This IS the Day

[El Hombre viejo]

Folks Today is Veterans Day/ Remembrance Day Please do not forget to be thankful to the ones who sacrificed all for your freedom. They put their lives on the line for YOU. Some even paid with their lives for YOU. Why? Love for country, which is people.

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Folks Today is Veterans Day/ Remembrance Day Please do not forget to be thankful to the ones who sacrificed all for your freedom. They put their lives on the line for YOU. Some even paid with their lives for YOU. Why? Love for country, which is people.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you.
1. Jesus Christ
2. Our soldiers

"One died for your soul, the other for your freedom!"

You might want to pass this on, As many seem to forget both of them!

 

[IloveJesus92]

Very true!
God Bless, and thanks to Jesus and our Veterans!

 

[Jaareshiah]

Folks Today is Veterans Day/ Remembrance Day Please do not forget to be thankful to the ones who sacrificed all for your freedom. They put their lives on the line for YOU. Some even paid with their lives for YOU. Why? Love for country, which is people.

Respect for the laws of the land are necessary for those who are Christian. The apostle Paul wrote: "Render to all their dues, to him who calls for the tax, the tax; to him who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to him who calls for fear, such fear; to him who calls for honor, such honor."(Rom 13:7) Hence, true Christians pay the rightful "dues" to the government. However, when Jesus was on the earth, did he promote "love of country", for the Roman Empire or even the Jewish arrangement ?

Upon being asked by the party followers of Herod, "Is it lawful to pay head tax to Caesar or not ?", Jesus replied: " Pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar but God's things to God."(Matt 22:17, 21) The apostle Paul wrote that "the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God." Hence, there is a limitation of what can be given to "Caesar", human governments of the earth, for their "position" is "relative." Jesus sought to teach people to love God, not country. He respected the laws when there was no conflict with God's laws, simply stating the ' paying Caesar's things to Caesar.'

D. P. Mannix, in his book Those About to Die (New York, 1958, pgs 135, 137), wrote that "Christians refused to . . . sacrifice to the emperor’s genius—roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance. . . . Very few of the Christians recanted, although an altar with a fire burning on it was generally kept in the arena for their convenience. All a prisoner had to do was scatter a pinch of incense on the flame and he was given a Certificate of Sacrifice and turned free. It was also carefully explained to him that he was not worshiping the emperor; merely acknowledging the divine character of the emperor as head of the Roman state. Still, almost no Christians availed themselves of the chance to escape.”

M. F. Eller, pp. 208, 209, in his book The Beginnings of the Christian Religion (New Haven, Conn.; 1958), said: "The act of emperor worship consisted in sprinkling a few grains of incense or a few drops of wine on an altar which stood before an image of the emperor. Perhaps at our long remove from the situation we see in the act nothing different from . . . lifting the hand in salute to the flag or to some distinguished ruler of state, an expression of courtesy, respect, and patriotism. Possibly a good many people in the first century felt just that way about it but not so the Christians. They viewed the whole matter as one of religious worship, acknowledging the emperor as a deity and therefore being disloyal to God and Christ, and they refused to do it.”

Thus, those who took serious their stand as Christians during the first century and shortly afterward, refused to "repeat the oath of allegiance" to the emperor, and is "roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance" today. These however, did pay to the government their "dues", taxes, tribute, fear and honor, but not allegiance. This alone is reserved for God, for Jesus told Satan: "Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”(Matt 4:10)

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Respect for the laws of the land are necessary for those who are Christian ? The apostle Paul wrote: "Render to all their dues, to him who calls for the tax, the tax; to him who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to him who calls for fear, such fear; to him who calls for honor, such honor."(Rom 13:7) Hence, true Christians pay the rightful "dues" to the government. However, when Jesus was on the earth, did he promote "love of country", for the Roman Empire or even the Jewish arrangement ?

Upon being asked by the party followers of Herod, "Is it lawful to pay head tax to Caesar or not ?", Jesus replied: " Pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar but God's things to God."(Matt 22:17, 21) The apostle Paul wrote that "the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God." Hence, there is a limitation of what can be given to "Caesar", human governments of the earth, for their "position" is "relative." Jesus sought to teach people to love God, not country. He respected the laws when there was no conflict with God's laws, simply stating the ' paying Caesar's things to Caesar.'

D. P. Mannix, in his book Those About to Die (New York, 1958, pgs 135, 137), wrote that "Christians refused to . . . sacrifice to the emperor’s genius—roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance. . . . Very few of the Christians recanted, although an altar with a fire burning on it was generally kept in the arena for their convenience. All a prisoner had to do was scatter a pinch of incense on the flame and he was given a Certificate of Sacrifice and turned free. It was also carefully explained to him that he was not worshiping the emperor; merely acknowledging the divine character of the emperor as head of the Roman state. Still, almost no Christians availed themselves of the chance to escape.”

