The Apostle Paul Exhorts the Evolutionists

The Apostle Paul Exhorts the Evolutionists

2-5-2019

Dr. Grady McMurtry is a former evolutionist who became a Christian and later a Creationist.  He provided most of the outline for this particular article.

Romans 1:16 NET For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Jews and Greeks include everyone in the world.  The word “Greek” is can also be translated as Gentiles or Nations and that would be anyone and everyone who is not a Jew or Judahite.  The word “Greek”, in this instance could have a double meaning in that Greeks (and the Romans) were practiced evolutionists although they did not employ the term “evolution” or its equivalent.  They believed that all people evolved from lower forms of animals and other objects.  They even invented myths of the evolution of their pantheon of “gods”

Anaximander, 2300 years ago, taught that fish walked out of the water and become people.

1 Corinthians 1:23 NET but we preach about a crucified Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

An Old Testament believing Jew essentially believed that God created all things, including animals and people, but the crucified Christ as the prophesied Messiah was a stumbling block.  This was a perception many of them could not accept.  However, to the Gentles (Greeks) who did not believe in a Creator God but rather a form of evolution, the Son of God (a crucified Christ) was complete foolishness.  Paul had to convince many of the Athenian Greeks the existence of a Creator God before he could teach the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:18 NET For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness,

Some individuals are actually mentally convinced that evolution is a fact and others could care less about it.  However, those who know or suspect that evolution is not true but teach and preach it anyway are suppressing the truth by their unrighteousness.

Romans 1:19 NET because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

Paul claims that everyone understands or knows there is a God, even the atheist.  Everyone in the world worships something and knows there is something greater than themselves.  It may not be a transcendent Creator God but it is something.  It could be an inanimate object such as a rock or it could be power, money, prestige, etc.

Romans 1:20 NET For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse (without reason) (without a defense).

Excuse: anapológētos; neut. Without apology or excuse, inexcusable; that which cannot be defended

It is claimed by Paul that God is known through the things He has made.  A design requires a designer.  Anything that can be seen or touched must have been made by someone.  A simple tree has more design complexity than a large city yet the evolutionists want you to believe it came about by random chance.

Romans 1:21 NET For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

The word futile can also be defined as foolish, wicked, or idolatrous.  Dr. McMurtry defines an idol as “anything that stands between you and God whether it is an object or some type of force.” 

Romans 1:22 NET Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (insipid or tasteless)

Dr. McMurtry claims the correct translation of Romans 1:22 should be “Claiming to be wise they became mentally useless.

Romans 1:23 NET and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Why did they become mentally useless?  Paul gives the answer in verse 23.  They exchanged the worship of a Creator God to a creature created by God:  such as another human being, a bird, a general animal, or a reptile.  They glorified and worshipped the creation as an evolutionist rather than worshipping the God who created the objects and life forms they worship.

Romans 1:24 NET Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

Romans 1:24 NIV Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

Therefore, because they are essentially evolutionists, their thoughts and desires were directed toward sexual impurity with one another or with animals or objects.

Romans 1:25 NET They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Paul claims the evolutionist minded people have exchanged the truth of creation for a complete lie and began worshipping and serving the creation rather than the Creator God.  What are consequences for people who accept the lie?  Paul gives us a list of these particular consequences in verses in Romans 1:26-32.

Romans 1:26-27 NET For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, (27) and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Paul begins his list saying that women have become lesbians and that men have become homosexuals.  This was true in the days of Paul in Greece and Rome and this aberrant behavior has been written about for several centuries prior to Paul.  These activities seem to have either been miniscule or well hidden within the USA and Europe until recently due to the strong Christian ethnicity among the descendants of the northern tribes.  However, as the rise of evolutionary teachings in the public schools, colleges, TV shows, and movies have increased exponentially, along with the efforts of the ACLU and other leftist organizations to remove God from public life, these unlawful activities have witnessed a sharp rise in both practice and acceptance.

Romans 1:29-32 NET They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. (32) Although they fully know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

They are filled with unrighteousness, wickedness (whoredom), evil, greed (covetousness), and malice (depravity).

They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and hostility (malice).

The word “murder” mentioned by Paul is murder of all kinds including abortion, homicide, suicide, and school violence.

The Columbine shooters wrote prior to their killing spree that their inspiration was because they had been taught evolution at that particular High School.  I.E. they considered themselves superior and their fellow students as inferior and thus, they had the right to kill them.

They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful.

They invent ways of performing evil deeds and thoughts (inventors of evil         things).

They are disobedient to parents.

They are senseless (lack understanding) (unintelligent).

