666 - Numerical Doom and Failure!

Our focus is wrong!  Instead of focusing on the "mark of the beast," let's focus on the TRUE mark...THE MARK OF CHRIST!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS76_iBpYwc&feature=youtu.be

Lesson Sheet for the Class:

REVELATION! - “Written To Us, About Us or For Us?” Lesson 44
Chapter 13 – Continued – Part VI
Archdale church of Christ 03.30.16

What are our 6 principles of understanding Revelation? 1) No C_________________ with other passages, 2) These events will take place S______________ and 3) This letter is written to the 7 C___________ of A_______ and are not written To ________ or About _________. 4) Theses things are, however, written F______ us! 5) This letter is written in highly S______________ language. 6) One will find Revelation most difficult to understand, comprehend and apply without always having open the O________ T___________________.
The D_________ is S_____________, the B_______________ is R____________ (The combination of both the E_____________ and the E__________ himself) and the 2nd Beast is F___________ R_______________. The two horns of the second beast likely represent the combination of C____________ and S____________ which in Rome were known as the P_______________ and the C________________. The former represents the political A______________ and the latter represents the R_______________ authorities. False religion, then and now, are supported by P______________ signs and wonders.
1. The emperor cult was used as a U_______________ tool for empire building. Since the emperor “miraculously” provided things that no one ever had before (The P_________ R____________, Protection from all enemies, Lavish R_______________ for soldiers and others loyal to the state, Universal T____________ and commerce, Imperial H_________________, Aqueducts bringing W_________ where none was before, an empire wide M___________ delivery system and many other benefits…why shouldn’t he be worshipped as a god?
2. 13.15 – Noting the above, this far away person providing all these things, was considered deserving of W______________ as a god by both Province and Commune. Adoration as “C__________ and L_________ “seemed reasonable” under these circumstantces.
3. Such adoration was D__________________ as a sign of L_____________ to the state. In the area of the 7 churches, ____ out of 7 had both P__________ and Altars. __________ out of 7 had I___________ T_____________ with the very first built to honor Julius Caesar in ________ B.C. in P_______________ which the Lord Jesus refers to as the “____________ of S____________.”
4. This E_________________ documentation was caused to fall upon A_____.
a. The S__________ and the G______________
b. The R____________ and the P_____________
c. The F_____________ and the B____________
5. What two places might this “mark” be placed?
6. As with everything else, this “mark” is false as it is not the true mark.
a. &.3 ____________________________________________
b. 9.4 _____________________________________________
c. 14.1 ____________________________________________
d. 3.12 _____________________________________________
e. 22.4 ____________________________________________
7. This word translated “mark” is from the original “charagma” which means to S___________, E_________, E_____________, I ______________or B____________. Whatever form it took, anyone not having the “mark” could not have any right in society to move, work or even L____________.
8. The “beast” was worshiped as the very epitome of T______________ and C______________ while the one not bearing his mark could not even as much as trade.
9. What kind of similar boycott do Christians face today?
10. What does the number 6 represent in Scripture?
11. What would it mean tripled?
12. To the Jew, the number 6 meant D____________ and F_______________. Times it by 3 (perfect) it would mean the most C______________ failure and D_______________ forever…that which results in D_________________.

TEACHERS COPY:

REVELATION! - “Written To Us, About Us or For Us?” Lesson 44

Chapter 13 – Continued – Part VI – Primary Sources: The Bible and Homer Hailey’s REVELATION: An Introduction and Commentary

Archdale church of Christ 03.30.16

What are our 6 principles of understanding Revelation? 1) No CONTRADICTIONS with other passages, 2) These events will take place SOON and 3) This letter is written to the 7 CHURCHES of ASIA and are not written To US or About US. 4) Theses things are, however, written FOR us! 5) This letter is written in highly SYMBOLIC language. 6) One will find Revelation most difficult to understand, comprehend and apply without always having open the OLD TESTAMENT.

