Biblical studies this week with Author Rev. Paul J. Bern

This week's ongoing Bible study on the Progressive Christian Blog with  Author & Web Minister Paul J. Bern will be part 2 of Acts chapter 21; "The apostle Paul arrives at Jerusalem" -- https://revpauljbern.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/this-weeks-ongoing-bible-study-will-be-part-2-of-acts-chapter-21/ #Biblicalteaching #discipleship

 

Governor Cuomo, the Abortion Wars, and Progressive Christianity

What Does The Bible Tell Us About Abortion?

by Minister Paul J. Bern

For a website view, click here :-)

Without a doubt, this week's commentary is inspired by what transpired this past week in the state of New York, where the abortion law has been amended to legalize abortion right up until the point of birth. The law expands the state’s already liberal abortion laws to allow late-term abortions when “the patient is within 24 weeks from the commencement of pregnancy, or there is an absence of fetal viability, or the abortion is necessary to protect the patient’s life or health.” I offer this quote from the Philadelphia Inquirer as further explanation: “The law passed this week makes it impossible for the government to prevent a woman from choosing an abortion during the first six months. The state cannot step in to stop her. This could be catastrophic. Imagine if women in America could wait up to six months to choose to abort their babies for issues.... less devastating than Down syndrome. What if a woman chose to abort because she wanted a boy instead of a girl? That’s feasible under Cuomo’s law.”

The article continues: “The law also legalizes abortion up to the moment of birth if the mother’s life is in danger. In short: The law values the life of the mother more than the life of the child.” As this was being signed into law by governor Andrew Cuomo, the governor stated he “was opposed to abortion personally, but would not deprive others of that 'right.'” By the way, Andrew Cuomo is a Catholic. The Catholic church is by and large opposed to abortion, but usually for the wrong reasons. A prevented abortion becomes a new Catholic convert. That means more members, more robust Sunday collections during mass, and more priests and nuns for the Vatican to recruit.

Many people presume that a human being is created at the time of conception, but this belief is not supported medically or by the Bible. The fact that a living sperm penetrates a living ovum resulting in the formation of a living fetus does not mean that the fetus is a living human being, or at least not immediately. According to the Bible, a fetus is not a living person with a soul until after drawing its first breath. Allow me to explain the results of my research on this very touchy subject as delicately as possible.

First of all, God formed man according to Genesis 2:7, which says, “... the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being”. Although the man was fully formed by God in all respects, he was not a living being until after God put breath into him. In Job 33:4, it states: “The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” We were all formed prior to our birth, but we weren't living beings until God breathed life unto us. Again, to quote Ezekiel 37 verses 5 and 6, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: 'I will make breath to enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you, and make flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin; and put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord'.”

The Bible also spells out the appropriate level of punishment for those who would dare to hurt the unborn. In Exodus 21:22 it is written: “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and bruise for bruise”. It should be quite clear from this that the aborted fetus is not considered a living human being since the resulting punishment for the abortion is nothing more than a fine; it is not classified by the Bible as a capital offense under these circumstances unless the baby, its mother, or both are intentionally harmed or killed.

It is further stated in 1^st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 16, “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and God's Spirit lives in you?” We are only alive in Christ when we die to ourselves. An unborn fetus lives within the womb, but is not yet a human being until it draws its first breath. Can God live within the unborn baby? Well, the Bible does say, “All things are possible with God”, that is true and I believe it wholeheartedly. But as I have already pointed out, the Bible is absolutely clear that a baby is not a human being until it draws its first breath, so that question is actually besides the point. The physical body of the unborn fetus is surely there, but as before, that body isn't breathing yet.

Destroying a living fetus does not equate to killing a grown, living human being even though the fetus definitely has the potential of becoming a human being. One can not kill something that has not been born or taken a breath. This means that a stillborn would not be considered a human being either. Of course, every living sperm has the potential of becoming a human being although not even one in a million will make it; the rest are aborted. It would appear that God does not have any more regard for the loss of a sperm than he does for the loss of a placenta, or of a foreskin during circumcision, despite the fact that these were living tissue as the result of conception.

Now let's take this to the next level, which has to do with being born again in the Spirit. When Jesus taught Nicodemus about being born again he said, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and of the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, and spirit gives birth to Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'you must be born again'. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John chapter 3, verses 5-8)

Flesh gives birth to flesh, and spirit to Spirit. Being born of the water is a reference to childbirth first and to water baptism secondly. Being born of the Spirit of Christ refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Plus, when we read our Bible, it says quite clearly in Galatians chapter two and verse 20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”. If the apostle Paul has been crucified with Jesus and died with him, then we are charged with the duty of being followers of Jesus right up to the very end as well. This is what being born again actually means.

