We also have the remembrance day today of Pelagius (c.360–c.420), British or Irish monk, who denied the doctrines of original sin and predestination, defending innate human goodness and free will.
When we look at several stories in the Bible we can see that the characters of those stories are telling that they are speaking in the name of the Most High, that they are the sent one from the Elohim and/or that what happened had to happen.
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| Joseph and His Brethren Welcomed by Pharaoh, watercolor by James Tissot (c. 1900) |
With Joseph the son of Jacob there was also preserved for them a remnant on earth, so that also several survivors could be kept alive for them. Joseph sees the ‘big picture’ of God’s oversight!
Throughout history it has been difficult for many people to keep their eyes focused on the One God. they also had given preference to their own human doctrines instead of keeping to the words like they were meant in the Scriptures.
Having such human doctrines conquering the world made life not so easy for some religious people, monks and priests. The position of Jesus, also a remnant on earth, was a very delicate and often discussed one. Lots of Christians not only made the son of god into a god son, what is something totally different, but also looked at his ransom offer in a different way than described in the Bible.
For today we still see the wrong idea about what was the matter of debate in the 5th century. Pelagius his beliefs were opposed by St Augustine of Hippo and condemned as heretical by the Synod of Carthage in about 418.
In c.380, he had gone to Rome and became the spiritual guide of many clerics and lay persons. After 410, he preached in Africa, where Saint Augustine denounced his ideas, and later in Palestine. He maintained that man is master of his own salvation and rejected the idea of original sin. He countered criticisms from Augustine and Saint Jerome in his book De Libero Arbitrio in 416.and was excommunicated by Pope Innocent I in 417.
In many biblical accounts we can see how our Creator remarkably foresees the freewill actions of human nature and weaves it into his plan and purpose! The account of Joseph and his brothers in Egypt is just one example.
Throughout history we could see that God promised certain things and years later they did happen. Several times Jehovah ordered things to be done and we can see how wonderfully they fitted always in God's Plan.
Next month we are going to read in our bible reading sessions how the event in Egypt laid the foundation for the descendants of the sons of Jacob to become a nation (made up of 12 tribes). And how remarkable today is the action and reaction of the world with the reborn nation of Israel. But the world is blind to its significance, and what it portends.
Today still many do not want to accept what Jesus has done and who he really fits in the Plan of God. By saying he is God who died for our sins and that we are now saved for ever and have not do any works any-more, they not only forget that God cannot die, but also mislead people letting them think that because they are saved for ever they do not need to do any work to be able to enter in God's Kingdom.
This makes it that many Christians do not see any harm in certain actions taken against the refugees coming to Europe. For many Christians it is even best to halt them coming over here and becoming part of our nation.
The world has not only become blind to the wonder of the Creator and His creation, man has forgotten all the tasks Jesus has given to his followers. Many Christians do not seem to remember what is being told in the many comparisons or parables.
Reading the letters of Paul we can notice how the Romans, who had worshipped idols, gods of human imagination, got people who came to know God because "God has shown it to them". For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Letter to the Romans 1:19,20).
Romans 1:19-25 Complete Apostles' Bible (19) Because that which is known of God is manifest among them, for God has shown it to them. (20) For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things made, both His eternal power and Divinity, so that they are without excuse. (21) Because, having known God, they did not glorify Him as God, or give thanks, but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for a likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and reptiles. (24) Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of the own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies among themselves, (25) who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.Also today there are people claiming to be wise but became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings. As in the time of the apostles we may say that now also it is God Who gives them over in the desires of their hearts to immorality, that their bodies would be dishonoured among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worship in front of graven images or even do not worshipping at all but look up at all sorts of gods or idols.
Several people have no shame today to give themselves over to degrading passions, for their males or females exchanged the natural relations for those contrary to nature. For years already we can see males, abandoning the natural relations with the female, having no objection to copulate with more than one partner form the same sex or even to have erotic fun with people from their own and from the other gender.
Inflamed in their desire toward one another, males with males, females with females, committing the shameless deed, they are very afraid for those who say we have to worship God and have to live according to God's Law. Everything what even smells of God is something they want to avoid. For them having a people coming into their country which possibly could want to have the others worshipping the only One True God makes them very afraid and gets them doing everything to keep such people out.
Strangely enough we do hear lots of people complaining that many churches have been turned in mosques, but they do not wonder why those places of worship came empty and got turned into prayer-houses for Muslims.
As they do not see fit to recognize God we may assume it is God Himself Who gave our people over to a debased mind, to do the things that are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greediness, malice, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malevolence.
Those gossipers have become fools (verse 22). They have become greater fools today, but in a different way. What we read from verse 28 fits our situation so aptly,
Romans 1:28-32 Complete Apostles' Bible (28) And just as they did not approve to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do the things which are not fitting; (29) having been filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, greed, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness; they are whisperers, (30) slanderers, hateful to God, insolent men, proud, braggarts, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; (32) who, having known the righteous judgment of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but also approve of those who practice them.We notice that there are many who claim to be Christian but do not the works according to their faith and who oppose those people who fled from the war zones in the East, to come to stay here until the situations becomes more peaceful.
Lots of them do not acknowledge the Real One God. With their debased mind they also want others to believe we should not take care of those poor people, should not give them a roof above their head, nor should we feed them.
Those who call themselves Christian should think about what Jesus taught and at what he asked from his followers. they should take distance from those who are filled with all manner of unrighteousness and in contrast should be
“filled with all manner of” righteousness, which increases as we feed on God’s word every day.Let us also remind that Faith without works is death.
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Please do find to read:
- January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
- Salvation and Righteousness
- Elul Observances
- God’s wrath and sanctification
- A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
- Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
- Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
- Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
- Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket
- Good and bad things in this world
- Establish your hearts blameless in holiness
- Myth 12: The Hyper-Grace Gospel Makes People Lazy
- Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
- A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
- A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
- Humbleness
- A race not to swift, nor a battle to the strong
- The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong
- Being of good courage running the race
- Bearing fruit
- To Soar In The Spirit You Have To Be Hard Core
- Our stance against certain religions and immigrating people
- Religion, fundamentalism and murder
- Daring to speak in multicultural environment
- As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
- 2014 Religion
- Disobedient man and God’s promises
- From pain to purpose
- Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
- God’s forgotten Word 5 Lost Lawbook 4 The ‘Catholic’ church
- Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
- Evangelisation, local preaching opposite overseas evangelism
- When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
