Whole Bible Prophecy: The Rapture (no verse music)
This is the same video as our other popular video of almost the same name (Whole Bible Prophecy: The Rapture https://rumble.com/v1gq571-whole-bible-prophecy-the-rapture.html) without the music for the verse readings. We had several people suggest that the music was too loud (particularly my wife). So my wife suggested uploading another video without the music. Below is the description from the other video too.
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com shows what the Bible actually says about the Christian doctrine of the Rapture.
There's not a lot of quibbling over the fact of the Rapture in the Word, but there is quite a bit over the timing. Bruce used to be a solid dispensationalist. He taught and defended a pre-tribulation rapture quite well. But then he read the Bible more thoroughly, without the dispensational filter, and discovered something very different (which you will too if you read the Word and do what it says).
The Bible doesn't talk a lot about the Rapture, but it says lots and lots about the Resurrection (and the timing). The Rapture, without a doubt, is appended to the Resurrection. So if we can figure out the timing of the Resurrection, then the timing of the Rapture is a piece of cake.
Tony's book 'Rapture or Resurrection: Which Should We Be Looking For?,' mentioned in the video, can be found on Amazon at https://a.co/d/i7xp6h7 if you'd like to take a look at it.
A video of the '70's song we mention, 'I Wish We'd All Been Ready' by Larry Norman can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyOjmhqDGkM
It's a pretty dopey song (biblically speaking), and Larry apparently is a pretty dopey example of Christianity, as are the people behind the Left Behind series of books, but we guess they're trying. Sort of.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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A Whole Bible Look At A Manger
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http:///www.wholebible.com takes a quick look at a manger and the word 'inn' in the Bible. After looking at the evidence, it is obvious that the baby Jesus was not placed in a wooden box in a barn with three wise guys, er, wise men standing around. It was more likely Jesus was laid on a stone shelf in a cave (probably used for feeding animals also) or even more likely the family was in a sukkot or temporary shelter around the time of the feast of Tabernacles (fall of 6 B.C.).
Enough is known that the traditional nativity can be seen as a complete fabrication, intended to deny the Jewishness of Jesus and give control of the narrative to the anti-Semitic church.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Blessings: Straightens, Practice, Universal
Bruce S. Bertram of The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com explains three more of the 24 blessings of God's Law listed in the book Whole Bible Christianity.
Men have a tendency (perhaps even an artistic skill) towards perversity. If God says not to do something, we seem to take great pride developing it into an art form. His Word is always there however for those who are seeking the help and security of a line that doesn't bend.
Practice does not make perfect. It is perfect practice that makes perfect. God's Law helps us over and over to practice holiness so we get it right. We might not always do the right thing, but any time we can return to His Law to polish our performance.
The fact that it is universal means that everyone is subject to it and will be judged by it whether we like it or not. So get a head start by taking it up and learning the ins and outs of obedience before it's too late.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Christian Faith and Practice Through Cycles of the Mo'edim
Bruce S. Bertram of The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com walks truth seekers through an overview of cycles in the feasts of God. Topics addressed include Themes of the Mo'edim (literally appointed times), Motivation for Observing the Mo'edim, Jesus in the Mo'edim, and Discipleship through the Mo'edim.
This is a companion video for the videos on the biblical Feasts or holy days for believers on our Youtube channel and from articles on our website www.wholebible.com.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Point by Point through "Freedom from Sabbath Keeping" by Ray Comfort
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com goes point by biblical point through an article by Ray Comfort titled 'Freedom From Sabbath Keeping.' Mr. Comfort does a lot of good work in some areas, but in this one he doesn't do so well.
His article is filled with so many typical church teaching half-truths, unsupported statements, misunderstandings, logical fallacies, biblically incorrect teachings, and misleading statements that it serves as an excellent example of what we have been trying to correct all these years.
Ray's article is only a few pages long and Bruce's comments are pretty short too. There is more that can be said on the subject of freedom from Sabbath keeping but this covers most of the highlights.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Head Coverings and Bible Study
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com takes extra time to go through the issue of head coverings along with some Bible Study techniques because there is so much misinformation and authority abuse involved.
It's sad that this teaching takes up so much of believer's time. The article on which this video is based http://www.wholebible.com/head_coveri... is one of the top ten pages visited on our site. Why? Why does this subject generate so much passion, aggravation, splitting, and false teaching? There is so much else we need to learn and practice in His Word without throwing something in there that is only mentioned vaguely in one small section.
