sex marriage. The report states: “A key component of the shifting attitudes on this issue is the strong support for gay rights among younger Americans. Younger generations have long been more accepting of homosexuality and of same-sex marriage than older generations, and as millennials (who are currently ages 18-34) have entered adulthood, those views have influenced overall public opinion.” 2 CHANGE OF HEART At 31 years old, Heather Barwick qualifies as a millennial and, as the daughter of lesbian parents, she grew up as an advocate and supporter of gay marriage. But somewhere into her 20s, she said she could no longer be a supporter because “of the nature of the same-sex relationship itself.” Barwick, now a wife and mother of four, is a children’s rights activist. In March, she wrote an open letter entitled, “Dear Gay Community: Your Kids Are Hurting,” to explain her change of heart. “It’s only with some time and distance from my childhood that I’m able to reflect on my experiences and recognize the long-term consequences that same-sex parenting had on me,” Barwick wrote. “And it’s only now, as I watch my children loving and being loved by their father each day, that I can see the beauty and wisdom in traditional marriage and parenting. Same-sex marriage and parenting withholds either a mother or father from a child while telling him or her that it doesn’t matter. That it’s all the same. But it’s not. A lot of us, a lot of your kids, are hurting. My father’s absence created a huge hole in me, and I ached every day for a dad. I loved my mom’s partner, but another mom could never have replaced the father I lost.” 3 For other children of same-sex couples, the damage is even greater. Before the Supreme Court’s ruling, B. N. Klein was one of four adult children of gay parents who testified against same-sex marriage at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and reportedly argued that “government-sanctioned homosexual unions could lead to disaster for thousands of kids.” 4 In her brief to the court Klein wrote, “While I do not believe all gays would be de facto bad parents, I know that the gay community has never in my lifetime put children first as anything other than a piece of property, a past mistake, or a political tool to be dressed up and taken out as part of a dog-and-pony show to impress the well-meaning.” Klein’s brief also stated that as a child of a lesbian mother, she was pressured to pay “constant homage and attention” to her mother’s gay identity, taught that “some Jews and most Christians are stupid and hate gays and are violent,” and told that homosexuals were “much more creative and artistic because they are not repressed and are naturally more feeling.” 5 Katy Faust was another one of these four adult children who testified. She said, “The label of bigot or hater has become very powerful and effective tools to silence those of us who choose not to endorse the marriage platform of many gay lobbyists. For much of my adult life, I was content to keep my opinions on the subject of marriage to myself. I was (and still am) sickened by the accusation that I was bigoted and anti-gay for my belief in natural marriage.” Faust said she was speaking out now because she believes that a child has the right to a mother and a father. “When we institutionalize same-sex marriage … we move from permitting citizens the freedom to live as they choose, to promoting same-sex headed households,” Faust wrote. “Now we are normalizing a family structure where a child will always be deprived daily of one gender influence and the relationship with at least one natural parent. Our cultural narrative becomes one that, in essence, tells children that they have no right to the natural family structure or their biological parents, but that children simply exist for the satisfaction of adult desires.” 6 Dawn Stefanowicz, who was raised by a homosexual father who later died of AIDS, testified against same-sex marriage in her native Canada, which legalized gay marriage in July 2005. According to Stefanowicz, Canada has changed a lot in those 10 years. She said that as soon as same-sex marriage passed in her country, parenting was immediately redefined. Stefanowicz writes, “Necessary parental rights to teach children your beliefs, express your opinions, and practice your personal faith are infringed upon by the state when your beliefs, opinions, and or faith practices are in opposition to what is taught and promoted at school. In fact, in Ontario, Canada, the Human Rights Commission regulations permeate and surround all public education.” 