In a number of versions of the Bible, one of the commandments in Exodus 20 that was spoken by God to Moses states: “You shall not kill”. According to the Mosaic text, this should read “You must not murder”, since the Bible has commandments stating that people shall be put to death for a number of different offenses. Exodus 21:17 states: “Whoever curses his father or mother shall be put to death.” There are also other capital offenses listed in Exodus 21. The popular ten commandments (in the original text there are over 600 of them) that are enumerated in Exodus 20 were given by God to Moses on tablets of stone. Verse 13 simply says, “You shall not murder”. That sums it up very nicely, I think. There is nothing in the Bible to indicate that a fetus is considered to be anything other than living tissue and, according to Scripture, it does not become a living being until after it has taken its first breath. Meaning, abortion is not necessarily murder.

Those who say, "If you're a Christian, you have to be against abortion, support our troops no matter what their mission, and therefore you must also vote conservative Republican," are simply reciting talking points from false teachers. There are a disturbing number of these people who have infiltrated the Church who are doing this very thing. Many cite the scripture found in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." God is omnipotent. He has known all of us since before creation. In Numbers 5 describes "the Lord" ordering an abortion. It's clearly stated in verse 22, "May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries." Many argue that this is a misinterpretation, but I'm not so sure about that. It is better to err on the side of caution with regard to the Lord than not. Before false teachers turned the issue of reproductive choice into a political football, views on this matter were far less extreme.

Does this mean I am pro-life or pro-choice? Sorry, but I will not allow anyone to label and compartmentalize me like that. In many cases, I think that if the mother does not want the baby then she should put the child up for adoption. On that topic, why do women get pregnant in the first place? Often it's due to lack of access to birth control. The cure is national health insurance, such as Medicare for all which would include access to prescription drugs at minimal cost. You know, like birth control pills or other contraceptives?

In cases where abortion is necessary, such as when the baby is already dead before birth, in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother's life is in jeopardy, in those events an abortion should be performed by qualified medical personnel or under a doctor's direct supervision. But those are the only exceptions. In the end, if abortion was such a grievous sin Jesus would have mentioned it. He never did. While I am personally against abortion, I do not presume to tell women what they can or cannot do to or with their bodies. Enough said!

This week's ongoing Bible study will move on to Acts 19 part 1

The Apostle Paul In Ephesus

[Acts chapter 19, verses 1-12]

To view this on my website, click here :-)

This week, in our chronological studies of the writings of the apostle Luke, we will be moving on to part 1 of Acts chapter 19, where we find the apostle Paul has made his way from where he was in Corinth up into the interior of what would be southeastern Asia Minor today, hundreds of miles northeast of Rome or northwest of Jerusalem. He traveled up through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, in what would be roughly northwestern Turkey today. And so today as we begin this week's in-depth analysis, we find Paul has eventually arrived in Ephesus, a city on the western coast of what is modern Turkey, and that's where we'll start, beginning at verse one.

“1) While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2) and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' 3) So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John’s baptism,' they replied. 4) Paul said, 'John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' 5) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6) When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7) There were about twelve men in all.” (Acts 19, verses 1-7)

So here we have the apostle Paul having just arrived in Ephesus, where he found some disciples, or other Christian believers of mixed Jewish and Gentile heritage. Notice that by now, Paul had made good on his vow to leave Judaism and take the Gospel to the Gentile nations, as we read in part one of chapter 18 from two weeks ago. As a result, he had traveled in a large semi-circle throughout the interior of what would be western and west-central Turkey today. At his farthest point in this second missionary journey, Paul was within about 150 miles of the northern coast, near the Black Sea. Now that he has arrived back at the coast again, he resolves to strengthen the church that had been planted there, evidently by a disciple of John the Baptist decades before.

As you can see, the ministry of John the Baptist was far more significant and had a far greater reach than what is being taught in churches today, particularly here in North America. That's why he said in Luke chapter 7, “I must decrease so that He may increase.” (see Luke 7, verses 18-35, which we studied a while back, for the full story on John the Baptist) Today's “prosperity gospel” says that we all must increase, and by as wide a margin as possible. To put it bluntly, this is raw hogwash. But Luke's narrative continues, “....and (Paul) asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' They answered, 'No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' So Paul asked, 'Then what baptism did you receive?' 'John’s baptism,' they replied.”

The reason these people had embraced John's baptism is because they had seen a need within themselves to lead better lives and to be a lot more caring towards others. To sum it up, they had repented of their old ways and embraced new ways of thinking and of living by emulating the teachings of Jesus Christ. If everybody did this, the world would truly be a much better place. But the only baptism they had ever heard of had been that of John the Baptist. In today's terminology, they had incomplete information. So then Paul says to them, “....John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' 5) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6) When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them....” Notice that the only way Holy Spirit baptism can be administered is by the laying on of hands, just like the only way water baptism can be administered is by water immersion. Pouring a few drops of water across a baby's forehead is not real baptism, folks, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but it's the truth. And now let's move on to part 2 of this week's study.