In this video (and the article) Bruce uses some of the concepts of Bible Study to look at 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. Since we've already been through this ourselves, we can also tell you that a head covering as proponents practice it is simply not there. There. Now the people with minds already made up and a cloth on their heads can move on to another video that will confirm what they already believe. The rest of us can take some time to look at the subject objectively and arrive at the truth.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
A related video is at https://rumble.com/v2oyaiq-whole-bible-applications-modesty.html
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Whole Bible Applications: Modesty
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com lays out another application of whole Bible Christianity, this one concerning modesty.
We frequently run across articles or videos preaching modesty. Usually the message is directed at women, and amounts to finger pointing about the way they dress. But what does the Bible actually say about modesty? Are there specific guidelines about skirts versus pants, or hemlines, or head coverings? We think not, and uncover the biblical reasons for what we think in this video.
We also look at the best way to bring about modesty, from a biblical standpoint. We don't think preaching about the amount of exposed skin really covers the issue very well. The problem is not outside. The problem is inside, and the only power that will make a change is the Word of God. We think we should be concerned about modesty, of course, but the way to encourage it is not by thundering condemnation from the pulpit. We encourage it by living the Word, and teaching the Word.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Stuff That Is Not Commanded
Bruce S. Bertram, the guy with no initials after his name, from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com takes a look at some laws that are not Laws. Many times we reject God's Laws, then substitute our own. His are the only Laws that are effective.
Head coverings (male or female), alcohol, cheeseburgers, day of meeting, two sacraments, and pagan "days, months, seasons and years" (Christmas and Easter) are covered briefly. Their main claim to fame? Not in the Bible.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Sex
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com takes on a difficult subject of applications from the Bible in the area of sex.
This subject always gets people's attention, doesn't it? God's Word tells us that sex is for a man and a woman in a marriage. There is no other place for it, even though perverse people keep pushing the envelope.
Some of the sex laws overlap with clean and unclean. Most of these are in Leviticus 15 and our video Whole Bible Applications: Clean and Unclean and can be followed with great profit. As I've said before, we don't always know the connection between laws and consequences, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. It also doesn't mean that consequences are the only reason for the law.
Rules concerning sex are some of the clearest examples of our stupidity. How far has the person drifted from God who needs a law about sex with animals? (Leviticus 18:23.) What soul is so cut off from the light of God that it gives itself over to sex with the same gender? (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1.)
Perverse acts arise from lightless depths of hatred for God and all He is or has created. It is very clear that people who practice perversion are driven by hatred to the extent they want to destroy God, starting with His Word. In the process, they destroy other people in addition to themselves. If we are in the light as He is in the light, hate cannot continue.
This is not an all-inclusive guide to sex. I'm just covering some of the rules that directly bear on it. Many other "laws" come to bear also, such as loving others as God has loved us and love others as you do yourself. As far as I know there isn't any action prohibited between two married people of opposite gender as long as parts go together as they are designed to go together. Sensitivity and compassion should be the rule for figuring out what's an acceptable activity and what is not.
Sex is the physical expression of a spiritual connection. It isn't just physical. It is only right and fulfilling when it is done with God. Where two people are gathered together, He is there in the midst. It is like the two angels over the Ark of the Covenant with wings touching and God speaking from between them. That's why sex outside of the way He designed things induces guilt and hateful feelings. When our spirits are wrong, so is sex. When God isn't involved, sex is worse than physical injury because the soul itself is burned or seared.
Good sex is not an end in itself. It is just a stronger connection point coming out of daily devotion to each other. It is necessary in some ways because our bodies are designed for it, but it's not just the body that's involved. It involves the heart and soul too. It is necessary for the soul as well as the body.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Clean and Unclean
One of the things that infuriated God about Israel was the failure of her priests to teach His Word properly. Especially the differences between clean and unclean.
26"Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. (Ezekiel 22:26 NASB95)
It's fashionable in the church nowadays to ignore the differences between clean and unclean also. Most teach the "cosmic eraser" of Jesus - that we can do pretty much anything we want because Jesus cleans everything. This is biblically false. Not the idea that Jesus cleans, but that believers don't still have to pay attention to all of God's Words, especially those on clean and unclean.
Jesus eliminated the penalty for disobedience to God's Laws (death) but that does not mean God eliminated the Law. We still wash our hands before we prepare food. Ignorance is not bliss.