7 Think of that. I thank the Lord that these people were brave enough to come forward and speak out on this issue. Their testimonies illustrate the impact that same-sex marriage is having on our children, schools, and our nation. REPETITION REDUCES RESISTANCE Still, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community remains unsatisfied and continues their fight for what they call “civil rights.” We see their agenda unfolding every day in the news: the Boy Scouts welcoming openly gay men and boys; Baylor University–a prominent Christian college in this country—dropping the phrase “homosexual acts” from its sexual misconduct policy; an Oregon labor commissioner ordering Christian bakers to pay $135,000 for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. On Frances & Friends, Mike Muzzerall commented on this type of progression. He said, “What happens is, if we’re in a situation where we’re tolerant–we’re not abusive toward the person, but we don’t acknowledge it–that’s no longer good enough. Now they want us to accept. Repetition reduces resistance. We’re seeing it everywhere, and it’s wearing us down as a church, and we need to stand on what the Word of God says.” Pastor Mike is absolutely right. The Bible says, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” What authority does the U.S. Supreme Court have to change the definition of marriage? They don’t. Four of the justices disagreed with the majority on that historic ruling, including Associate Justice Samuel Alito, who offered America a warning. In his dissent Alito wrote, “Today’s decision usurps the constitutional right of the people to decide whether to keep or alter the traditional understanding of marriage. The decision will also have other important consequences. It will be used to vilify Americans who are unwilling to assent to the new orthodoxy. In the course of its opinion, the majority compares traditional marriage laws to laws that denied equal treatment for African-Americans and women. The implications of this analogy will be exploited by those who are determined to stamp out every vestige of dissent.” 8 JUDGMENT AND THE CROSS On the same night of this ruling, President Obama decided to illuminate the White House in rainbow colors, symbolizing gay pride. Outraged by this demonstration, Rev. Franklin Graham wrote, “God is the one who gave the rainbow, and it was associated with His judgment. God sent a flood to wipe out the entire world because mankind had become so wicked and violent.” 9 Ladies and gentlemen, as my husband has said so many times, “The only thing holding back that judgment and wrath of Almighty God is the Cross of Christ.” If the church is not preaching the Cross, then judgment comes.
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September
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brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s Righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God (Rom. 10:1–3).
The main purpose of the Holy Spirit giving us, through Paul, Chapters 9 through 11 of Romans was not, as stated, for Prophetical analysis, even though that, in measure, was given, but rather to warn the Church. If the Church follows in Israel’s footsteps by being ignorant of God’s Righteousness or by refusing God’s Righteousness, attempting, as Israel, to establish its own righteousness, the Church will be cut off just as Israel was cut off.
Concerning this, Paul said, “For if God spared not the natural branches (Israel), take heed lest He also spare not you (refers to the Church, as is obvious). Behold, therefore the goodness and severity of God (don’t mistake the Goodness of God for license): on them which fell, severity (speaks of Judgment which came on Israel, God’s chosen People); but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His Goodness (proclaims the conditions; the continuing of that “Goodness” pertains to continued Faith in Christ and the Cross): otherwise you also shall be cut off” (Rom. 11:21–22).
“God’s Righteousness” is that which is afforded by Jesus Christ, gained by and through the Cross. The only way that God’s Righteousness can be given to anyone is by virtue of the Cross, which demands Faith on the part of the recipient. If one attempts to gain righteousness by any other manner, the Lord refers to it as “self-righteousness,” and it is unacceptable—totally unacceptable!
I ask the following question:
How much is the modern Church preaching the Cross?
The answer screams back at us, “Precious little!”
The Church has already apostatized. The Church Age opened with Christ standing in the midst of the candlesticks, in which the candlesticks represent the Church (Rev. 1:12–13). At the close of the Church Age, which pertains to the present time, we no longer find Christ in the midst of the Church, but rather outside, knocking on the door, trying to get it (Rev. 3:17–20). The Lord is, in fact, no longer dealing with the institutionalized Church as a whole, but rather with individuals only.
To be sure, the Lord has always dealt with individuals, but now it is only individuals.
“If any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20).
So, who presently is saved?
It is the same now as it was with Israel of old.
Paul said, “Even so then at this present time (Paul’s day) also there is a Remnant according to the election of Grace (definitely speaks of Predestination, but not as many think; it is the “Remnant” that is elected or predestined, not who will be in the Remnant).