M. F. Eller, pp. 208, 209, in his book The Beginnings of the Christian Religion (New Haven, Conn.; 1958), said: "The act of emperor worship consisted in sprinkling a few grains of incense or a few drops of wine on an altar which stood before an image of the emperor. Perhaps at our long remove from the situation we see in the act nothing different from . . . lifting the hand in salute to the flag or to some distinguished ruler of state, an expression of courtesy, respect, and patriotism. Possibly a good many people in the first century felt just that way about it but not so the Christians. They viewed the whole matter as one of religious worship, acknowledging the emperor as a deity and therefore being disloyal to God and Christ, and they refused to do it.”

Thus, those who took serious their stand as Christians during the first century and shortly afterward, refused to "repeat the oath of allegiance" to the emperor, and is "roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance" today. These however, did pay to the government their "dues", taxes, tribute, fear and honor, but not allegiance. This alone is reserved for God, for Jesus told Satan: "Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”(Matt 4:10)

So, Jaareshiah, read the first seven verses in Romans 13 and tell me if you think these people were right. A person cannot build a doctrine on one verse. My family has been here in Canada for four hundred years. My family has shed blood for this country, paid taxes in this country, given doctors, teachers, farmers and man other resources to this country. Why? Because we are helping to build it. We love Canada. Is that wrong? Not at all. Its our home. We are loyal to Canada and we will fight and die for it anytime. I'm 62 and I would still stand for my Country.

 

[Jaareshiah]

So, Jaareshiah, read the first seven verses in Romans 13 and tell me if you think these people were right. A person cannot build a doctrine on one verse. My family has been here in Canada for four hundred years. My family has shed blood for this country, paid taxes in this country, given doctors, teachers, farmers and man other resources to this country. Why? Because we are helping to build it. We love Canada. Is that wrong? Not at all. Its our home. We are loyal to Canada and we will fight and die for it anytime. I'm 62 and I would still stand for my Country.

Many individuals have given allegiance to their respective countries. However, it is important to understand that all human governments are a creation of Satan, for Revelation 13:1 speaks of the "dragon"("Devil and Satan", Rev 12:9) standing "still upon the sand of the sea." The “dragon” then brings forth out of the "sea"( the restless masses of mankind", Isa 57:20), "a wild beast with ten horns and seven heads."

This "wild beast", represents all human governments, for at Daniel 7:4-7 is seen four governmental empires coming “up out of the sea”(Dan 7:3), that are described as various "beasts"(Babylon as a “lion”, Medo-Persia as a “bear”, Greece as a “leopard” and Rome as the "fourth beast, fearsome and terrible and unusually strong”), for all human governments exhibit beastlike qualities, tearing and destroying to accomplish their agenda.

At Romans 13, the apostle Paul was helping the Christians in Rome to clearly understand the "relative positions" that human governments and their authority have upon a true Christian. When something is relative, it is a comparison between two things. Paul further says that a true Christian "who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God."(Rom 13:2) Thus, no true Christian can oppose the governmental authority, but does that mean that a true Christian is to obey every command that it gives ? No. Opposing the government is completely different than recognizing a government's ' relative position'.

The apostle Peter, when before the Sanhedrin, told them that when there is a conflict between man’s laws and God’s: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”(Acts 5:29) Therefore, all human rule is “relative” to God’s, with God’s taking supreme position. This is what Jesus told Satan at Matthew 4:10. The national boundaries that divide peoples were never from God, for his original purpose was that the earth be united, not divided. Upon creating Adam and Eve, Genesis 1:28 says: “Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” Thus, God’s original purpose was for all mankind to be united under his rulership, not the hundreds of divided national boundaries that cause hatred and animosity, with some believing: “My country right or wrong.”

This system of things with all it’s human governments is a product of Satan, as the “dragon”, and is in opposition to God’s rulership. At Daniel 2:44 is expressed what God has done and will do in the near future. It says: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite;”

During our time period, called “the last days”, God has established a “kingdom” in heaven (Dan 2:28), it now being operational, poise at God’s appointed time to “crush and put an end to all these kingdoms”, all human governments now standing, to make way for his rule over his earth.(Dan 2:35) One day soon, the entire earth will under God’s rulership, with those who loyally submit to it can enjoy everlastingly the life that he purposed when he created Adam and Eve.

Revelation 19 gives an individual a glimpse into the near future, that God will send his Son, Jesus Christ, with the heavenly angelic hosts, to remove all human rulership. It says that “birds that fly in midheaven”, carrion birds, are invited to” the great evening meal of God” that will be composed of “the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men.”(Rev 19:17, 18) Hence, all human rulership and their military might, will be disposed of at the battle of Armageddon.