Another huge point is the fact that WE HAVE TO BE TOLD WHAT IT IS. We don't naturally know the difference between clean and unclean. If clean was a snake it could bite us on the nose and we still would have a hard time figuring it out. Like Moses in Exodus 3:5, God has to inform us of something as simple as taking off our shoes when on holy ground. We are supposed to have a knowledge of good and evil (from eating of the wrong tree), yet we have to be commanded to do the simplest things.
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:15-16 ESV)
It is one thing to have His blood and quite another to wallow in filth again, physically or spiritually. If we presume on God's grace by ignoring His instructions, we can't just keep going back and taking a bath in the Blood. This is worse than lip service (Hebrews 10:26-30). We can be clean and yet still have to be cleansed every now and again, much like the washing of the feet Jesus did for the disciples (John 13:5-15). Here's an interesting side question for those who think everything has been declared 'clean.' Why in Revelation 18:2 is fallen Babylon said to be the dwelling place of "demons and a prison of every unclean spirit" and "every unclean and hateful bird?" Obviously because clean and unclean doesn't get dismissed just so some can eat their pork and shellfish.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:9 NASB.)
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Circumcision
Bruce S. Bertram of The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com looks at the application of circumcision to a whole Bible believer's walk.
In the NASB the English word circumcise and its' variants are mentioned at least 99 times, 45 of which are in the New Testament and 36 of those are in Paul's letters. Genesis chapter 17 accounts for ten of the mentions, not including the chapter heading. It is a physical act where the foreskin of the male body part used for procreation is removed and was a 'sign' of the covenant with Abraham instituted long before the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.
Other body parts can be circumcised, and with greater effect. Twice in Deuteronomy circumcision of the heart is mentioned, one of these connecting circumcision with loving God. Jeremiah also speaks of circumcising the heart (4:4, 9:25, 26) and that ears can be uncircumcised (6:10). It seems clear that circumcision has more to do with a response to God than a cutting of the flesh. To have ears that refuse to listen and a heart of stone that won't abide is the same as being uncircumcised. Even if a piece of flesh has been removed here and there.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Tithe and Money
Bruce S. Bertram (the guy with no initials after his name) from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com brings out some interesting points from the Word about tithe and money.
You might be surprised to learn that tithing is not mentioned in the Apostolic Scriptures (NT) at all, except for a couple of sayings from Jesus concerning produce. It's a wonder then how and why the Laws have made it into the current Church practices. Last time we checked, they think the Law has been eliminated (especially the imaginary designation "ceremonial" laws), except for the 10... no wait make that nine (skip the Sabbath)...er, no make that eight (graven images such as a crucifix are okay) commandments. Logically, there should be nothing of tithing in the Church, because tithing is part of the ceremonial law, not the moral law.
So considering that the tithe is closely associated with the ceremonial Law, and considering that the Church has summarily declared that the ceremonial Laws are null and void, why then has the concept of tithing been taught and encouraged? This is kind of a problem, isn't it? Please understand, it's not so much the presence of the tithe we are questioning, but the absence of the Law. Could it be that this is such a convenient way for a Church leader to make money that he or she finds it acceptable to contrive an excuse to continue this practice even though in their view the Law has been eliminated? Hmm, I wonder.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Tassels
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com takes a look at the whole Bible application of tassels to the believer's daily walk.
It might not seem like much, but some hanging threads on the corners of your garments are a great help as reminders to walk in God's ways. And believe me, it does make a difference. I don't know why, but these reminders help a great deal to discipline the awareness and help me remember to match my actions with my words. At first I felt a little weird wearing them, but most people do not know what they mean so after a bit I just relaxed and concentrated on using them to remind me not to sin. Most people do not understand the significance, and probably think they're some sort of Native American fetish, but so what.
Notice that this command is not for other people, but for the individual. The tassels are to remind me about the instructions of my Father, and to help me remember not to follow after my own understanding. They are not for showing how holy I am, or for how closely I follow someone's interpretation of the Word. They are reminders for me, because my eyes and heart are tempted to go a different way than God commanded.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: Food
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com talks about the biblical definition of what believers eat and what they don't.
From 1 Timothy 4:1-5 to Mark 7:19, Acts 10 to Genesis 9:3, people have been desperately trying to find excuses to eat what they want since, well, since the Garden. Well, go ahead and eat what you want, but don't call it biblical. God is very clear on food and not-food. Those of us who love and honor God see and accept His definitions and modify our diet accordingly. Heck, it's not like there aren't all kinds of diet books out there anyway!
