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This article is written to let you know. All men must die because all have sinned against God. God does not take pleasure even in the death of the wicked.
GOD says,
Psa 34:21, “Evil will bring death to the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.”
Eze 18:23, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he would turn from his ways and live?”
Eze 18:32, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live!”
What is death? Most people know and understand the physical death, the end of a human life on earth. Some foolish people even think death is the end of everything. Not so! The Holy Bible says, Heb 9:27, “And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment.” After death, there comes judgment. God will judge every thought, word, and deed of every man and woman, including president, king, queen, prime minister, pimp, prostitute, etc.
And there is another kind of death, besides the physical death. Jesus says, Mat 10:28, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.”
As a matter of fact, there will be two resurrections, the first is the resurrection of the righteous, and the second is the resurrection of the wicked. When Jesus returns to earth, the Trumpet of God will sound, all those who died in Christ will rise first and transformed into a glorious and immortal bodies to meet the Lord in the space. After the Millennium, in the Last Judgment, the wicked will be destroyed both soul and body in Hell forever. They will have a body that can feel heat and bite of the worm. They feel dying all the time but they are not dead. This is the terror of everlasting death.
This articles is written to let you know, as the Bible says, we all have sinned, for this reason we all will die. It is wise to prepare for the inevitable, and prepare to meet your God. For no one knows when he is going to die, even scientists do not know.
Rom 3:23 , “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Rom 5:12 , “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— ”
This is the origin of death, through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all have sinned.
Rom 6:23, ”For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Note: Death in Greek is thanatoswhich means that separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended (Strong’s Concordance); the loss of life; the miserable state of the wicked or sinner dead in hell; destruction; the inevitable necessity of dying; the end of life; – which occurs 119 times in the New Testament.
If you have never sinned, you don’t have to die. The fact all have sinned, all will die.
There are three kinds of death: physical death, spiritual death and eternal death.Physical death takes place when the soul is separated from the body. Spiritual death is dead in sins; the current status of every unbeliever. Every sinner is dead in sins although he may walk and talk, eat and drink. Sinners live in the world without God and without hope. Eternal death is the death in Hell body and soul forever and ever – the second death.
Unlike American hospital emergency doctors who are usually medical terrorists, not to save lives but to slaughter helpless patients financially with predatory and fraudulent practices of many unnecessary tests and procedures and treatments and fraudulently and excessively bill patients to bankrupt them. Sadly in Shanghai a good emergency doctor who was only 31 years old was infected with H7N9 bird flue and after rescue he died on January 18, 2014. When death knocks at your door, even a doctor cannot save himself. Although America claims to have the best medical treatment in the world, recently it was reported that 29 children already died of bird flue. Death – the wages of sin – is inevitable for all, for all have sinned, and so all will die.
American aggression and arrogance and provocation and false accusations and threatening warnings and negative attitudes towards China and Russia manifested in words and deeds are increasing exponentially with the passage of time and event. These hostilities include all sorts of sanctions, false accusations, attacks, smears and spying AND provocative activities of massive nature.
Watch whatAmerica and EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan are doing in word and deed. Jesus Christ can never be wrong when He says; you shall know them by their fruits (deeds). Mat 7:17-20 ,“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Since the end of World War II, all American presidents wanted to destroy China except President Richard Nixon. American leaders produce only bad fruits, not good fruits, since the end of World War II.
Never before in the history of the United States of America as it is today, a general and universal fear, worry and anxiety has gripped on so many young Americans from elementary to college students wondering whether what they have learned will be able to help them find employment in a world of rapid globalization and fierce competition. The older American professionals fear their jobs would not last until their retirement age. It dawns on all Americans, young and old, male and female, that the era of American dream has turned into American nightmare. I hold these truths to be self-evident that American problems are mainly created by American leaders since the end of World War II and the American wrong way of life. There is no doubt; American problems are Made in the U.S.A. not by China or Russia. Overwhelming majority of American people know and realize the country is off track and accelerating on the wrong track . Overwhelming majority of Americans do not have confidence in the leadership of president or congress. Unless the U.S. changes its course, the inevitable will arrive sooner than they think. As an American, I propose the following course of actions but I am sure the establishment who is greatly benefited by being 1 percent of the American population would not accept or buy in the truths. American peoples have been fooled, the special interests (1 percent of the population) have held America hostage, and American leaders, politicians and officials, the industrial-military complex, Wall Street and Hollywood executives and bankers, predatory and fraudulent healthcare providers and corrupt lawyers, are not conspiring but collaborating, knowingly or unknowingly, for the demise and destruction of America. Do you know why the United States continuously and consistently have huge annual deficits and increasingly the largest national debt of more than $28 trillion dollars? The root cause is the fact the 1 percent of American population enriches themselves with national resources and public funds at the expense of the 99 percent.
I therefore propose the U.S. promptly implement the following changes:
(1). Save the Republic by abandoning the American empire – the root cause of all American and most of world problems.
(2). Give up and close all American overseas military bases and withdraw American weapons and troops from all over the world, including Asia Pacific, NATO, Korea, Japan, etc. and annul the US-Taiwan Relations Act. Unlike Japan which has a long history of aggression, even the great imperial China did not colonize any nation. American people can rest assured, China will not covet one inch of American land. China dream has nothing to do with aggression and expansion, it has everything to do with revitalization, reunification, rejuvenation and restoration of China to its past glory and prosperity.
(3). Stop treating China or Russia as the enemy and start cooperating with China and Russia in particular for mutual benefits economically and win-win financially, and peace and security politically and militarily.
(4). Return to the Protestant ethics of hard work, thrift, responsibility and morality.
(5). Pursue a foreign policy of seeking a just and lasting peace as President Richard Nixon had pursued.
(6). Cooperate with China, EU, Russia, etc. to establish a new world order based on justice and the fair principle and policy of cooperation, consultation and collaboration for progress and prosperity. It does not require high intelligence to know that cooperation is better than confrontation, peace is superior to war. Some enlightened European nations have already started to cooperate with China for mutual benefits. There are many big projects with exploration and innovation in the fields of energy, environment, food and drug, medicine, public transportation, water and natural resources, elimination of terrorists that all can reap benefits by working together.
(7). Treatthe community of nations with respect and equality in word and deed supported by a new American national policy of reconstruction and reconciliation.
(8). For 20 years with superior military power, resources, weapons and equipment and money American military could not defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan, as predicted in August 2021, Afghanistan will fall into the hands of Taliban. Apparently, the soldiers and people of Afghanistan will not fight for themselves. American leaders and politicians have not learned the lesson that American aggression and intervention is a policy of failure, a program of defeat, and a strategy of disaster.
Note: If American leaders refuse to change, by this you will know they want to have a war of aggression with China and Russia, and you will know the second coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign is near.
The problem of the world is NOT China threat, not Russia threat, it IS American aggression and world domination. Because America wants to continue world domination and dictatorship, so American leaders and their running dogs gang up on China in order to rob China’s territories and loot China’s resources in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Xinjiang is such a promising land, so America, Europe, and Western mass media fabricated lies and false charges that China committed genocide, abuses of human rights, and forced labor in Xinjiang in order to destabilize and destroy China from within. Hong Kong is a world business and finance center and the most expensive real estates in the world. America, UK, Canada, and Australia wanted to capture Hong Kong as another Western colony again, and so they financed and incited Hong Kong young traitors to create riots and terrors and the West called them freedom fighters. Now China has strengthened its constitutional sovereignty and patriot rule, they West gainsaid Hong Kong is losing democracy and freedom.
These are sober facts to ponder:
(1). To cover up their naked aggression and expansion, the leaders of America, DISTORT the fact and deliberately and falsely accuse China of threat. It is the United States and its allies that encircle China, and the U.S. puts its 65 per cent of military forces and more than 330,000 troops stationed at China’s doorsteps poised to strike at China’s nuclear capabilities. Since the infamous Opium Wars, American and European and Japanese leaders have attacked, occupied China and killed Chinese and looted China’s national treasures and priceless relics worth more than US$100,000 trillion dollars. Looted and stolen goods from China are now on display in American, European, and Japanese public and private museums and libraries.
(2). Obama’s proved himself the no. 1 enemy of China and threat to the world security. His “pivot to Asia” policy was the American code word for aggression and world domination. Since the end of World War II, American leaders have been proven liars and killers in inciting and instigating hundreds of unjust wars and bloody military interventions that killed millions and millions of innocent peoples around the world. All American presidents since the end of World War II have practiced aggression and sought world domination, except President Richard Nixonwho sought a just and lasting peace for the world.
(3). Jesus Christ defines children of the devil by saying, Jhn 8:44 ,“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jesus Christ defines liars and killers as children of the devil. The hands of American leaders are found bloody and dirty in Iraq, Libya, Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Ukraine and many parts of the world. They cannot fool the entire world all the time. The thieves call thieves, the liars and killers call for peace and security can no longer fool the world. Lies will be exposed and terminated by truth, and truth will be ultimately triumphant.
Evil leaders continue to lie and distort facts and kill – the Hell is opening up to swallow them. The evil leaders are preparing to launch a war of aggression against China and Russia under many guises and false pretenses, they may trigger a global nuclear war that may destroy and end the world. If the United States dares to attack China, China will be forced to implement “mutual destruction” policy and 1.45 billion strong Chinese worldwide will rise up to defend the motherland. The devil is disguised as an angel of light. Let the leaders and peace-loving peoples of all nations examine the vicious lies and evil deeds of warmongers in the light of truth and stop their brinkmanship and evil plot before it is too late.
Let leaders and peace-loving peoples of nations arise and be alert to the clear and imminent danger of a global nuclear war ! Let the wise see the devils disguised as angels of light.
The state of the world is not good, very bad and very dangerous in 2021 all because there are two evil forces running amok and at work to dominate and destroy the world. Ninety-nine percent of all the problems and troubles and miseries in the world are caused and created by the Axis of Evil led by America with members include EU, Japan, rat and rogue nations, etc. The other evil force is the Islamic terrorism causing regional and local death and destruction.
China needs to make clear its “mutual destruction ” policy because that is the only effective deterrence available. The United States wants to have a dragged out and prolonged war with China using its allies and fight the war in Mainland China. Once the U.S. attacks China, China will be forced to execute “mutual destruction” policy with massive nuclear retaliations targeting the whole mainland America which will be worse than 1 million 9-11 incidents and America will be burning worse than 1 million Sodom(s) and Gomorrah(s) and vital American interests worldwide will be destroyed completely and simultaneously.
Jer 13:23,“Can the Ethiopian change his skin
Or the leopard his spots?
Then you also can do good
Who are accustomed to doing evil.”
For hundreds of years, European and American white supremacists have been accustomed to doing evil in this world. Just as a leopard does not change its black spots, there is not one single slightest evidence that American leaders will change their negative attitudes, arrogance and aggression in pursuit of absolute military supremacy and bent on world domination and dictatorship.
Jesus Christ says, Mat 24:37-39, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
Luk 17:26-30, “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”
It can no longer be business as usual. The nuclear war inciting by America is coming. The end of the world is at hand.
My kingdom is not of this world, but I have a wish. I wish all Chinese and all honest peoples of the world come to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ in order to receive the eternal life. So when the nuclear war breaks out, even though they die they will go to Heaven. The Bible makes it clear, the children of the devil and the sons of perdition will go to Hell to be punished or tortured forever and ever.
It is extremely disappointed and depressed and dismayed to watch the American leaders choosing the path of death and destruction since the end of World War II. Clearly and unmistakably the United States of America is making its last move in the final preparation of the coming war of aggression against China. I do not know whether this is the Armageddon or not. I know seriously this will be the unprecedented global nuclear war that may end the world.
Why the United States wants to have war with China?
Since the infamous Opium Wars and intensified in 1949 the United States has been the no. 1 enemy of China covertly and overtly. In 1949 the United States violated China’s sovereignty by sending the 7th Fleet to protect Chiang Kai-shek regime and prevented Taiwan from reunification with mainland China, the American leaders have consistently and persistently implemented the “containment of China”policy intended to “divide and destroy” China. Since the end of World War II the American leaders have incited and executed many unjust wars in killing millions of innocent peoples around the world in the pursuit of absolute military supremacy and world dictatorship. All American presidents, especially Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson who threatened to drop atomic bombs on China, wanted to destroy China if they could. Under the international environment they could not destroy China even if they would. President Nixon was the only American president who assured Chairman Mao that he would not attack China. Out of fear, hatred, envy, malice and jealousy American presidents want to use war to destroy China. The United States cannot compete with China in economy, so American leaders want to destroy China through the military. American aggressive policy may be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. Why do I dwell so much on American aggression and hostility against China? Because they are on a path of death and drag the world to it.
1Jo 3:10 , “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”
The American imperialists and supremacists craftily argue that the United States has nurtured the rules-based international order. If that is the case, whyDesmond Tutu, the retired Anglican Church’s archbishop of South Africa is calling for the ex-leaders of Britain and the United States to be made to “answer for their actions” and face prosecution at the International Criminal Court for their role in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq? Since the end of World War II almost all the unjust wars and unholy and brutal military interventions have been instigated by the United States and its allies which had killed millions of peoples around the world. “The strong do as they can, and the weak suffer what they must.” – Who is the strong, and who are the weak are clear to all as the day. China has been oppressed and suppressed by the United States, Western powers and Japan since the infamous Opium Wars to the present. An evil and sinful and spiritual darkness has blinded the mind of American and Japanese supremacists and militarists like cataract blinds the elderly. Although the U.S. is located in North America, according to its Monroe Doctrine, it has no legal right or legitimate interest to be the supreme power in Asia Pacific.
The history of mankind is the history of the evil deeds of mankind. Just as Jesus Christ says,
Mat 7:13-23, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.”
Note: The dichotomy is clear: the narrow gate vs. the wide gate; the narrow way vs. the broad way. Narrow in Greek is stenos which means strait, small, not wide; – it occurs 3 times in the New Testament. Wide in Greek is platys which means broad, wide; – it occurs 6 times in the New Testament. Broad in Greek is eurychōros which means spacious, wide; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. Wide gate, broad way and many followers describe the way of death.
To enter in Greek is eiserchomaiwhich means to go in, come in, come into; – it occurs 198 times in the New Testament. To enter is an act of choice. No one forces you to enter the wide gate and the broad way. The wide gate and the broad way mean the way of the world. No one forces you to enter the small gate and the narrow way. In the eyes of the world, the love of power, money and sex is the broad way. In the eyes of the world, faith, hope and love are the small gate and the narrow way. The world is ruled by the devil and his agents. There are two ways: the narrow way and the broad way. There are two gates: the small gate and the wide gate. So we must beware. The American way of life is the broad way and wide gate that leads to destruction.
Beware means to give heed, take heed, be attentive to, turn the mind to. We must beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Sheep is not wolf, and wolf is not sheep. The wicked appear to be sheep but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Everything false is not what it appears to be. There are false prophets, false teachers, and false leaders. Watch out for people who pretend to be what they are not, wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are leaders who preach freedom, democracy, human rights, rule of law, security – what they do is to enslave and dictate and destroy the world. You will know them by their fruits. Japanese prime minister wants to share Japanese values with unsuspecting Asian nations – but Japanese values are the values of denial of Japanese war crimes and atrocities, making hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Korean women sex slaves, robbing China’s Diaoyu Islands with the aid of the American imperialist, revising history to whitewash their evil past to fool the world and Japanese younger generation, refusing to pay for war reparations and compensations, worshiping war criminals enshrined as national heroes.
This is the indisputable and universal truth: A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Evil doers practice lawlessness, warmongering, injustice and oppression. Lawlessness in Greek is anomiawhich means the condition of without law, contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness, unrighteousness, anarchy; – it occurs 15 times in the New Testament. Since the end of World War II, Western powers become the most lawless nations in world domination and dictatorship. The bad tree and bad fruit are transparent for all who can see.
The end result is inevitable.
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
This means God will judge the evil deeds of the wicked. Cut them down and throw them into fire means to punish them by sending them to Hell to be tortured forever and ever. The great comfort is the fact that the kingdom of Christians are not of this world. My kingdom is not of this world. Christians belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the children of God. As the wicked wax worse and worse, the night is far spent, and the end of the world is near. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Come, Lord Jesus!
I have thought, and thought, and thought why people do evil.
This kind of naked evil puzzles and frightens me, until I find answer in the words of Jesus Christ,
Mat 7:16-18 , “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.”
Conclusively and evidently, warmongers are bad trees; so the bad trees bear bad fruits. A tree is not bad because it bears bad fruit; a tree bears bad fruit because it is a bad tree. Why they are bad trees? I believe by their own choice. This involves the profound question and interpretation of free will as it is taught in the Bible. You are free to make a choice to do good or to do evil. You have no choice to be born; but you have a choice to do good or evil.
Act 15:7 ,”After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.”
Note: To make choice in Greek is eklegomai which means to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one’s self; – it occurs 21 times in the New Testament. God’s purpose according to His choice would stand. God made a choice, those who hear the word of the Gospel and believe in Jesus Christ will be saved, and those who reject the Gospel will perish. Man is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ according to God’s gracious choice. From the standpoint of God’s choice, believers are beloved in Christ. Those who reject Jesus Christ and do evil are the enemies of God. Man is free to make a choice, to believe or not to believe, to do good or to do evil. I am very pessimistic about American leaders with its allies whether they will repent and change course. In fact, every fact and indicator points to the unthinkable that America leaders working with its evil allies are leading the world into a global nuclear holocaust. I am equally pessimistic about American people whether they will do anything to save America from destruction. Perhaps God has let the evil leaders of America, Japan and others to have their way and so has determined to destroy the world that way.
I have thought, and thought, and thought about the origin of evil for a long time. I have discovered, learned and concluded that all evil deeds done by dictators, warmongers, oppressors, evildoers, imperialists, colonialists, racists, supremacists, militarists, monopolists, hegemonists, capitalists, terrorists, corrupt officials, doctors and hospital owners, lawyers, robbers, thieves, liars, and murderers were committed either for the love of money, or power or sex or a combination. I could not find any crime or sin which is not caused or related either by the love of money, or power or sex or a combination. Wall Street represents money, Washington represents power, and Hollywood represents sex. These three evils work together closely. This explains why the United States since the end of World War II had killed millions of innocent peoples around the world and has done so much evil and especially in oppressing China and Russia. This also explains why the leaders of Japan who killed millions of Chinese, made millions of Chinese slave workers, made hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Korean women sex slaves and other atrocities denied them all and blatantly remilitarized Japan with the aid of America. This explains why the executives of Wall Street created the 2008 economic and financial crisis which defrauded and looted the world more than $50 trillion. American leaders want the U.S. to become the supreme power in Asia Pacific as well as the dictator of the world — that will come with power, money and pleasure which they seek relentlessly. Every crook or criminal, liar or killer who does evil does it for money, or power or sex or a combination.
Leaders and peoples of the world ponder the following truths:
1. I do not know the day of my death.
Gen 27:2 , “Isaac said: Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death.”
Note: Even the patriarch Isaac did not know the day of his physical death. Arrogant scientists and scholars do not know the day of their death. The wisest man does not know the day of his death. I do not know the day of my death. You do not know the day of your death. No one knows the day of his death. The smartest man or woman does not know the day of his/her death. Death is unpredictable and sudden. So prepare to meet God. Repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ before you die, before it is too late.
Do you know the smartest philosophers and scientists, the most powerful and richest people do not know the day of their death?
2. He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.
Exd 21:12 , “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” Note: Cf. Lev 24:17 , Num 35:16 , Num 35:21, Num 35:30 . Murderer deserves a capital punishment. Gen 9:6 , “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in His own image.” It was God who instituted death penalty. See my article on Death Penalty. Europe was wrong to abolish death penalty. The United States is wrong to give people sentenced to death with almost unlimited appeal at public expense. American penal system is wrong because it costs more to keep a convict alive than to educate a child – a wrong priority.
Death penalty is necessary and it serves justice. Death penalty is not cruel, murder is cruel. Those who oppose death penalty are on the side of killers, not on the side of victims. A criminal justice that does not execute death penalty invites more murders and killings of the innocent.
3. He who kidnaps a man…shall surely be put to death.
Exd 21:16 , “He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death.”
Note: Kidnapping is a death penalty. Kidnapping of children and women for sale or prostitution should be a death penalty.
4. Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.
Exd 22:19 , “Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death”
Note: Animal sex was a capital offense under Mosaic Law.
5. The adultery and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Lev 20:10, “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”
Note: Under Mosaic Law, adultery is also punishable by death. Mosaic Law is not applicable to secular states. If death penalty is applicable to adulteries, the world population will be reduced greatly instantly, the West, America, India, Middle East and Africa may be depopulated significantly.
6. If a man has sex with a male as those who have sex with a woman…they shall surely be put to death.
Lev 20:13 , “If a man has sex with a male as those who have sex with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.”
Note: Homosexuality is a detestable act; and a capital offense under Mosaic Law. Homosexuals cannot enter Heaven. Imagine the sin committed by Obama who claims to be a Christian and some lawmakers and politicians who advocate and support legalization of same-sex marriage and homosexual practice.
7. Let me die the death of the upright.
Num 23:10 , “Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”
Note: Sooner or later, everyone will die. For all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death. To die the death of the righteous is very different from the death of the wicked, it is as different as Heaven from Hell. If you live the life of the righteous, you will die the death of the upright. The righteous shall live by faith.
8. Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.
Deu 24:16 , “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.” Cf. 2Ch 25:4.
Note: Sin is personal, not hereditary. Everyone is responsible for his/her own sin. So all have sinned, and all will die.
9. I have set before you life and death.
Deu 30:19, “I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.”
Note: A human being has a choice. You had no choice to be born, but you have a choice how to live. You have a choice to obey God or to reject Him. If you reject Christ, death is for you. If you accept Christ and repent of your sins, life is for you.
10. Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.
Psa 13:3 , “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God. Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.”
Note: India should be enlightened. The purpose of America and Australia and Japan is to make QUAD the Asian NATO, the military alliance against China as NATO is against Russia. The motive of America and Australia and Japan to align Asian nations against China is a dirty and malicious plot, no other nations including India should participate. American supremacists are practicing “divide and destroy” policy again. America is setting up the snare of death in Asia as it has done in Europe. If EU leaders are smart and wise, they should set itself free from Americanism and try to live in peace with Russia and China.
11. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.
Psa 23:4 , “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Note: This Scripture explains the complete confidence of Christians in Christ. Sooner or later everybody will walk through the valley of the shadow of death, can you do it all alone without the Savior? Those who fear God do not fear evil. Christians are not afraid to die, for to die is to be with the Lord. Americans fear death most because all rich people fear death since they have a lot to lose. The poor people do not fear death because they have nothing. The poor people get to know to die in sins is to die in Hell forever. So the poor must also repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
12. God…will guide us until death.
Psa 48:14 , “For such is God, our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.”
Note: Us does not mean everyone. This is God’s promise only to all His children. God will guide His children until death.
13. You have rescued my soul from death.
Psa 116:8 , “For You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.”
Psa 56:13 , “For You have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living.”
Note: The salvation of your soul is the most important. When you are born again by the Holy Spirit, you have passed from death to life, eternal life. When Jesus returns, it will be the redemption of our bodies. The Lord also rescues His children from physical death. Had it not for the Lord, I would have drowned in childhood.
14. What man can live and not see death.
Psa 89:48 , “What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.”
Note: No one can live and not see death; not scientist, atheist, terrorist, capitalist, imperialist, warmonger, oppressor, or aggressor. Japanese are pagans and idol worshipers, there is no wonder their leaders lie and deny their genocide and war crimes and sex slavery. But you wonder if American leaders are really not afraid to die because they continue to lie and kill since the end of World War II.
The famous co-founder of Apple Inc., died Wednesday (October 5, 2011) at age 56. All his brilliance and wealth could not save him or prolong his life one minute. For the wages of sin is death. I have been thinking about the crooks and criminals of Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood as well as the crooks and criminals of healthcare providers (doctors, owners of hospitals, drug-makers, insurance and medical suppliers) should have known what would happen to them shortly and unexpectedly. What is the use of all that money, power, and pleasure after all? What is the use of the pride and arrogance of unbelieving scientists seeing they do not even know the day of their death? They cannot by evolution escape death and the judgment to come.