Therefore, true Christians respect the laws of their respective nation, but, as have true Christians in the past, these will not give allegiance to it, but give their allegiance to God, recognizing that they are just “temporary residents” in their respective country.(Heb 11:13) These look forward to the time soon when what Jesus said at Matthew 5:5, that the ‘ meek ones will inherit the earth.’ will become a reality.(King James Bible) At that time, no national boundaries will ever exist again, but all “meek ones” will be united, serving the one true God, Jehovah, forever, as he originally purposed when he made Adam and Eve.(Ps 37:29)

 

[El Hombre viejo]

Many individuals have given allegiance to their respective countries. However, it is important to understand that all human governments are a creation of Satan, for Revelation 13:1 speaks of the "dragon"("Devil and Satan", Rev 12:9) standing "still upon the sand of the sea." The “dragon” then brings forth out of the "sea"( the restless masses of mankind", Isa 57:20), "a wild beast with ten horns and seven heads."

This "wild beast", represents all human governments, for at Daniel 7:4-7 is seen four governmental empires coming “up out of the sea”(Dan 7:3), that are described as various "beasts"(Babylon as a “lion”, Medo-Persia as a “bear”, Greece as a “leopard” and Rome as the "fourth beast, fearsome and terrible and unusually strong”), for all human governments exhibit beastlike qualities, tearing and destroying to accomplish their agenda.

At Romans 13, the apostle Paul was helping the Christians in Rome to clearly understand the "relative positions" that human governments and their authority have upon a true Christian. When something is relative, it is a comparison between two things. Paul further says that a true Christian "who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God."(Rom 13:2) Thus, no true Christian can oppose the governmental authority, but does that mean that a true Christian is to obey every command that it gives ? No. Opposing the government is completely different than recognizing a government's ' relative position'.

The apostle Peter, when before the Sanhedrin, told them that when there is a conflict between man’s laws and God’s: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”(Acts 5:29) Therefore, all human rule is “relative” to God’s, with God’s taking supreme position. This is what Jesus told Satan at Matthew 4:10. The national boundaries that divide peoples were never from God, for his original purpose was that the earth be united, not divided. Upon creating Adam and Eve, Genesis 1:28 says: “Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” Thus, God’s original purpose was for all mankind to be united under his rulership, not the hundreds of divided national boundaries that cause hatred and animosity, with some believing: “My country right or wrong.”

This system of things with all it’s human governments is a product of Satan, as the “dragon”, and is in opposition to God’s rulership. At Daniel 2:44 is expressed what God has done and will do in the near future. It says: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite;”

During our time period, called “the last days”, God has established a “kingdom” in heaven (Dan 2:28), it now being operational, poise at God’s appointed time to “crush and put an end to all these kingdoms”, all human governments now standing, to make way for his rule over his earth.(Dan 2:35) One day soon, the entire earth will under God’s rulership, with those who loyally submit to it can enjoy everlastingly the life that he purposed when he created Adam and Eve.

Revelation 19 gives an individual a glimpse into the near future, that God will send his Son, Jesus Christ, with the heavenly angelic hosts, to remove all human rulership. It says that “birds that fly in midheaven”, carrion birds, are invited to” the great evening meal of God” that will be composed of “the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men.”(Rev 19:17, 18) Hence, all human rulership and their military might, will be disposed of at the battle of Armageddon.

Therefore, true Christians respect the laws of their respective nation, but, as have true Christians in the past, these will not give allegiance to it, but give their allegiance to God, recognizing that they are just “temporary residents” in their respective country.(Heb 11:13) These look forward to the time soon when what Jesus said at Matthew 5:5, that the ‘ meek ones will inherit the earth.’ will become a reality.(King James Bible) At that time, no national boundaries will ever exist again, but all “meek ones” will be united, serving the one true God, Jehovah, forever, as he originally purposed when he made Adam and Eve.(Ps 37:29)

Hmmmm Having read this, I cannot find where governments are a creation of Satan. Your verses do not say that. Again...if they in fact are a creation of Satan, why is it that there is nobody in authority in any government that God did not allow there?

I think you treatise is interesting but...............................wrong.

For example. Moses! God put Moses in charge of millions of people. He tried to do it all alone until God directed him to delegate authority. What was the result? Several different levels of government. Who really created government.
Satan NEVER had an original thought in his entire puny life save one. Pride.

 

[Jaareshiah]

Hmmmm Having read this, I cannot find where governments are a creation of Satan. Your verses do not say that. Again...if they in fact are a creation of Satan, why is it that there is nobody in authority in any government that God did not allow there?

I think you treatise is interesting but...............................wrong.

For example. Moses! God put Moses in charge of millions of people. He tried to do it all alone until God directed him to delegate authority. What was the result? Several different levels of government. Who really created government.
Satan NEVER had an original thought in his entire puny life save one. Pride.