“And if by Grace (the Goodness of God, all made possible by the Cross), then is it no more of works (no one can point to their works as grounds for Salvation): otherwise Grace is no more Grace (if works are mixed with Grace, they nullify Grace). But if it be of works, then is it no more Grace (works can never produce Grace): otherwise work is no more work” (for example, Water Baptism, if acted upon wrongly, nullifies its true meaning; this also holds true for all other great Ordinances of the Lord) (Rom. 11:5–6).
As there was a “Remnant” in Israel who were saved, meaning that most were lost, likewise, there also is a “Remnant” in the modern Church who are saved, but only a Remnant. Israel had rejected much of that which was of the Lord, but when they rejected the Cross, there was nothing left. They were cut off. The modern Church has done the same thing. It has rejected much which is of the Lord, but now it is rejecting the Cross. As with Israel, if the Cross is rejected, that means the Righteousness of God is rejected, and that means the Church is also cut off—except for the “Remnant.”
Are you in the Remnant?
The only way that anyone can be in the Remnant is by accepting Christ and what Christ did at the Cross. There is no other way!
~J. Swaggart
September
14
no, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us (Rom. 8:37).
If we follow what the Holy Spirit gave to the Apostle Paul, thereby ordering our lives accordingly, which refers to Faith being properly placed in Christ and the Cross (I Cor. 1:17–18, 23; 2:2; Gal. 6:14), then we are assured of the fact that we are not only “conquerors,” but also “more than conquerors.” We must, however, always remember that it is “through Him Who loved us.” We cannot be conquerors any other way.
“Through Him” refers exclusively to His atoning Work at the Cross, which totally and completely defeated the Evil One, and did so by atoning for all sin (Col. 2:14–15). “More than conquerors” is what the Lord wants His People to be. But this modern generation of Christians represents, I’m afraid, the most defeated generation since the Reformation.
Why?
Although more books have been written on faith in the past several decades than possibly the balance of the Church Age put together, virtually all of these books and tapes are worthless, because they direct the faith of the Believer to something other than Christ and Cross. As a result, “more than conquerors” is not what is happening, but rather “more than conquered.” Satan has not only “conquered” this generation of Christians, but even “more than conquered” them, making abject slaves of them, which means that the sin nature runs wild.
Let me say it this way:
It is absolutely impossible for the Believer, be he the Pastor of the largest Church in the land or the Evangelist drawing the biggest crowds, to maintain victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil, if such a Believer doesn’t know God’s Prescribed Order of Victory.
That Prescribed Order is:
1. The Cross of Christ: Everything we receive from the Lord, irrespective as to what it is, comes to us strictly from Christ as the Source and the Cross as the means.
2. Our Faith: Every single Believer is to place his Faith exclusively in Christ and what Christ did at the Cross, never separating the two. And when we speak of the Cross, we are speaking of the benefits which come from that Finished Work, and which will never cease.
3. The Holy Spirit: Once our Faith is properly placed, the Holy Spirit, Who works exclusively within the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ, will then make of us “more than conquerors.”
This is God’s Way. This is God’s only Way, because no other way is needed (Gen. 3:15; Lk. 9:23; Rom. 6:1–14; Gal. 6:14; I Cor. 1:17–18; 2:2).
~J. Swaggart Ministries
September
13
and we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).
This Scripture is, without a doubt, one of the most quoted found in the entirety of the Word of God. It is an astounding Promise! There are, however, some conditions in this Promise, conditions which many Christians overlook. The Promise made here is not a blanket guarantee, as many think; but, if the conditions are met, then most definitely it is a guarantee.
What are those conditions?
First of all, to have all things working together for our good, we have to “love God.” As Believers, we might automatically think this is a simple requirement. But it’s not quite as simple as we would think. That is why Jesus, after His Resurrection and immediately before His Ascension, questioned Peter closely. The questions concerned Peter’s love for Christ (Jn. 21:15–17). It is very easy to loudly acclaim how much we love the Lord, but words oftentimes are hollow.
To make a lengthy subject brief, if we really love the Lord as we say we do, we will place our Faith exclusively in Him and what He did for us at the Cross. In a greater manner than anything else, that will show our love and will open the door for the consecration we need to make.