According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the 40 richest individuals on Earth are worth $1.1 trillion. In my estimate, the 1,000 richest individuals in America have more money than 1 billion poorest peoples on earth. You know what is wrong with the world, what is wrong with capitalism, and what is wrong the Western values?!
One man who is worth $19.8 billion said he would swap 99 percent of his wealth for 30 years of time. Fatally mistaken, for 100 percent of his wealth he would not even swap one minute of time. When death knocks at your door, there is no escape.
Luk 12:16-21,“And He (Jesus Christ) told them a parable, saying: The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying: What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? Then he said: This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him: You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
At least in ancient times people made money the old-fashioned way through the productive land. Today billionaires make money through speculation in real estate, currency, commodity, etc. and gambling on papers. Not only you cannot swap one minute of your life for $1 trillion, there is judgment after death. There are so many billionaires who store up treasure on earth and they are not rich toward God. At the moment of your death, you are not worth a penny! Actually, it costs money to dispose your dead body. The high cost of death and burial in America is worse than any country.
15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.
Psa 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.”
Note: Believers in Christ are godly ones. The death of His godly ones is precious in the sight of the Lord. The death of the wicked is not worth a dime. Arrogant warmongers, imperialists, aggressors, oppressors, supremacists, militarists, capitalists and terrorists will die like a dog or a pig. In fact dogs and pigs are better and more fortunate because they will not go to Hell for eternal punishment.
16. He who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
Pro 11:19, “He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, and he who pursues evil will bring about his own death.”
Note: Ahab was an ancient example of a king who pursued evil and brought about his death. Hitler was a modern example. Many Western powers are pursuing evil through wars of aggression and oppression. Warmongers pursue evil will bring about their own deaths. A nuclear war will destroy and end the world. The most foolish are the American strategists who falsely believe they could win a nuclear war against Russia and China.
17. Its end is the way of death.
Pro 14:12 , “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
Note: The way of life that pursues money, power and sex; its end is the way of death. The American way of life is the way of death because Americans are driven by the love of money, power and sex. The nation that exists for aggression and expansion, for absolute military supremacy and world domination is doomed to destruction. The American imperial way of seeking absolute military supremacy and world domination is the way to death and destruction.
18. The fear of the Lord…that one may avoid the snares of death.
Pro 14:27 , “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.”
Note: There are many snares of death, namely, money, power and sex. If you fear the Lord, you will avoid them. What Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood do is to create the snares of death. Although many claim to be Christians and yet they do not fear the Lord. If they fear the Lord, they will not continuously lie and kill and rob.
19. The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue…the pursuit of death.
Pro 21:6 , “The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.”
Note: Do you know any rich person who acquires wealth not by a lying tongue? Wall Street in 2008 created the greatest economic and financial crisis that looted the world more than $50 trillion, and yet no one has been sent to jail.
20. I discovered bitterer than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets.
Ecc 7:26 , “And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.”
Note: The woman whose heart is snares and nets is a bad woman, like Jezebel, Delilah, Herodias, prostitute, adulterous woman, etc.
21. No man has authority…over the day of death.
Ecc 8:8,“No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.”
Note: American leaders speak and act as if they have authority to rule the world. They can pass laws involving and violating the sovereignty of other nations (the US-Taiwan Relations Act is one example, ironically signed by Carter who claims to be a born again Christian), and they seek absolute military supremacy and world dictatorship; but they have no authority over the day of their death. American leaders must repent of their sins or perish.
22. Love is as strong as death.
Sgs 8:6 , “Put me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, jealousy is as severe as Sheol; its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.”
Note: Today, true love is rare. True love is as strong as death. The love which is as strong as death is very rare because in the last days people are lovers of themselves. In Europe and America, sex is mistaken for love.
23. I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
Jer 21:8 , “You shall also say to this people: Thus says the Lord, Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”
Note: The way of life is in the opposite direction of the way of death. God sets before you the way of life and the way of death, choose wisely and live. Apparently, leaders of America and Europe choose the way of death because they wage wars to dictate and dominate the world. One thing is not sure whether their peoples also prefer the way of death.
24. Those who are meant for death will be given over to death.
Jer 43:11 , “He will also come and strike the land of Egypt; those who are meant for death will be given over to death, and those for captivity to captivity, and those for the sword to the sword.”
Note: Some people are meant for something, others for other things. Aggressors and warmongers are meant for death. When God appoints, no one can escape his destiny.
25. I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies.
Eze 18:32 , “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord God. Therefore, repent and live.” Cf. Eze 18:23 , Eze 33:11 .
Note: God has no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, not just the physical death but the eternal death in hell. God wants people to repent and live. Warmongers and supremacists seem to have pleasure in the deaths of millions of innocents peoples around the world. Peoples do not know, evil leaders are leading them to death. I watched on TV the man who covered up himself in all black seemed to have pleasure in pushing a very old Asian to his death. The black man who trampled on an Asian woman did it again and again with pleasure. There are only two groups of people who attack Asian Americans: they are whites and blacks. The government cannot and does not protect its citizens is a incompetent and useless government.
26. Like death, never satisfied.
Hab 2:5 , “Furthermore, wine betrays the haughty man, so that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and he is like death, never satisfied. He also gathers to himself all nations and collects to himself all peoples.”
American and European supremacists enlarge their appetite like Sheol, they established NATO to encircle and target Russia. Now they also established QUAD to encircle and target China. You know supremacists black and white, imperialists, colonialists, capitalists, monopolists, militarists have an appetite like Hell, they never have enough. Hell has unlimited capacity to swallow up all crooks and criminals, liars and killers, terrorists and warmongers.
27. But has passed from death into life.
Jhn 5:24 , “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
Note: This Scripture refers to spiritual life. A saved person has passed from spiritual death into spiritual life. Because Jesus died on the cross for sinners, and rose again by the power of God, the Lord Jesus is able to save all who come to Him. To be saved is to have passed from death into life. So salvation is passing from death into life, eternal life. When you believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, you receive the Holy Spirit and a spiritual life. The Holy Spirit leads in the heart of a child of God, to lead and guide him. This spiritual life is the beginning of eternal life. Even though a believer may die a physical death, he will have a resurrection when Jesus returns and receive a spiritual body which will never die.
28. Putting an end to the agony of death.
Act 2:24 , “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
Note: Death is not a pleasure, for it has agony. God is able to put an end to the agony of death. Death was impossible to hold Jesus Christ; He rose from the dead by the power of God.
29. If I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death.
Act 25:11 , “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
Note: Paul supported death penalty for anyone worthy of death. If anyone commits a crime worthy of death, then he must be put to death. God instituted death penalty, all nations must observe it. Those who oppose death penalty, oppose the law of God. Those who oppose the law of God oppose God. There are distorted and deceptive people who say death penalty is cruel. No, death penalty for murderers and serial rapists and terrorists are not cruel. Killing an innocent person is cruel. There is a shameless kind of wrongdoers, when they are caught doing evil deeds, they say it is lawful for them to do. No matter how wrong and evil they do, they make laws and they make themselves lawful. American leaders practice unilateralism: Whatever illegal acts they and their running dogs do are considered legal; and whatever legal acts that other nations do which are not their running dogs are considered illegal. They hold double-standard and duplicity.
30. We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.
Rom 5:10, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Note: The substitutionary or vicarious death of Christ reconciles sinners to God. If you come to Christ and receive forgiveness of sins, you get right with God, you are reconciled to God by the blood of Jesus Christ.
31. Death spread to all men, because all sinned.
Rom 5:12 , “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
Note: The only proof that you have not sinned is that you will not die. All will die because all have sinned. You will die because you have sinned. No one can escape death, not terrorist or warmonger, not crooked bankers and executives, not fraudulent and predatory doctors and hospital owners, not corrupt law-makers and lawyers. All will die because all have sinned.
32. Sin reigned in death.
Rom 5:21 , “So that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The wages of sin is death, so sin reigns in death. The good news is that grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
33. Death no longer is master over Him.
Rom 6:9 , “Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.”
Note: The Lord of life is not and cannot be held by death. Because Jesus Christ is the Lord of life. Death is master over man, sinful man can only be saved by Jesus Christ.
34. The wages of sin is death.
Rom 6:23 , “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Note: No sinner can escape death. No one can escape the wages of sin.
A journalist wrote, “Among the attributes I most envy in a public man (or woman) is the ability to lie. If that ability is coupled with no sense of humor, you have the sort of man who can be a successful football coach, a CEO or, when you come right down to it, a presidential candidate. Such a man is Mitt Romney… A marathon of debates and an eon of campaigning have toughened and honed Romney. He commands the heights of great assurance, and he knows, as some of us learn too late in life, that the truth is not always a moral obligation but sometimes merely what works. He often cites his business background as commending him for the presidency. That’s his forgivable absurdity. Instead, what his career has given him is the businessman’s concept of self — that what he does is not who he is. This is what enables the slumlord to be a charitable man. This is what enables the corporate raider to endow his university. Business is business. It’s what you do. It is not who you are. Lying isn’t a sin. It’s a business plan.”
Sad and tragic is the American way of life. Sad and dirty is American politics. Such is the abnormality and absurdity of American mentality. Do you know any American president or who wants to be president that does not lie? Let Christians everywhere beware this is contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ. Jhn 8:44 , “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” 1Jo 2:21 ,“I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.” 1Cr 6:9-10,“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the Kingdom of God.” The Word of God speaks clearly; I do not need to explain.
35. The mind set on the flesh is death.
Rom 8:6 , “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
If you watch the American TV or read the media, it will clearly demonstrate to you the mind set on the flesh. The people who run Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood have the mind set on the flesh. The mind set on the flesh is death.
36. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
1Cr 15:26 , “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”
Note: When Jesus Christ returns to save the bodies of believers, He will abolish death so that the children of God will live forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. Death is the last enemy to be abolished for children of God. The children of the devil will suffer eternal death body and soul in Hell.
37. The sting of death is sin.
1Cr 15:56 , “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”
Note: Ordinary people are stung by the sting of death in private. Famous people are stung by the sting of death in public. There are so many shameless politicians and officials. The more shameless politicians and officials a nation has, the more useless its rule of law.
38. The sorrow of the world produces death.
2Cr 7:10 , “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
The poor has sorrow, and the rich also has sorrow. No one is immune from the sorrow of the world even the most powerful.
39. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.
Phl 2:8 , “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Note: Jesus Christ set the example of obedience to God’s will, even obedient to the point of death. Jesus Christ died for sinners.
40. Through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death.
Hbr 2:14 , “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He (Christ) Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Note: By the power of God Jesus rose from death and renders the devil powerless and renders death powerless.
41. Free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Hbr 2:15 , “And might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
Fear of death is a slavery. Americans and Europeans are afraid to die. All rich and powerful people are afraid to die. This is one of many reasons the United States must not have war with China to defend Japan. Although the U.S. can kill 1 billion Chinese; there will still be 450 million Chinese left all over the world. China and Russia can kill 350 million Americans, and there will not be one American left in the world.The numbers are against America and Europe.
42. When sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Jam 1:15 , “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
The Holy Scripture cited above gives the etiology of sin and death.
43. He who does not love abides in death.
1Jo 3:14 , “We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”
Note: The most miserable people in the world are those who lie and kill and rob in order to gain power and domination of the world. The most pitiful people in the world are those who seek money, power and sex at all costs. In the last 500 years Western powers displayed hatred and greed by conquering and destroying nations and killing millions of peoples.
44. There is a sin leading to death.
1Jo 5:16 , “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.”
Note: The sin against the Holy Spirit and against the truth is a sin leading to death. A Harvard divinity school professor declared that she found Jesus had a wife — a hoax to seek fame and fortune; I believe she had committed the unpardonable sin. The sin of trampling on the truth is a sin leading to death. Evil Japanese leaders deny their war crimes and distort history are committing a sin leading to death. American leaders in pursuit of absolute military supremacy and world dictatorship with lies and mass murders are committing a sin leading to death. Terrorists who kill for the sake of their religion commit a sin leading to death.
If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, you will die in your sins. Unbelief is a sin that leads to death.
45. I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Rev 1:18 , “And the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
Note: Jesus Christ has conquered death and He possesses the keys of death and of Hell. Those who reject Christ will be thrown into Hell to be tormented body and soul for eternity.
46. Be faithful until death.
Rev 2:10 , “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Christians are not afraid of death. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Those who are faithful until death will receive the crown of life. Christians are not afraid of death, for to die is to be with the Lord in Paradise.
47. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
Rev 2:11 , “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”
Note: The second death is the eternal death in the lake of fire. Death here does not mean a ceasing of existence, it means continuously and eternally suffering in hell. The first death is the physical death, the second death is the eternal damnation for the wicked and unbelievers and evildoers.
48. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire.
Rev 20:14 , “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”
Note: Believers had the first birth which was the physical birth from their mother’s womb. Believers have the second birth which is the new birth, born by the Holy Spirit. Believers were born twice, but die once. Unbelievers have only one birth, and die twice. The second death is the eternal death in the lake of fire, in Hell.
49. There will no longer be any death.
Rev 21:4 , “And He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Note: There will be no longer any death for children of God because they have received the eternal life. For children of the devil and unbelievers will suffer eternal death in Hell. This is the eternal life in Christ in the Kingdom of heaven. Death will be no more. Mortality will be swallowed up by immortality. Eternal life with glory is for all the children of God. No one is good enough to go to heaven. But the grace of God is great in Jesus Christ who died for sinners. By repentance and faith in Jesus Christ you are given the right to become a child of God.
Now it is clear to you death is the most determining factor in a human being. If you are an unbeliever, living in the world without God and without hope, you are now spiritually dead even if you are walking and eating. All have sinned, and so all will die. That is a physical death, when you breath your last. When you bodily die, there are only two destinations: Heaven or Hell. There is no third place, which Roman Catholic Church invented, called Purgatory. Hell is eternal death, Heaven is eternal life. This is most serious, it is no joking matter. Repent and believe in Jesus Christ, you will be saved and receive the eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
You have learned from the Word of God concerning death which may happen to you any time and any place.
Do you want to live forever? Come to Jesus now to receive the eternal life.
Pompous Pompeo is a small politician with no grain of truth, zero integrity and credibility but large self-delusion, self-conceit and deception, without realization or shame that no country in the Free World would follow America anyway.
American leaders and politicians consciously make America the most hated nation on earth. There is not one nation who has been helped by America without strings attached. All South American nations hate America, most do not dare to say so because afraid of American invasion. African nations receive so much benefits from China without strings attached, and with their bitter colonial experiences they look down at America. Some Asian nations don’t dare to express their hatred of America. The Philippines is the loudest to ditch America for good. The leader of the Philippines complained that America treated them like a dog.
American allies all express displeasure with higher and higher protection fees. Korea leaders are really dumb to surrender their sovereignty to America in time of war to be under the American command. Imagine the troops of a nation under foreign command?! The Korean people want American troops to be out of Korea. Japanese people do not want American troops to be on their soil. Japan also complains of the high protection fees but their leaders have ulterior motive because they want American might to help rob China’s Diaoyu Islands and its resurgent militarism needs American support. EU or NATO also expresses discontent about American higher and higher protection fees and worried about America First policy and world domination. Germany in self-interest even dares to say no. Canada was forced into doing something unlawful to arrest and detain Huawei executive without cause. United Kingdom was told to rob 31 tons of gold from Venezuela. Australia has the same dark secret history of killing the theindigenous peoples of Australia and robbing their land.
This is no secret. American allies like Korea, Japan, and NATO or EU know that really there is no security threat to them at all, for Russia and China are no enemies, they don’t even have to pay protection fees. The fees are big waste which can be used beneficially to build up their countries into good societies.
Now who are really the Free World? The Free World are nations and peoples who do not want to be enslaved by the United States or any country. Beside a few reluctant American allies, no one really follows America. America is a self-appointed world leader and self-anointed world police and judge. Most of the world countries and peoples follow the United Nations and choose multilateralism and free trade and free of American domination.
There is a great risk caused by the evil Empire of America to force small and weak and poor nations into the model of communism. The Free World should be left free, so that each nation and its peoples may choose whatever form of government or economic system that suits their national condition. No nation, big or small, may impose its will and wishes on other nations. A country may run its own country the way they see fit so long they do not violate international laws and that it does not violate the sovereignty of other nations. The real democracy is majority rule, not after the American model. The real freedom is not afraid to be attacked or occupied by other nations. Let the Free Word stand up and choose its destiny without duress. When there is peace and security, look how the nations of the world choose!
Willie Wong, 11/22/2020
Nuclear War
It is sad and mad because there are American leaders, politicians, military, and civilian strategists who believe
they can win in a nuclear war against Russia and China, although Russia and China DO NOT want a war.
American warmongers daily and constantly promote and promulgate the biggest and blackest lie of the 21st Century by making false charges that Russia and China are national security threats to America. As a matter of fact America is the number one threat to the world.
American leaders and politicians are fooling the American Public by disseminating disinformation and fake news that America is ready to fight a nuclear war, destroys the enemies in 72 hours, and wins and continues as usual to rule the world.
As attested by history the United States of America is the most warring state since its inception. Members of the military-Industrial-security complex are the beneficiaries of all American wars and they are the most powerful and richest people in America. America has wasted so many trillions and trillions of
dollars in the name of national security and defense. I am telling you in a nuclear war, there will be no winner, only losers. The coming nuclear war incited by America means the total destruction of America, Russia, China, and the whole world.
Most Americans must know by now that election, general election, presidential election and ballot are useless and exercises of futility. American supremacists (white and black) want you to believe America is democratic and free. Democracy and freedom are empty slogans when and where 1 percent of the population rules over the 99 percent of American people. The system is rigged when and where the 1 percent of the minority owns the wealth of the majority. American leaders and politicians are most afraid of a national referendum to determine the fate of the nation whether American citizens want a respectable Republic or an evil Empire. The only measure that can change America is through the national referendum to determine the direction of America.
America cries “wolf” too many times, not realizing that American leaders and politicians are the savage wolves that swallow up American people (sheep and lamb). Jesus
Christ says, Mat 26:52, “Then Jesus said to him,
“Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.” You cannot watch America to perish by the sword (nuclear war). American warmongers take pleasures in waging war. American citizens have the right to stop the madness and demand a national referendum which is true democracy in action.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
This article is written to let you know that the Word of God says Greed is the Root of all Evil, the evil that ruins the world. The United States is a capitalistic nation driven by greed and ruined by greed. Any nation that follows America will also be ruined by greed. Their greed is for money, power and sex.
Certainly there is no sin more deadly, dangerous, destructive and devastating than greed. For one can be greedy for money, greedy for power, greedy for possession, as well as greedy for sex. Therefore greed is the root of all evil. This article is written to show you what the Bible says about greed is true, and you can verify it. Greed is the root of all evil.
Greed is not external, something imposed by outside forces. The Lord Jesus who knows every man and says that the inside of Pharisees is full of greed and wickedness.
Luk 11:39, “But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but your inside is full of greed and wickedness.”
Luk 12:15,“But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.”
Jesus also warns against every form of greed. Greed has many forms. The Scripture also says, Eph 5:3, “But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints.”
Col 3:5,“Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Greed amounts to idolatry. It means, if you have greed it is the same you have committed idolatry.
1Th 2:5,“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—.”
There are many pretexts for greed, flattering speech is one of them. Western supremacists use democracy, freedom, human rights, justice as pretexts to fool their people and the world in waging war of aggression and conquest of many nations. They use national security as a pretext to target China and Russia, their real motive is to dictate and dominate the world.
2Pe 2:3,“and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” They also exploit the world with their false words. If you want to watch them with their false words, you just watch TV and read mainstream media. 2Pe 2:14,“having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children.”
I do not know any groups having hearts trained in greed than Washing, Wall Street, Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex, corrupt doctors, dentists and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, labs and medical supplies, think tanks and corporate executives. They have best credentials from the Ivy League universities and they rule and own America and the world.
Pro 28:25, “Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity.”
Significantly, European imperialism and colonialism were drive by greed in the last 500 years. American imperialism and capitalism are also driven by greed. All the wars involved Europeans, Americans, and Japanese were caused by greed. I am afraid the coming nuclear war incited by the West is also caused by greed.
There is another group of people who are full of greed.
1Pe 5:2, “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness.”
I was shocked to learn that “Forbes Richest Pastors In The World: Top 10 (2020)”. I am not going to mention and promote their names. You can find them on the Internet. I am shocked that the richest preacher in America has an assets of worthanestimated$300 millionto $760 million. A mainstream media accused Billy Graham of missing the mark by refusing to join civil rights movement led by a black political false preacher. In fact, the true missing the mark of Billy Graham was that he never preached against the sins of American presidents and politicians. Some dudes and dupes believe the civil rights movement was equivalent to Christian movement. I just want to say in passing, prosperity gospel, political and social gospel, etc. are not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. As regards the rich preachers in America, I just wan to quote Jesus who says,Mat 8:20, “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” And I want to reassure: We preach the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
“In a capitalist economy like ours, the basic premise is that everyone is motivated by a healthy dose of economic self-interest…” Jesus declares to the world, Luk 12:15:“Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Greed has many forms.Note: To beware you have to be careful. Greed in Greek is pleonexia which means covetousness; avarice; abnormal desire to have more; selfish and excessive desire for more of something; – which occurs 11 times in the New Testament. Overwhelmingly in a capitalistic society such as the West and America, people are greedy by nature and nurture. The financial crisis of 2008 was created by the executives of Wall Street which defrauded the world more than US$50 trillion dollars with immunity. American way of life is a way of every form of greed. In fact, greed of every form has infected the whole world. The rich and powerful are greedy in a big big way, the poor and helpless are greedy in a small way. With the perspective of a period from 1985 to the present, I have watched how greed has transformed even the Chinese society. China used to have the most moral and honest society in the world. In opposition to the way of the world, Jesus Christ teaches a man’s life does not consist in an abundance of his possessions. What you are is more important than what you have. The saddest thing is the phenomenon that in America people even respect the richest and greatest crook. A man is measured by what he has.
There is no healthy dose of greed just as there is no healthy dose of poison. The nature of greed is such that it wants more and more like Hell there is no limit. Greed is Bottomless Pit. Greed is like Hell without bottom. American society has three evils: the love of money (greed), the love of power (violence), and the love of sex (lust). Wall Street, Washington and Hollywood are guilty of these three evils. These three evils are intimately linked to each other. You cannot find any crime, vice or sin or evil which is not related to the love of money, power and sex. It does not mean other societies do not love money, power and sex. It is just more so quantitatively and qualitatively in American society.
This is a concrete illustration how greed is a Bottomless Pit. China has been infected by the deadly virus of greed. More than 10 years ago a cleaning woman (maid) earned 6 yuan an hour in Shanghai. Today in 2021they earned 40 yuan an hour promoted by maid service agencies that make good money on both accounts, hirer and hired or employer and employee. These employment agencies make more money if the cleaning women earn more.
Some 48 years ago when I was working my way in America, the minimum wage was $1.25; and even in 2015, federal law requires most workers to be paid at least $7.25 per hour. There has been no astronomical rise of minimum wage in America. Comparing the minimum wage of America with that of Shanghai, the minimum wage in Shanghai in ten years rises like a balloon. So much so the wages of usually uneducated cleaning women (maids) incredibly make more money than college graduates. A maid service agency even brags about how a maid earns 10,000 yuan a month! If that is the case, the wages of a maid is two times more than a college graduate. I do not know any other nation has such a phenomenon of unequal pay. Maids of other nations might want to come to work in Shanghai. Could it be in the near future China will import cheaper maids from some countries to meet the needs in China?