The D_________ is S_____________, the B_______________ is R____________ (The combination of both the E_____________ and the E__________ himself) and the 2nd Beast is F___________ R_______________. The two horns of the second beast likely represent the combination of C____________ and S____________ which in Rome were known as the P_______________ and the C________________. The former represents the political A______________ and the latter represents the R_______________ authority. False religion, then and now, are supported by P______________ signs and wonders.
ANSWERS: Dragon, Satan, Beast, Rome, Emperor, Empire, False Religion, Church, State. Province, Commune, Authority, Religious, Pseudo

1. The emperor cult was used as a U_______________ tool for empire building. Since the emperor “miraculously” provided things that no one ever had before (The P_________ R____________, Protection from all enemies, Lavish R_______________ for soldiers and others loyal to the state, Universal T____________ and commerce, Imperial H_________________, Aqueducts bringing W_________ where none was before, an empire wide M___________ delivery system and many other benefits…why shouldn’t he be worshipped as a god?
ANSWERS: Unity, Pax Romano, Retirement, Trade, Highways, Water, Mail
2. 13.15 – Noting the above, this far away person providing all these things, was considered deserving of W______________ as a god by both Province and Commune. Adoration was C__________ and L_________ and “seemed reasonable” under these circumstances.
ANSWERS: Worship, Cultic, Local
3. Such adoration was D__________________ as a sign of L_____________ to the state. In the area of the 7 churches, ____ out of 7 had both P__________ and Altars. __________ out of 7 had I___________ T_____________ with the very first built to honor Julius Caesar in ________ B.C. in P_______________ which the Lord Jesus refers to as the “____________ of S____________.”
ANSWERS: Demanded, Loyalty, Five, Priests, Six, Imperial Temples, 28, Pergamon, Seat, Satan
4. This I_________________ documentation was caused to fall upon A_____.
a. The S__________ and the G______________
b. The R____________ and the P_____________
c. The F_____________ and the S ____________
ANSWERS: Imperial, All, Small and Great, Rich and Poor, Free and Slave
5. What two places might this “mark” be placed?
ANSWERS: The Forehead and the Right Hand
6. As with everything else, this “mark” is false as it is not the true mark.
a. 7.3 ____________________________________________
b. 9.4 _____________________________________________
c. 14.1 ____________________________________________
d. 3.12 _____________________________________________
e. 22.4 ____________________________________________
ANSWERS: The “true mark” is: Sealed on the servants of God, The Seal of God is on their foreheads, The Father’s Name is written on their foreheads, The Name of my God and the City of my God shall be written, His Name shall be on their foreheads.
7. This word translated “mark” is from the original “charagma” which means to S___________, E_________, E_____________, I ______________or B____________. Whatever form it took, anyone not having the “mark” could not have any right in society to move, work or even L____________.
ANSWERS: Sear, Emblaze, Engrave, Imprint, Brand, Live
8. The “beast” was worshipped as the very epitome of T______________ and C______________ while the one not bearing his mark could not even as much as trade.
ANSWERS: Trade, Commerce
9. What kind of similar boycott do Christians face today?
ANSWER: Economic Boycotts by libertines and the like such as the threat of the NBA not to play the All Star Game in Charlotte as NC legislature has passed legislation protecting women and children in public restrooms from sexual deviants pretending to be “sexually confused.”
10. What does the number 6 represent in Scripture?
ANSWER: Man and his shortcomings, the Jew considered the number 6 to represent “doom and failure.”
11. What would it mean times 3?
ANSWER: Ultimate failure of mankind before God
12. To the Jew, the number 6 meant D____________ and F_______________. Times it by 3 (perfect) it would mean the most C______________ failure and D_______________ forever…that which results in D_________________.
ANSWERS: Doom, Failure, Compound, Doom, Damnation
ONGOING LESSONS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://GOSPELCALL.BLOGSPOT.COM REMEMBER TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND COWORKERS TO THESE STUIES WHERE ALL ARE WELCOME

ONGOING LESSONS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://GOSPELCALL.BLOGSPOT.COM REMEMBER TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND COWORKERS TO THESE STUDIES WHERE ALL ARE WELCOME

The Seed Must Die Before It Can Live

The Seed Must Die to be Born!

“The Seed Must Die to be Born!”

Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210

www.archdale.org / gospelcall.blogspot.com – 27 March 2016

“From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel” *

Text: I Corinthians 15.35 - 44

Thesis: “Death does not follow life, LIFE follows death!”

1          Introduction

A. Life full of burial reminders: Buried in WINTER, buried in SLEEP, buried in DARKNESS

B. Life full of resurrection reminders as well: Raised in SPRING, raised by AWAKINING, raised in LIGHT.

C. The Bible is also full of burial reminders: The earth was at the beginning buried in DARKNESS, we are buried in SIN, sin buries us in DEATH.

D. The Bible is, therefore, full of resurrection reminders: The earth was raised in LIGHT, we are raised in REDEMTION, we are raised to ETERNAL LIFE!

