Of God and Mankind

  Deuteronomy 5:9b-10    “ for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,   10 And showing mercy  and steadfast love to thousands  and to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”   Dear people of God, there are some Christians who are of the view that the above Scripture does not apply to Christians since we are now operating under the New Testament and that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.   One could even rightly reference the infallible Word of God in the Bible to buttress this point whilst quoting what God says in Ezekiel 18:20 (AMPC), “ The soul that sins, it [is the one that] shall die. The son shall not bear  and be punished for the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear  and be punished for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the r...

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (AMPC)   “ 1  I CHARGE [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (in the light of) His coming and His K ingdom:   2  Herald  and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favo u rable or unfavo u rable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking  and correcting, warning  and urging  and encouraging them, being unflagging  and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.   3  For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound  and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own li...

1 Corinthians 10:14 (AMPC)   “Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).”   Dear people of God, in the minds of very many people idolatry is known as the worship of other gods other than the Almighty God and Father of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.   This definition is correct; however, I want to draw your attention to today’s lead Holy Bible text above, whether idolatry also means loving or venerating anything more than God.   All Christians need to be aware of this expanded definition for them to examine their lives to see that they are not engaged in idolatry.   I will give a number of examples to buttress my point via questions.   (1)  Is it right for a pastor during church service at any time to stop the service to take a phone call? (2)  Is it right for anyone to take his mobile phone into a church service? (3) ...

2 Timothy 2:3-7 (AMPC)    “ Take [with me] your share of the hardships  and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.   4 No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy  and please the one who enlisted him.   5 And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).   6 [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labo u rs to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits.   7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight  and understanding in everything.”   Dear people of God, following the Lord Jesus Christ as a disciple is not as easy and straightforward as many Christians of today believe and understand.   We saw in the first part of the post on this topic...