This is a proven fact which can be verified that I have lived and observed some 50 years in America with shock and sober awakening. Immigrants who came from many parts of the world to America, no matter how honest and moral they were, as soon as they arrived in America they were infected with the most deadly and virulent virus of American greed, maybe more deadly than COVID-19, and started making false claims and committing frauds of many kinds and using fake documentations, etc… They become more greedy than even Americans born in America. The American culture of money, power and sex has such a great negative impact and evil influence on the whole world.
Washington seeks in the order of power, money and sex. Wall Street seeks in the order of money, power and sex. Hollywood seeks in the order of sex, money and power. What the evil Trinity of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood have sought since the end of World War II that resulted in sins, crimes, violations of law, injustice, greed, oppression, sanctions, suppression, iniquities, unrighteousness, abuses, tortures, terrors, difficulties, poverty, troubles, wars and interventions, aggression, thefts, robberies, looting, lies and killings if all put together the weight would be enormously heavy that it will sink the United States of America into two halves, one half to the bottom of Pacific Ocean, the other half to the bottom of Atlantic Ocean. God will judge the deeds of men and women. The Day of Judgment is at hand!
Facts speak louder than propaganda and prejudice.
Now what does it mean that the seven nations own 64 percentof the net global wealth ($263 trillion)?
Here is the simplest explanation:
Number of nations: 193
Number of G-7 nations: 7
The rest of nations：186
Net Global wealth： $263 trillion
Wealth of G-7: 64% of $263 trillion
If net global wealth is = 100 loaves of bread
G-7 nations own = 64 loaves of bread
186 nations own: 36 loaves of bread
If G-7 nations represent 7 persons; the 7 persons eat 64 loaves of bread. The rest of the world 186 nations represent 186 persons who eat only 36 loaves of bread. Do you call this world order fair, just and democratic? Are not the G-7 nations the Greedy-7? Yes, indeed!
If using the analogy of one nation stands for one person. The G-7 nations have 64 loaves of bread, all the rest of 186 nations have only 36 loaves of bread; if you take into account of rich Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi, etc. , how many loaves of bread are left for developing and undeveloped nations are very clear — hardly any. This is the root cause of poverty and misery in the world.
Out of the left 186 nations there are still other rich nations such as Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi, etc. Can you guess how few loaves of bread left for the developing and undeveloped nations in the world? Do you know why there is hunger, poverty and misery in the world? Because G-7 and its allies monopolize the whole world in economies, politics, military, industry and technology, transportation, infrastructure, trade, etc。
It is clear that the world needs a new order。 You see greed, violence and wickedness, and injustice covering the entire world.
Psa 9:8 , “And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”
Note: Righteousness in Hebrew istsedeqwhich means justice; rightness; what is right or just or normal; natural, moral or legal; straightness; rectitude; what is right and just; what ought to be so; integrity; morally right or justifiable; – which occurs 123 times in the Old Testament. Equity in Hebrew ismeysharwhich means uprightness; evenness; right things; straightness; rectitude; in a straight way; justice according to natural law or right; probity; – which occurs 23 times in the Old Testament.
Psa 96:13 , “Before the LORD, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.”
God will judge the world in righteousness soon.
Psa 33:8 , “Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
Evil leaders do not fear the Lord, and they are proven liars and killers.
Isa 24:4, “The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away.”
The arrogant leaders will fade away.
Mat 13:38 , “And the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are thesons of the Kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one.”
Christians are the sons of the Kingdom. Unbelievers and liars and killers are children of the devil.
Rom 3:19 , “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God.”
All evil leaders and everyone are accountable to God.
Jas 4:4 , “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
There is no doubt, evil leaders are enemies of God.
1Jo 2:16 , “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
The lust of the flesh is sex. The lust of the eyes is greed (money). The pride of life is power. The American values are sex, money and power. America represents the world at its worst. The American way of life is the worldly way of life, the wrong way of life.
If you ask me to use three words to describe the world, I would say: sinful, stupid, sad. All the evil deeds of humans make the world sinful, stupid and sad.
Sinful because they lie, lie and lie; kill, kill, and kill; rob, rob, and rob; destroy, destroy and destroy.
Stupidbecause the nature of evil deeds is stupid, stupid and stupid.
Sad because those who are responsible do not realize their depravity and iniquity.
Jesus says, Mat 25:31-46, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherdseparates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away intoeternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Sheep is by nature good, innocent, harmless and civilized. The difference between goat and sheep is the difference between eternal punishment and eternal life. May Chinese people become the sheep of Jesus Christ.
If a nation is like a big tree, frauds are termites. The frauds committed in America is what most people do not know or understand; there are more frauds committed in America than the stars in the sky. They include government fraud (defense and other department and agencies), corporate fraud, business fraud, securities fraud (Wall Street), bank fraud, foundation fraud, healthcare fraud, law fraud, education fraud, industry fraud, charity fraud, welfare fraud, subsidy fraud, etc…The crooks and criminals (termites) have eaten the American giant tree empty and hollow with huge debts and largest national debt in the world. Not only American national debt is the largest in the world, the combination of state, city, corporation, organization, institution, and individual debts are incalculable. All of them combined someday will overwhelm the United States like giant tsunamis and sweep America clean like miles long tornadoes. The American fraud problems are compounded by flawed legal system and ineffective criminal justice that encourages and enriches crooks and criminals of all kinds.
Fraud is a child of Greed. Corruption is a sister of Fraud. Fraud is the financial Ebola which must be totally eradicated or it may sink a nation. In 2008Wall Street created the largest economic and financial crisis that looted the world more than $50 trillionand hardly anyone was sent to jail for their crimes. Worse than that, Wall Street executives and bankers are rewarded with bailout and bonuses in billions annually. Do you not see America is committing suicide financially, politically and economically and legally?
Greed has never produced a good man, a moral man, a civilized man, an honorable man or a responsible man. Since ancient times greed produced evil empires, evil emperors and empresses, bad kings and queens, dictators, wicked bankers and merchants, oppressive landlords and militant war lords, depraved nobilities, and the abusive and oppressive and corrupt upper classes, etc. The love of money, power and sex can be summed up in greed. The love of money is actually greedy for money. The lust for power is greedy for power. The lust for sex is greedy for sex. Greed manifests itself in unhealthy, unwholesome, and immoral love of money, power and sex. Historically greed was intensified, glorified, magnified and brutalized by the Roman Empire followed by European imperial and colonial powers, Japan and finally by the American empire. Today the American imperialism and Islamic terrorism account for 99 percent of human miseries, hardships, tribulations and problems in the world. You cannot find a crime or sin which is not related to greed, or the love of money, power and sex.
On November 14, 2014 I carried a heavy bag and I was worn out. I saw a man working on the street and asked him to help me carry the bag to the subway station. He willingly took my large bag and carried it up to the entrance of the subway station, I gave him a tip but he consistently refused until I finally placed the tip in his hand. Second thought I should have given the man more. Here was a Chinese worker whose wages are among the lowest, and yet he was not greedy but very helpful. Years ago when I was in California, I saw an old woman carrying a load walking upstairs, an American boy came along and said to her, If you give me money I would help you carry the load. This Chinese street worker is more civilized, moral, and a better human being than many executives of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood who are products of American Ivy League universities and they live a luxurious lifestyle.
Do not get the wrong idea if a person is more educated, has a higher position, and in a better living environment – he will become a better and more moral and helpful human being. The most wicked and greedy people in the world are those who are well-educated, rich and powerful people. This is going to strike you hard but it is verifiable: Confucian education is more likely to produce simple, honest and good people than American higher education which costs a great deal and more than the dream of ordinary people.
It dawns on me: To be a civilized and good person has something to do with human nature and choice, practically nothing to do with education, position and social status.
Greed has destructive and erosive effect and negative impact both on nations and individuals. The era of President Richard Nixonwas the golden era of America – decent, rich, honorable and most desirable. The United States was greatly respected by friends or foes alike. Greed (love of money, power and sex) has destroyed America, with the largest deficits and greatest national debt, the most hated nation on earth; the richer get richer and most American people get poorer and poorer. The American dream is dead because upward mobility or opportunity is gone. As a case in point, it is now impossible for a poor American youth to work his way through college as I did before. I have lived almost all my life in California and relished the best part of America – Orange County in the best part of Orange County. Due to mismanagement of government, the Golden State has become a bankrupt and backward state. California used to lead the nation almost in all the good things, now just as America the state of California has also become un-competitive. I have watched and witnessed how a beautiful and nice California is being destroyed by illegal aliens, Latino and black gangs, corrupt politicians and officials, greedy and crooked doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, crooks and criminals. Greed makes and turns everything bad.
On September 6, 2014 in a Shanghai fashion show, a set of fashionable woman dress was auctioned at a price of RMB 1,200,000.For a Christian even if you are very rich to wear clothes of such high price is a sin. If a minister wears US$10,000 suit, his wife wears a mink coat of $30,000, eats a dinner of $1,000 and lives in a million-dollar mansion, owns a private jet, drives a fancy luxurious car and with a big bank account, I say to you, he is not a servant of Christ but a religious thief. For Jesus Christ says, Mat 8:20 ,“Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” A minister who gets rich on preaching the gospel is unfit for the ministry. Peter said,
Act 3:6 , “But Peter said: I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” In America there are many pastors who possess silver and gold, but they do not have the power of the Holy Spirit. All prosperity gospel preachers and followers want to get rich in this world. They think they get serve God and Mammon at the same time. The greed of American capitalism has infected China and the whole world. The American values of money, power and sex have ruined the world.
The Bible makes it clear, 1 Cr 6:9-10,“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Note: The Greek word for the unrighteous is adikoswhich means unjust, sinful, deceitful, one who violates or has violated justice, one who deals fraudulently with others; – it occurs 12 times in the New Testament. Examples of the unrighteous are fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous (greedy), drunkards, revilers, swindlers. These unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God mean they will go into Hell. These Scriptures list 10 kinds of people (the doers) who will go into Hell. Those who drink and drive and kill people may not know that drunkards will go to Hell. In the United States the legal system is so flawed that drunken drivers who killed and killed were not executed.
(1). The Greek word for fornicator is pornoswhich means a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire, a male prostitute, a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a whoremonger; – it occurs 10 times in the New Testament. Fornicators will go into Hell.
(2). The Greek word for idolater is eidōlolatrēswhich means a worshiper of false gods, a covetous man as a worshiper of Mammon; – it occurs 7 times in the New Testament. Even if a believer is participating in any way in the worship of the heathen gods, esp. one who attends their sacrificial feasts and eats of the remains of things offered is guilty of idolatry. Some Taiwanese leaders claim to be Christians and yet they are idolaters and who publicly worship idols reported on TV. The Taiwanese preachers dare not rebuke them.
Note: Taiwanese preachers and ministers are very strange people because they do not warn the Taiwanese politicians who claim to be Christians for being idolaters as required by the Scripture. This message must be conveyed to those Taiwan politicians. You cannot claim to be a Christian and an idolater at the same time. If you are a Christian, you cannot worship idols. If you worship idols, you should not claim to be a Christ. Those Taiwan politicians must come clean one way or another. The former Taiwan leader who is a traitor has practiced the same; to be an idolater in order to win votes from idol worshipers, and claiming to be a Christian in order to win American military support. In America only primitive immigrants worship idols, but most Americans, Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood worship money or Mammon; greed is the same sin as idolatry. Idolaters will go into Hell. Most Americans worships the gods of money, power and sex.
(3). The Greek word for adulterer is moichoswhich means a married person who is guilty of sexually immorality, a person unfaithful to God; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. An idolater is also an adulterer because he is unfaithful to God by worshiping false gods. Adulterers do not go to Heaven, they will go into Hell.
(4). The Greek word for effeminate is malakoswhich means of a catamite, of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man, of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, of a male prostitute; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. Sodomites and male prostitutes will go into Hell. And yet Obama who claims to be a Christian supports same-sex marriage and advocates homosexuality and used executive order to advance their causes.
(5). The Greek word for homosexual is arsenokoitēswhich means one who has sex with a male as with a female, sodomite, a male who has sex with a male, a female who has sex with a female, an abuser of oneself; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Homosexuals will go into Hell. Obama was the first American president who advocated legalizing of same-sex marriage and homosexuality.
(6). The Greek word for thief is kleptēs which means an embezzler, pilferer, misappropriator, robber and plunderer, one who steals; – it occurs 16 times in the New Testament. The word kleptomaniac is derived from the Greek word. The American healthcare providers (such as doctors, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies executives, labs and medical suppliers, etc.) are thieves because they routinely defraud and fleece patients and have bankrupted millions of families. Thieves will go into Hell. The reason the United States has huge annual deficits and the largest national debt of more than$28 trillionis because the government serves special interests and there are so many thieves and robbers in American government.
(7). The Greek word for the covetous is pleonektēswhich means one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others, the greedy, greedy of gain; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. The corrupt officials of Washington, executives of Wall Street, bankers, mortgage, drug and insurance companies, defense contractors, healthcare providers, lawyers, etc. are the greediest. The greedy will go into Hell.
(8). The Greek word for drunkard is methysoswhich means a drunken person, the intoxicated; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Most people may not realize that drunkards will go into Hell.
(9). The Greek word for reviler is loidoroswhich means a railer, one who uses bad language, one who uses abusive and contemptuous language; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. If I understand the Bible correctly, those who use F work (which is prevalent in America) and filthy language will ALSO go into Hell.
(10). The Greek word for swindler is harpaxwhich means an extortioner, a robber; – it occurs 5 times in the New Testament. As I understand the meaning of this Scripture and what crooked doctors, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, labs and medical suppliers are doing – they are guilty of being a swindler, defrauding and extorting and bankrupting millions of American families. Obviously Wall Street executives who created the economic and financial crisis beginning in 2007-2008 and looted the world more than $50 trillionare also guilty of this sin and will be cast into Hell. Those who manufacture and sell fake and deadly drug, food, oil and drink, etc. will also go into hell. All corrupt politicians and officials will also go into Hell.
Gen 3:1-21 ,“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman: Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’? The woman said to the serpent: From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said: You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. The serpent said to the woman: You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes , and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him: “Where are you?” He said, I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself. And He said: Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said: The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate. Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said: The serpent deceived me, and I ate. The LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, And dust you will eat all the days of your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. Then to Adam He said: Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”
The Scriptures cited above explains the origin of lie. To do justice in expounding the Scriptures will require many pages. Jesus Christ gives authoritative definition and explanation of the devil,
Jhn 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” I can only give you the highlights of the truth as follows: (1). The devil was the first liar (the serpent was the symbol of the devil); he does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. The devil is the father of lies and liars. The nature of the devil is like the crafty and cunning serpent. The evil Western leaders seemingly are the most crafty and cunning politicians of the 21st century.
(2). The devil was the first murdererwho killed Adam and Eve by leading them to sin, for wages of sin is death.
(3). The devil and his children always cast doubton the Word of God and distort the truth. The way evil leaders distort historical facts chills the heart of every decent person.
(4). American leaders and politicians since the end of World War II have proven to be liars and killers and robbers . For example, American leaders used one lie of the weapons of mass destruction to falsely accuse Iraq and under the pretext attacked and occupied Iraq and killed so many innocent peoples. Obama knew in 1971 the U.S. violated the international law and China’s sovereignty by illegally giving administrative control of China’s Diaoyu Islands to the unconditionally surrendered war crime nation of Japan. That was why Obama at first said the U.S. took no position on the sovereignty of Diaoyu Islands. Later he declared to defend Japan against China. The prime minister of Japan shamelessly denies all Japanese war crimes, genocide, sex slavery and unprecedented atrocities. The lawless man even distorts history by saying Japanese soldiers were fighting for peace in World War II . The children of the devil who are liars and killers are like their father the devil.
(5). Eve admitted she was deceivedby the devil. Women are more easily deceived than men.
(6). Appearance is deceptive. Eve saw the forbidden fruit was a delight to the eyes. Do you know the wild deadly mushroom looks beautiful? Deadly prostitutes may also look delightful to some men.
(7). Sin brings curse and pain and eventually death.The love of money, power and sex has caused so much pain in the world. Be sure your sin will find you out . The sins and crimes of evil leaders are found out more and more.
(8). Sinful man cannot save himself; he needs redemption by Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.
Here another big lie is uncovered before our eyes in Shanghai. The evil deeds done by the American company are a strong reflection of American disregard and disrespect of Chinese life, health and well-being.
For the love of money, corporations and individuals do all kinds of illegal acts. In response to the illegal and evil deeds done by OSI Shanghai Husi Food Company , the following measures are suggested for Shanghai Municipal government and Chinese central government to execute actively and effectively without further delay.
(1). Gullible Chinese should open their eyes and realize they can no longer view everything made in U.S.A. is good or excellent. American capitalism is the fountain of greed, and greed is the bottomless pit of all evil. Driven by greed the evil deeds committed by American corporations discovered so far are only a drop in the ocean of fraud and falsehood. Whether in politics, military, economics, government, law, trade, food and drug, etc. China and Chinese people cannot trust the American. Intelligent Chinese should have a big QUESTION MARK about everything American or Japanese. China needs to be vigilant.
(2). Shanghai Husi Food, a unit of Aurora, Illinois-based OSI Group, has committed most egregious crime punishable by death penalty, seizure of all its assets and forever shut down its operations in China.
(3). Those Chinese co-conspirators who are responsible for falsifying and burning records deserve to be executed because not only they had committed the unpardonable crime and they compounded the evil by obstruction of investigation and justice.
(4). Sue OSI BOTH in American and Chinese courts for huge sums of compensation money in terms of billions of dollars in viewed of the fact millions and millions of Chinese are involved as victims.
(5). Shut down OSI China’s operations forever to warn other foreign companies and fine McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, and other co-conspirators very huge financial penalties and execute its responsible executives who deliberately participated in the evil scheme of poisoning millions and millions of Chinese consumers. It is humanly impossible to calculate the harmful effects of contaminated, adulterated and poisoned food for a long period of time for hundreds of millions of people.
(6). Revamp China’s food, drink and drug inspection. The fact it took years to discover that OSI Shanghai Husi Food has deliberately violated Chinese food laws and deceived and poisoned millions and millions of Chinese consumers does not speak well of the Chinese regulatory system and law enforcement. Any contamination, poisoning, addition, falsification, and expiration of food, drug and drink deserves death penalty. It would be wise to require all foreign corporations that export food, drug, and drink, etc. to China to sign a legal document to guarantee its purity and quality or suffer dire consequences and legal liability.
(7). Enforce death penalty effectively, promptly and cheaply.
The world order established by American and European powers is so crooked, corrupt, convoluted, contentious, conniving, cruel, cryptic, cunning, crude, consumptive, combative and crazy – a total lack of goodness, righteousness and justice – should be overthrown and to reestablish a new world order of harmony, justice, integrity, prosperity and security. There is no place in the new world order for aggressors, warmongers, oppressors, exploiters, manipulators, dictators, imperialist, terrorist, monopolist and supremacist.
Since the infamous Opium Wars, the United Stated has done many wrongs to China. China has never done anything wrong to the U.S. Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson had intent and threatened to use atomic bombs in China. In 2012 Obama openly declared China is an adversary without cause. He insisted that China plays by the same rules as everybody else. Let us examine the facts and face the truth:
1. Since the infamous Opium Wars the U.S. had killed Chinese, robbed and looted China’s national treasures now displayed in Smithsonian Institution, public and privates museums and libraries across the nation as well as in European and Japanese public and private museums and libraries worth at least US$100,000 trillions plus interest.
2. In 1949 the U.S. violated international law and violated China’s sovereignty by sending the 7th Fleet to protect the defeated Chiang Kai-shek’s regime and prevented Taiwan from reunification with Mainland China to this day. In 1979 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty by passing the illegal US-Taiwan Relations Act (signed by Carter a self-proclaimed born again Christian) to colonize Taiwan and force selling costly and deadly weapons to Taiwanese so that Chinese may kill Chinese to this day. Now the U.S. government has the Taiwan Act and Hong Kong Act to make Taiwan and Hong Kong colonies of America. The imperial America is evidently greedy for territorial expansion.
3. In 1959 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty by aiding Dalai Lama in an armed rebellion against China, failed and fled and has ever since become the highest paid foreign agent to separate Tibet from China, incited bloody riots and self-immolations of his followers to regain power to this day.
4. In 1971 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty in illegally giving administrative control of China’s Diaoyu Islands to unconditionally surrendered war crime nation of Japan. At first Obama said the U.S. took no position; not only the U.S. did not right its wrong, Obama in 2014 declared to defend Japan against China. The U.S. violated international law by arming and re-militarizing Japan, changing its peace constitution into War Constitution although 4 Japanese political parties oppose it, thousands and thousands of Japanese demonstrate against it, and one Japanese set him on fire and he would rather die than to live in a warmongering Japan repeating the tragedy of World War II aggression. The U.S. has done nothing when Japanese leaders shamelessly deny its war crimes, genocide, sex slavery and unprecedented atrocities committed in World War II and refuse to pay war reparations and compensations. This does not include the destructions of Chinese national treasures, public and private properties by Japanese bombing, burning and looting.
5. Obama’s “pivot to Asia” policy was the American code word for aggression and expansion into Asia Pacific, not only violated international law but also American Monroe Doctrine . By 2014 over 65 percent of American most advanced weaponry such as fleets, aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, massive radars, missiles and antimissile, war planes and unmanned planes, and more than 330,000 troops stationed at China’s doorsteps poised to strike at China’s nuclear capability from its 700 overseas military bases all over the world to encircle China and Russia. The U.S. incites and supports rat and rogue nations to make false claims to China’s territories and loot China’s resources. They are practicing a tactic of manufacturing and loudly spreading the biggest and blackest lie of China threat. They believe if you keep telling a big lie loud and long enough people would believe it. They are walking in craftiness and speaking black lies.
6. Since China joining the WTO in 2001 , the U.S. and Western powers had put many obstacles, sanctions, unfair trade and restrictions on China; but in spite of everything China by its ingenuity, innovation and industry and hard work became no. 2 economic power in the world in 2010.
7. Since the end of World War II American presidents had killed millions and millions of innocent peoples around the world in inciting and conducting hundreds of unjust wars and blood military interventions. Recent exposure by Edward Snowdengave a glimpse of the global illegal activities of the U.S. by NSA in spying many leaders of nations including the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkeland violations of the privacy of billions of decent peoples in the world and more.
8. There is not an ounce of truth about China’s threat and Russia threat, but there are million tons of truth about the U.S. threat to China and the world. In the past the U.S. despised a weak China and participated in war of aggression known as the Opium Wars. In 1949 the U.S. feared of Chinese communism and implemented “containment of China” policy even to this day. Recently American leaders are afraid and jealous of China’s most spectacular successes in the last 40 years that no nation had ever done before in the history of mankind under the capable leadership of Deng Xiaoping the paramount leader of China. Now American leaders (in executive and legislative branches) and self-serving bureaucrats hate and show malice to China and Chinese people because they are fearful of losing its sole superpower status with many privileges as by 2030China will bypass the U.S. and become the no. 1 economy in the world. For a combination of reasons mentioned above, American leaders (executive and legislative) and bureaucrats harbor hatred and ill will and jealousy toward China and they have both intent and capacity to destroy China.
9. There are two greatest threats to the world today: American imperialism and Islamic terrorism. They are accountable for 99 percent of all human problems, troubles, divisions, miseries, poverty, destruction and injustice in the world.
10. On the other hand, China is not interested in aggression or expansion. When China was the greatest civilization on earth, it did not colonize any nation and there was no trace of abuse or oppression. China dream is only to rejuvenate, revitalize, and restore China to its past glory and prosperity and share a world of harmony, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence with the community of nations. Actions speak louder than words. Truth will ultimately triumph over a thousand lies.
I. The greedy premise is wrong.
The definition of greed is not a healthy dose of economic self-interest; it is a lethal dose of grabbing more and more by hook or by crook.