“8) Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9) But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10) This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. 11) God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12) so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” (Acts 19, verses 8-12)

So here in verse 8, we see that Paul has had a change of heart, and is once again back in a synagogue, where he and his fathers before him had been educated and raised. It can be a difficult thing to have to renounce one's religion, but this was, once again, what Paul – a lifelong Jew – found himself forced to do. So Paul and those with him move to a lecture hall, which was presumably either paid for out of church proceeds, or the space was given to Paul by Christian sympathizers and true believers. And, they stayed there for two full years, six months longer than Paul had stayed in Corinth. Notice too, God was unable to work any miracles through Paul until he stepped away from the synagogue completely. Once that was completed, the miracles worked by God through his willing servant Paul flowed like water out of a fire hydrant.

“....even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” This did not happen because Paul had special powers just because he was an apostle, as some church denominations erroneously teach. All these miraculous healings took place because Paul, like John the Baptist before him, caused himself to “decrease so that He may increase'. He voluntarily relinquished all ownership of the healing of those who were healed so that he could be used by God to be God's healer, like a conduit for God's tremendous power, which is unimaginably vast and deep. So Paul stayed at Ephesus and built the church there. Next week when we return for part two, we will see where all this leads, and how some who purported to emulate Paul's healing powers would up getting badly beaten for their trouble. So everyone please be sure and return next week for part 2. Shalom!

The (allegedly) Impending US Economic Collapse: Will It Happen or Not?

The Coming Economic Reset and the Bible

by Minister Paul J. Bern

For a website view, click here :-)

The profligate $22 trillion dollar deficit currently being foisted on the backs of scores of millions of hardworking Americans by their federal government is, based on observation, one of the greatest rip-offs in the history of humanity. The Federal Reserve, which everybody knows by now to be neither, is the primary player in this scam, and certain elements of the US government are its enablers. The root cause of this problem is the way our capitalist economic system operates, which is that it is based on debt as a way to create money. For hundreds of years our economic system has worked just fine just as it is, and many have benefited from its existence, including myself.

But more recently capitalism has become problematic due to one thing – population increase. Once the earth's population eclipsed 5 billion in 1987, there were too many people that wanted their fair share of capitalism's profits, and so all our fair shares have been dwindling ever since in the form of stagnant wages. Since then, humanity has passed the 7 billion mark back in 1999, and we will leap over the 8 billion mark sometime in the early 2020's. The end result, from capitalism's standpoint, is that too many people are competing for their chunk of the profits, while too few already have far more than their fair share. Our modern term for this is 'economic inequality', and the US in particular has a huge problem with this. Continental Europe (including Great Britain) is also experiencing increasing issues with inequality, as the “yellow vest” protests in France, as well as the civil unrest in Greece, Italy, Spain and elsewhere attest to.

So to come full circle, capitalism is a debt-based economic system, but debt is slavery because those who are repaying their debts are legally bound and obligated to them until they are repaid. So logic would then dictate this: Capitalism is a debt-based economic system; debt is slavery; therefore, capitalism is slavery, or more accurately has devolved into slavery in the 21^st century. Realities change and paradigms change, and both by the force of human progress. Now, before any of my prosperity-loving readers become upset with me, I am certainly no Communist or Socialist – I will admit to being a bit of a hippie, but I say that with pride and enthusiasm. Both of those economic systems and/or ideologies have already been tried, and they have all ultimately failed miserably, such as Soviet Russia, Castro's Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela, to name a few.

But all of those who are capitalism's proponents are overlooking an important set of facts, and that is what the Bible says about indebtedness, debt repayment and debt forgiveness. That last one concerning the forgiveness of debt is what the die-hard capitalists have the biggest problem with. Yet strangely enough, nearly all of them self-identify as Christians. They seem to have forgotten the part of the Lord's prayer that says, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. Don't expect to be forgiven if you yourself refuse to forgive the wrongs of others, whether real or imagined. Based on that alone, it would be good if I could interject some relevant Scriptures over the next page or so, together with some background and explanation of how these ancient Scriptures still apply to modern life. All these truths come from the writing of Moses, so let me start with Leviticus.

“8) “Count off seven sabbath years – seven times seven years – so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9) Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10) Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan. 11) The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. 12) For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. 13) In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.” (Leviticus 25, verses 8-13)

Now, just to set the record straight, a “sabbath year” is defined earlier in this passage, in verses 3 through 5: “For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.” At first glance, this would not seem to apply to modern life. After all, we no longer live in an agrarian-based society. But this way of life could still be applicable to the times in which we live. Overpopulation has been a concern for the last generation or so, probably more. Yet one fourth of the world's population still does not have access to clean running water. So what if everybody took a whole year off and hooked up the entire world with clean water and sanitation? The world sure would be a lot better place, inhabited by a lot better caliber of people, than it is now. That could be one version of a modern Sabbath year.