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: The Feasts of Jesus
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com continues the application help for implementing God's Word with The Feasts of The Lord. They are the Lord's feasts, after all. They're not Jewish, not Gentile, not church. Leviticus 23:2 says they are the Lord's, and they can be yours too, if you want.
A real good place to start living His Laws better is in observing Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles. We'll just give you some starting points and a basic outline with some Scripture references you'll need to get you started. Part of the fun of doing everything God has for a believer is in sifting and deciding how to work it all in. Observing the feasts is easy. We prefer to figure out how many different ways we can easily obey His commands instead of making them harder to bear with useless tradition or extreme (and unbiblical) Jewish orthodoxy.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Applications: A New Definition of Cult
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com proposes a different definition of a 'cult' than the currently accepted version. Pun intended.
Cults are traditionally defined by somebody's opinion of orthodoxy. The dictionary definition of orthodox is "conforming to the approved form of any doctrine." In other words, orthodox means accepted opinion. Orthodoxy can include the Bible, but usually includes a lot of men's opinions too. If a person or group is lacking in any of the "orthodox" or accepted doctrine or dogma, then in the opinion of the "orthodox" they must be a cult or part of one.
I propose a better definition of orthodox, and of a cult or cultist. My definition of a cult or a cult member is a group or a person who at most gives only lip service to God. Orthodox then would be those who actually do what God says. These two definitions take into account all those who smugly wrap themselves in church or synagogue doctrine, yet have no intention of anything more than lip synching the Word of God. It includes anyone who is in a "religion" and denies the whole truth of the Word. It also gathers up all those part-Bible people who sit in judgment on the Word, picking and choosing what part of it they want to follow. We can throw in all those people with doctrines that are used to separate us from abiding in His living oracles too.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Judge with the Word
Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com discusses the eleventh guideline for practical application of the Word in Judging with the Word.
Bet you've heard we aren't supposed to judge. People try to shield their wrong behavior all the time with part of the Bible. But you didn't get that from the whole of the Word. Jesus tells us in fact that we should be judging with righteous judgement. Lack of proper judging is one of the things that has gotten the church into the mess that it's in, looking no different than the world and refusing to stay on track with the Bible.
Proper judging is done in the same way Jesus did - with righteousness. This means we need to judge according to His Word, within the Laws He set down. Condemning is to judge without His Word. Think about it.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Balance the Word, Do What Jesus Did
In the twelfth and final video of the series, Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com talks about the guideline of balancing the Word. Believers use the Word to steer a course between unreasonable fear of making a mistake and unbridled permission to presume on God's grace and sin that grace may abound.
Love and the Spirit working with a heart of flesh is the key to balance. An unbalanced extreme is the idea that Jesus came to eliminate the Law. Another is legalism (misuse of the Law to earn something from God). We are tugged (or pushed) all the time towards other unbalanced practices such as supposed orthodoxy and restrictive traditions too. We balance the Word with dedication to every thing God says, yet with latitude considering we are doing the best we know how. We don't have to worry about death (since Jesus paid the price for disobedience) but on the other hand we don't just blow off His Word as if it doesn't count anymore.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Investigate with the Word
Bruce S. Bertram of The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com looks at the tenth (of 12) guidelines for applying the Word that come from the Word.
There are books that cover details of interpretation, such as the Walter Kaiser book on hermeneutics or interpretation we mentioned in chapter 4 of our book and in previous videos, and this is another area where we could write one too. But these are principles direct from the Person who wrote the Book. We've chosen some of His guidelines that mostly focus on applying the Word to daily living. Other author's works on the subject are very complete and worth studying, so we just want to cover what we think are the keys to practical application given to us from the Word. We think of these as God's helpful explanations of His Word that we use to counter the enemy's "helpful" explanations.
Our tenth guideline is where quite a few people falter in spectacular fashion. We jump to a conclusion based on what little we see instead of thoroughly investigating. Or we react by our own set of laws instead of God's. Jumping to conclusions is such a common occurrence now, especially in the church, that it is easy to lose sight of the fact that a thorough investigation is a standard part of God's Word. After all, everyone should have a fair trial before the hanging!
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Weigh the Word
Bruce S. Bertram, that guy with no initials after his name, from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com goes over what Jesus tells us in our ninth guideline to avoid neglecting any law, big or little.
23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23 NASB95)
While it is a good thing to measure out the spices, we should pay equal or even greater attention to weightier issues. The tithing of small things is good. We should do that. But we are not to neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness while we are measuring our spices.