Jesus Christ said,Luk 12:15, “Then He said to them, Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Greed in Greek is pleonexiawhich means greedy desire to have more, covetousness or avarice. There are various modes which greed shows itself, including fraud, deceit, extortion, exploitation, unrighteousness, etc. Because of greed, the American S&L executives looted customers’ deposits and used the money to benefit themselves some years ago. Because of greed, Enron and many others falsified records to show a veneer of high profitability recently. Because of greed, mortgaged companies made loans to people who were not qualified to buy expensive houses. Because of greed, investment banks closed their eyes to make unnecessary profits known as subprime, short sale, creative accounting, etc. Because of greed, insurance companies and banks and mortgage companies, etc. made big bets on others’ money and lost.
Socrates said, “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
Capitalism is driven by greed to have more and more and more …. endlessly. Business by nature wants more and more and more profits. That is why the unregulated American healthcare is the highest cost in the world because it is predatory, fraudulent and organized crime so that corrupt doctors and hospitals may charge whatever they please fraudulently and excessively without penalty. The Chinese has a wise saying, “The greedy snake swallows up an elephant.”
Why the American banking system is so unfair and predatory that if you put your money of $15,000 at an American bank like Citibank, you may only earn more or less $0.13 (13 cents) a month, at an annual rate of 0.01%, which is $1.80 a year. If you do not maintain a balance of $15,000, the bank will charge you $20 a month, which is $240 a year. The bank also charges you $5 for each check issued. It is possible that your money in the bank may dwindle to zero and you still owe bank’s charges. If you borrow from the bank mortgage interest rate is 1 Year ARM 4.14% , Credit Card is 13.24% – 20.24% APR based on credit worthiness, and 48 month new car loan is 2.9%. Do you see how capitalism exploits and extorts and robs the people? Why do the banks make all the rules that enrich themselves and the government approves them? The rate on the 10-year Treasury is just 1.62 percent.This is the beauty of capitalism, the government let banks to practice monopoly and set almost zero interest for savings but high interest for loans. This is the kind of democracy American leaders are so proud of in making the 1 percent of the population very rich at the expense of 99 percent of the population.
II. American capitalism is a product of greed.
In the name of profit business and industry would do anything. Doctors, hospitals, labs, medical supplies, drug and insurance companies dared to make false claims and fraudulent billings that led to the highest medical and health care costs in the world and sucked more than $8 trillion dollars a year from the economy. It only takes a major illness to bankrupt a middle class family that has been working hard and saving for a lifetime. Due to greed people commit predatory and fraudulent practices of infinite varieties. It is an open secret that fake injury victims in collaboration with crooked doctors and lawyers made false claims worth billions of dollars a year. There are more frauds and more varieties of fraud committed in America than the stars in the sky; identity theft was an invention by crooks and criminals in America. People who got filthy lucre inevitably become philanthropists and set up foundations (tax-free) to compensate for their guilty conscience because of evil deeds. American legal system is also a product of greed. Just like an infamous woman said, “The rich do not pay taxes.”
Many large corporations also do not pay taxes. The rich and powerful have a group of lawyers to protect them and defend their illegal acts. Crooks and criminals can use the legal system to blackmail and threaten people who cannot afford a lawyer. The political system is also a product of greed. Lobbyists spend billions to buy off lawmakers and politicians. National, state, and local campaigns for offices involve billions of dollars. Frauds in government contracts (including defense, etc.) entail billions of dollars. Bureaucrats use government credit cards to purchase expensive items for themselves. American society is also a product of greed where the prevailing values of money, power and sex drive people mad. Crime and violence run rampant. You do not have real friends, people only use each other. American society is the most alienated society in the world.
Example, just as the government spends needlessly by borrowing endlessly, many Americans live beyond their means on credit, buying houses and cars, etc. that they were not qualified, etc. The richest men in America did not make their money on the basis of their own ingenuity, skill and hard work; but by monopoly, unfair and predatory and fraudulent practices. American problems will not go away, the more problems the more money is needed and can be made. Special interests make money on American problems.
For example, if there is no single-parent family problem, there would be no need for social services. If there is no Medicare & Medicaid, how would doctors, hospitals, drug and insurance companies make so much money by sucking more than $8 trillions a year from the economy? If there is no war, how would the military-industrial complex and defense contractors live lavishly? Greed breeds corruption. In summary, the current American economic and financial crisis is an accumulation and culmination of evil deeds of greed that drive politicians, Wall Street, large firms and ordinary Americans to excess and madness and now the taxpayers are paying the price.
The single evidence of greed in government is the huge deficits and the national debt of over $29 trillion.
According to 2011 Institute for Policy Studies Executive Excess report, “Corporate outlays for CEO compensation — despite the lingering Great Recession — are rising. Employment levels have barely rebounded from their recessionary lows. Top executive pay levels, by contrast, have rebounded nearly all the way back from their pre-recession levels. This contrast shows up starkly in the 2010 ratio between average worker and average CEO compensation. In 2009, we calculate, major corporate CEOs took home 263 times the pay of America’s average workers. Last year, this gap leaped to 325-to-1. Among the nation’s top firms, the S&P 500, CEO pay last year averaged $10,762,304, up 27.8 percent over 2009. Average worker pay in 2010? That finished up at $33,121, up just 3.3 percent over the year before. What are America’s CEOs doing to deserve their latest bountiful rewards? We have no evidence that CEOs are fashioning, with their executive leadership, more effective and efficient enterprises. On the other hand, ample evidence suggests that CEOs and their corporations are expending considerably more energy on avoiding taxes than perhaps ever before — at a time when the federal government desperately needs more revenue to maintain basic services for the American people. This disinvestment also undermines the infrastructure and services that small and large businesses also depend upon. Investigative journalists and tax research organizations have been documenting how U.S.-based global companies are aggressively shearing — and even totally eliminating — their federal income tax obligations.
This past March, for instance, The New York Times traced the steps General Electric has taken to avoid U.S. corporate taxes for the last five years. Citizens for Tax Justice, as part of a forthcoming study on tax avoidance among the Fortune 500, has identified 12 corporations that have paid an effective rate of negative 1.5 percent on $171 billion in profits.” The American capitalism enriches the business executives and robs the workers and the country. Apparently the political system is benefiting the rich and powerful greatly financially at public expense.
III. America is the prime example how a country and society is ruined by greed.
“Wall Street is nothing if not an organized system of greed, a high-stakes game in which the object is to take advantage of customers and counterparties by buying pieces of paper from them at less than they are really worth and selling them to others for more than they are worth.” That is the underlying and root cause of the failure of capitalism. No, old-fashioned incompetence is not greed. They were very competent and highly intelligent in making up false financial statements and cover-up of their crime. Greed turns a republic into an empire, democracy into dictatorship, the public interest into special interest, public servants into self-serving politicians and bureaucrats – American greed has infected the whole world. What is needed is a new responsible economic and financial system, a new and just legal and political structure, a leadership of integrity, and a new way of life – or the evil (not mistake) will be repeated again and again until the end comes.
STONE LAKE, Wis. (AP) reported (2011-8-11) that a man concealed his mother’s decomposing body at their home in rural northwestern Wisconsin for years so he could continue to receive her monthly social security checks of $1,128.
According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the 40 richest individuals on Earth are worth $1.1 trillion. In my estimate, the 1,000 richest individuals in America have more money than 1 billion poorest peoples on earth.You know what is wrong with the world, what is wrong with capitalism, and what is wrong the Western values.
One man who is worth $19.8 billion said he would swap 99 percent of his wealth for 30 years of time. Fatally mistaken, for 100 percent of his wealth he would not even swap one minute of time. When death knocks at your door, there is no escape.
Luk 12:16-21,“And He (Jesus Christ) told them a parable, saying: The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying: What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? Then he said: This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. ButGod said to him: You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
At least in ancient times people made money the old-fashioned way through the productive land. Today billionaires make money through speculation in real estate, currency, commodity, etc. and gambling on papers. Not only you cannot swap one minute of your life for $1 trillion, there is judgment after death. There are so many billionaires who store up treasure on earth and they are not rich toward God. At the moment of your death, you are not worth a penny!
The American healthcare system is the most costly, fraudulent, ineffective and predatory in the world all because greedy and corrupt doctors, hospital owners, labs and medical suppliers, drug and insurance companies want to make more profits incessantly with immunity and there is NO controlling authority to stop the fraudulent and predatory practices AND excessive charges without end.
IV. The love of money is the root of all evil.
1Ti 6:10 , “For the love of money is the root of all evil, for which some have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
Note: The Greek word for love of money is philargyriawhich means avarice, greed, covetousness, the desire of having more and more, lust; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. All sorts of evil are endless. For the love of money most dangerous to health and life are the recycling of expired drugs, manufacturing of fake and toxic drugs, manufacturing of fake and toxic food and drink, etc. For the love of money doctors used pain killer injections paid at high price to be divided with some patients each paying full price. I believe those who make and sell deadly food and drug and drink should meet with death penalty. The American healthcare system is the most costly in the world because greedy doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies commit predatory practices and defraud patients. For the love of money Wall Street executives created the economic and financial crisis started in 2007 which looted the world more than $50 trillion . For the lust of power warmongers attacked and occupied nations and killed millions of people. Can you prove any crime or sin which is not directly related to greed for power, greed for money, or greed for sex?
The Greek word for sorrow is odynē which means consuming grief, pain, sadness, mental or emotional suffering; – it occurs only twice in the New Testament. I am not surprised that Las Vegas is the saddest city in America with the third-highest suicide rate. Gambling is an obvious form of greed, unlike the predatory practices of doctors and hospitals are hidden in their fraudulent billing. The greedy are consumed or will be consumed by grief and pain caused by their own greed; if not in this world, it will be in hell forever and ever.
It was reported that a dentist in the U.S. in an effort to save money used paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals which can cause pain and even infection. You must have heard how Taiwan manufacturers used toxic substance in food and drink products in order to make high profits. For the love of money, the evil deeds of men are unlimited.
Forbes ranks the world’s billionaires of 2012. The world belongs to them and they belong to the world. Do you know anyone of them is a true follower of Jesus Christ?
Mat 19:23-24,“And Jesus said to His disciples: Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Luk 12:21 ,“So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” A man can be rich toward men, but not rich toward God.
2Cr 8:9,“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” The children of God are richer than all the world’s billionaires put together because they shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
1Ti 6:17,“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” Those billionaires are only rich in this present world; they have nothing in the world to come. The uncertainty of riches even the rich is aware of it. Executives of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood are rich only in this present world, without hope and without God. They have nothing in the world to come!
Jam 1:11,“For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.” The rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
Jam 2:5,“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
The poorest Christians are richer than those billionaires because they are rich in faith and they are heirs of the Kingdom of God. The Bible has a word for those billionaires,
Jam 5:1, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you!”
Greed not only ruins the rich, greed also ruins the poor.
1Ti 6:9 ,“ People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ”
Note: By wanting more and more, the rich fall into temptation and a trap into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. Some poor want to get rich quick and get trapped into many foolish and harmful desires fall into temptation and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction also. The foolish and harmful desires of the rich and poor are unlimited.
A foolish young man born of a foolish woman wanted to get rich quick and he did not want to continue making bread and earn little money. So he cooked up a dumb plan of pretending to be rich by borrowing at high interest from organized crime syndicate. He used the borrowed money 70,000 yuan to buy expensive cellphone, and lavishly entertained business people at luxurious restaurants with gifts etc. hoping they would give him some business deal. He got zero business deal and the high-interest debt of 70,000 provided by gangs demand immediate pay payment. The young man who inflicted himself with foolish and harmful passions now immediately plunges into ruin and destruction. When a man is desperate, he becomes dangerous. A desperate person is a dangerous person; he may resort to robbery, swindling or something worse. It is very dangerous not to make payment to gangsters who lend with usury. There are billions of similar and other stories how foolish and harmful desires ruined and destroyed people who wanted to get rich quick. Greed leads to self-destruction.
The newspaper reported a corrupt Chinese official was convicted of corruption and sentenced to death, among large amount of cash and other things, he owned 374 apartment houses. If the crook and criminal visits the properties acquired by crooked means one unit a day, he cannot finish the job in a year. Greed is as wide as Hell, as bottomless as the Pit.
In the last days people are more dangerous because they have triple most deadly loves: not only lovers of money, lovers of self, and lovers of pleasure. This evil trinity drives them more to evil deeds.
Imagine warmongers make high profit in wars such as Ukraine now!
(A). There are many forms of greed.
Luk 12:15 ,“Then He said to them: Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Note: There are endless forms of greed, from love of money, power, sex to fame and glory, luxurious life style, shameless corruption, etc. Greed appears in business and industry, government, charity, school and university, religion, healthcare, Wall Street, Washington, Hollywood, and military-industrial-security complex. A form of greed is selling the fake as true. For example, selling non-organic vegetables as organic vegetables at many times the prices. All fake products from food, drug, drink to manufactured goods and products are selling as real for high profits. As an illustration, the price disparity between a Ming or Qing antique and a modern imitation is so vast that may be millions of dollars in difference. You need to guard against greed more than you guard against thieves and robbers.
Because of greed, criminals destroyed portions of the Great Wall. Because of greed, people robbed the tombs of emperors. Because of greed China’s national treasures were smuggled out to foreign nations. The evil deeds done in the world because of greed are more than the stars in the sky. Because of greed the American healthcare becomes the most costly in the world whereas doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies defraud and fleece and bankrupt patients and suck the blood of the economy more than $8 trillion a year.
Of some 6,500 swindling spams (not advertising) I have received through e-mails and messages since the Christmas season of 2011, most of them are Africans and Muslims, most are women black and white, some Muslims call themselves doctors, some Muslims call themselves princes, a few call themselves princesses, one calls himself a prince with an English name, most are Nigerian con artists, some whites, many women who want to sell their bodies, few men want to sell sex, one Chinese, one crook from Taiwan offering phony partnership, one used the name of the United Nations Office to beg for money (the beggar has an English name), a Microsoft Award of Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pound (£950,000.00) from the Event Manager Dr. Christopher Baker, Australian National Lottery Department cash prize of $1,000,000 even though you never play the lottery with a winning ticket number, EUROPEAN LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION of TWO MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($2,800,000.00) from JAMES WALTER even you never bought a ticket, a cheque of $500,000 approved by the World Bank director Robert Zoellick from KRISTINALINA .G SECRETARY GENERAL of WORLD BANK for no reason, various investment scams and phony business proposals, phony winning of lottery without buying or awards, one who calls himself a pastor in Sweden, and two who claimed to be pastors want to do business with me by selling my products (writings) although I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for free, most shamelessly call their intended victims dearest, all demand urgent attention. Their methods of deception vary: some appeal in the name of charity, some sheer begging, most use baits, a few even use the name of God in vain – they are all liars and swindlers. These shameless, lawless, artless, senseless, wicked and conscienceless people have only one in common; they con people for money, money, and money. Some women solicit sex for money. Deviousness and shamelessness characterize all scam artists and swindlers. These swindlers are so shameless, low, degenerate and depraved that they even ask their intended victims to trust them. They are everything what a human being should not be; the scums of the earth. They lie and lie and lie because they are the children of the father of lies, the children of darkness.
The crux of fraud through spams is that crooks and criminals fraudulently offer you phony money as bait, but their intent is to defraud lots of real money from you. Using money as a bait to get money is a satanic trick, because what these con artists offer you are empty false promises, what they will get from you is real money. So wise up, do not fall into the trap. The best thing is to mark their e-mails as “spam” and delete them without even reading because they are not worth wasting your time. The origins of these crooks and criminals reflect the true color and character of their countries and cultures.
Scam and spam through email is predominantly committed by one racial and religious group. They are the shameless scums of the earth, the enemies of truth, the parasites of humanity, and the children of darkness. They have no shame, no sense, no self-esteem, no scruples – they exist to deceive, defraud and debase.
This is one of billions of fraud and scam and spam sent out daily through the Internet to deceive and defraud peoples around the world. The Internet (including emails) is the most fertile and fraudulent land of crooks and criminals who scheme and do all kinds of evil with impunity. This one has an address in United Kingdom. Although the United States controls the Internet, there is no government that prosecutes Internet frauds and organized crimes. The Internet is used by evildoers to spy on leaders of nations, businesses and industries, and billions of law-abiding peoples around the world. You wonder if the real Coca-Cola Company does anything to protect its name and fight against fraud. You wonder if United Kingdom is interested in cracking down frauds and crimes.
The coca cola company.
Prize Claim Centre
1 Queen Caroline Street,
London W6 9HQ,
United Kingdom.
Greetings,
We are pleased to inform you that your E-Mail number has won you £995,000 in (Nine Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand British Pounds) in the 2014 Coca-Cola Live Int’l Draw. You were selected randomly by our Computer system and emerged as the winner in the final category of the Draw with the following numbers; (15 – 40 – 23 – 07 – 02). All E-mails were obtained from the International web Directory.
I wish to let you know the steps that you must follow to receive your prize money at the earliest possible time. In this process, we shall respect your views, opinions and most importantly, protect your privacy. Please provide us with the following information to enable us issue you the Award Certificate and process your prize release.
You are required to contact our dispatch dept via email ( rajoscar245@yahoo.com ) with information below in order for us to complete your winning certificate and for further information.
Full Name…………………
Address……………………
Age…………………………
Sex…..male…………………….
Nationality…………………
Occupation………………
Home Phone………………
Mobile Phone……………..
Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is IMD-112211 and must be quoted in the subject of every correspondence. Please keep details of your winning confidential until the successful transfer of your fund to you, as any form of double claim will lead to withdrawal of the Prize. This draw was conducted solely by Coca-Cola Company, UK and cannot be redeemed at your Local Coca-Cola Office.
Yours in service,
Mr. Raj Oscar
(Claim Agent)
——————————————————
Now Chinese in Singapore (probably Singaporeans) also engaged in global scam, using the name of RHB BANK Singapore. There are so many evil people and liars in the world. Remind you hell is the bottomless pit with infinite capacity! A Singaporean claimed he works as an External auditor of RHB BANK Singapore and a family member of mine left behind an estate/capital of USD12.5 Million. Singapore is known to be a law and order city state, it is time RHB BANK Singapore take Freddie Chee Ng to court to be prosecuted.
Spams used to be the defrauding game of Africans, now Europeans and Americans and Asians also get into the very act. The following is a real example of a spam. To evaluate a spam, you need to do internal and external evidence check analysis.
(1)． Internal
There are many inconsistencies and inappropriate and illogical statements with incongruous procedure.
A. The man who calls him a pastor in Sweden wrote me the following e-mail without specified the name to.
B. “I am the new beneficiary of partner.” – This does not specify who is the partner, who was the “old beneficiary.”
C. “I am contacting you in respect of compensation.” – I do not work for any of them, so compensation does not exist. You do not get something for nothing.
D. “I was related of your formal participation longed to run a transaction which failed you at a stage.” – I never had a formal participation, nor any transaction which failed at a stage (whatever stage).
E. “I have received the amount to start my project.” – He did not specify receive what amount from whom to start what project; anyhow it does not concern me; it must be a simple and pure bait.
F. “I hope you should thank God with me in succeeding the privilege, through the instruction of your partner that you were the first person to have had the accomplishment of this transaction with him but for one reason and another you could not achieve the process.” – This gobbledygook comes right from hell, using the name of God in vain, since I never had a partner. The deceitful process gets deeper and darker.
G. “Admitting to his guide lines I dropped a cashier cheque of “HALF A MILLION” Five Hundred Thousand Dollar (500, 000.00 Dollar) for your compensation.” – Deliberately “his guide lines” does not identify the person, perhaps is the devil disguised as an angel of light. He dropped a cashier check of half a million, amazing – maybe it dropped right back to hell. Again, a hallucination that anyone can be compensated for nothing.
H. “Being that I am busy with my project and I have no address or your destination you should contact my representative in Burkina Faso Mr. Adams.Kabour to receive the cashier cheque or transfer the cash to you under your instruction through; Email; mr_adamskabouri01@yahoo.co.jp ” – How convenient to be busy in dropping half a million dollar, it gets more and more ludicrous and ridiculous. How could a man being a pastor of church in Sweden having no address? The name of his representative is of great suspect, and the country mentioned is in Africa abnormally strange in relation to Sweden.
(2). No waste of time is needed to go into further analysis. I waste my time so that you will not be fooled.
(3). As regards external evidence, my friends in Scandinavia can easily verify the identity of the man who calls himself a pastor in Sweden.
There is an international ring of organized crime to defraud and scam people who are gullible, because the con artists always use large sum of money of fictitious existence as a bait. Only fools fall into their traps.
(4). Yahoo email service should not be made available to crooks and criminals who swindle and defraud unsuspecting people in the world. I wonder why Yahoo knowingly carries spams nonetheless.
You are reading from Pastor. Nils W. Olsson, the G. O. S of Agape Love Ministry, Sweden (Sverige). I am the new beneficiary of partner. I am contacting you in respect of compensation. I was related of your formal participation longed to run a transaction which failed you at a stage. I have received the amount to start my project.
I hope you should thank God with me in succeeding the privilege, through the instruction of your partner that you were the first person to have had the accomplishment of this transaction with him but for one reason and another you could not achieve the process. Admitting to his guide lines I dropped a cashier cheque of “HALF A MILLION” Five Hundred Thousand Dollar (500, 000.00 Dollar) for your compensation. Being that I am busy with my project and I have no address or your destination you should contact my representative in Burkina Faso Mr. Adams.Kabour to receive the cashier cheque or transfer the cash to you under your instruction through; Email; mr_adamskabouri01@yahoo.co.jp
Write me back sooner or later you receive the cashier cheque. Moreover it will later be a great pleasure to know you in person maybe I can visit you or you pay me a visit in my church in Sweden.
Thank you very much and may good God continue to shower his abundant blessing upon us and every member of your family.
The following probably is the most incredible spam I have ever received so far because it claims to be from the World Bank president Jim Yong Kim which I copied exactly from the email received. Notice the email does not address my name personally. Without name is a trick of mass production for mass circulation.
Attention / From World Bank RE/NO: 002-Rbs/0047/2012
Attention
On behalf of the entire staff of the World Bank and the United Kingdom in collaboration with IMF and EU Office. We apologize for the delay of your contract payment, and all the inconveniences you encountered while pursuing this payment. However, from the records of outstanding due payment with the United Kingdom, your name was discovered as next on the list of the outstanding beneficiary who have not yet received their payments.
I wish to inform you now that the square peg is now in square hole and your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter via diplomatic means of payment. so if you like to receive your fund this way, please let us know by contacting Diplomat Allan Bowler, and also re-confirm to him the following information’s, in order to proceed immediately:
Your Full Name: ______________________________ Your Contact House Address: ______________________ Name of City of Residence:_______________________________ Country:____________________________________ Direct Telephone Number:________________________ Mobile Number:____________________________________ Working Identity Card/Int’l Passport:________________________________ AGE: ________________________________ OCCUPATION: ________________________________
However, kindly find below the contact person: Diplomat Allan Bowler A Diplomatic Agent by profession Email: deliveredofficeuk@voila.fr
Note that from the record in the file, your outstanding payment is US$5,500,000.00 (Five Million five hundred United States Dollars). So as soon as the you re-confirm to Diplomat Allan Bowler the above mentioned details, your fund will be deliver to you immediately via diplomatic means of delivery without any holdup.
You are hereby advice to stop dealing with some non-officials in the bank as this is an illegal act and will have to stop if you so wish to receive your payment immediately. We discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your funds into their private accounts. You are further advised to STOP further contact with any offices or agency related on your transactions and in your best interest.
Yours Sincerely, Jim Yong Kim World Bank president—Crooks and criminals get bolder and bolder, more and more blatant. Here is a case of using the name of the secretary of the United Nations:UNITED NATIONS 2012/2013 SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATION PAYMENT VIA OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting And Investigations Division. website http:http://www.un.org/sg/biography.shtml
Attn: Funds Beneficiary,
With all due respect, Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations; I wish to inform you that I just arrived London The United Kingdom few days ago with the United Nation Deputy-Secretary General (JAN ELIASSON) on a two days official visit to London with the queen of England, but was directed to Central London-England, United Kingdom yesterday from Manchester on a special duty, after series of complains from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the rate of scam Activities going on in these two nations..