“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan. The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.” In modern times, instead of crops in the field, we should be tending to one another since there are so many of us. Imagine having an entire year of paid family leave! That's just one way that these commandments of old can be renewed and their relevance refreshed, I'm sure you can think of some more. “For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to their own property.” Remember that slavery was still legal back in those days. Anyone who had sold themselves into slavery to repay a debt, which was common, was free to return home to their families. The same thing applied to mortgages, as we see in verse 13. It still does – which is why 30 year mortgages are sinful for both borrower and lender. Let that one sink in for a minute.

Now let me quote from a second example before tying this all together. “1) At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2) This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3) You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4) However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5) if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.” (Deuteronomy 15, verses 1-5)

By now all of you have noticed that our economic system, together with the mortgage and payday and vehicle title loan businesses, are not even in the ball park compared to God's instructions to Moses, which have been handed down to the rest of us. Some of you will be surprised to learn that any loan lasting longer than seven years runs contrary to the instructions contained in the Scriptures. Also, notice in verse 3, where the Lord Almighty says it's OK to lend to foreigners, which means 'non-Jews' in this context, but extends to everyone in modern times simply because there are so many of us. If this is starting to sound like it includes those who are applying to cross America's southern border, you are absolutely right.

“However, there need be no poor people among you,...” If, says the Lord Almighty, we obey these commands, everyone will have enough, and there will be no one needy among us. But modern capitalism has devolved into a contest of “whoever takes the most wins”, which is exactly the opposite of what the above passages of Scripture tell us to do. Consequently, the western capitalist-based economies are in real danger of collapse for the first time in living memory for all but the oldest of Americans, who still remember the Great Depression. Debt has now reached unprecedented levels, and the interest on the deficits of the world's governments are accruing faster than the principals can be repaid. A financial implosion is on the horizon – not just America's, but the entire world's economies will soon crash. Once the federal reserve runs out of debt from which to create money (see fractional reserve lending), there will be no one left to lend to, and the world's finances will run dry. This will included the world's banking systems as well as the economies of entire countries. And all this will be occurring because some insanely selfish people can never get enough money, wealth and prestige, all of which are illusions.

So ultimately, the world's economies are going to have to be rebooted sooner or later. It will be the only way to stave off disaster. If anyone has money in the stock market, better get your money out of there before you lose it, and I'm not kidding. Anywhere is better than Wall Street's gambling casino. And, when the day finally comes when all the world's economies have to be reset, instead of gold and silver, I would invest in ammunition, nonperishable food, tools and barter items as a way to survive what's coming. A ton of gold will do you no good if there's no way to sell it. Our money could become worthless, or close to it. One dollar in 1913 is worth 4 cents today, which is why I say that hyperinflation isn't on the horizon. It's already here, and we've got it in spades. Four stinking cents? Just think about that and let it sink in for a minute, and you'll see how far we've fallen. And we're going to have to pick ourselves up, because the government will no longer be able to help us. Let that one sink in too.

This week's ongoing Biblical study will be part 2 of Acts chapter 18

Paul Escapes Prosecution Again

[Acts chapter 18, verses 14-28]

For a website view, click here :-)

Last week as we left off at verse 13, the apostle Paul had once again found himself dragged before a judge by Jewish temple authorities, this time in Corinth. He was accused of, to quote verse 13, “persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” This was followed, as I wrote last week, by the Jewish ruling council's presentation of their case for prosecution against Paul. As we start part 2 of our analysis of Acts 18 today, it is Paul's turn to speak in his own defense as was customary. Our own court system here in the US is modeled after that of the Roman Empire, which is why it is so riddled with problems. But before Paul gets a chance to defend himself, the Proconsul Gallio has a few words of his own, and that's where we'll begin part 2 of Acts chapter 18, starting at verse 14.

“14) Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, 'If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15) But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.' 16) So he drove them off. 17) Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.” (Acts 18, verses 14-17)

Do you see here how the Lord took a man who could have sentenced Paul to whatever, and turned him into an ally who viewed Paul as a hapless victim of the Jews? Gallio could have had Paul flogged, but he ordered him released instead. Chalk up another victory for the Spirit of the risen Lord! But there is much more here in between the lines of Luke's account of Paul at Corinth. Gallio, the proconsul and head authority of that region, was fully aware of Christianity's existence, and he knew who Jesus was and how he had been killed. He was also well aware of who had been responsible for his 'demise', and likely was not a believer. Gallio was, however, clearly a man who made it his business to know as much as he could learn about current events, as well as the people he worked with and dealt with on a daily basis. To sum it up, Gallio was a shrewd politician and ruthless governor who had no time for religious people and their beliefs.

That, based on what I'm reading in my Bible from which I'm taking this text, is why Gallio acted as he did. It's also why he said to the Jews who were Paul's accusers, “'....since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.' So he drove them off.” Gallio was aware of the circumstances surrounding the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, and how they had handed Christ over to the Romans to be crucified. Gallio had made up his mind that he was going to refuse to do for the Jews at Corinth what Pontius Pilate had done for the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Once the Jews saw that their plan to have Paul killed had failed – let's face it, that's what they really wanted – they turned on their leader, as verse 17 recounts: “Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul....” Imagine a group of people beating up an elderly man, and you get an idea of the depravity of the Jews there at Corinth, as well as in Jerusalem. Now let's move on to part 2 of this week's study.