Feast days, diet, and laws of clean and unclean are important. But we must not forget that love, grace, patience, self-control and longsuffering are weightier. The fruit of the Spirit is just as much a law as avoiding pork and shellfish (except weightier).
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Value the Word
Number eight on the hit parade of 12 biblical guidelines for practical application of God's Word is Value the Word. Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com discusses what "jots" and "tittles" mean and how they relate to our valuation of the Word.
Jesus encourages us with this eighth guideline when He speaks of jots and tittles in Matthew 5:18. Every tiny part of His Law is still in effect. He said clearly that none of it was going away. We need to value everything, even the tiniest letter. A jot or a tittle is a small part of Hebrew letters, like the dot on an i or the cross of a t. The ESV calls them an "iota" and "dot." When Jesus speaks of small things like this in Matthew 5:18, He is comparing them to the tiniest parts of God's Word.
It seems clear from a plain reading of the Word that God said what He meant and meant what He said. We don't have to go through a lengthy bunch of grammatical gymnastics to get His point. Oh, sometimes it helps to clarify a word or two here and there. But if we are responsible in comparing Scripture with Scripture and maybe comparing translations, along with judicious use of the concordance, we'll generally be fine. Mostly we need to read it and heed it. But we do need to remember that every part of every one of our Father's words is important. Our best bet is to shoot for "greatest" in the kingdom and devote ourselves to a serious understanding and application of every tiny piece.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Follow the Leaders of the Word
That no-influence guy Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com is back with another practical guideline for applying the whole of the Word to daily living. This time he's focusing on leaders, and which ones believers should follow. Do we have to do everything that those who sit themselves in the seat of Moses tell us to do? Should we blindly follow anyone who calls himself (or herself) a leader? The answer is: no. The only leaders that should be followed are those that follow the Word.
Many times in Israel's past, the leaders led into idolatry and many horrible practices. Is Jesus saying we are required to follow leaders when they lead off the path? Emphatically not. When they take a left turn, we should keep on going straight. The church is routinely leading believers away from the Word; all we have to do is look at the results. We shouldn't be blindly following those leaders either.
As long as the teaching fits in the framework and on the foundation that Moses laid down (Genesis through Deuteronomy) then we should follow. All other books that were added to the Bible had to pass this muster, and so should every other teaching that claims to be God's. When a teacher departs from the Word, true believers should depart from the teacher.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Worship with the Word
The heart of worship is abiding in God's Word. Another word for abiding is obeying. We abide when we do what God says. Bruce S. Bertram from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com looks at the sixth guideline for application of God's Word to daily living which is that we worship through living every word from the mouth of God.
To worship is to obey or follow. When we do what another god says to do (even the god of our own knowledge), we are worshiping that god. Jesus says to worship God only, so that means we do all and only whatever God says. Seems pretty cut and dried when you look at it that way, don't it?
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Test God by the Word
Number 5 on the hit parade of practical application guidelines from the Word from that person of no influence at The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com.
From the second round between Jesus and the Satan in the desert (Matthew 4:7) we get the principle of test God by the Word. Of the two types of testing that people do of God, one is acceptable and one is not. "Do not test God with a test" is one way, and "test me in my Word" is the other. Can you guess which one is which?
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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Whole Bible Instruction: Live on the Word
That nobody from The Word of God Ministries and http://www.wholebible.com is at it again with a continuing series on practical application of the Law as a valid lifestyle and discipleship method for believers. Bruce S. Bertram presents another guideline from the Bible on how to apply the Bible, this one called Live on the Word. Jesus in Matthew 4 gives us a way to answer critics who only use part of the Bible, responding with "it is also written" that man does not live by bread alone. We live by every Word from the mouth of God.
Each response is saying essentially the same thing in three different ways. On the surface what looks like three different temptations have the same goal. The Satan tries to get Jesus to abandon God's will and do His own thing (in reality the Satan's own thing). They may have been in a desert but the scene recalls the Garden of Eden, when Satan also used part of God's Word to misrepresent God's Word. Jesus responds as Eve (and Adam) should have -- "It is also written." We still get hammered with the same sort of temptations on a regular basis, and the defense used by the Master works just as well now as it did then.
For more information our books Whole Bible Christianity: Blessings Pressed Down and Overflowing, Nicolaitan: Lords of Hypocrisy and Whole Bible Prophecy: Horror and Hope are available on Amazon.
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