The second requirement is that we function in His Calling for our lives “according to His Purpose.” So many times, it is “our purpose” instead of “His Purpose”! Moreover, we cannot know that for which He truly has called us, or what His Purpose is for our lives, unless our Faith is properly anchored in the Cross.
The reason?
When our faith is anchored elsewhere, this means that we are functioning according to the flesh, which harks back to our own personal desires, and not at all what the Lord wants. In fact, faith anchored outside of the Cross can hardly achieve His Purpose at all. Accordingly, we have all kind of things, which are very obvious, not working for the good of Christians.
To have our Faith properly placed doesn’t mean that Satan will cease his operation against us; however, it does mean that whatever he tries to do, the Lord will ultimately turn it to our good. We here have His Promise to that effect, and the Lord most definitely keeps His Promises, that is, if we meet His Conditions, which, in fact, can easily be met, if we get “self” out of the way.
~J. Swaggart Ministry
What is the Relationship of Islam to the Bible?
Chapter One
In truth, none!
While the Muslims have misquoted the Bible, falsely interpreted the Bible, misapplied the Bible, and even changed the Bible, the truth is, Islam has absolutely no part in the Word of God. While the Koran contains illustrations from the Bible, generally those illustrations are twisted and perverted. In fact, while many religions have borrowed somewhat from the Bible, the Bible, the oldest Book in the world, has not borrowed from anything.
The Muslims claim that Ishmael is the promised seed, and not Isaac.
The Bible portrays Ishmael as a work of the flesh, and that he, along with his mother Hagar, were driven out of the household of Abraham.
The Scriptures say, and I quote from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE: “And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken (despite all of Satan’s hindrances, Isaac, the progenitor and Type of the Messiah, is born).
“For Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. (Referring back to the past Chapter, if it be objected that this whole occurrence is incredible, because no heathen prince would desire to marry a woman upwards of 90 years of age, or to conceive such a passion for her that to secure her, he would murder her husband—the very fate which Abraham feared for himself—it may be replied that God must have miraculously renewed her youth, so that she became sufficiently youthful in appearance to suitably be desirable. Three times in these first two verses, the clause points to the supernatural character of Isaac’s birth.)
“And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. (The name means ‘laughter.’ It speaks of blessing, increase, healing, life, and well-being [Jn. 10:10]. As Isaac was a Type of Christ, it would not be wrong to say that one of the names of Christ is ‘laughter.’)
“And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him (this was a sign of the Covenant that God would ultimately send a Redeemer into this world).
“And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him (this verse is placed in the Text so that all may know that Isaac’s birth was indeed miraculous).
“And Sarah said, God has made me to laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me. (The mention of Sarah’s name some five times thus far in this Chapter is done for purpose and reason; the Holy Spirit is impressing the fact that Sarah was in truth the very mother of this miraculous child. Sarah had once laughed in unbelief; she now laughs in Faith, a laughter incidentally expressing joy, which will never end. It all pointed to Christ. Because of Christ, untold millions have laughed for joy.)
“And she said, who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age (this is a poem, and could very well have been a song, and probably was).
“And the child grew, and was weaned (the custom in those days was to nurse children for two to three years before they were weaned; however, there is some indication that Isaac was approximately five years old when he was weaned): and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned (at this time, the boy was turned over to his father for training, at which time his education began).
“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar (Ishmael) the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. (The effect of the birth of Isaac, a work of the Spirit was to make manifest the character of Ishmael, a work of the flesh. The end result of the ‘mocking’ was that Ishmael actually desired to murder Isaac [Gal. 4:29]. Ishmael was probably eighteen to twenty years old at this time, and Isaac was probably about five years old.)
“Wherefore she said unto Abraham, cast out this bondwoman and her son: (Isaac and Ishmael symbolized the new and the old natures in the Believer. Hagar and Sarah typified the two Covenants of works and Grace, of bondage and liberty [Gal., Chpt. 4]. The birth of the new nature demands the expulsion of the old. It is impossible to improve the old nature. How foolish, therefore, appears the doctrine of moral evolution!) For the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. (Allowed to remain, Ishmael would murder Isaac; allowed to remain, the flesh will murder the Spirit. The Divine way of holiness is to ‘put off the old man,’ just as Abraham ‘put off’ Ishmael. Man’s way of holiness is to improve the old man, that is, to improve Ishmael. The effort is both foolish and hopeless.)