“18) Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19) They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20) When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21) But as he left, he promised, 'I will come back if it is God’s will.' Then he set sail from Ephesus.” Paul's specific reason for deciding to leave Corinth when he did is not shared in Luke's account, but evidently he felt like he had spent enough time there. So he left that church he had planted to go and plant others, and he started at Ephesus, together with the couple who helped him found that church. By this time they were old friends and long-time co-workers, and I'm sure they relished the opportunity to plant another church, and that's exactly what they did.

Once the church was on firm footing there, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind to be elders and overseers there, and so he went back to Antioch and Caesaria to visit the churches he had planted there as we see in verses 22-23. “When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” If you have a map of Paul's missionary journeys, or if you can display it on your screen, you will see that Paul sailed across the Aegean Sea from Corinth in Greece to Antioch in Syria, a combined distance of 390 miles, if we include Paul's stop-over in Cenchreae. This could have taken up to several weeks back in those days. It was out of this 2^nd missionary journey of Paul's that the Book of Galatians and several others were ultimately written.

“24) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26) He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27) When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28) For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.” (Acts 18, verses 24-28)

Into the picture comes Apollos, an Jewish Egyptian who had embraced Christ as Messiah and Lord. That, in and of itself, bears testimony to the power of the risen Savior. The Jews had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years, and yet nearly 2,000 years afterwards they were not only back in Egypt and prospering, they were converting to Christianity. Apollos was evidently a man who sought the heart of God, and he had found it in the risen Lord Christ Jesus. And, he was a very astute individual, as it is written in verse 24: “He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Apollos only had part of the picture when it came to his faith, but he made up for it with his zeal.

But it is evident that the meeting of Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla was not a coincidence. God meant for it to occur, as Luke recounted, “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.” Two things are noteworthy here. First, Apollos received the correction of Aquila and Priscilla with the greatest of enthusiasm. This is the hallmark of every good Christian – that first and foremost we need to be teachable individuals, willing to listen to sound instruction. But, that instruction also needs to be delivered in a loving and inspirational way so that people are drawn in rather than driven away. This is exactly what Aquila and Priscilla did. Otherwise, why did Apollos respond to their correction so readily?

The best part of all this from the standpoint of the greater Church is that Apollos put his newly expanded and enriched knowledge about his faith right to work, as it says in verse 28: “For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.” Time after time Apollos proved that Jesus was the risen Lord, to the complete consternation of the Jewish 'religious leaders' of that time period. Every time he and Paul, together with the other 12 apostles, preached the message of the risen Savior, the Jews, together with their Roman benefactors, were reminded once again of the horrible mistake they had made by putting Jesus to death. Yet it was still necessary to do so, so that he could rise from the dead on the morning of the third day. So that concludes our lesson for this week. Next week we'll move on to part 1 of Acts chapter 19. See you then!

America's Future in Scripture Doesn't Match That of the Pundits on TV

Is The USA In Biblical End Times Prophecy?

by Minister Paul J. Bern

For a website view, click here :-)

By now you all know or have heard and read the various arguments about America's role in Biblical prophecy, both pro and con. There are those who say the US isn't in the Bible, and many others who insist that it is. These folks have included everyone from master theologians to televangelists on the Christian TV channels to some pretty wild conspiracy theories posted on You-tube and other websites. I see no point in debating this or in blogging about it based on what has already been disseminated. Instead, as I always do, I'm going straight to the Word of God as my reference point. This is not about dogma, nor denominational exclusivity, nor is it about any particular version of the Bible being more “correct” than any or all others. This is based on a lot of research, study, prayer and meditation based on the Word of God, which surpasses the religious dogma of humankind.

So what will our starting point be? How can we make sense out of end times prophesy considering all the angles and points of view being discussed both within and outside of the Church? One good starting point is found in the book of Isaiah, chapter ten, verses 1-4, as it is written: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain.”

Who is it that makes unjust laws? Was this intended for groups of people, or races, or entire nations? First of all, discriminatory laws are based on all of the above. Laws that discriminate against people due to their race, nationality, creed, gender, age, sexual orientation or religion – and especially for class and financial status – have no place in any 21^st century society. Here in the US, we have or have had institutionalized discrimination based on all of the above for as long as I can remember, and I was born in the 1950's. During WWII, America forcibly incarcerated several hundred thousand Japanese Americans based solely on their race and ancestry. Then there were the “Jim Crow” laws that openly oppressed all black Americans up until the 1960's. As you know, there are significant vestiges of this vitriol against our black brothers and sisters that continue to be active even as I write this. And let's not forget the genocide of Native Americans that has been ongoing for the last two hundred years.