I have spoken with the adviser on international matters to the Prime minister here in London and have also spoken to the president of Nigeria Dr. Good luck Jonathan of Nigeria since the problem originated from Nigeria which he is the president of “On our telephone conversation, He told me that he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund since the assumption of office as the president sometime this year. Right now, i am the secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon after his recent meeting with the President of America on his recent trip to America for the United Nation Peace keeping talk with the world leaders, We are working in collaborations with the Republic of Ghana cybercrime Commission (GCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of England through an apex bank here in England to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of (US$3.6 Million United state Dollar) approved by the UNITED NATION,
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with One FAKE ROBERT MUILLER who claimed to work with the FBI from USA to frustrate you and there after divert your fund into their personal account. On the acceptance of this email, I will advise you to reconfirm me with your present phone number and address to enable me cross-check with what I have here in our database.
I have a very limited time to stay in London here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on what next to do as soon as you can take care of the Notarization fees of US$400 as written above.
You can contact our United nation agent in LAGOS NIGERIA through this Email address only: (ms5geh01@yahoo.cn)
Yours Sincerely, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. the eighth Secretary-General Of the United Nations———————– Note: This letter was produced for mass distribution, although I received it but it does not address to me is the proof. This crook cannot spell and use capitalization, etc. The U.N. should investigate and prosecute the so-called United Nation agent in Lagos Nigeria with the email address only listed. Why so many crooks and criminals come from Africa, in particular Nigeria? ———–Here is a scam in the name of the Prime Minister of Britain. If the United Kingdom has any sense of law and order, it is about time to investigate Rt Hon William Hague MP and Mrs. Elaine Rooker Smith. How ridiculous that a poor British government wants to give me £2,000,000.00 (Two Million, Great British Pounds Sterling)? What a bait and trap for fools!OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTE TREASURY AND MINISTER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM.
Our ref: BRT/3470/IDR our ref:..14/03/2013
BRITISH GOVERNMENT (2013) POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.
On Behalf of the British Government, i wish to inform you of your selection as one of the Beneficiary for the on going 2013 British Government Poverty Alleviation and Financial Empowerment Program worldwide. All participants/beneficiaries were selected randomly from Worldwide online networks Directories as a beneficiary of £2,000,000.00 (Two Million, Great British Pounds Sterling).
So, this letter is to officially inform you that two(2) option of payment has been opened for you. 1) Issuance of an ATM Card 2) Bank Wire transfer
Please do indicate your PAYMENT OPTION.
As this office will mail you a Visa/ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw your funds in any ATM MACHINE CENTER or Visa card outlet in the world with a maximum of £5000 GBP daily or our contracted paying bank here in London, United Kingdom will make the transfer to you depending on your OPTION OF PAYMENT you have indicated. Further more, You will be required to re-confirm your Bio-Data as stated below to enable; Rt Hon William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, begin in processing your awarded funds.
Forward all your details reply to: ——————————————————- Rt Hon William Hague MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ukgovt_ssfca@hotmail.co.uk Tel:+44 703-592-5923 Fax:+44-742-356-7161 ——————————————————
Regards, Mrs. Elaine Rooker Smith. Liaison Officer On Foreign PaymentNow even the Chinese in Hong Kong get into the act of scam, the following is a case in point.Dear E-mail User,
:::YEAR 2013 EMAIL PRIZE AWARDS:::
Your Email ID has won a cash prize of 1.5million USD and a BMW X6 MODEL in China Shenhua Energy Company. Send your details for claims. Full Name, Add, Age, Occupation, Telephone Number: to Name: Mr. Li Jun Chan E-mail: claimsagent71@yahoo.com.hk
Signed, Mrs. Li Haicang (China Shenhua Secretary).
——————————————————————————————————
There are more new varieties of fraud created by greed on the Internet and fraudulent emails, you can find it yourself. I do not want to waste more time on those crooks and criminals. It is ludicrous, no actually dangerous, for those who create virus to cause troubles of many personal and business computers and then those who create software and sell them to uninstall those virus software! They are Internet terrorists, it is hoped the powerful USA may drop atomic bombs to eliminate them once and for all.
(B). Greed is idolatry.
Col 3:5 ,“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Note: Idolatry in Greek is eidōlolatriawhich means the worship of false gods; the sacrifice held in honor of false gods; a worship of Mammon; vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it; image worship; worship of a physical object as god; – which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. The sin of greed is the same as idolatry – worshiping of idols. You may say I am advanced, I do not worship idols. But the Bible says, greed is equal to idolatry. If you are greedy, it is just the same like you worship idols.
(C). Greed exploits people.
2Pe 2:3, “And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Note: Exploit in Greek is emporeuomai which means to make merchandise of; to use a person or thing for gain; to traffic or trade; to deal in; to make use for one’s own advantage; – which occurs 3 times in the New Testament. In the last 500 years or more the White race exploits all other races in the world. Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex who represent 1 percent of the American population exploit the 99 percent.
I saw with my eyes and heard with my ears (May 14, 2012) on TV that a Wall Street executive said, “…We know we are sloppy. We know we are stupid…” How incredible are American capitalists who defrauded the public by their own confession! The problem is they are much more than being sloppy and stupid; they are crooks and criminals, thieves and robbers. What is even more desperate, the flawed legal system let them do it with impunity. What is needed is not to Occupy Wall Street, but to Obliterate Wall Street. Woe is to America, who shall save Americans from the evil of Wall Street？ America and Europeans have exploited many nations and peoples of the world.
(D). Greed is as wide as Hell.
Hab 2:5 ,“Moreover, wine is treacherous; the arrogant man shall not abide. His greed is as wide as Hell; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations, and collects as his own all peoples.”
Note: Greed is like Hell because it never has enough. Hell is the Bottomless Pit. COVID-19 Pandemic in the Spring of 2020 is like Hell, more than 2.6 million persons in the world have been infected (the number changes by day). No one can tell how many persons will be swallowed up by the pandemic. Nuclear weapons are helpless in the face of COVID-19. The sole superpower looks desperate in the midst of the pandemic and so incompetent and negligent leaders and politicians try to blame others for their failures.
If you watch all the TV news and reports on how companies and individuals manufacture drugs, food and drink with high content of toxic and harmful and deadly materials and additives, you would not dare to eat or drink anything! This appears to be a national emergency more dangerous and deadly than SARS or COVID-19 because it is intentionally caused and created by wicked people infected by incurable capitalistic greed. Just as China has demonstrated its abilities in dealing with natural disasters, I am sure China is fully capable in dealing with such man-made disaster. It is hoped Chinese government will prosecute and execute any responsible people or groups of people who manufacture and sell toxic and harmful products in the form of drug, food, drink, etc. It is high time to eliminate those mass murderers who violate the law boldly for the sake of high profits. Perhaps mass execution is necessary to stop and eliminate this evil deed infected by capitalistic greed. If corrective action is not taken promptly and effectively to stop those mass killers, the consequences would be disastrous of unimaginable magnitude and unthinkable calamity and catastrophe. It would be like committing suicide. When you have internal enemies like those deliberate killers, you do not need external enemies who are at work to destroy China.
It is truly an amazing site: monstrous US hotels and casinos, just a few hundred meters from the Mainland China. All that kitsch that one usually associates with Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but bigger, much bigger! In fact, Macau is the biggest casino sprawl in the world.
Casinos, most of them confined inside the US mega-hotels, make approximately 5 times more money here, than in Las Vegas.
Macau is tiny, measuring only some 115 km square. But with around 650,000 people, it is one of the most over-populated places in the world. There is no space to move around here, anymore. Macau is a total, thorough urban nightmare and failure, propelled and ‘justified’ only by greed. But its plans are still Napoleonic. The territory wants more and more. Or more precisely: the Macau government, together with big business from the West, want more and more visitors, more and more casinos, luxury retail stores, and of course, profits.
24 hours a day, 365 days a week, Macau sucks in like a monstrous turbine, millions, in fact billions of dollars, yuan or whatever currency manages to enter its territory. It attracts like a magnet, masses of people from the PRC, who are often still naïve, innocent and defenseless when confronted by brutal and extreme forms of capitalism and its advertisements.
In January 2019, I visited several casinos in Macau, and not surprisingly, there are very few traditional roulette tables there, but masses of electronically controlled machines. Everything is noisy, confusing and lacking transparency. Western casinos treat Chinese people like some brainless children. At least the classic roulette mainly wins (for casino) on ‘neutral’ 0 (zero), giving a gambler very fair chance. But electronic, futuristic machines are a sham, and can ‘strip’ an unseasoned gambler of everything, in just a few hours, even minutes. But that is, obviously, precisely the goal.
I am horrified to see hordes of good Chinese (PRC) citizens who work hard, building their beautiful country, and then crossing to that fake universe of Macau, where they are literally blowing their savings in spasmodic, insane sprees.
Macau gangs are brutal and they are dealing with huge amounts of money. Antagonizing them is dangerous. Even journalists and academics connected to this tiny but super rich territory, prefer not to speak openly; only on condition of anonymity.
Frankly, all that Macau represents is wrong: it has already ruined millions of human lives through mass gambling. It robs Mainland China of billions of dollars. Instead of educating people, it offers fake culture, in fact a disgusting parody ‘Las Vegas-style ’. It is brainwashing Chinese people, so they see ‘the world according to Disney, Hollywood and big US hotel chains’.
Many hotel managers come from Portugal (for ‘authenticity’, I suppose). They are arrogant, more North American than North Americans themselves, ambitious and unscrupulous. Many of them speak about Mainland China sarcastically, with spite. Typical Western ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom of speech’ nonsense.
Stripped of authenticity and decency, Macau adopted a gold-digging, repulsive culture. Talk about ‘fake news’ and fake culture! Everything that is fake, is here, in Macau.
Across the water, in the PRC, beautiful modern cities are growing, simple, elegant, and confident; built for the people.
In Macau, morale, socialist spirit, as well as family savings, are getting ruined and burned.
‘One country two systems’ has gone too far in Macau. This territory produces nothing. Not even those traditional firecrackers, perhaps. It only consumes, and perverts.
I don’t recognize Macau either. And people who come here, from Mainland China, tend to change, quickly. Is this yet another Western subversion, an attempt to break China into pieces? Definitely. The government of the PRC should take more decisive action, soon; protecting its people and funds. ”
Western and American media are usually enemies of China with fake news and slanted views. Here is a Western journalist cited above who reports facts with a positive motive and good concern for China, and I agree wholeheartedly with his points of view and value. I think China should adopt his suggestion with respect to Macau.
V. American contagion of healthcare terrorism has infected China.
Something frightening and fearful has happened in China! The American fraudulent and predatory practices of doctors and hospitals have come to China! It was reported that one man was treated in a Harbin hospital emergency and intensive care and died; his medical bill was5.5 million yuan. One recent case of a patient who had gall stone surgery which was told the cost would be a couple thousand yuan. Under the pretext of saving life, then doctors and the hospital made the patient very ill but prohibited the family to visit and told them the patient was getting better but never mentioned or demanded to advance payment or disclosed the amount. Later a simple gall stone surgery killed the patient and the bill was RMB 450,000 with a dead patient. I watched on TV how the responsible doctor shamelessly and unconscionably rationalized the costs and justified the high fees of RMB 450,000 as normal and not much. Apparently the doctor had seared his conscience and lost his sense of morality and honesty and respectability. Since healthcare is a monopoly, what evil doctors and hospitals can do is inestimable and immeasurable.
It is hoped the Chinese government would take drastic action now to stop the deadly contagion of American capitalistic greed before it becomes unstoppable and devastates the Chinese society AS it has ruined American society. The simple but effective remedy is to execute doctors who commit fraudulent and predatory practices (such as charging large sums for unnecessary or unperformed tests, procedures, treatments, drugs, etc., excessive and fake billing, fake medical record, lies about patient condition, malpractice, misinformation, misrepresentation, etc.) and execute hospital owners who participate in the organized crime and seize their assets to pay victims. Doctors and hospitals that commit outrageous and malicious illegal practices must be put to death and put out of business. There are already American and Western doctors and dentists who practice medicine in China’s big cities and charge the rich Chinese high fees (many times what Chinese public hospitals charge). This dual medical system cannot be tolerated in a just society. Do not allow doctors and dentists and hospitals become healthcare terrorists in China. Under the Chinese legal system, no one is allowed to prey on another person. Do not let the Chinese health-care system fall into the monopolistic, abusive and oppressive and most costly health-care like that of the United States which sucks the blood of American people and bankrupted millions of American families with impunity.
My view and position is that the three evils exist in the world today are imperialism, capitalism and terrorism.
Imperialism is represented by nations that seek absolute military supremacy in order to dictate and dominate the world – they are warmongers, war makers, trouble makers not peace makers. Today imperialism is synonymous with hegemonism. There is no glory in imperialism, but shame AND disgrace. It is senseless and meaningless and worthless to seek world domination and dictatorship at the death and destruction of millions. Today imperialism is represented by the U.S., NATO, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. Terrorism is usually known as Islamic extremism characterized by suicidal bombing and mass killing. There is no humanity in terrorism, but violence. In my opinion American healthcare system is also a financial form of terrorism because healthcare providers work like an organized crime and they charge excessively and fraudulently with impunity and they have bankrupted millions of family. Capitalism driven mad by greed resulted in the economic and financial crisis created by Wall Street executives in 2008 that looted the world more than $50 trillion dollars. There is no honesty in capitalism, but fraud. The rich and powerful had surreptitiously and structurally changed the rule of game that Wall Street executives and bankers may gamble on investors’ money with impunity and without fiduciary responsibility or financial and legal liability. In their massive gambling winning is winning big, losing is also winning big – that is something new in the history of modern states. Those who were responsible for creating the Wall Street crisis were bailed out by taxpayer money and gave themselves exorbitant executive compensation, luxurious perks and pensions and billions in annual bonuses. The flawed legal system gives crooks and criminals of Wall Street full immunity. The raison d’être of Capitalism is to create wealth for the few. Such exploitative, fraudulent, unproductive and immoral system works for the 1 percent of the population at the expense of the 99 percent. Evidence upon evidence and fact upon fact demands destruction of the American capitalism to be replaced by a new responsible and reliable economic and financial system for the good of the greatest number of people. As long as Washington and Wall Street have symbiotic relations and adulterous liaisons, American capitalism will continue to rule over the helpless American people and the world.
Exd 20:17 , “You shall not covetyour neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Note: Covet in Hebrew is chamad which means to desire, take pleasure in, delight in; to delight greatly, desire greatly; – it occurs 21 times in the Old Testament. There is nothing wrong to enjoy your own house, but it is a sin to covet your neighbor’s house. There is nothing wrong in taking great pleasure in your wife. It is a sin to desire your neighbor’s wife. To delight in your wife is one thing, to desire your neighbor’s wife is a sin.
Deu 5:21, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Note: To desire anything or anyone that belongs to others is a sin. Greed is to want what do not belong to you. Palestinians and Hamas suffer greed in claiming the Holy Land. In the beginning God gave the Promised Land to Abraham and his descendants. There was no Palestine or Palestinian or Hamas. The Jews rebelled against God and were scattered all over the world. During the colonial period, the British empire created Palestine, and illegal Arabs moved in and occupied without payment. The State of Israel was reestablished. All Arabs and Palestinians should have been evicted long ago. The two-state proposal is not the two-state solution. Palestinians can seek statehood or residency in neighboring Arab states. The United Nations or any organization does not have authority to give the Jewish land to Palestinians or Arabs. Jerusalem is forever the capital of great king David. God will fight for Jerusalem. The leaders of United Kingdom do not have moral character and courage to come out and explain to the Palestinians and Hamas that they do not have the right of resettlement. Israel is God’s holy nation, it cannot be mixed with other nations or peoples. The Holy Land forever belongs to the Jews, God’s chosen people. So, Palestinians and Hamas do not fight or claim what does not belong to you. Get out of the Jewish land in peace or be evicted by force.
Rom 7:7 , “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Note: In Greek coveting is epithymiawhich means desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust, lust arousing, concupiscence; – it occurs 38 times in the New Testament. In Greek covet is epithymeōwhich means to turn upon a thing, to have a desire for, set one’s heart upon, long for, to desire, to lust after, to seek the forbidden; – it occurs 16 times in the New Testament.
Rom 13:9, “For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
In America almost everything is corrupted by the love of money, power and sex. The truth can be verified. Government, politics, business, industry, economy, culture, commerce, trade, education, transportation, healthcare, insurance, drug and medicine, charity, religion, mass media, movie, election, science and technology, subsidy, welfare, legislation, foreign policy, imperial war of conquest, defense, advertising, management, labor union, insider information, etc. are corrupted. You have heard the president having sex with intern and committed perjury repeatedly, governor hiring prostitutes at $5,000 an hour, officials having extramarital affairs and children out of wed log, bribery, selling and buying influence, etc. – government and politics corrupted by money, power and sex. Charity is also corrupted, many fundraisers give one dollar for every one hundred dollars they raise and qualify as charity.
The United States exercises a bad influence on the world such as violence, aggression, pornography, vulgarity, incivility, sexual immorality, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, greed, extravagance, excess, deviation, counter-culture, secularism, monopoly, etc.
Monopoly is inherently corrupt. A recent announcement that Shanghai New York University is going to charge RMB 100,000 for annual tuition. You have heard university presidents making $1 million a year, etc. University is a monopoly because young men and women need to have higher education. American universities come to China not because they want to disperse knowledge and educate Chinese youth, but because they want to make big money. Any monopoly tends to have predatory and corrupt practices such as in healthcare where doctors, dentists and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, lab and medical suppliers gouge and defraud patients so much so that bankrupted millions of American families. American greed has also infected China increasingly in many ways. American dentists and doctors come to China not because they want help and heal the sick, but because they want to make big money. It is outrageous for any university to charge ￥100,000 for tuition a year. The government should regulate doctors, dentists, hospitals, lawyers, schools and universities, cemetery, etc. where they exercise monopolistic power and tax them heavily for making high profits.
2Cr 9:5, “So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.”
Note: Covetousness in Greek is pleonexiawhich means greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice, extortion; – it occurs 10 times in the New Testament. All governments are corrupt more or less, no matter what form or system. Why does government tend to be corrupt? Government is the largest form of monopoly, monopoly of power and money. The people are most affected by corrupt officials.
Jesus Christ warns, Luk 12:15, “Then He said to them: Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Cowley says, “There are two sorts of avarice; the one is but of a bastard kind; and that is, the rapacious appetite of gain, not for its own sake, but for the pleasure of refunding it immediately through all the channels of pride and luxury; the other is the true kind, and properly so called, which is a restless and un-satiable desire of riches, not for any further end or use, but only to hoard and preserve, and …”
Col 3:5 , “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Note: Greed amounts to idolatry; greed is idolatry. A greedy person is no better than an idol worshiper.
2Pe 2:14 , “Having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children.”
Note: Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex display having a heart trained in greed. Only people having a heart trained in greed could produce the American economic and financial crisis in 2008. If you ever audit a medical bill, you will quickly understand what it means to have a heart trained in greed. They seek to maximize profits by fraudulent and overcharge long billing of very sophisticated and technical nature that even a Ph.D. might not understand. A life insurance policy is masterpiece of lawyers having a heart trained in greed.
1Ti 6:10 , “Forthe love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Note: The love of money in Greek is philargyria which means avarice, greed; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. Apostle John sums it up:
1Jo 2:16 , “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Note: The word lust in Greek is epithymia, the same original word used in Rom 7:7. Avarice, greed, covetousness, and lust are synonymous.
Actually there are three forms of greed: greedy for money, greedy for power, and greedy for sex. Wall Street exemplifies greed for money, Washington exemplifies greed for power, and Hollywood exemplifies greed for sex. Military-industrial-security complex exemplifies greed for money and power. As you can see, everything in America is corrupted by greed in three forms.
Because of greed there are so many crooks and criminals who link their dirty and filthy and fraudulent sites to my name and my sites. There is actually no rule of law on the Internet, it is the biggest jungle in the world and full of beastly predators; no government is prosecuting any violation of rules and decency. These evildoers have no moral, no decency, no conscience – all they want is to make money on the labor and reputation of others.
On April 5, 2020 lured by the advertisement of free anti-virus, so I loaded a software program to my computer. Little did I know I had let the most vicious and malicious software of a certain company starting with the letter A… to invade my computer, and its free-anti-virus became worse than COVID-19. The A… company invaded my computer with thousands of items which the A… did not allow to delete them. It is like mafia that makes you an offer that you cannot refuse. They made it hard for use and almost impossible to uninstall the malicious program. I did battle two days and two nights to eliminate thousands its items one by one. It kept saying I do not have permission to delete them. It multiplies its items as I deleted them like cancer cells metastasized. It wasted my time and efforts and made me very tiresome. There are many unscrupulous and predatory businesses on the Internet that lure you with free software, free website, free email, free program, etc. Once you are led in, they made offer that you can refuse but pay or suffer a big loss. Another company with the name starting with the letter O… They advertised free website, when you put a lot of time and effort into your website and established yourself as a well-known entity, then they started to give you all kinds of technical problems and urged you to upgrade. They even blocked your website so that you cannot visit, you pay or lose your website. There are so many shameless crooks and criminals on the Internet, no government will enforce the law to prosecute them. Just remember, “free” or “100% free” may be a bait that can harm and hurt you.
The fact that the American national debt has surpassed $28 trillion (and this amount does not count the debts and deficits of states, counties, cities, agencies, institutions, corporations, individuals, students, etc.) and is going higher not day by day, but grows exponentially minute by minute proves that greed is a bottomless pit.Those who are benefited by American debts and deficits want to continue to live in luxuries and affluencies without end. Those who are rich and powerful in government and industry and military and security complex do not want to change. The one percent of the population who controls and rules over the 99 percent want to maintain the status quo. My fellow Americans, China and Russia are not American enemies. The real American enemies are those who are in power and position and have power to enrich themselves by spending America into oblivion. Can you see the handwriting is on the wall?
The virus of the greed (probably more deadly than CORONAVIRUS) of capitalism has infected the whole world, it permeates through government, bureaucracy, business, trade, economy, union, corporation, charity, church, institution, farm, university, defense, military, industry, health care, market, currency, construction, security, entertainment, and all walks of life beyond calculation.
The love of money (greed) is the most prominent sin committed in these last days. Peoples become lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasures, and lovers of money.
Evildoers are of all races. Let the evil advertisers, crooks and criminals, the military-industrial-security complex, makers of computer viruses, corrupt doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance company executives, labs and medical supplies, evil leaders and politicians, liars and killers and robbers beware; Hell is opening up wide to swallow them up. They will not escape God’s judgment sooner or later.
Will you repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
You can do it now.
This article is written to let you know that the Word of God says Greed is the Root of all Evil, the evil that ruins the world. The United States is a capitalistic nation driven by greed and ruined by greed. Any nation that follows America will also be ruined by greed. Their greed is for money, power and sex.
Certainly there is no sin more deadly, dangerous, destructive and devastating than greed. For one can be greedy for money, greedy for power, greedy for possession, as well as greedy for sex. Therefore greed is the root of all evil. This article is written to show you what the Bible says about greed is true, and you can verify it. Greed is the root of all evil.
Greed is not external, something imposed by outside forces. The Lord Jesus who knows every man and says that the inside of Pharisees is full of greed and wickedness.
Luk 11:39, “But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish; but your inside is full of greed and wickedness.”
Luk 12:15,“But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.”
Jesus also warns against every form of greed. Greed has many forms. The Scripture also says, Eph 5:3, “But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints.”
Col 3:5,“Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Greed amounts to idolatry. It means, if you have greed it is the same you have committed idolatry.
1Th 2:5,“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—.”
There are many pretexts for greed, flattering speech is one of them. Western supremacists use democracy, freedom, human rights, justice as pretexts to fool their people and the world in waging war of aggression and conquest of many nations. They use national security as a pretext to target China and Russia, their real motive is to dictate and dominate the world.