“And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. (It is always a struggle to cast out this element of bondage, that is, salvation by works, of which this is a type. For legalism is dear to the heart. Ishmael was the fruit, and, to Abraham, the fair fruit of his own energy and planning, which God can never accept.)
“And God said unto Abraham, let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad, and because of your bondwoman; and all that Sarah has said unto you, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall your seed be called. (It is labor lost to seek to make a crooked thing straight. Hence, all efforts after the improvement of nature are utterly futile, so far as God is concerned. The ‘flesh’ must go, which typifies the personal ability, strength, and efforts of the Believer. The Faith of the Believer must be entirely in Christ and what Christ has done at the Cross. Then, and then alone, can the Holy Spirit have latitude to work in our lives, bringing forth perpetual victory [Rom. 6:14]. It must ever be understood, ‘in Isaac [in Christ] shall your seed be called.’
“And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is your seed (out of this ‘work of the flesh’ ultimately came the religion of Islam, which claims that Ishmael is the promised seed, and not Isaac)” (Gen. 21:1–13).
~J. Swaggart Ministry
I Corinthians 6:12 – “All things are lawful unto me (refers to the fact that Christianity is not a religion which consists of rules, etc.), but all things are not expedient (not profitable): all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (Grace does not give a license to sin, but rather liberty to live a Holy Life).”
The Church At Corinth
The spiritual condition of the church at Corinth was appalling. Sin seemed to be an active and dominant theme within the Body of Christ there. Paul’s teachings had been misrepresented by false teachers and the problems abounded. There were schisms and divisions. There was carnality and license that abounded. Paul did his best to bring this wavering, struggling church back to the basics of the Gospel. Those basics surrounded the simple truths of Christ and Him Crucified. By this statement I mean that the Person of Christ and His Redemptive Work for all of mankind was to be studied, appropriated, experienced, and exhibited. If this teaching of the Cross was ignored or lost, the end result was what you see on record regarding the Church at Corinth. Yes, there were many Spiritual Gifts in Operation, but the Character of Christ was not being formed in the people as it ought to be, because the wrong message was being preached. Paul writes his Epistle with the sure knowledge that if this First Century church fails to correct its course, many in the church will lose their souls and the effectiveness of the church upon the region will be destroyed.
A False Message Of Grace
Everything God does for humanity surrounds the concepts of Faith and Grace. Faith must be placed in Christ and His Finished Work and, in response, God extends Grace to the believing sinner or Saint. What is true at Salvation regarding the reception of Grace remains true for the Saint who must have God’s Help to live a Holy and Righteous Christian life. Romans 5:2 says, “. . . we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand. . . .” We must experience every aspect of God’s Grace in order to experience every aspect of our Christian life. The problem at Corinth was that some were abusing the Grace of God and misconstruing its purpose. Grace is not the freedom to sin all we want! Grace represents the power by which we are freed from the penalty and power of the sin that confronts all of us while living in this present world. Thank God for His Word that proclaims in Romans 5:20 that “. . . where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound.” Therefore, Grace, not law, is the means to overcoming the problem of sin. This is a dynamic truth. No measure of man’s labor, work, righteous routine, or sciences falsely so-called can free men from the penalty for sin or the power of the sinful nature. No “Law” can provide men with forgiveness from acts of sin and freedom from the power of the sin nature. Only Grace can provide this freedom. Therefore, I am not under the spiritual principles of law (speaks of trusting in one’s own efforts to extricate oneself from sin) but am under the Spiritual Principles of Grace. Grace is received when my Faith rests upon Christ, His Person, and His Work. The true message of Grace is not a message that brings freedom to sin, but it is a message that supplies the Believer with power not to sin.