E. This is all wonderfully illustrated by the wonderful TULIP! 

             1) The wonderfully beautiful flower springs to life only

                  After the seed is buried in death, dishonor and decay!

F. All these death, burial and resurrection illustrations are not random or accidental…they are reminders of the singular most urgently important event in all of human history…the GOSPEL, the DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST!

G. “DEATH DOESN’T FOLLOW LIFE, LIFE FOLLOWS DEATH!”

H. “THE SEED MUST DIE TO BE BORN!"

2        How are the Dead Raised? – 15.35 – 36A

A. The reality of His Death in real time and space – John 19.31 - 37

B. The reality of His Death in Prophesy – Isaiah 53.9

C. The reality of the most secure tomb in human history!

D. The reality of the foolishness of denial – I Corinthians 15.31 – 34

E. THE UNDENIABLE RESURECTION MUST BE PROCEEDED BY AN UNDEIABLE DEATH AND AN UNDENIABLE BURIAL!

1) The veracity of Christianity rests upon the Resurrection, the veracity of the Resurrection rests upon His burial and the veracity of His burial rests upon His undeniable death.

3        “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies!” 15.36b - 41

A. The buried seed is NOT the “body that is to be!”

B. God gives the dead seed a body that HE chooses!

C. The glory of the new body is not the same as the dead seed.

4        The risen body is far more glorious than the dead seed – 15.42 - 44

A. Sown perishable – raised imperishable!

B. Sown in dishonor – raised in glory!

C. Sown in weakness – raised in power!

D. Without Christ’s Gospel, we are corrupt, condemned and powerless.

E. With Christ, we are imperishable, glorious and powerful now and forevermore. 

F. God be praised forevermore for His unspeakable gift!

G. LET US PRAY

5        The Meaning of the Text

A. The meaning of the text flows back to the context – 15.1 -8

B. The gospel is meaningless absent the Resurrection

C. The Resurrection is meaningless without a verifiable Death

D. The Death of Christ is unsubstantiated without a verifiable Burial

E. “WHAT YOU SOW DOES NOT COME TO LIFE UNLESS IT DIES!”

6        The Challenge of the Text

A. The challenge of the Text flows back to 15.22

B. How does one get “in Christ” to be made alive?

             1) Galatians 3.27

C. Why is baptism so very essential for being “alive in Christ?”

             1) Romans 6.1 – 9

                       a. We must die to sin as Christ died on the cross

                       b. We must all be buried with Christ in His burial

                                 (1) In Christ our corruptible bodies are united

                                        With His Body which saw NO corruption!

                                       Acts 2.27

                       c. We must all be raised with Christ in order to walk

                            “in newness of life” as He walked again alive

                            Forevermore!

7         “The Gospel Call”

A.   Romans 6.8 – 11 - “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.  We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God.  For you also MUST consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

B.   Won’t you come and:

·       Die to the love and practice of sin

·       Be buried with Christ in baptism

·       Be raised with Christ to walk a new life

·         My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book of his time; Gaston’s Collections.  It allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.”  Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died prematurely of the measles.  He is buried just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting House Cemetery.”   Uncle Hugh continues to inspire my ministry to this very day.  You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston 

Ruins photo courtesy of: ballywillanpci.org. 

Of Worship and Darwin

Image Courtesy of: Bing Images

Mint Hill, NC (25 March 2014)  Charles Darwin has achieved near god like status in England.  There is an impressive "church like" museum there to his "honor." (See illustration above)  We would be hard pressed to name even a single person that has shaped western civilization more than he in the last 200 years.  Darwin is "remembered" as a naturalist, scientist and discoverer by our revisionist educators and media.  His real legacy, nearly universally ignored, is far darker and sinister.   In truth his legacy is racism, war and progressive-ism.

Few remember or recall the full title of his now infamous book touted to our school children.

ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES 

BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION FOR LIFE

OR THE

PRESERVATION OF FAVORED RACES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE

Darwin is a hero in England for his racist ideas propelled and legitimized the brutal expansion of Her Majesty's Empire in the 19th century...i.e. the English are superior to all the rest of us "not so quite evolved" races of people elsewhere.  Not only was "queen and country" free to do whatever to whomever, it was "right" for her to do so.  For Darwin, the only "right" was the power whiled by the so-called "fittest."  Darwin enabled England to impose her "racially superior" will from Ireland to India until the mid 20th century.  In his new and impressive work, The Immortal Irishman, Timothy Egan depicts this Darwinian philosophy as imposed by England on Ireland in the 19th century:

For the better part of seven centuries, to be Irish in Ireland was to live in a land not your own.  You called a lake next to your family home by one name, and the occupiers gave it another...You could not enter a court of law as anything but a criminal or a snitch.  You could not worship your God, in a church open to the public, without risking prison or public flogging.  You could not attend school, at any level, even at home...You could not marry, conduct trade or go into business with a Christian Protestant...You could not own a horse worth more that 5 pounds sterling...You could not speak your language outside your home.  You would not think in Irish, so the logic went, if you were not allowed to speak Irish...What had the Irish done to deserve these cruelties?  They had refused to become English.(1)

What does this have to do with worship to our God?  Everything!  Worship acknowledges that God is Sovereign, not we ourselves as Darwin contends.  Worship acknowledges the we are sinful people in need of a Savior, not mere germs fighting for survival as Darwin contends.  Worship acknowledges that we are defined as a people, the church of Christ, not as scattered individuals ready to do whatever to whomever in order to be evolutionary superior as Darwin contends.

No man's teaching in the last 200 years has been so devastating and damnable as Charles Darwin.

NOTES:

(1) Egan,Thomas (The Immortal Irishman, selected portions, pg. 3 and 4), Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston - New York, Copyright 2016

Bathrooms, Politics and Christianity

Image Courtesy of: WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

21 March 2016 (Mint Hill, NC) - Several weeks ago the Charlotte City Council voted to mandate that public bathrooms be no longer gender specific.  Without going into explicit details such an ordinance will allow deviancy to become legally, though not morally, normative.  The personal privacy of individuals will be at least compromised.  The worst case, of course, is that the safety and security of individuals will be threatened.  Under the guise of "sexual orientation confusion," deviants will proceed into bathrooms of the opposite sex for less than honorable pursuits.

What should the response be to this by Christians?  

There are two possible responses.  One is to take the historical view of the early church and not engage at all in the political process.  The other is to use whatever biblical allowable means available to challenge this turn to immorality in our community.  We will here explore both options.

The first option, to do nothing, comes from a misapplication of ancient history.  First and second century Christians, according to the Roman philosopher Celsus (image noted above), refused service in the military, did not engage in any kind of empire politics and did not even participate in the running of local municipalities.  The much admired and lamented bro. David Lipscomb held this view for American church members in the 19th century.  With all due respect to our late brother, to apply Roman conditions to American conditions is simply trying to compare apples to oranges.  The "dog just won't hunt."

We should go to the Patristics (the so-called "church fathers") for history but never for theology.  For theology, we go exclusively to the Holy Writ.  Christians never participated with Rome for such a participation would constitute an "unequal yoking."  The reason being of course, is that the early Christians intuitively knew that Rome was the "Beast."  (Revelation 13)

No such designation could ever be applied today to our Nation, to our Declaration and to our Constitution.  Our Republic, like no other, acknowledges that ALL rights descend, not from other men as was the case with Rome, but from God Himself!  In fact, Peter, by inspiration tells us to "honor the king."  (I Peter 2.17)  Just who is our king in the United States?  Our king, to which we give honor, is the Declaration and the Constitution.  We give honor to our king, not by disengaging in the political process, but by embracing the political process!

Therefore, option two is biblically viable for the church today here in America.  So...how does this play out in our time and place?  

*  The biblical truth concerning Christian morality must be heralded continually from our pulpits. Namely, ALL sexual contact outside of marriage between one man and one woman for life is immoral and damnable.

*  Our approach to all parties should be one characterized by "truth in love," never with anger, rancor, threats, shoutings or any other form of personal animosity.  Our approach should be as was Christ's; "...go and sin no more."

*  Our approach must always be within acceptable legal channels such as public hearings, prearranged visits with dignitaries, letters, emails and social media.

*  Should our pleas go unheeded, then we are free to support other candidates for the city council that oppose immorality and support our Constitutional moral order.

*  Finally, Christians should be running to serve on councils, boards and commissions so immorality will no longer raise it's ugly head in our community.

NOTE:

Since I wrote this article the Governor and Legislature of North Carolina have stepped in on the side of decency and morality to overturn the Charlotte City Councils dictatorial bathroom edict.  We thank God for their quick and decisive action.

Having said that, the likelihood of a radical court "overturning" (one cannot "overturn" what is biblical, good, pure right and moral!) this state statute is very great indeed.  The deviant parties are already rumbling about this direction.  The place to have stopped this would have been on the council itself so that there never would have been a vote in the first place.