2Pe 2:3,“and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” They also exploit the world with their false words. If you want to watch them with their false words, you just watch TV and read mainstream media. 2Pe 2:14,“having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children.”
I do not know any groups having hearts trained in greed than Washing, Wall Street, Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex, corrupt doctors, dentists and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, labs and medical supplies, think tanks and corporate executives. They have best credentials from the Ivy League universities and they rule and own America and the world.
Pro 28:25, “Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity.”
Significantly, European imperialism and colonialism were drive by greed in the last 500 years. American imperialism and capitalism are also driven by greed. All the wars involved Europeans, Americans, and Japanese were caused by greed. I am afraid the coming nuclear war incited by the West is also caused by greed.
There is another group of people who are full of greed.
1Pe 5:2, “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not with greed but with eagerness.”
I was shocked to learn that “Forbes Richest Pastors In The World: Top 10 (2020)”. I am not going to mention and promote their names. You can find them on the Internet. I am shocked that the richest preacher in America has an assets of worthanestimated$300 millionto $760 million. A mainstream media accused Billy Graham of missing the mark by refusing to join civil rights movement led by a black political false preacher. In fact, the true missing the mark of Billy Graham was that he never preached against the sins of American presidents and politicians. Some dudes and dupes believe the civil rights movement was equivalent to Christian movement. I just want to say in passing, prosperity gospel, political and social gospel, etc. are not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. As regards the rich preachers in America, I just wan to quote Jesus who says,Mat 8:20, “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” And I want to reassure: We preach the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
“In a capitalist economy like ours, the basic premise is that everyone is motivated by a healthy dose of economic self-interest…” Jesus declares to the world, Luk 12:15:“Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Greed has many forms.Note: To beware you have to be careful. Greed in Greek is pleonexia which means covetousness; avarice; abnormal desire to have more; selfish and excessive desire for more of something; – which occurs 11 times in the New Testament. Overwhelmingly in a capitalistic society such as the West and America, people are greedy by nature and nurture. The financial crisis of 2008 was created by the executives of Wall Street which defrauded the world more than US$50 trillion dollars with immunity. American way of life is a way of every form of greed. In fact, greed of every form has infected the whole world. The rich and powerful are greedy in a big big way, the poor and helpless are greedy in a small way. With the perspective of a period from 1985 to the present, I have watched how greed has transformed even the Chinese society. China used to have the most moral and honest society in the world. In opposition to the way of the world, Jesus Christ teaches a man’s life does not consist in an abundance of his possessions. What you are is more important than what you have. The saddest thing is the phenomenon that in America people even respect the richest and greatest crook. A man is measured by what he has.
There is no healthy dose of greed just as there is no healthy dose of poison. The nature of greed is such that it wants more and more like Hell there is no limit. Greed is Bottomless Pit. Greed is like Hell without bottom. American society has three evils: the love of money (greed), the love of power (violence), and the love of sex (lust). Wall Street, Washington and Hollywood are guilty of these three evils. These three evils are intimately linked to each other. You cannot find any crime, vice or sin or evil which is not related to the love of money, power and sex. It does not mean other societies do not love money, power and sex. It is just more so quantitatively and qualitatively in American society.
This is a concrete illustration how greed is a Bottomless Pit. China has been infected by the deadly virus of greed. More than 10 years ago a cleaning woman (maid) earned 6 yuan an hour in Shanghai. Today in 2021they earned 40 yuan an hour promoted by maid service agencies that make good money on both accounts, hirer and hired or employer and employee. These employment agencies make more money if the cleaning women earn more.
Some 48 years ago when I was working my way in America, the minimum wage was $1.25; and even in 2015, federal law requires most workers to be paid at least $7.25 per hour. There has been no astronomical rise of minimum wage in America. Comparing the minimum wage of America with that of Shanghai, the minimum wage in Shanghai in ten years rises like a balloon. So much so the wages of usually uneducated cleaning women (maids) incredibly make more money than college graduates. A maid service agency even brags about how a maid earns 10,000 yuan a month! If that is the case, the wages of a maid is two times more than a college graduate. I do not know any other nation has such a phenomenon of unequal pay. Maids of other nations might want to come to work in Shanghai. Could it be in the near future China will import cheaper maids from some countries to meet the needs in China?
This is a proven fact which can be verified that I have lived and observed some 50 years in America with shock and sober awakening. Immigrants who came from many parts of the world to America, no matter how honest and moral they were, as soon as they arrived in America they were infected with the most deadly and virulent virus of American greed, maybe more deadly than COVID-19, and started making false claims and committing frauds of many kinds and using fake documentations, etc… They become more greedy than even Americans born in America. The American culture of money, power and sex has such a great negative impact and evil influence on the whole world.
Washington seeks in the order of power, money and sex. Wall Street seeks in the order of money, power and sex. Hollywood seeks in the order of sex, money and power. What the evil Trinity of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood have sought since the end of World War II that resulted in sins, crimes, violations of law, injustice, greed, oppression, sanctions, suppression, iniquities, unrighteousness, abuses, tortures, terrors, difficulties, poverty, troubles, wars and interventions, aggression, thefts, robberies, looting, lies and killings if all put together the weight would be enormously heavy that it will sink the United States of America into two halves, one half to the bottom of Pacific Ocean, the other half to the bottom of Atlantic Ocean. God will judge the deeds of men and women. The Day of Judgment is at hand!
Facts speak louder than propaganda and prejudice.
Now what does it mean that the seven nations own 64 percentof the net global wealth ($263 trillion)?
Here is the simplest explanation:
Number of nations: 193
Number of G-7 nations: 7
The rest of nations：186
Net Global wealth： $263 trillion
Wealth of G-7: 64% of $263 trillion
If net global wealth is = 100 loaves of bread
G-7 nations own = 64 loaves of bread
186 nations own: 36 loaves of bread
If G-7 nations represent 7 persons; the 7 persons eat 64 loaves of bread. The rest of the world 186 nations represent 186 persons who eat only 36 loaves of bread. Do you call this world order fair, just and democratic? Are not the G-7 nations the Greedy-7? Yes, indeed!
If using the analogy of one nation stands for one person. The G-7 nations have 64 loaves of bread, all the rest of 186 nations have only 36 loaves of bread; if you take into account of rich Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi, etc. , how many loaves of bread are left for developing and undeveloped nations are very clear — hardly any. This is the root cause of poverty and misery in the world.
Out of the left 186 nations there are still other rich nations such as Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi, etc. Can you guess how few loaves of bread left for the developing and undeveloped nations in the world? Do you know why there is hunger, poverty and misery in the world? Because G-7 and its allies monopolize the whole world in economies, politics, military, industry and technology, transportation, infrastructure, trade, etc。
It is clear that the world needs a new order。 You see greed, violence and wickedness, and injustice covering the entire world.
Psa 9:8 , “And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”
Note: Righteousness in Hebrew istsedeqwhich means justice; rightness; what is right or just or normal; natural, moral or legal; straightness; rectitude; what is right and just; what ought to be so; integrity; morally right or justifiable; – which occurs 123 times in the Old Testament. Equity in Hebrew ismeysharwhich means uprightness; evenness; right things; straightness; rectitude; in a straight way; justice according to natural law or right; probity; – which occurs 23 times in the Old Testament.
Psa 96:13 , “Before the LORD, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.”
God will judge the world in righteousness soon.
Psa 33:8 , “Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
Evil leaders do not fear the Lord, and they are proven liars and killers.
Isa 24:4, “The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away.”
The arrogant leaders will fade away.
Mat 13:38 , “And the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are thesons of the Kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one.”
Christians are the sons of the Kingdom. Unbelievers and liars and killers are children of the devil.
Rom 3:19 , “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God.”
All evil leaders and everyone are accountable to God.
Jas 4:4 , “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
There is no doubt, evil leaders are enemies of God.
1Jo 2:16 , “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
The lust of the flesh is sex. The lust of the eyes is greed (money). The pride of life is power. The American values are sex, money and power. America represents the world at its worst. The American way of life is the worldly way of life, the wrong way of life.
If you ask me to use three words to describe the world, I would say: sinful, stupid, sad. All the evil deeds of humans make the world sinful, stupid and sad.
Sinful because they lie, lie and lie; kill, kill, and kill; rob, rob, and rob; destroy, destroy and destroy.
Stupidbecause the nature of evil deeds is stupid, stupid and stupid.
Sad because those who are responsible do not realize their depravity and iniquity.
Jesus says, Mat 25:31-46, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherdseparates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away intoeternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Sheep is by nature good, innocent, harmless and civilized. The difference between goat and sheep is the difference between eternal punishment and eternal life. May Chinese people become the sheep of Jesus Christ.
If a nation is like a big tree, frauds are termites. The frauds committed in America is what most people do not know or understand; there are more frauds committed in America than the stars in the sky. They include government fraud (defense and other department and agencies), corporate fraud, business fraud, securities fraud (Wall Street), bank fraud, foundation fraud, healthcare fraud, law fraud, education fraud, industry fraud, charity fraud, welfare fraud, subsidy fraud, etc…The crooks and criminals (termites) have eaten the American giant tree empty and hollow with huge debts and largest national debt in the world. Not only American national debt is the largest in the world, the combination of state, city, corporation, organization, institution, and individual debts are incalculable. All of them combined someday will overwhelm the United States like giant tsunamis and sweep America clean like miles long tornadoes. The American fraud problems are compounded by flawed legal system and ineffective criminal justice that encourages and enriches crooks and criminals of all kinds.
Fraud is a child of Greed. Corruption is a sister of Fraud. Fraud is the financial Ebola which must be totally eradicated or it may sink a nation. In 2008Wall Street created the largest economic and financial crisis that looted the world more than $50 trillionand hardly anyone was sent to jail for their crimes. Worse than that, Wall Street executives and bankers are rewarded with bailout and bonuses in billions annually. Do you not see America is committing suicide financially, politically and economically and legally?
Greed has never produced a good man, a moral man, a civilized man, an honorable man or a responsible man. Since ancient times greed produced evil empires, evil emperors and empresses, bad kings and queens, dictators, wicked bankers and merchants, oppressive landlords and militant war lords, depraved nobilities, and the abusive and oppressive and corrupt upper classes, etc. The love of money, power and sex can be summed up in greed. The love of money is actually greedy for money. The lust for power is greedy for power. The lust for sex is greedy for sex. Greed manifests itself in unhealthy, unwholesome, and immoral love of money, power and sex. Historically greed was intensified, glorified, magnified and brutalized by the Roman Empire followed by European imperial and colonial powers, Japan and finally by the American empire. Today the American imperialism and Islamic terrorism account for 99 percent of human miseries, hardships, tribulations and problems in the world. You cannot find a crime or sin which is not related to greed, or the love of money, power and sex.
On November 14, 2014 I carried a heavy bag and I was worn out. I saw a man working on the street and asked him to help me carry the bag to the subway station. He willingly took my large bag and carried it up to the entrance of the subway station, I gave him a tip but he consistently refused until I finally placed the tip in his hand. Second thought I should have given the man more. Here was a Chinese worker whose wages are among the lowest, and yet he was not greedy but very helpful. Years ago when I was in California, I saw an old woman carrying a load walking upstairs, an American boy came along and said to her, If you give me money I would help you carry the load. This Chinese street worker is more civilized, moral, and a better human being than many executives of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood who are products of American Ivy League universities and they live a luxurious lifestyle.
Do not get the wrong idea if a person is more educated, has a higher position, and in a better living environment – he will become a better and more moral and helpful human being. The most wicked and greedy people in the world are those who are well-educated, rich and powerful people. This is going to strike you hard but it is verifiable: Confucian education is more likely to produce simple, honest and good people than American higher education which costs a great deal and more than the dream of ordinary people.
It dawns on me: To be a civilized and good person has something to do with human nature and choice, practically nothing to do with education, position and social status.
Greed has destructive and erosive effect and negative impact both on nations and individuals. The era of President Richard Nixonwas the golden era of America – decent, rich, honorable and most desirable. The United States was greatly respected by friends or foes alike. Greed (love of money, power and sex) has destroyed America, with the largest deficits and greatest national debt, the most hated nation on earth; the richer get richer and most American people get poorer and poorer. The American dream is dead because upward mobility or opportunity is gone. As a case in point, it is now impossible for a poor American youth to work his way through college as I did before. I have lived almost all my life in California and relished the best part of America – Orange County in the best part of Orange County. Due to mismanagement of government, the Golden State has become a bankrupt and backward state. California used to lead the nation almost in all the good things, now just as America the state of California has also become un-competitive. I have watched and witnessed how a beautiful and nice California is being destroyed by illegal aliens, Latino and black gangs, corrupt politicians and officials, greedy and crooked doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, crooks and criminals. Greed makes and turns everything bad.
On September 6, 2014 in a Shanghai fashion show, a set of fashionable woman dress was auctioned at a price of RMB 1,200,000.For a Christian even if you are very rich to wear clothes of such high price is a sin. If a minister wears US$10,000 suit, his wife wears a mink coat of $30,000, eats a dinner of $1,000 and lives in a million-dollar mansion, owns a private jet, drives a fancy luxurious car and with a big bank account, I say to you, he is not a servant of Christ but a religious thief. For Jesus Christ says, Mat 8:20 ,“Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” A minister who gets rich on preaching the gospel is unfit for the ministry. Peter said,
Act 3:6 , “But Peter said: I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” In America there are many pastors who possess silver and gold, but they do not have the power of the Holy Spirit. All prosperity gospel preachers and followers want to get rich in this world. They think they get serve God and Mammon at the same time. The greed of American capitalism has infected China and the whole world. The American values of money, power and sex have ruined the world.
The Bible makes it clear, 1 Cr 6:9-10,“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Note: The Greek word for the unrighteous is adikoswhich means unjust, sinful, deceitful, one who violates or has violated justice, one who deals fraudulently with others; – it occurs 12 times in the New Testament. Examples of the unrighteous are fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous (greedy), drunkards, revilers, swindlers. These unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God mean they will go into Hell. These Scriptures list 10 kinds of people (the doers) who will go into Hell. Those who drink and drive and kill people may not know that drunkards will go to Hell. In the United States the legal system is so flawed that drunken drivers who killed and killed were not executed.
(1). The Greek word for fornicator is pornoswhich means a man who prostitutes his body to another’s lust for hire, a male prostitute, a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a whoremonger; – it occurs 10 times in the New Testament. Fornicators will go into Hell.
(2). The Greek word for idolater is eidōlolatrēswhich means a worshiper of false gods, a covetous man as a worshiper of Mammon; – it occurs 7 times in the New Testament. Even if a believer is participating in any way in the worship of the heathen gods, esp. one who attends their sacrificial feasts and eats of the remains of things offered is guilty of idolatry. Some Taiwanese leaders claim to be Christians and yet they are idolaters and who publicly worship idols reported on TV. The Taiwanese preachers dare not rebuke them.
Note: Taiwanese preachers and ministers are very strange people because they do not warn the Taiwanese politicians who claim to be Christians for being idolaters as required by the Scripture. This message must be conveyed to those Taiwan politicians. You cannot claim to be a Christian and an idolater at the same time. If you are a Christian, you cannot worship idols. If you worship idols, you should not claim to be a Christ. Those Taiwan politicians must come clean one way or another. The former Taiwan leader who is a traitor has practiced the same; to be an idolater in order to win votes from idol worshipers, and claiming to be a Christian in order to win American military support. In America only primitive immigrants worship idols, but most Americans, Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood worship money or Mammon; greed is the same sin as idolatry. Idolaters will go into Hell. Most Americans worships the gods of money, power and sex.
(3). The Greek word for adulterer is moichoswhich means a married person who is guilty of sexually immorality, a person unfaithful to God; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. An idolater is also an adulterer because he is unfaithful to God by worshiping false gods. Adulterers do not go to Heaven, they will go into Hell.
(4). The Greek word for effeminate is malakoswhich means of a catamite, of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man, of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, of a male prostitute; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. Sodomites and male prostitutes will go into Hell. And yet Obama who claims to be a Christian supports same-sex marriage and advocates homosexuality and used executive order to advance their causes.
(5). The Greek word for homosexual is arsenokoitēswhich means one who has sex with a male as with a female, sodomite, a male who has sex with a male, a female who has sex with a female, an abuser of oneself; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Homosexuals will go into Hell. Obama was the first American president who advocated legalizing of same-sex marriage and homosexuality.
(6). The Greek word for thief is kleptēs which means an embezzler, pilferer, misappropriator, robber and plunderer, one who steals; – it occurs 16 times in the New Testament. The word kleptomaniac is derived from the Greek word. The American healthcare providers (such as doctors, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies executives, labs and medical suppliers, etc.) are thieves because they routinely defraud and fleece patients and have bankrupted millions of families. Thieves will go into Hell. The reason the United States has huge annual deficits and the largest national debt of more than$28 trillionis because the government serves special interests and there are so many thieves and robbers in American government.
(7). The Greek word for the covetous is pleonektēswhich means one eager to have more, esp. what belongs to others, the greedy, greedy of gain; – it occurs 4 times in the New Testament. The corrupt officials of Washington, executives of Wall Street, bankers, mortgage, drug and insurance companies, defense contractors, healthcare providers, lawyers, etc. are the greediest. The greedy will go into Hell.
(8). The Greek word for drunkard is methysoswhich means a drunken person, the intoxicated; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Most people may not realize that drunkards will go into Hell.
(9). The Greek word for reviler is loidoroswhich means a railer, one who uses bad language, one who uses abusive and contemptuous language; – it occurs 2 times in the New Testament. If I understand the Bible correctly, those who use F work (which is prevalent in America) and filthy language will ALSO go into Hell.
(10). The Greek word for swindler is harpaxwhich means an extortioner, a robber; – it occurs 5 times in the New Testament. As I understand the meaning of this Scripture and what crooked doctors, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, labs and medical suppliers are doing – they are guilty of being a swindler, defrauding and extorting and bankrupting millions of American families. Obviously Wall Street executives who created the economic and financial crisis beginning in 2007-2008 and looted the world more than $50 trillionare also guilty of this sin and will be cast into Hell. Those who manufacture and sell fake and deadly drug, food, oil and drink, etc. will also go into hell. All corrupt politicians and officials will also go into Hell.
Gen 3:1-21 ,“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman: Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’? The woman said to the serpent: From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said: You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. The serpent said to the woman: You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes , and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him: “Where are you?” He said, I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself. And He said: Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said: The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate. Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said: The serpent deceived me, and I ate. The LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, And dust you will eat all the days of your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. To the woman He said: I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. Then to Adam He said: Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”
The Scriptures cited above explains the origin of lie. To do justice in expounding the Scriptures will require many pages. Jesus Christ gives authoritative definition and explanation of the devil,
Jhn 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” I can only give you the highlights of the truth as follows: (1). The devil was the first liar (the serpent was the symbol of the devil); he does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. The devil is the father of lies and liars. The nature of the devil is like the crafty and cunning serpent. The evil Western leaders seemingly are the most crafty and cunning politicians of the 21st century.
(2). The devil was the first murdererwho killed Adam and Eve by leading them to sin, for wages of sin is death.
(3). The devil and his children always cast doubton the Word of God and distort the truth. The way evil leaders distort historical facts chills the heart of every decent person.
(4). American leaders and politicians since the end of World War II have proven to be liars and killers and robbers . For example, American leaders used one lie of the weapons of mass destruction to falsely accuse Iraq and under the pretext attacked and occupied Iraq and killed so many innocent peoples. Obama knew in 1971 the U.S. violated the international law and China’s sovereignty by illegally giving administrative control of China’s Diaoyu Islands to the unconditionally surrendered war crime nation of Japan. That was why Obama at first said the U.S. took no position on the sovereignty of Diaoyu Islands. Later he declared to defend Japan against China. The prime minister of Japan shamelessly denies all Japanese war crimes, genocide, sex slavery and unprecedented atrocities. The lawless man even distorts history by saying Japanese soldiers were fighting for peace in World War II . The children of the devil who are liars and killers are like their father the devil.
(5). Eve admitted she was deceivedby the devil. Women are more easily deceived than men.
(6). Appearance is deceptive. Eve saw the forbidden fruit was a delight to the eyes. Do you know the wild deadly mushroom looks beautiful? Deadly prostitutes may also look delightful to some men.
(7). Sin brings curse and pain and eventually death.The love of money, power and sex has caused so much pain in the world. Be sure your sin will find you out . The sins and crimes of evil leaders are found out more and more.
(8). Sinful man cannot save himself; he needs redemption by Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.
Here another big lie is uncovered before our eyes in Shanghai. The evil deeds done by the American company are a strong reflection of American disregard and disrespect of Chinese life, health and well-being.
For the love of money, corporations and individuals do all kinds of illegal acts. In response to the illegal and evil deeds done by OSI Shanghai Husi Food Company , the following measures are suggested for Shanghai Municipal government and Chinese central government to execute actively and effectively without further delay.
(1). Gullible Chinese should open their eyes and realize they can no longer view everything made in U.S.A. is good or excellent. American capitalism is the fountain of greed, and greed is the bottomless pit of all evil. Driven by greed the evil deeds committed by American corporations discovered so far are only a drop in the ocean of fraud and falsehood. Whether in politics, military, economics, government, law, trade, food and drug, etc. China and Chinese people cannot trust the American. Intelligent Chinese should have a big QUESTION MARK about everything American or Japanese. China needs to be vigilant.
(2). Shanghai Husi Food, a unit of Aurora, Illinois-based OSI Group, has committed most egregious crime punishable by death penalty, seizure of all its assets and forever shut down its operations in China.
(3). Those Chinese co-conspirators who are responsible for falsifying and burning records deserve to be executed because not only they had committed the unpardonable crime and they compounded the evil by obstruction of investigation and justice.
(4). Sue OSI BOTH in American and Chinese courts for huge sums of compensation money in terms of billions of dollars in viewed of the fact millions and millions of Chinese are involved as victims.
(5). Shut down OSI China’s operations forever to warn other foreign companies and fine McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, and other co-conspirators very huge financial penalties and execute its responsible executives who deliberately participated in the evil scheme of poisoning millions and millions of Chinese consumers. It is humanly impossible to calculate the harmful effects of contaminated, adulterated and poisoned food for a long period of time for hundreds of millions of people.
(6). Revamp China’s food, drink and drug inspection. The fact it took years to discover that OSI Shanghai Husi Food has deliberately violated Chinese food laws and deceived and poisoned millions and millions of Chinese consumers does not speak well of the Chinese regulatory system and law enforcement. Any contamination, poisoning, addition, falsification, and expiration of food, drug and drink deserves death penalty. It would be wise to require all foreign corporations that export food, drug, and drink, etc. to China to sign a legal document to guarantee its purity and quality or suffer dire consequences and legal liability.
(7). Enforce death penalty effectively, promptly and cheaply.
The world order established by American and European powers is so crooked, corrupt, convoluted, contentious, conniving, cruel, cryptic, cunning, crude, consumptive, combative and crazy – a total lack of goodness, righteousness and justice – should be overthrown and to reestablish a new world order of harmony, justice, integrity, prosperity and security. There is no place in the new world order for aggressors, warmongers, oppressors, exploiters, manipulators, dictators, imperialist, terrorist, monopolist and supremacist.
Since the infamous Opium Wars, the United Stated has done many wrongs to China. China has never done anything wrong to the U.S. Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson had intent and threatened to use atomic bombs in China. In 2012 Obama openly declared China is an adversary without cause. He insisted that China plays by the same rules as everybody else. Let us examine the facts and face the truth:
1. Since the infamous Opium Wars the U.S. had killed Chinese, robbed and looted China’s national treasures now displayed in Smithsonian Institution, public and privates museums and libraries across the nation as well as in European and Japanese public and private museums and libraries worth at least US$100,000 trillions plus interest.