Moses was placed over the nation of Israel in 1513 B.C.E. by God, leading them out of Egypt. When at Mt. Sinai, God gave the Israelites the Law Covenant. The Ten Words, or Ten Commandments, written “by God’s finger” formed the framework of that national code, to which some 600 other laws, statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions were added. This made it the most comprehensive set of laws possessed by any ancient nation, spelling out as it did in great detail the relationship between man and God, as well as between man and his fellowmen.(Ex 31:18; 34:27, 28) There were never "several levels of government", but rather one rule by God or theocracy.

After Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden, God immediately made arrangements to undo the disastrous effects this would have upon Adam's offspring. Prior to the Adamic rebellion, all the universe was in harmony, with all worshipping the one true God, Jehovah. However, with the introduction of mutiny, no longer was there just one organization but two, God's and Satan's.(Gen 3:1-7) Genesis 3:14, 15 says: "And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent:...I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.”

Hence, now enmity or hatred now existed between God's organization and Satan's organization, those that closely adhered to God's theocratic arrangement and those who followed Satan's sovereignty, knowingly or unknowingly. Disunity was now introduced into God's perfect arrangement. Especially following the Noachian Flood, Satan began to build a political system of things, human governments, that opposed God's. At Genesis 10:8, it says that "Cush became father to Nimrod. He made the start in becoming a mighty one in the earth." The Genesis account now explains how Nimrod became "a mighty one", saying that "he displayed himself a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah. That is why there is a saying: “Just like Nim´rod a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.”(Gen 10:9)

Nimrod opposed Jehovah God and was under the unseen influence of Satan. Genesis 10:10-12 says that "the beginning of his kingdom came to be Ba´bel and E´rech and Ac´cad and Cal´neh, in the land of Shi´nar. Out of that land he went forth into As·syr´i·a and set himself to building Nin´e·veh and Re·ho´both-Ir and Ca´lah and Re´sen between Nin´e·veh and Ca´lah: this is the great city." Nimrod created a political empire, being invisibly controlled by Satan. In time, other empires were formed, all in opposition to God's theocracy.

Following the formation of Nimrod's empire, Egypt became the first world power noted in the Bible, that oppressed God's people.(Exodus 1) Man began to spread across the earth, building their own political arrangement of government that was diametrically opposed to God's. These sought out their own sovereignty. Down till our time, men have created their own forms of government, monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, autocracy, Fascism, and Communism, have been tried in the course of history.

H. G. Wells (1846-1946), in A History of the World, published in 1922, states of the Roman form of governing: "The Roman people found themselves engaged almost unawares in a vast administrative experiment...It was always changing, it never attained to any fixity. In a sense the experiment failed. In a sense the experiment remains unfinished, and Europe and America today are still working out the riddles of the worldwide statecraft first confronted by the Roman people.” Many human governments that are now existing are an offshoot of the ' Roman experiment.'

When testing Jesus, after Satan showed him "all the kingdom's of the inhabited earth in an instant of time," Satan told Jesus: "I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me, and to whomever I wish I give it."(Luke 4:5, 6) Thus, Satan was readily aware that he had control of "all the kingdom's of the inhabited earth," offering these to Jesus if he would do "an act of worship before me."(Luke 4:7)

Later, Jesus told his apostles on the night before his death: "I shall not speak much with you anymore, for the ruler of the world is coming. And he has no hold on me."(John 14:30) Jesus was fully aware that Satan was controlling all the world's governments. Hence, when before Pontius Pilate, when asked by him if he was a king, Jesus replied: "My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.”(John 18:36)

God's kingdom is thus "no part of the world". It did not arise out of the "sea", the restless masses of mankind.(Isa 57:20; Dan 7:2; Rev 13:1) Men have sought out their own rulership, apart from God's, never submitting to his government. At Psalms 2:1, 2, it says: "Why have the nations been in tumult and the national groups themselves kept muttering an empty thing ? The kings of earth take their stand and high officials themselves have massed together as one against Jehovah and against his anointed one." These "kings of earth" have placed themselves diametrically opposed to "Jehovah and against his anointed one," taking their stand against them.

In order for the earth to be restored to God's original purpose of a theocracy on a Paradise earth, all human governments must go. God even pleads with them to give up their own sovereignty, saying: "And now, O kings, exercise insight; Let yourselves be corrected, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear....Kiss the son, that He may not become incensed and you may not perish from the way."(Ps 2:10-12) However, these reject his offer, for Psalms 2:9 says that Jesus will "will break them with an iron scepter, as though a potter’s vessel you will dash them to pieces.”

Thus, God has prophetically stated for our time period, that "in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite."(Dan 2:44)

The apostle John wrote in 96 C.E.: "We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one."(1 John 5:19) Therefore, all human governments are under the direct influence of Satan, for as Satan told Jesus: "all the kingdom's of the inhabited earth....has been delivered to me."