Another form of discrimination still in force in modern times has been the enormously wasteful 'war on drugs', where punishment replaces treatment with predictable results. If you smoke or otherwise ingest marijuana, even for medical reasons, you're considered a criminal, but if you overdose on pills that you purchased legally, it's usually ruled to be accidental and it gets swept under the rug. As of 2017, 56% of all incarcerated inmates at the state and federal levels are locked up for nonviolent drug offenses – mainly simple possession cases – with well over 75% of these hapless individuals being people of color. Now there's a classic case of discrimination based on race, ethnicity and class. Last but not least, is the ticking time bomb of economic inequality. When you have a situation where 99% of any given country's wealth (not just America – but any country) is in the hands of 1% of the population, you have a recipe for class warfare and civil unrest throughout that country. All of these things are the result of unjust laws and oppressive decrees whose source is centralized government. And it is for this reason, among a few others, that I believe America is being judged, or is about to be judged, by God.

“What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar?” What was Isaiah talking about? “Days of disaster” from “afar” sounds a lot like a nuclear first strike. This has nothing to do with domestic terrorism. This is worded to look like anything from terrorism outside the US directed inward to a full amphibious military assault on American soil by way of external invasion. But, a nuclear first strike would be much quicker. Before moving on, allow me to share another related quote from the prophet Isaiah: “Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is within it, the world, and all the nations that come out of it! The Lord is angry with all nations; his wrath is upon all their armies. He will totally destroy them, he will give them over to slaughter. Their slain will be thrown out, their dead bodies will send up a stench; the mountains will be soaked with their blood (Isaiah chapter 34, verses 1-3).

How does this read to you? I see the total obliteration of all the armies of the world, apparently all at once, and the US will not escape unharmed. God is sick and tired of all the countless centuries of fighting among humankind. God is fed up to here with our militarism. He has had more than enough of those who are murderers, robbers, kidnappers, extortionists and rapists within and around the military. God is enraged with the world's armies who kill and pillage their neighbors and other countries due to extreme covetousness on the part of all the governments and multinational corporations, who forcefully put their profit margins ahead of the people they claim to be serving. So, God is going to wipe out all the world's armed services in one swift stroke, and what a horrible day that will be! God wins, and everybody who stands against him will lose, beginning with those for whom fighting has become a way to make a living.

Now that I have shared some quotes from the Old Testament, I will move on to the New Testament. As I do this, let me mention some related facts with regard to Bible prophecy. There are numerous examples of prophecy throughout the Bible that have to do with the end times that we are currently living in. In the overwhelming majority of these instances, these prophecies have to do with the fate of the nation of Israel, God's holy land. Much has been said about the fact that the United States doesn't seem to fit into Biblical prophecy, and that it is barely mentioned at all. By and large this is very true. But there is one place in the Bible where America is not only mentioned, but her fate is spelled out in stark and frightening detail. For that, we need to go all the way to the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation, where we will focus on chapter 18.

“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons, and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth have committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries. Then I heard another voice from heaven say, 'Come out of her, O my people, so that you may not share in her sins, so that you will not receive her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion of her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as a queen, I am not a widow, and I will never mourn'. Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry, 'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'” (Revelation 18, verses 2-10)

What or who is Babylon the Great? Is this a person, a place or thing? It has been taught in the past that this is a reference to the Babylonian Empire that conquered the nation of Israel and carried her into captivity around 880 BC. There is a famous quote from Iraq's now-deceased dictator Saddam Hussein that he was going to resurrect this ancient empire and make it into a world power as in days of old. As you all know, this didn't quite work out as Saddam Hussein had planned. So we can discount that possibility by process of elimination. Others have taught erroneously that this was symbolism for the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great, or for the Roman Empire, Napoleon's France or Hitler's Germany. But when we compare these possibilities to the ancient prophets such as Jeremiah, Daniel, Zachariah, or Joel – to name a few – Babylon the Great as foretold in Revelation simply doesn't match up with those passages of Scripture. So we conclude that this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Since Babylon the Great is a world power based on what we have just read, that leaves only one possibility. What global powerhouse, both financial and military, fits this description? None other than the USA.

Let's examine this more closely, starting with verse two. “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons, and a haunt for every evil spirit ... For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries.” Has the US become a home for demons and evil spirits? We only need to look at today's news for the answer. There are mass shootings in our nation's schools, at military bases, and out in the streets. Mayhem is running rampant and it continues to get ever worse. America is devolving into a battlefield populated an assortment of psychotic murderers, armed robbers, rapists and thieves. People of all ages are being kidnapped, and people disappear every time you turn around, especially children. Sometimes their bodies are found, and more and more frequently their internal organs have been “harvested”. Other times, and especially concerning our children, people disappear never to be seen or heard from again. This is usually because they are either kidnapped and sold on the black market by human traffickers, or because they are being sacrificed in satanic rituals that are nothing short of revolting.