They are covenant-breakers (lawless) (faithless)

They are heartless (and ruthless) (without natural affection) (implacable) (unmerciful)

As more evolutionary ideas are broadcast into the public, there is a corresponding increase in homosexuals, transgenders, etc. If children are taught they are merely a thinking animal how would one expect them to act or treat each other?  This is a natural consequence of teaching evolution in the schools.

To the child of God many of the items in Paul’s list are considered disgusting which could be compared to watching a Gay Rights Parade.  However, during this parade many of the sideline people watching the parade clap their hands as if they believe it is a correct and wonderful thing which means these people “also approve of those who practice them”.

Servants of the Kingdom

SERVANTS OF THE KINGDOM

12-16-2018

The Parable of Vineyard Laborers

Matthew 20:1-16 NET Laborers In The Vineyard:  "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. (2) And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) When it was about nine o'clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. (4) He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.' (5) So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o'clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. (6) And about five o'clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why are you standing here all day without work?' (7) They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You go and work in the vineyard too.' (8) When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the workers and give the pay starting with the last hired until the first.' (9) When those hired about five o'clock came, each received a full day's pay. (10) And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. (11) When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, (12) saying, 'These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.' (13) And the landowner replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn't you agree with me to work for the standard wage? (14) Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. (15) Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' (16) So the last will be first, and the first last."

All of the parables included in the gospels distinguish various aspects of the Kingdom of God.  Note that the gospel of Matthew employs the phrase, “The Kingdom of Heaven”.  It is claimed by some that Matthew wrote his narrative specifically for the Judeans (Jews) and they expected the kingdom to come from heaven.  This does not give evidence that people will be raptured away to live in heaven, but rather that the glorification of heaven will be presented on the earth by God.  Luke employs the phrase, “The Kingdom of God” because Jesus Christ returning from heaven will rule the earth as King and this (the earth) will be His kingdom.

The first verse makes it clear this parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven (or God).  The first or beginning workers who symbolically agreed to be kingdom workers would literally be the apostles and several others around Judea.   The next group would be the crowd who spoke several different languages as Peter and other apostles preached after receiving an anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit allowed Peter to speak to speak to the crowd and all understood him in their native language.  This is the true meaning of “speaking in tongues”.  The modern babbling instances border on heresy.  About 3000 believers accepted the message concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and were baptized into the faith.

Acts 2:41 NET So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

As the apostles, including Paul, and other believers spread the word other sincere believers came forward and repeated the actions of the apostles.  This process of preaching and explaining the gospel message of Jesus Christ has continued down to the present time.  All true believers (i.e. Kingdom workers) regardless of the length of their service prior to death will be paid (rewarded) the same.  Length of service is not an issue but the quality of service, as will be explained in the next parable, is very important.

There are many claiming to be believers of the gospel message but are all believers actually kingdom workers?  Does salvation automatically merit you a glorified body in the first resurrection?  Unfortunately it does not.  Salvation will allow you to receive little or no punishment at the second resurrection but it will not necessarily grant you access to the first resurrection.  Only the sincere, completely forgiving kingdom workers with the mind of Christ (and other things to be discussed later) will partake of the first resurrection to be appointed preachers, teachers, and Melchizedek priests under the leadership of Jesus Christ.

The Parable of Ten Minas

In the parable of the minas given to slaves (i.e. servants), verse 19:15 claims that the King (Jesus) had returned to his land (earth) after receiving the kingdom.

Luke 19:15-21 NET The Parable of the Ten Minas:  When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. (16) So the first one came before him and said, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.' (17) And the king said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.' (18) Then the second one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.' (19) So the king said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.' (20) Then another slave came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. (21) For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.'

Mina:  An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value.  A weight containing 50 shekels, according to Hebrew usage.

The King had given each servant a certain amount of minas which is symbolic of the express authority and ability to transmit the gospel message.  Each servant had been given equal amounts of ten minas.  The first subject doubled the amount of minas.  The second subject only earned five minas.  The third reported subject buried his mina and did not attempt to earn anything.

The first who doubled his amount was awarded authority over ten cities, the second was awarded five cities, and the third reported servant had his minas taken away and given to another.  The first and second will be a part of the first resurrection and the first will receive more authority than the second one due to his kingdom work ethic. 

The third will have to wait for the second resurrection.  Although at that time, he will receive a glorified body (i.e. abode or mansion in the KJV) with little or no punishment (i.e. the fire of God) he will not be given any authority.

It is generally believed by many that all unbelievers are punished in “hell,” while all believers receive “eternal life.” There appears to envision a type of divine democracy, where all individuals 00are treated equally, depending only on whether or not they believe in Jesus Christ.  However, there are two resurrections; and all the elect of the first resurrection will not receive the same reward or authority.