The Believer Is Not Under Law
Some in Corinth were following every dictates of the flesh, every natural appetite, from food to sex, and were stating that since they were not under law. God’s Grace covered every licentious act they felt compelled to carry out. Let’s be honest. There are times as a Christian that we can desire things in our flesh that the Spiritual man knows is not pleasing to God! To use Justification by Faith as an excuse to justify ungodly action is wrong. So while the Believer in Grace is not bound by the Spiritual Principles of being under law, he or she is responsible for following the moral code installed into the human heart at regeneration! The Promise regarding the new Covenant plainly tells us that this is God’s Plan. Jeremiah 31:33 – “But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel; After those days, says the LORD, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My People).” Since we are no longer bound to holiness through the Law, we are not under Law. Where there is no Law there can be no charges filed against us. Romans 4:15 says, “. . . for where no Law is, there is no transgression.” Now that I am freed from righteousness through Law or works and all sin past, present, and future is paid for, what creates the standards of right and wrong for me? The indwelling presence of the Spirit in every Believer defines right and wrong for me. I John 2:27 – “But the Anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same Anointing teaches you of all things, and is Truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him.” Therefore, my first task is to decide whether or not something is expedient.
“Not All Things Are Expedient”
The term “expedient” literally indicates something that is helpful, profitable, or edifying. As a Believer I must evaluate every action and attitude, every thought and deed, every relationship and all fellowship, and put them through a simple test. Is what I am doing or participating in building me Spiritually or not? If I see that it is not then I choose to voluntarily remove it from my life. When a Believer truly loves God with all of his or her heart, mind, body, soul, and spirit then we should want to please Him more than we want to please ourselves. I want nothing to adversely affect a healthy and profitable relationship with God. Therefore, I willingly choose to lay down any aspect of my life that I sense is not pleasing to Him. I do so through the processes of Faith and Grace. Faith in the Cross brings the Grace that I need to lay down certain areas of my life, so that I may experience the Abundant Life that Christ Promised.
~JSM
By Loren Larson
THE CIRCUMSTANCE OF DESPAIR
THE BREATH OF HOPE
WHO QUALIFIES AS GODLY?
But wait! Who will the Lord deliver? Does my life have to be one of “perfect performance” to earn His favor and care? Will I have had to do everything just perfectly to gain access to His delivering power? Do I qualify for the Lord’s help? If performance were the criterion, then the Lord could help no one. The context (II Peter 2:4-8) of this text answers the questions. In verse 5, the person of Noah is addressed. Most Bible students would agree that Noah was a godly man. God entrusted him with the building of the ark at a time when the hearts of men were only evil continuously. He was a man of sacrifice and a preacher of righteousness. He carried out the will of God at a very important time in man’s history.
The word godly indicates a man that God sees as righteous. What kind of person does God see as righteous? Who does God award righteousness to? The biblical answer comes through the person of Abraham. The Bible says that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to Him for righteousness. So, all those who believe in God’s redemption plan are declared righteous and worthy of God’s help. In the content of our text, this is illustrated even further by the mention of Lot. We can all see why God might declare Abraham and Noah godly or righteous, but how could the Holy Spirit direct Peter to choose this reference regarding Lot? We’re speaking of the man who pitched his tent toward Sodom and Gomorrah, the man who committed incest, and the man who fathered two nations of people who opposed the children of Israel? What good can we find in Lot? The answer: only by faith. Lot knew the truth and believed it. While I do not advise traveling the path that Lot traveled (the consequences of sin are always devastating and destructive), God saw his faith and delivered him out of the horror that would fall upon Sodom and Gomorrah.
AUGUST
21
therefore being justified by Faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).
What did Paul mean when he said, “We are justified by Faith”?
First of all, we must look at Faith. The definition of Faith is to simply believe something. In this case, it refers to having Faith in Christ and what Christ has done for us at the Cross. The Faith of which Paul speaks always must be in this capacity. We must ever understand that Christ is the Source, and the Cross is the means. In no way is Christ to be separated from the Cross, or the Cross separated from Christ.
That’s the reason the Apostle said, “We preach Christ Crucified” (I Cor. 1:23).