So we can now see clearly that the phrase “home for demons” is very accurate indeed. What is “the maddening wine of her adulteries”? This is far more than mere substance abuse or addiction, although those things do play a part. I think this represents all the espionage, cloak-and-dagger “black ops”, and political and military maneuvering behind the scenes both at home and abroad. From the Kennedy assassinations to Rev. Dr. King's brutal murder, from the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan to incidents of government-initiated domestic terrorism such as Waco Texas, Ruby Ridge Idaho, Oklahoma City and the 9/11 attacks, America's “leadership” has been behind them all to one extent or another (they're called “false flag operations”). So as we translate this into 21^st century English, the US government has been fooling around behind the scenes for decades as they engage in espionage in nearly every country in the world, playing both sides of the fence, pitting one opponent against another for the profit of the US military-industrial complex. Most recently, technology has allowed remote enforcement of America's military-industrial paradigm by drone warfare.

“Come out of her, O my people, so that you may not share in her sins, so that you will not receive her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.” There are at least two different explanations I have read about for this verse. The benign explanation comes from the apostle John (see 1^st John 2, verses 15-17) that says we are to be “in the world but not of it”. There are still others, some Christian and some not, who have taken this passage literally by obtaining a passport and leaving the US for countries where the cost of living is lower (which is nearly everywhere else). Also, the “crimes” mentioned in this passage are everything I described above, and I regret to inform you that my country, the United States, is guilty of all the above, and there are times when I feel ashamed about America. Not its people – just those in charge. Although I have a passport, I haven't left yet, and I'm trying to hang on at least for the short term.

“Mix her a double portion of her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself.” Evidently the US will get all its bad karma thrown back in her face, meaning that things within US borders will become as bad or worse than most banana republics. Pandemonium will reign supreme across America's landscape, and only those who put their complete trust in God and his only Son will escape unharmed. “Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her.… She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry, 'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'” What does it mean when it mentions “her plagues”? Some say it will be epidemics of various kinds, and I believe this is at least partially true, but I also think there is more to it than that.

It is a little-known fact that America has the world's largest stockpile of germ warfare weaponry. The ongoing civil war in Syria is just one example. By now nearly everyone has seen the international news broadcasts about the Syrian people who were killed by chemical weapons of mass destruction. If you believe everything you see on the news – and who does anymore – you were force-fed false information that it was the Syrian government who launched these weapons after their own people. Where did these Syrian rebels get these weapons? They most definitely didn't have the resources to go out and buy such awful weapons. That leaves only one other possibility – none other than the United States. Our own country supplied the rebels for these WMD's, and they had the CIA's fingerprints all over them. Now that's what I mean by a false flag attack! But, it's the last verse of this passage of Scripture that sends chills up and down my back: “In one hour your doom has come!'” This is not a typo, people. When America falls, it will happen quite literally in one hour, like turning off an electric light in slow motion. There is more to back this up further down in this same chapter of Revelation, so let's begin to conclude this Spiritual fact-finding mission by taking up where we left off at verse 11.

“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore – cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon, spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep, horses and carriages; and the bodies and souls of men .… Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all those who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: 'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin! Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you'. Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: 'With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who had been killed on the earth.'” (Rev. 8, verses 11-13, verses 17-24)

“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore... “. I could end this commentary right here and simply say that this is a prediction and a prophecy regarding America for the near future, but that's only part of the explanation. As I write this, the US still has the world's largest economy, with Red China's economy running a close second place. But China's economy will not overtake that of the US until the US dollar will no longer be able to maintain its position as the world's reserve currency. When that inevitability finally occurs, the dollar will either have to be devalued or it will suffer a total crash – the likes of which no one has ever seen before (it will make the Great Depression of the 1930's look like child's play). This is the first two and the most palatable options for what will happen to the US economy in the next decade or so.

But what if it's not just the US that goes belly up? That leads me to the second and more likely conclusion, which would be a total collapse of Capitalism as an economic system. This would make the above passage of Scripture from Revelation something to be taken symbolically rather than literally. “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all those who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: 'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin! Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you'.”

“The great city” could very well be New York City or Washington, DC. Then again, this could be symbolism for an entire economic system and not just one country – a truly terrifying possibility. Either scenario would create unimaginable chaos across our land as well as the other capitalist countries in Western Europe and Asia, and let's not forget Australia and Hong Kong while we're at it. But check out what the apostle John wrote further down: “Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!” There it is again; the prediction that the US and capitalism will not only fall, but that they will never rise again, and it will all be over with in just one hour. Of course, there will be some who dismiss this commentary straight out of hand, and they might say, “Who does Rev. Bern think he is? Why, he never even graduated from a seminary!” I will only respond that I have taken this straight out of the Scriptures. My word may be refutable to some, but the Word of God is irrefutable! Be careful that these dire predictions don't fall from out of the blue and hit you on top of your heads. There is no substitute for God's Word, which is truth, so there can be no argument about that unless one rejects the very possibility of God's existence. That is a separate argument that I have taken up previously.

“Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you'.” This implies that there will be religious persecution of Christians in North America and western Europe, something that has previously never happened. This is not a drill, people, this is the real deal. There is one last prophecy that needs to be mentioned here, and it reads as follows: “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: 'With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.” This can only be explained as a meteor or comet strike upon the earth, most probably in either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. There is nothing else that fits this description. So, insofar as this is possible, it must be taken very seriously. Otherwise, like Babylon the Great, America will be obliterated. So there you have it: the United States is in Bible prophecy all right, but not in the way the majority of churches and denominations are anticipating – nowhere near, in fact. The time for all of us to get ready for these events – and they will occur, it's only a question of when – is today, while we still have time and while we still have a choice. So until next week at this same time, keep a close eye on current events globally, particularly in the US and the Middle East, keep on studying your Bible, and continue to look upward for any sign of our Lord's return. Shalom!

This week's continuing Bible study will be moving on to part 1 of Acts 17

Paul and Silas' Missionary Journey Continues

[Acts chapter 17, verses 1-12]

For a website view, click here :-)

Last week when we concluded Acts 16, Paul and Silas had just left Philippi, where they had been imprisoned for the previous 24 hours, and where they had been beaten with whips. But for Paul and Silas, it was worth it all considering how many people had been led to the Lord there. Moreover, the people of Philippi were so deeply moved and inspired by the 2 apostles' resolute courage that they founded a church there. It is this very church to which Paul later wrote his letter to them, which ultimately was turned into the Book of Philippians, one of the most inspiring reads in all the New Testament. Having completed the first portion of their journey, they traveled east to Thessalonica, and then still further to Berea in the area around the border between Greece and Turkey today. And so as we begin part one of this week's in-depth study of Acts 17, we find Paul and Silas heading to Thessalonica.

“1) When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2) As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3) explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. 'This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,' he said. 4) Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. 5) But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: 'These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7) and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. 8) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9) Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.” (Acts 17, verses 1-9)

Into the synagogue at Thessalonica went Paul and Silas to preach the Word. Evidently, they were well received, otherwise they would not have been invited a total of three times. They were also quite effective in their testimony and their instruction, as we see in verses 3 and 4: “....explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. 'This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,' he said. 4) Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.” So here we have the apostle Paul, sometimes called “the 13^th apostle” in some theological circles today, telling it like it truly is to those in attendance at the synagogue at Thessalonica. Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior, Paul told them, making him Messiah, and the entire Hebrew nation had missed it, not realizing who Christ was. Also, notice once again that there were at least as many non-Jews in attendance in the synagogue as there were Jews.

“5) But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials....” Things were much the same back then as they are today – those in positions of power and authority will inevitably abuse their authority every chance they get. So it was with the synagogue leadership there in Thessalonica, who organized a mob for the sole express purpose of forcibly removing Paul and Silas from Jason's house, presumably to take them outside the city gates and to kill them both. But the Lord was with them, I am sure, because they both knew to stay elsewhere that night. There is no way that Paul's and Silas' absence from Jason's house was a mere coincidence. This, everyone, is just one example of multitudes regarding what great lengths God will go to in order to protect preachers of and believers in his Word.

“They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. 8) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9) Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.” This, ladies and gentlemen, is how change is thwarted by the status quo. This is how resistance to change for the better is stopped in its tracks – unless, of course, the change is ordained by God. In this case, it most certainly was. Jason and the other believers with him were made to post bond like criminals, because Christianity was still criminalized at that time, and it continued to be for about 250 more years. The posting of bail by Jason and company brings us to part 2 of this week's lesson: “10) As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11) Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12) As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.” (Acts 17, verses 10-12)

After nightfall that same day, Paul and Silas were quietly escorted out of town by a few of the brothers, escaping any further persecution there. They traveled further to the east to Berea, a city in Macedonia that is actually in northern Greece today. Arriving in the synagogue there, Paul began to preach the Word with great effect, “....for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12) As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.” Notice, as I have pointed out before, that the Gospel of Christ is freely and equally available to Jew and Gentile or to men and women, and all at once. That is true Christianity as it was meant to be taught, and to be lived as a lifestyle. Human equality, my dear readers, is Scriptural.

The people of Berea did more than merely express belief in the risen Redeemer, they embraced him as the Son of God. This embrace means maintaining a personal relationship with the risen Lord, a one-on-one relationship, like a marriage. This concept of a personal relationship between Jesus and his followers could never be allowed by the Jews at Thessolonica – or in any other synagogue – because it would have made their own functions at the Temple obsolete. In other words, they all would have been out of a job. This is the main difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament: In the old one, God is far away and aloof. He cannot be looked at directly or touched in any way, but in the New Testament, God has come in the form of his Son, and has dwelt among us. The apostles all saw him and touched his wounds, and He remains with us in Spirit and in Truth. Next week when we move on to part 2, we'll see what happens next in Berea as the Pharisees in Thessalonica are informed of the location of Paul and Silas. See you then....