The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:13-40 This parable is similar in content to the parable of the minas.  However, this version uses talents as a value of currency rather than minas.

Talent:  If the talent was silver it would be equivalent to 3,000 shekels, 6,000 denarii,

or 94 3/7 pounds of silver.

This parable features a man going on a journey rather than a King receiving a Kingdom which could be a parallel feature or issue.  Also each of three servants were given differing amounts:  5 talents; 2 talents; and one talent.  Each servant was told to invest their talents and earn even more.  The 5 talents earned 5; the two talents earned two; and the third servant with one talent buried it in the ground and earned nothing.

Verse 25:14 is the key verse which says, “To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability”.  This implies that if a person can manage well at his/her level of ability he/she can be trusted to manage even more.  The first two mentioned servants were both put in charge “of many things”.

Robertson’s Word Studies:  According to his own ability. Each had all that he was capable of handling. The use that one makes of his opportunities is the measure of his capacity for more.

Fire; Hell; Judgment

The source of the fire in the “lake of fire” which most believe is “hell” is the throne itself. Thrones symbolize authority and law, or more specifically, the administration of the law by one in authority. To be seated upon a throne signified that the king was issuing decrees or judgments in an official capacity according to the laws of the nation or in this case, the laws of God in the Kingdom of God.

Man punishes; God judges.  Burning people alive in hell is not justice, it is punishment. True justice is never fully accomplished until all the victims of injustice have been recompensed and the sinner restored to grace. This cannot happen in a human devised prison system, nor could it happen by torturing sinners forever, nor could it even happen by annihilating all sinners in fire. All of these alternative methods represent punishment, not divine justice.

The Elect, Chosen, Saint, Overcomer

The Jubilee year was called every fifty years and was a time for forgiveness.  It stood as a reminder of God's providence and mercy.  The dedication of a year for this emphasis provided the community with a time to come back into right relationship with one another and with God. 

The Jubilee was a season of total forgiveness and the complete evisceration of all debts:  legal, monetary, and criminal.  All land was restored to its rightful owner; all slaves and indentured servants due to unpaid debt were set free with no recurring penalties for that particular debt. 

A better word that is easily understood is “forgiver”.  An overcomer is essentially a person who forgives or lives by the principles and standards of the Jubilee as written above.  It is a person who is living or growing up into the Kingdom of God which is the laws and standards of Jesus Christ.  It is one who is coming into a state of maturity in Him. An Overcomer is putting on His Father’s mind and is coming to agree with what God does in the earth and how He accomplishes those goals. He is learning to say “Amen” to all that God does, bearing witness to Him in all things, and not disagreeing with Him. An Overcomer is one who is coming to understand the Father and His ways.

Revelation 3:21 KJV  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 3:21 YLT He who is overcoming--I will give to him to sit with me in my throne, as I also did overcome and did sit down with my Father in His throne.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1-14 NET Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: (2) "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. (3) He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. (4) Again he sent other slaves, saying, ….”Come to the wedding banquet."  (5) But they were indifferent and went away, …..(6) The rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. (7) The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire. (8) Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. (9) So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' (10) And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (11) But when the king came in ….. he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. (12) And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' But he had nothing to say. (13) Then the king said to his attendants, 'Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!' (14) For many are called, but few are chosen."

The Kingdom was first offered to the Judeans (Jews).  The kingdom was described as a wedding banquet (i.e. the true Church will be the metaphoric “bride of Christ”).  Jesus and his disciples spread the gospel of the Kingdom and Jesus taught many lessons and performed many miracles, but the religious leaders and many of the population did not respond. 

The religious leaders declared war on the believers and proceeded to beat, imprison, and kill many of them throughout Judea and further north as they delivered the gospel word.

In 70 AD the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and set the remainder on fire.  Most of the Christians in the area, heeded the words of Jesus found in Matthew 24 and fled the city to a northern location.  The believing group then traveled to various places.  One apostle went to India, another to Egypt and other apostles and believers spread out into the Roman world of Turkey, Greece, and other European areas.  They garnered many believers throughout the land and the majority were descendants of the northern ten tribes of Israel who had been forced to leave the Canaan area and later migrated to European areas.

Verse 14, “For many are called, but few are chosen" refers to the above discussed “Elect, Chosen, Saint, Overcomer” group and not to everyone who claims to have made a statement of faith.  One person is indicated who did not receive the first resurrection and he was to be 'Tied up and thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!'

The “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is not literal pain but rather it symbolically represents regret, dismay, remorse, and anguish which again is not literal.  The dead souls do not think or express emotion, but the verse serves to imagine their thoughts.