Paul wasn’t meaning that Christ is still on a Cross; in fact, Christ is seated by the Right Hand of the Father, meaning that His task of Redemption is complete (Heb. 1:3). Instead, Paul is speaking of the benefits of the Cross, benefits, incidentally, which will never, never end. For this reason, the Holy Spirit through Paul referred to these benefits as “The Everlasting Covenant” (Heb. 13:20).
The Believer must understand that every single thing we receive from the Lord, and in every capacity, is made possible solely by the Cross. That is the Gospel. The story of the Bible is the story of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, and the story of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified is the story of the Bible.
Once Faith is properly understood and established, now we turn to Justification. The Greek word used by Paul is “dikaioo,” which means “to show or regard as innocent.” In layman’s terms, it means the following:
1. It means that every sin—past, present, and future—is forgiven.
2. It means that God looks at the one so forgiven as never having committed the sin or sins in question.
3. It means that one is declared innocent, not guilty, and free of all charges, all made possible by Faith in Christ and what He did for us at the Cross.
Justification cannot be earned or purchased, at least not by the individual. It is given freely upon Faith in Christ and His Finished Work.
AUGUST
22
what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that Grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom. 6:1–2).
Some seventeen times the word “sin” is mentioned in the Sixth Chapter of Romans. Fifteen of those times the original Text, in other words, as it was originally written by the Apostle Paul, contains what is referred to as the “definite article.” That is, in these fifteen times, the Text reads “the sin.” It refers to the sin nature.
Some claim that Believers no longer have a sin nature; however, considering that Paul is writing to Believers here, if that is the case, i.e., if Believers no longer have a sin nature, then the Holy Spirit went to a lot of trouble to explain something that doesn’t exist.
No! Every Believer has a sin nature; however, we are supposed to be dead to the sin nature, even though the sin nature is not dead (Rom. 6:11).
In truth, the sin nature is supposed to be dormant in the heart and life of the Believer; at the time of Salvation, the sin nature is, in fact, rendered dormant. But if the Believer does not know how to maintain a victorious life, sin will be the result, which then brings the sin nature to life, and then such a Believer can find the sin nature ruling and reigning in his life, even as it did before he was saved.
That’s why Paul said, “Let not the sin therefore reign (rule) in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof” (Rom. 6:12). The sin nature will reside in us until the Resurrection, but it’s not supposed to reign. The manner and way that we can have victory over the sin nature, the only way, in fact, and on a perpetual basis, is that the Cross of Christ ever be the Object of our Faith. That being the case, the Holy Spirit, Who Alone can make us what we ought to be, can effectually work within our hearts and lives, bringing about the Fruit of the Spirit, which develops Christlikeness in our life and living (Rom. 8:1–2,11).
That is the way, and the only way, that the sin nature in the heart and life of the Believer can be subdued and remain subdued.
We find here, graphically so, that “sin” is the problem with the Christian. No matter how many claims are made to the contrary, sin is the problem. And there is only one way that victory over sin can be obtained, and that is through Faith in Christ and what Christ has done for us at the Cross.
Man may devise many ways and claim that victory will be the result, but God has only one way, and that is the Way of the Cross!
Swaggart, J. (2005).
By J. Swaggart
THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS NO!
SEXUAL UNCLEANNESS
Paul said, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves”(Rom. 1:24). The phrase, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts,” presents mankind not merely drifting toward,but actually, in a sense, being shoved by God in that direction. Since men chose to give up God and worship the creature, God could do nothing but givemen into the control of the sinful things they preferred. In other words, God would not violate man’s will and force him to do something he did not want to do. When men persisted infollowing their totally depraved natures, God allowed them free rein. The natural result was immorality of the vilest kind. Biblical scholar Henry Alford says of God’sact of delivering mankind over into the control of utter human depravity, “Not merely permissive, but judicially, God delivered them over.