2. In 1949 the U.S. violated international law and violated China’s sovereignty by sending the 7th Fleet to protect the defeated Chiang Kai-shek’s regime and prevented Taiwan from reunification with Mainland China to this day. In 1979 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty by passing the illegal US-Taiwan Relations Act (signed by Carter a self-proclaimed born again Christian) to colonize Taiwan and force selling costly and deadly weapons to Taiwanese so that Chinese may kill Chinese to this day. Now the U.S. government has the Taiwan Act and Hong Kong Act to make Taiwan and Hong Kong colonies of America. The imperial America is evidently greedy for territorial expansion.
3. In 1959 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty by aiding Dalai Lama in an armed rebellion against China, failed and fled and has ever since become the highest paid foreign agent to separate Tibet from China, incited bloody riots and self-immolations of his followers to regain power to this day.
4. In 1971 the U.S. violated international law and China’s sovereignty in illegally giving administrative control of China’s Diaoyu Islands to unconditionally surrendered war crime nation of Japan. At first Obama said the U.S. took no position; not only the U.S. did not right its wrong, Obama in 2014 declared to defend Japan against China. The U.S. violated international law by arming and re-militarizing Japan, changing its peace constitution into War Constitution although 4 Japanese political parties oppose it, thousands and thousands of Japanese demonstrate against it, and one Japanese set him on fire and he would rather die than to live in a warmongering Japan repeating the tragedy of World War II aggression. The U.S. has done nothing when Japanese leaders shamelessly deny its war crimes, genocide, sex slavery and unprecedented atrocities committed in World War II and refuse to pay war reparations and compensations. This does not include the destructions of Chinese national treasures, public and private properties by Japanese bombing, burning and looting.
5. Obama’s “pivot to Asia” policy was the American code word for aggression and expansion into Asia Pacific, not only violated international law but also American Monroe Doctrine . By 2014 over 65 percent of American most advanced weaponry such as fleets, aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, massive radars, missiles and antimissile, war planes and unmanned planes, and more than 330,000 troops stationed at China’s doorsteps poised to strike at China’s nuclear capability from its 700 overseas military bases all over the world to encircle China and Russia. The U.S. incites and supports rat and rogue nations to make false claims to China’s territories and loot China’s resources. They are practicing a tactic of manufacturing and loudly spreading the biggest and blackest lie of China threat. They believe if you keep telling a big lie loud and long enough people would believe it. They are walking in craftiness and speaking black lies.
6. Since China joining the WTO in 2001 , the U.S. and Western powers had put many obstacles, sanctions, unfair trade and restrictions on China; but in spite of everything China by its ingenuity, innovation and industry and hard work became no. 2 economic power in the world in 2010.
7. Since the end of World War II American presidents had killed millions and millions of innocent peoples around the world in inciting and conducting hundreds of unjust wars and blood military interventions. Recent exposure by Edward Snowdengave a glimpse of the global illegal activities of the U.S. by NSA in spying many leaders of nations including the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkeland violations of the privacy of billions of decent peoples in the world and more.
8. There is not an ounce of truth about China’s threat and Russia threat, but there are million tons of truth about the U.S. threat to China and the world. In the past the U.S. despised a weak China and participated in war of aggression known as the Opium Wars. In 1949 the U.S. feared of Chinese communism and implemented “containment of China” policy even to this day. Recently American leaders are afraid and jealous of China’s most spectacular successes in the last 40 years that no nation had ever done before in the history of mankind under the capable leadership of Deng Xiaoping the paramount leader of China. Now American leaders (in executive and legislative branches) and self-serving bureaucrats hate and show malice to China and Chinese people because they are fearful of losing its sole superpower status with many privileges as by 2030China will bypass the U.S. and become the no. 1 economy in the world. For a combination of reasons mentioned above, American leaders (executive and legislative) and bureaucrats harbor hatred and ill will and jealousy toward China and they have both intent and capacity to destroy China.
9. There are two greatest threats to the world today: American imperialism and Islamic terrorism. They are accountable for 99 percent of all human problems, troubles, divisions, miseries, poverty, destruction and injustice in the world.
10. On the other hand, China is not interested in aggression or expansion. When China was the greatest civilization on earth, it did not colonize any nation and there was no trace of abuse or oppression. China dream is only to rejuvenate, revitalize, and restore China to its past glory and prosperity and share a world of harmony, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence with the community of nations. Actions speak louder than words. Truth will ultimately triumph over a thousand lies.
I. The greedy premise is wrong.
The definition of greed is not a healthy dose of economic self-interest; it is a lethal dose of grabbing more and more by hook or by crook.
Jesus Christ said,Luk 12:15, “Then He said to them, Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Greed in Greek is pleonexiawhich means greedy desire to have more, covetousness or avarice. There are various modes which greed shows itself, including fraud, deceit, extortion, exploitation, unrighteousness, etc. Because of greed, the American S&L executives looted customers’ deposits and used the money to benefit themselves some years ago. Because of greed, Enron and many others falsified records to show a veneer of high profitability recently. Because of greed, mortgaged companies made loans to people who were not qualified to buy expensive houses. Because of greed, investment banks closed their eyes to make unnecessary profits known as subprime, short sale, creative accounting, etc. Because of greed, insurance companies and banks and mortgage companies, etc. made big bets on others’ money and lost.
Socrates said, “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
Capitalism is driven by greed to have more and more and more …. endlessly. Business by nature wants more and more and more profits. That is why the unregulated American healthcare is the highest cost in the world because it is predatory, fraudulent and organized crime so that corrupt doctors and hospitals may charge whatever they please fraudulently and excessively without penalty. The Chinese has a wise saying, “The greedy snake swallows up an elephant.”
Why the American banking system is so unfair and predatory that if you put your money of $15,000 at an American bank like Citibank, you may only earn more or less $0.13 (13 cents) a month, at an annual rate of 0.01%, which is $1.80 a year. If you do not maintain a balance of $15,000, the bank will charge you $20 a month, which is $240 a year. The bank also charges you $5 for each check issued. It is possible that your money in the bank may dwindle to zero and you still owe bank’s charges. If you borrow from the bank mortgage interest rate is 1 Year ARM 4.14% , Credit Card is 13.24% – 20.24% APR based on credit worthiness, and 48 month new car loan is 2.9%. Do you see how capitalism exploits and extorts and robs the people? Why do the banks make all the rules that enrich themselves and the government approves them? The rate on the 10-year Treasury is just 1.62 percent.This is the beauty of capitalism, the government let banks to practice monopoly and set almost zero interest for savings but high interest for loans. This is the kind of democracy American leaders are so proud of in making the 1 percent of the population very rich at the expense of 99 percent of the population.
II. American capitalism is a product of greed.
In the name of profit business and industry would do anything. Doctors, hospitals, labs, medical supplies, drug and insurance companies dared to make false claims and fraudulent billings that led to the highest medical and health care costs in the world and sucked more than $8 trillion dollars a year from the economy. It only takes a major illness to bankrupt a middle class family that has been working hard and saving for a lifetime. Due to greed people commit predatory and fraudulent practices of infinite varieties. It is an open secret that fake injury victims in collaboration with crooked doctors and lawyers made false claims worth billions of dollars a year. There are more frauds and more varieties of fraud committed in America than the stars in the sky; identity theft was an invention by crooks and criminals in America. People who got filthy lucre inevitably become philanthropists and set up foundations (tax-free) to compensate for their guilty conscience because of evil deeds. American legal system is also a product of greed. Just like an infamous woman said, “The rich do not pay taxes.”
Many large corporations also do not pay taxes. The rich and powerful have a group of lawyers to protect them and defend their illegal acts. Crooks and criminals can use the legal system to blackmail and threaten people who cannot afford a lawyer. The political system is also a product of greed. Lobbyists spend billions to buy off lawmakers and politicians. National, state, and local campaigns for offices involve billions of dollars. Frauds in government contracts (including defense, etc.) entail billions of dollars. Bureaucrats use government credit cards to purchase expensive items for themselves. American society is also a product of greed where the prevailing values of money, power and sex drive people mad. Crime and violence run rampant. You do not have real friends, people only use each other. American society is the most alienated society in the world.
Example, just as the government spends needlessly by borrowing endlessly, many Americans live beyond their means on credit, buying houses and cars, etc. that they were not qualified, etc. The richest men in America did not make their money on the basis of their own ingenuity, skill and hard work; but by monopoly, unfair and predatory and fraudulent practices. American problems will not go away, the more problems the more money is needed and can be made. Special interests make money on American problems.
For example, if there is no single-parent family problem, there would be no need for social services. If there is no Medicare & Medicaid, how would doctors, hospitals, drug and insurance companies make so much money by sucking more than $8 trillions a year from the economy? If there is no war, how would the military-industrial complex and defense contractors live lavishly? Greed breeds corruption. In summary, the current American economic and financial crisis is an accumulation and culmination of evil deeds of greed that drive politicians, Wall Street, large firms and ordinary Americans to excess and madness and now the taxpayers are paying the price.
The single evidence of greed in government is the huge deficits and the national debt of over $29 trillion.
According to 2011 Institute for Policy Studies Executive Excess report, “Corporate outlays for CEO compensation — despite the lingering Great Recession — are rising. Employment levels have barely rebounded from their recessionary lows. Top executive pay levels, by contrast, have rebounded nearly all the way back from their pre-recession levels. This contrast shows up starkly in the 2010 ratio between average worker and average CEO compensation. In 2009, we calculate, major corporate CEOs took home 263 times the pay of America’s average workers. Last year, this gap leaped to 325-to-1. Among the nation’s top firms, the S&P 500, CEO pay last year averaged $10,762,304, up 27.8 percent over 2009. Average worker pay in 2010? That finished up at $33,121, up just 3.3 percent over the year before. What are America’s CEOs doing to deserve their latest bountiful rewards? We have no evidence that CEOs are fashioning, with their executive leadership, more effective and efficient enterprises. On the other hand, ample evidence suggests that CEOs and their corporations are expending considerably more energy on avoiding taxes than perhaps ever before — at a time when the federal government desperately needs more revenue to maintain basic services for the American people. This disinvestment also undermines the infrastructure and services that small and large businesses also depend upon. Investigative journalists and tax research organizations have been documenting how U.S.-based global companies are aggressively shearing — and even totally eliminating — their federal income tax obligations.
This past March, for instance, The New York Times traced the steps General Electric has taken to avoid U.S. corporate taxes for the last five years. Citizens for Tax Justice, as part of a forthcoming study on tax avoidance among the Fortune 500, has identified 12 corporations that have paid an effective rate of negative 1.5 percent on $171 billion in profits.” The American capitalism enriches the business executives and robs the workers and the country. Apparently the political system is benefiting the rich and powerful greatly financially at public expense.
III. America is the prime example how a country and society is ruined by greed.
“Wall Street is nothing if not an organized system of greed, a high-stakes game in which the object is to take advantage of customers and counterparties by buying pieces of paper from them at less than they are really worth and selling them to others for more than they are worth.” That is the underlying and root cause of the failure of capitalism. No, old-fashioned incompetence is not greed. They were very competent and highly intelligent in making up false financial statements and cover-up of their crime. Greed turns a republic into an empire, democracy into dictatorship, the public interest into special interest, public servants into self-serving politicians and bureaucrats – American greed has infected the whole world. What is needed is a new responsible economic and financial system, a new and just legal and political structure, a leadership of integrity, and a new way of life – or the evil (not mistake) will be repeated again and again until the end comes.
STONE LAKE, Wis. (AP) reported (2011-8-11) that a man concealed his mother’s decomposing body at their home in rural northwestern Wisconsin for years so he could continue to receive her monthly social security checks of $1,128.
According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the 40 richest individuals on Earth are worth $1.1 trillion. In my estimate, the 1,000 richest individuals in America have more money than 1 billion poorest peoples on earth.You know what is wrong with the world, what is wrong with capitalism, and what is wrong the Western values.
One man who is worth $19.8 billion said he would swap 99 percent of his wealth for 30 years of time. Fatally mistaken, for 100 percent of his wealth he would not even swap one minute of time. When death knocks at your door, there is no escape.
Luk 12:16-21,“And He (Jesus Christ) told them a parable, saying: The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying: What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? Then he said: This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. ButGod said to him: You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
At least in ancient times people made money the old-fashioned way through the productive land. Today billionaires make money through speculation in real estate, currency, commodity, etc. and gambling on papers. Not only you cannot swap one minute of your life for $1 trillion, there is judgment after death. There are so many billionaires who store up treasure on earth and they are not rich toward God. At the moment of your death, you are not worth a penny!
The American healthcare system is the most costly, fraudulent, ineffective and predatory in the world all because greedy and corrupt doctors, hospital owners, labs and medical suppliers, drug and insurance companies want to make more profits incessantly with immunity and there is NO controlling authority to stop the fraudulent and predatory practices AND excessive charges without end.
IV. The love of money is the root of all evil.
1Ti 6:10 , “For the love of money is the root of all evil, for which some have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
Note: The Greek word for love of money is philargyriawhich means avarice, greed, covetousness, the desire of having more and more, lust; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. All sorts of evil are endless. For the love of money most dangerous to health and life are the recycling of expired drugs, manufacturing of fake and toxic drugs, manufacturing of fake and toxic food and drink, etc. For the love of money doctors used pain killer injections paid at high price to be divided with some patients each paying full price. I believe those who make and sell deadly food and drug and drink should meet with death penalty. The American healthcare system is the most costly in the world because greedy doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies commit predatory practices and defraud patients. For the love of money Wall Street executives created the economic and financial crisis started in 2007 which looted the world more than $50 trillion . For the lust of power warmongers attacked and occupied nations and killed millions of people. Can you prove any crime or sin which is not directly related to greed for power, greed for money, or greed for sex?
The Greek word for sorrow is odynē which means consuming grief, pain, sadness, mental or emotional suffering; – it occurs only twice in the New Testament. I am not surprised that Las Vegas is the saddest city in America with the third-highest suicide rate. Gambling is an obvious form of greed, unlike the predatory practices of doctors and hospitals are hidden in their fraudulent billing. The greedy are consumed or will be consumed by grief and pain caused by their own greed; if not in this world, it will be in hell forever and ever.
It was reported that a dentist in the U.S. in an effort to save money used paper clips instead of stainless steel posts in root canals which can cause pain and even infection. You must have heard how Taiwan manufacturers used toxic substance in food and drink products in order to make high profits. For the love of money, the evil deeds of men are unlimited.
Forbes ranks the world’s billionaires of 2012. The world belongs to them and they belong to the world. Do you know anyone of them is a true follower of Jesus Christ?
Mat 19:23-24,“And Jesus said to His disciples: Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
Luk 12:21 ,“So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” A man can be rich toward men, but not rich toward God.
2Cr 8:9,“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” The children of God are richer than all the world’s billionaires put together because they shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
1Ti 6:17,“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” Those billionaires are only rich in this present world; they have nothing in the world to come. The uncertainty of riches even the rich is aware of it. Executives of Washington, Wall Street and Hollywood are rich only in this present world, without hope and without God. They have nothing in the world to come!
Jam 1:11,“For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.” The rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
Jam 2:5,“Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
The poorest Christians are richer than those billionaires because they are rich in faith and they are heirs of the Kingdom of God. The Bible has a word for those billionaires,
Jam 5:1, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you!”
Greed not only ruins the rich, greed also ruins the poor.
1Ti 6:9 ,“ People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ”
Note: By wanting more and more, the rich fall into temptation and a trap into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. Some poor want to get rich quick and get trapped into many foolish and harmful desires fall into temptation and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction also. The foolish and harmful desires of the rich and poor are unlimited.
A foolish young man born of a foolish woman wanted to get rich quick and he did not want to continue making bread and earn little money. So he cooked up a dumb plan of pretending to be rich by borrowing at high interest from organized crime syndicate. He used the borrowed money 70,000 yuan to buy expensive cellphone, and lavishly entertained business people at luxurious restaurants with gifts etc. hoping they would give him some business deal. He got zero business deal and the high-interest debt of 70,000 provided by gangs demand immediate pay payment. The young man who inflicted himself with foolish and harmful passions now immediately plunges into ruin and destruction. When a man is desperate, he becomes dangerous. A desperate person is a dangerous person; he may resort to robbery, swindling or something worse. It is very dangerous not to make payment to gangsters who lend with usury. There are billions of similar and other stories how foolish and harmful desires ruined and destroyed people who wanted to get rich quick. Greed leads to self-destruction.
The newspaper reported a corrupt Chinese official was convicted of corruption and sentenced to death, among large amount of cash and other things, he owned 374 apartment houses. If the crook and criminal visits the properties acquired by crooked means one unit a day, he cannot finish the job in a year. Greed is as wide as Hell, as bottomless as the Pit.
In the last days people are more dangerous because they have triple most deadly loves: not only lovers of money, lovers of self, and lovers of pleasure. This evil trinity drives them more to evil deeds.
Imagine warmongers make high profit in wars such as Ukraine now!
(A). There are many forms of greed.
Luk 12:15 ,“Then He said to them: Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Note: There are endless forms of greed, from love of money, power, sex to fame and glory, luxurious life style, shameless corruption, etc. Greed appears in business and industry, government, charity, school and university, religion, healthcare, Wall Street, Washington, Hollywood, and military-industrial-security complex. A form of greed is selling the fake as true. For example, selling non-organic vegetables as organic vegetables at many times the prices. All fake products from food, drug, drink to manufactured goods and products are selling as real for high profits. As an illustration, the price disparity between a Ming or Qing antique and a modern imitation is so vast that may be millions of dollars in difference. You need to guard against greed more than you guard against thieves and robbers.
Because of greed, criminals destroyed portions of the Great Wall. Because of greed, people robbed the tombs of emperors. Because of greed China’s national treasures were smuggled out to foreign nations. The evil deeds done in the world because of greed are more than the stars in the sky. Because of greed the American healthcare becomes the most costly in the world whereas doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies defraud and fleece and bankrupt patients and suck the blood of the economy more than $8 trillion a year.
Of some 6,500 swindling spams (not advertising) I have received through e-mails and messages since the Christmas season of 2011, most of them are Africans and Muslims, most are women black and white, some Muslims call themselves doctors, some Muslims call themselves princes, a few call themselves princesses, one calls himself a prince with an English name, most are Nigerian con artists, some whites, many women who want to sell their bodies, few men want to sell sex, one Chinese, one crook from Taiwan offering phony partnership, one used the name of the United Nations Office to beg for money (the beggar has an English name), a Microsoft Award of Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Great British Pound (£950,000.00) from the Event Manager Dr. Christopher Baker, Australian National Lottery Department cash prize of $1,000,000 even though you never play the lottery with a winning ticket number, EUROPEAN LOTTERY WINNING NOTIFICATION of TWO MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($2,800,000.00) from JAMES WALTER even you never bought a ticket, a cheque of $500,000 approved by the World Bank director Robert Zoellick from KRISTINALINA .G SECRETARY GENERAL of WORLD BANK for no reason, various investment scams and phony business proposals, phony winning of lottery without buying or awards, one who calls himself a pastor in Sweden, and two who claimed to be pastors want to do business with me by selling my products (writings) although I preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for free, most shamelessly call their intended victims dearest, all demand urgent attention. Their methods of deception vary: some appeal in the name of charity, some sheer begging, most use baits, a few even use the name of God in vain – they are all liars and swindlers. These shameless, lawless, artless, senseless, wicked and conscienceless people have only one in common; they con people for money, money, and money. Some women solicit sex for money. Deviousness and shamelessness characterize all scam artists and swindlers. These swindlers are so shameless, low, degenerate and depraved that they even ask their intended victims to trust them. They are everything what a human being should not be; the scums of the earth. They lie and lie and lie because they are the children of the father of lies, the children of darkness.
The crux of fraud through spams is that crooks and criminals fraudulently offer you phony money as bait, but their intent is to defraud lots of real money from you. Using money as a bait to get money is a satanic trick, because what these con artists offer you are empty false promises, what they will get from you is real money. So wise up, do not fall into the trap. The best thing is to mark their e-mails as “spam” and delete them without even reading because they are not worth wasting your time. The origins of these crooks and criminals reflect the true color and character of their countries and cultures.
Scam and spam through email is predominantly committed by one racial and religious group. They are the shameless scums of the earth, the enemies of truth, the parasites of humanity, and the children of darkness. They have no shame, no sense, no self-esteem, no scruples – they exist to deceive, defraud and debase.
This is one of billions of fraud and scam and spam sent out daily through the Internet to deceive and defraud peoples around the world. The Internet (including emails) is the most fertile and fraudulent land of crooks and criminals who scheme and do all kinds of evil with impunity. This one has an address in United Kingdom. Although the United States controls the Internet, there is no government that prosecutes Internet frauds and organized crimes. The Internet is used by evildoers to spy on leaders of nations, businesses and industries, and billions of law-abiding peoples around the world. You wonder if the real Coca-Cola Company does anything to protect its name and fight against fraud. You wonder if United Kingdom is interested in cracking down frauds and crimes.
The coca cola company.
Prize Claim Centre
1 Queen Caroline Street,
London W6 9HQ,
United Kingdom.
Greetings,
We are pleased to inform you that your E-Mail number has won you £995,000 in (Nine Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand British Pounds) in the 2014 Coca-Cola Live Int’l Draw. You were selected randomly by our Computer system and emerged as the winner in the final category of the Draw with the following numbers; (15 – 40 – 23 – 07 – 02). All E-mails were obtained from the International web Directory.
I wish to let you know the steps that you must follow to receive your prize money at the earliest possible time. In this process, we shall respect your views, opinions and most importantly, protect your privacy. Please provide us with the following information to enable us issue you the Award Certificate and process your prize release.
You are required to contact our dispatch dept via email ( rajoscar245@yahoo.com ) with information below in order for us to complete your winning certificate and for further information.
Full Name…………………
Address……………………
Age…………………………
Sex…..male…………………….
Nationality…………………
Occupation………………
Home Phone………………
Mobile Phone……………..
Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is IMD-112211 and must be quoted in the subject of every correspondence. Please keep details of your winning confidential until the successful transfer of your fund to you, as any form of double claim will lead to withdrawal of the Prize. This draw was conducted solely by Coca-Cola Company, UK and cannot be redeemed at your Local Coca-Cola Office.
Yours in service,
Mr. Raj Oscar
(Claim Agent)
——————————————————
Now Chinese in Singapore (probably Singaporeans) also engaged in global scam, using the name of RHB BANK Singapore. There are so many evil people and liars in the world. Remind you hell is the bottomless pit with infinite capacity! A Singaporean claimed he works as an External auditor of RHB BANK Singapore and a family member of mine left behind an estate/capital of USD12.5 Million. Singapore is known to be a law and order city state, it is time RHB BANK Singapore take Freddie Chee Ng to court to be prosecuted.
Spams used to be the defrauding game of Africans, now Europeans and Americans and Asians also get into the very act. The following is a real example of a spam. To evaluate a spam, you need to do internal and external evidence check analysis.
(1)． Internal
There are many inconsistencies and inappropriate and illogical statements with incongruous procedure.
A. The man who calls him a pastor in Sweden wrote me the following e-mail without specified the name to.
B. “I am the new beneficiary of partner.” – This does not specify who is the partner, who was the “old beneficiary.”
C. “I am contacting you in respect of compensation.” – I do not work for any of them, so compensation does not exist. You do not get something for nothing.
D. “I was related of your formal participation longed to run a transaction which failed you at a stage.” – I never had a formal participation, nor any transaction which failed at a stage (whatever stage).
E. “I have received the amount to start my project.” – He did not specify receive what amount from whom to start what project; anyhow it does not concern me; it must be a simple and pure bait.
F. “I hope you should thank God with me in succeeding the privilege, through the instruction of your partner that you were the first person to have had the accomplishment of this transaction with him but for one reason and another you could not achieve the process.” – This gobbledygook comes right from hell, using the name of God in vain, since I never had a partner. The deceitful process gets deeper and darker.
G. “Admitting to his guide lines I dropped a cashier cheque of “HALF A MILLION” Five Hundred Thousand Dollar (500, 000.00 Dollar) for your compensation.” – Deliberately “his guide lines” does not identify the person, perhaps is the devil disguised as an angel of light. He dropped a cashier check of half a million, amazing – maybe it dropped right back to hell. Again, a hallucination that anyone can be compensated for nothing.