As sin begets sin, and darkness of mind, deeper darkness, grace gives place to judgment, and the divine wrath hardens men, and hurries them on to more fearful degrees of depravity.” God, in other words, delivered man to uncleanness. The word lusts is epithumia in the Greek text, and means, “a passionate craving, longing, desire,” and in this sense, an inordinately sinful one. Alford again says, “Not by or through the lusts; the lusts of their heart were the field of action, the department of their being in which the dishonor took place.” In other words, this was what their hearts wanted. The phrase, “To dishonor their own bodies between themselves,” carries with it more thanmere profligacy in the satisfaction of natural lusts, but rather bestiality, which refers to impurity in the physical, and not only in the social and religious sense. In other words, man is grossly immoral. It speaks of adultery, fornication, pedophilia (sex with children), bestiality (sex with animals), lesbianism, and homosexuality. In other words, this “dishonor” includes all of these things mentioned.
CHANGING THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE
However, this condition of men’s hearts in purposely refusing the truth of God, led to the Lord using no restraining force over man whatsoever, allowing him without restraint to push headlong into this lie of darkness, which, in effect, is the same as God giving man a push. Considering man’s already depraved condition, the slide even further downward was terrible, to say the least!As we see here, the words, “God also gave them up,” as given in Verse 24, is a restraining force exercised by God even on unregenerate mankind, unless refused, which it was and continues to be.As well, there is far greater restraining force on believers as should be obvious (Job 1:10; Ps. 91; Rom. 8:28). However, this restraining force even on believers can be removed, as well, through disobedience and rebellion. The phrase, “And worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator,” (Rom. 1:25) presents that of which Paul spoke in his message to the Athenians (Acts 17:29-30). For man to worship and serve the creature, means he is doing such to something he has made with his hands and is, therefore, less than him.Regarding the “creature,” even if man worships himself or other men and women, which most of the world does, still, what good does that do him? The phrase, “Who is blessed forever,”should have been translated, “bless-ed,” because it refers to God. The word blessed refers to one receiving a blessing, in which, as should be obvious, God needs nothing. The two syllable wordbless-ed, in effect, refers to the One doing the blessing, in this case, the Lord. The idea is all true blessings come exclusively from the Lord, with idols or anything else for that matter, able to produce none at all. The word “Amen” means that this is anchored in the Word of God, and, as such, will not change.
WOMEN AND HOMOSEXUALITY
DISHONOR
The word vile in the Greek text is atimia, and means “dishonor, ignominy, and disgrace.”The first word in this meaning is dishonor, and looking at the meaning of its opposite “honor,” means to evaluate the worth of a person and to treat him with the consideration, respect, and love due his character and position. Conversely, to dishonor a person is to either put an incorrect appraisal upon his worth and treat him accordingly, or, having properly evaluated his character, to refuse to treat him with the respect and deference that are his due.
Paul is using this in the sense of the world putting an incorrect estimate upon the sacredness, dignity, and purity of the physical body which was made by God and, in effect, in God’simage, and thus, using it in a way which dishonors it. In that this is what the world wanted, they were given over to a “condition,” and not merely to an evil desire. It is one thing for an individual to do something which is very evil, but something else altogether for that person to “become” what they do, which is always where sin leads one
LESBIANISM
The phrase, “For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature,” in short, speaks of lesbianism unnatural sexual relations between women (homosexuality).
Several things are said here: »The word women as used here is not the word used as in John 4:9, which simply speaks of designation, but rather the Greek word thelus which means “a female.” In other words, the Holy Spirit through Paul is pointing to the gender, meaning that it is to stay that way. That women tried to “change” the purpose of their gender, is the reason that Paul used the Greek word for female. They were not trying so much to change the gender, but rather its purpose respecting the sexual sense. Consequently, they were changing what God had designed, and doing so in a rebellious, base, and ignominious way. They went from a far higher use down to a far lower use. Even though this is one of the worst, or possibly the very worst example, still, this is the great sin of man, changing God’s ways for man’s ways, and in every capacity. The “natural use” presents that intended by God, in this sense, the way sexually that women were
originally created. The word natural in the Greek is phusis, and means “the nature of things, the force, laws, order of nature, as opposed to that which is monstrous, abnormal, perverse.”
That which is “against nature” respects that which is against nature’s laws, or God’s laws, which are one and the same.