H. “Being that I am busy with my project and I have no address or your destination you should contact my representative in Burkina Faso Mr. Adams.Kabour to receive the cashier cheque or transfer the cash to you under your instruction through; Email; mr_adamskabouri01@yahoo.co.jp ” – How convenient to be busy in dropping half a million dollar, it gets more and more ludicrous and ridiculous. How could a man being a pastor of church in Sweden having no address? The name of his representative is of great suspect, and the country mentioned is in Africa abnormally strange in relation to Sweden.
(2). No waste of time is needed to go into further analysis. I waste my time so that you will not be fooled.
(3). As regards external evidence, my friends in Scandinavia can easily verify the identity of the man who calls himself a pastor in Sweden.
There is an international ring of organized crime to defraud and scam people who are gullible, because the con artists always use large sum of money of fictitious existence as a bait. Only fools fall into their traps.
(4). Yahoo email service should not be made available to crooks and criminals who swindle and defraud unsuspecting people in the world. I wonder why Yahoo knowingly carries spams nonetheless.
You are reading from Pastor. Nils W. Olsson, the G. O. S of Agape Love Ministry, Sweden (Sverige). I am the new beneficiary of partner. I am contacting you in respect of compensation. I was related of your formal participation longed to run a transaction which failed you at a stage. I have received the amount to start my project.
I hope you should thank God with me in succeeding the privilege, through the instruction of your partner that you were the first person to have had the accomplishment of this transaction with him but for one reason and another you could not achieve the process. Admitting to his guide lines I dropped a cashier cheque of “HALF A MILLION” Five Hundred Thousand Dollar (500, 000.00 Dollar) for your compensation. Being that I am busy with my project and I have no address or your destination you should contact my representative in Burkina Faso Mr. Adams.Kabour to receive the cashier cheque or transfer the cash to you under your instruction through; Email; mr_adamskabouri01@yahoo.co.jp
Write me back sooner or later you receive the cashier cheque. Moreover it will later be a great pleasure to know you in person maybe I can visit you or you pay me a visit in my church in Sweden.
Thank you very much and may good God continue to shower his abundant blessing upon us and every member of your family.
The following probably is the most incredible spam I have ever received so far because it claims to be from the World Bank president Jim Yong Kim which I copied exactly from the email received. Notice the email does not address my name personally. Without name is a trick of mass production for mass circulation.
Attention / From World Bank RE/NO: 002-Rbs/0047/2012
Attention
On behalf of the entire staff of the World Bank and the United Kingdom in collaboration with IMF and EU Office. We apologize for the delay of your contract payment, and all the inconveniences you encountered while pursuing this payment. However, from the records of outstanding due payment with the United Kingdom, your name was discovered as next on the list of the outstanding beneficiary who have not yet received their payments.
I wish to inform you now that the square peg is now in square hole and your payment is being processed and will be released to you as soon as you respond to this letter via diplomatic means of payment. so if you like to receive your fund this way, please let us know by contacting Diplomat Allan Bowler, and also re-confirm to him the following information’s, in order to proceed immediately:
Your Full Name: ______________________________ Your Contact House Address: ______________________ Name of City of Residence:_______________________________ Country:____________________________________ Direct Telephone Number:________________________ Mobile Number:____________________________________ Working Identity Card/Int’l Passport:________________________________ AGE: ________________________________ OCCUPATION: ________________________________
However, kindly find below the contact person: Diplomat Allan Bowler A Diplomatic Agent by profession Email: deliveredofficeuk@voila.fr
Note that from the record in the file, your outstanding payment is US$5,500,000.00 (Five Million five hundred United States Dollars). So as soon as the you re-confirm to Diplomat Allan Bowler the above mentioned details, your fund will be deliver to you immediately via diplomatic means of delivery without any holdup.
You are hereby advice to stop dealing with some non-officials in the bank as this is an illegal act and will have to stop if you so wish to receive your payment immediately. We discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank who are Trying to divert your funds into their private accounts. You are further advised to STOP further contact with any offices or agency related on your transactions and in your best interest.
Yours Sincerely, Jim Yong Kim World Bank president—Crooks and criminals get bolder and bolder, more and more blatant. Here is a case of using the name of the secretary of the United Nations:UNITED NATIONS 2012/2013 SCAM VICTIMS COMPENSATION PAYMENT VIA OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES Internal Audit, Monitoring, Consulting And Investigations Division. website http:http://www.un.org/sg/biography.shtml
Attn: Funds Beneficiary,
With all due respect, Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations; I wish to inform you that I just arrived London The United Kingdom few days ago with the United Nation Deputy-Secretary General (JAN ELIASSON) on a two days official visit to London with the queen of England, but was directed to Central London-England, United Kingdom yesterday from Manchester on a special duty, after series of complains from the FBI and other Security agencies from Asia, Europe, Oceania, Antarctica, South America and the United States of America respectively, against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the British Government for the rate of scam Activities going on in these two nations..
I have spoken with the adviser on international matters to the Prime minister here in London and have also spoken to the president of Nigeria Dr. Good luck Jonathan of Nigeria since the problem originated from Nigeria which he is the president of “On our telephone conversation, He told me that he has been trying his best to make sure you receive your fund since the assumption of office as the president sometime this year. Right now, i am the secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon after his recent meeting with the President of America on his recent trip to America for the United Nation Peace keeping talk with the world leaders, We are working in collaborations with the Republic of Ghana cybercrime Commission (GCC) and have decided to waive away all your clearance fees/Charges and authorize the Government of England through an apex bank here in England to effect the payment of your compensation of an amount of (US$3.6 Million United state Dollar) approved by the UNITED NATION,
Sincerely, you are a lucky person because I have just discovered that some top Nigerian and British Government Officials are interested in your fund and they are working in collaboration with One FAKE ROBERT MUILLER who claimed to work with the FBI from USA to frustrate you and there after divert your fund into their personal account. On the acceptance of this email, I will advise you to reconfirm me with your present phone number and address to enable me cross-check with what I have here in our database.
I have a very limited time to stay in London here so I would like you to urgently respond to this message so that I can advise you on what next to do as soon as you can take care of the Notarization fees of US$400 as written above.
You can contact our United nation agent in LAGOS NIGERIA through this Email address only: (ms5geh01@yahoo.cn)
Yours Sincerely, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. the eighth Secretary-General Of the United Nations———————– Note: This letter was produced for mass distribution, although I received it but it does not address to me is the proof. This crook cannot spell and use capitalization, etc. The U.N. should investigate and prosecute the so-called United Nation agent in Lagos Nigeria with the email address only listed. Why so many crooks and criminals come from Africa, in particular Nigeria? ———–Here is a scam in the name of the Prime Minister of Britain. If the United Kingdom has any sense of law and order, it is about time to investigate Rt Hon William Hague MP and Mrs. Elaine Rooker Smith. How ridiculous that a poor British government wants to give me £2,000,000.00 (Two Million, Great British Pounds Sterling)? What a bait and trap for fools!OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTE TREASURY AND MINISTER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM.
Our ref: BRT/3470/IDR our ref:..14/03/2013
BRITISH GOVERNMENT (2013) POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.
On Behalf of the British Government, i wish to inform you of your selection as one of the Beneficiary for the on going 2013 British Government Poverty Alleviation and Financial Empowerment Program worldwide. All participants/beneficiaries were selected randomly from Worldwide online networks Directories as a beneficiary of £2,000,000.00 (Two Million, Great British Pounds Sterling).
So, this letter is to officially inform you that two(2) option of payment has been opened for you. 1) Issuance of an ATM Card 2) Bank Wire transfer
Please do indicate your PAYMENT OPTION.
As this office will mail you a Visa/ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw your funds in any ATM MACHINE CENTER or Visa card outlet in the world with a maximum of £5000 GBP daily or our contracted paying bank here in London, United Kingdom will make the transfer to you depending on your OPTION OF PAYMENT you have indicated. Further more, You will be required to re-confirm your Bio-Data as stated below to enable; Rt Hon William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, begin in processing your awarded funds.
Forward all your details reply to: ——————————————————- Rt Hon William Hague MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs ukgovt_ssfca@hotmail.co.uk Tel:+44 703-592-5923 Fax:+44-742-356-7161 ——————————————————
Regards, Mrs. Elaine Rooker Smith. Liaison Officer On Foreign PaymentNow even the Chinese in Hong Kong get into the act of scam, the following is a case in point.Dear E-mail User,
:::YEAR 2013 EMAIL PRIZE AWARDS:::
Your Email ID has won a cash prize of 1.5million USD and a BMW X6 MODEL in China Shenhua Energy Company. Send your details for claims. Full Name, Add, Age, Occupation, Telephone Number: to Name: Mr. Li Jun Chan E-mail: claimsagent71@yahoo.com.hk
Signed, Mrs. Li Haicang (China Shenhua Secretary).
——————————————————————————————————
There are more new varieties of fraud created by greed on the Internet and fraudulent emails, you can find it yourself. I do not want to waste more time on those crooks and criminals. It is ludicrous, no actually dangerous, for those who create virus to cause troubles of many personal and business computers and then those who create software and sell them to uninstall those virus software! They are Internet terrorists, it is hoped the powerful USA may drop atomic bombs to eliminate them once and for all.
(B). Greed is idolatry.
Col 3:5 ,“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Note: Idolatry in Greek is eidōlolatriawhich means the worship of false gods; the sacrifice held in honor of false gods; a worship of Mammon; vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it; image worship; worship of a physical object as god; – which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. The sin of greed is the same as idolatry – worshiping of idols. You may say I am advanced, I do not worship idols. But the Bible says, greed is equal to idolatry. If you are greedy, it is just the same like you worship idols.
(C). Greed exploits people.
2Pe 2:3, “And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Note: Exploit in Greek is emporeuomai which means to make merchandise of; to use a person or thing for gain; to traffic or trade; to deal in; to make use for one’s own advantage; – which occurs 3 times in the New Testament. In the last 500 years or more the White race exploits all other races in the world. Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex who represent 1 percent of the American population exploit the 99 percent.
I saw with my eyes and heard with my ears (May 14, 2012) on TV that a Wall Street executive said, “…We know we are sloppy. We know we are stupid…” How incredible are American capitalists who defrauded the public by their own confession! The problem is they are much more than being sloppy and stupid; they are crooks and criminals, thieves and robbers. What is even more desperate, the flawed legal system let them do it with impunity. What is needed is not to Occupy Wall Street, but to Obliterate Wall Street. Woe is to America, who shall save Americans from the evil of Wall Street？ America and Europeans have exploited many nations and peoples of the world.
(D). Greed is as wide as Hell.
Hab 2:5 ,“Moreover, wine is treacherous; the arrogant man shall not abide. His greed is as wide as Hell; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations, and collects as his own all peoples.”
Note: Greed is like Hell because it never has enough. Hell is the Bottomless Pit. COVID-19 Pandemic in the Spring of 2020 is like Hell, more than 2.6 million persons in the world have been infected (the number changes by day). No one can tell how many persons will be swallowed up by the pandemic. Nuclear weapons are helpless in the face of COVID-19. The sole superpower looks desperate in the midst of the pandemic and so incompetent and negligent leaders and politicians try to blame others for their failures.
If you watch all the TV news and reports on how companies and individuals manufacture drugs, food and drink with high content of toxic and harmful and deadly materials and additives, you would not dare to eat or drink anything! This appears to be a national emergency more dangerous and deadly than SARS or COVID-19 because it is intentionally caused and created by wicked people infected by incurable capitalistic greed. Just as China has demonstrated its abilities in dealing with natural disasters, I am sure China is fully capable in dealing with such man-made disaster. It is hoped Chinese government will prosecute and execute any responsible people or groups of people who manufacture and sell toxic and harmful products in the form of drug, food, drink, etc. It is high time to eliminate those mass murderers who violate the law boldly for the sake of high profits. Perhaps mass execution is necessary to stop and eliminate this evil deed infected by capitalistic greed. If corrective action is not taken promptly and effectively to stop those mass killers, the consequences would be disastrous of unimaginable magnitude and unthinkable calamity and catastrophe. It would be like committing suicide. When you have internal enemies like those deliberate killers, you do not need external enemies who are at work to destroy China.
It is truly an amazing site: monstrous US hotels and casinos, just a few hundred meters from the Mainland China. All that kitsch that one usually associates with Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but bigger, much bigger! In fact, Macau is the biggest casino sprawl in the world.
Casinos, most of them confined inside the US mega-hotels, make approximately 5 times more money here, than in Las Vegas.
Macau is tiny, measuring only some 115 km square. But with around 650,000 people, it is one of the most over-populated places in the world. There is no space to move around here, anymore. Macau is a total, thorough urban nightmare and failure, propelled and ‘justified’ only by greed. But its plans are still Napoleonic. The territory wants more and more. Or more precisely: the Macau government, together with big business from the West, want more and more visitors, more and more casinos, luxury retail stores, and of course, profits.
24 hours a day, 365 days a week, Macau sucks in like a monstrous turbine, millions, in fact billions of dollars, yuan or whatever currency manages to enter its territory. It attracts like a magnet, masses of people from the PRC, who are often still naïve, innocent and defenseless when confronted by brutal and extreme forms of capitalism and its advertisements.
In January 2019, I visited several casinos in Macau, and not surprisingly, there are very few traditional roulette tables there, but masses of electronically controlled machines. Everything is noisy, confusing and lacking transparency. Western casinos treat Chinese people like some brainless children. At least the classic roulette mainly wins (for casino) on ‘neutral’ 0 (zero), giving a gambler very fair chance. But electronic, futuristic machines are a sham, and can ‘strip’ an unseasoned gambler of everything, in just a few hours, even minutes. But that is, obviously, precisely the goal.
I am horrified to see hordes of good Chinese (PRC) citizens who work hard, building their beautiful country, and then crossing to that fake universe of Macau, where they are literally blowing their savings in spasmodic, insane sprees.
Macau gangs are brutal and they are dealing with huge amounts of money. Antagonizing them is dangerous. Even journalists and academics connected to this tiny but super rich territory, prefer not to speak openly; only on condition of anonymity.
Frankly, all that Macau represents is wrong: it has already ruined millions of human lives through mass gambling. It robs Mainland China of billions of dollars. Instead of educating people, it offers fake culture, in fact a disgusting parody ‘Las Vegas-style ’. It is brainwashing Chinese people, so they see ‘the world according to Disney, Hollywood and big US hotel chains’.
Many hotel managers come from Portugal (for ‘authenticity’, I suppose). They are arrogant, more North American than North Americans themselves, ambitious and unscrupulous. Many of them speak about Mainland China sarcastically, with spite. Typical Western ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom of speech’ nonsense.
Stripped of authenticity and decency, Macau adopted a gold-digging, repulsive culture. Talk about ‘fake news’ and fake culture! Everything that is fake, is here, in Macau.
Across the water, in the PRC, beautiful modern cities are growing, simple, elegant, and confident; built for the people.
In Macau, morale, socialist spirit, as well as family savings, are getting ruined and burned.
‘One country two systems’ has gone too far in Macau. This territory produces nothing. Not even those traditional firecrackers, perhaps. It only consumes, and perverts.
I don’t recognize Macau either. And people who come here, from Mainland China, tend to change, quickly. Is this yet another Western subversion, an attempt to break China into pieces? Definitely. The government of the PRC should take more decisive action, soon; protecting its people and funds. ”
Western and American media are usually enemies of China with fake news and slanted views. Here is a Western journalist cited above who reports facts with a positive motive and good concern for China, and I agree wholeheartedly with his points of view and value. I think China should adopt his suggestion with respect to Macau.
V. American contagion of healthcare terrorism has infected China.
Something frightening and fearful has happened in China! The American fraudulent and predatory practices of doctors and hospitals have come to China! It was reported that one man was treated in a Harbin hospital emergency and intensive care and died; his medical bill was5.5 million yuan. One recent case of a patient who had gall stone surgery which was told the cost would be a couple thousand yuan. Under the pretext of saving life, then doctors and the hospital made the patient very ill but prohibited the family to visit and told them the patient was getting better but never mentioned or demanded to advance payment or disclosed the amount. Later a simple gall stone surgery killed the patient and the bill was RMB 450,000 with a dead patient. I watched on TV how the responsible doctor shamelessly and unconscionably rationalized the costs and justified the high fees of RMB 450,000 as normal and not much. Apparently the doctor had seared his conscience and lost his sense of morality and honesty and respectability. Since healthcare is a monopoly, what evil doctors and hospitals can do is inestimable and immeasurable.
It is hoped the Chinese government would take drastic action now to stop the deadly contagion of American capitalistic greed before it becomes unstoppable and devastates the Chinese society AS it has ruined American society. The simple but effective remedy is to execute doctors who commit fraudulent and predatory practices (such as charging large sums for unnecessary or unperformed tests, procedures, treatments, drugs, etc., excessive and fake billing, fake medical record, lies about patient condition, malpractice, misinformation, misrepresentation, etc.) and execute hospital owners who participate in the organized crime and seize their assets to pay victims. Doctors and hospitals that commit outrageous and malicious illegal practices must be put to death and put out of business. There are already American and Western doctors and dentists who practice medicine in China’s big cities and charge the rich Chinese high fees (many times what Chinese public hospitals charge). This dual medical system cannot be tolerated in a just society. Do not allow doctors and dentists and hospitals become healthcare terrorists in China. Under the Chinese legal system, no one is allowed to prey on another person. Do not let the Chinese health-care system fall into the monopolistic, abusive and oppressive and most costly health-care like that of the United States which sucks the blood of American people and bankrupted millions of American families with impunity.
My view and position is that the three evils exist in the world today are imperialism, capitalism and terrorism.
Imperialism is represented by nations that seek absolute military supremacy in order to dictate and dominate the world – they are warmongers, war makers, trouble makers not peace makers. Today imperialism is synonymous with hegemonism. There is no glory in imperialism, but shame AND disgrace. It is senseless and meaningless and worthless to seek world domination and dictatorship at the death and destruction of millions. Today imperialism is represented by the U.S., NATO, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. Terrorism is usually known as Islamic extremism characterized by suicidal bombing and mass killing. There is no humanity in terrorism, but violence. In my opinion American healthcare system is also a financial form of terrorism because healthcare providers work like an organized crime and they charge excessively and fraudulently with impunity and they have bankrupted millions of family. Capitalism driven mad by greed resulted in the economic and financial crisis created by Wall Street executives in 2008 that looted the world more than $50 trillion dollars. There is no honesty in capitalism, but fraud. The rich and powerful had surreptitiously and structurally changed the rule of game that Wall Street executives and bankers may gamble on investors’ money with impunity and without fiduciary responsibility or financial and legal liability. In their massive gambling winning is winning big, losing is also winning big – that is something new in the history of modern states. Those who were responsible for creating the Wall Street crisis were bailed out by taxpayer money and gave themselves exorbitant executive compensation, luxurious perks and pensions and billions in annual bonuses. The flawed legal system gives crooks and criminals of Wall Street full immunity. The raison d’être of Capitalism is to create wealth for the few. Such exploitative, fraudulent, unproductive and immoral system works for the 1 percent of the population at the expense of the 99 percent. Evidence upon evidence and fact upon fact demands destruction of the American capitalism to be replaced by a new responsible and reliable economic and financial system for the good of the greatest number of people. As long as Washington and Wall Street have symbiotic relations and adulterous liaisons, American capitalism will continue to rule over the helpless American people and the world.
Exd 20:17 , “You shall not covetyour neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Note: Covet in Hebrew is chamad which means to desire, take pleasure in, delight in; to delight greatly, desire greatly; – it occurs 21 times in the Old Testament. There is nothing wrong to enjoy your own house, but it is a sin to covet your neighbor’s house. There is nothing wrong in taking great pleasure in your wife. It is a sin to desire your neighbor’s wife. To delight in your wife is one thing, to desire your neighbor’s wife is a sin.
Deu 5:21, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Note: To desire anything or anyone that belongs to others is a sin. Greed is to want what do not belong to you. Palestinians and Hamas suffer greed in claiming the Holy Land. In the beginning God gave the Promised Land to Abraham and his descendants. There was no Palestine or Palestinian or Hamas. The Jews rebelled against God and were scattered all over the world. During the colonial period, the British empire created Palestine, and illegal Arabs moved in and occupied without payment. The State of Israel was reestablished. All Arabs and Palestinians should have been evicted long ago. The two-state proposal is not the two-state solution. Palestinians can seek statehood or residency in neighboring Arab states. The United Nations or any organization does not have authority to give the Jewish land to Palestinians or Arabs. Jerusalem is forever the capital of great king David. God will fight for Jerusalem. The leaders of United Kingdom do not have moral character and courage to come out and explain to the Palestinians and Hamas that they do not have the right of resettlement. Israel is God’s holy nation, it cannot be mixed with other nations or peoples. The Holy Land forever belongs to the Jews, God’s chosen people. So, Palestinians and Hamas do not fight or claim what does not belong to you. Get out of the Jewish land in peace or be evicted by force.
Rom 7:7 , “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Note: In Greek coveting is epithymiawhich means desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust, lust arousing, concupiscence; – it occurs 38 times in the New Testament. In Greek covet is epithymeōwhich means to turn upon a thing, to have a desire for, set one’s heart upon, long for, to desire, to lust after, to seek the forbidden; – it occurs 16 times in the New Testament.
Rom 13:9, “For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
In America almost everything is corrupted by the love of money, power and sex. The truth can be verified. Government, politics, business, industry, economy, culture, commerce, trade, education, transportation, healthcare, insurance, drug and medicine, charity, religion, mass media, movie, election, science and technology, subsidy, welfare, legislation, foreign policy, imperial war of conquest, defense, advertising, management, labor union, insider information, etc. are corrupted. You have heard the president having sex with intern and committed perjury repeatedly, governor hiring prostitutes at $5,000 an hour, officials having extramarital affairs and children out of wed log, bribery, selling and buying influence, etc. – government and politics corrupted by money, power and sex. Charity is also corrupted, many fundraisers give one dollar for every one hundred dollars they raise and qualify as charity.
The United States exercises a bad influence on the world such as violence, aggression, pornography, vulgarity, incivility, sexual immorality, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, greed, extravagance, excess, deviation, counter-culture, secularism, monopoly, etc.
Monopoly is inherently corrupt. A recent announcement that Shanghai New York University is going to charge RMB 100,000 for annual tuition. You have heard university presidents making $1 million a year, etc. University is a monopoly because young men and women need to have higher education. American universities come to China not because they want to disperse knowledge and educate Chinese youth, but because they want to make big money. Any monopoly tends to have predatory and corrupt practices such as in healthcare where doctors, dentists and hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, lab and medical suppliers gouge and defraud patients so much so that bankrupted millions of American families. American greed has also infected China increasingly in many ways. American dentists and doctors come to China not because they want help and heal the sick, but because they want to make big money. It is outrageous for any university to charge ￥100,000 for tuition a year. The government should regulate doctors, dentists, hospitals, lawyers, schools and universities, cemetery, etc. where they exercise monopolistic power and tax them heavily for making high profits.
2Cr 9:5, “So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness.”
Note: Covetousness in Greek is pleonexiawhich means greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice, extortion; – it occurs 10 times in the New Testament. All governments are corrupt more or less, no matter what form or system. Why does government tend to be corrupt? Government is the largest form of monopoly, monopoly of power and money. The people are most affected by corrupt officials.
Jesus Christ warns, Luk 12:15, “Then He said to them: Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
Cowley says, “There are two sorts of avarice; the one is but of a bastard kind; and that is, the rapacious appetite of gain, not for its own sake, but for the pleasure of refunding it immediately through all the channels of pride and luxury; the other is the true kind, and properly so called, which is a restless and un-satiable desire of riches, not for any further end or use, but only to hoard and preserve, and …”
Col 3:5 , “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Note: Greed amounts to idolatry; greed is idolatry. A greedy person is no better than an idol worshiper.
2Pe 2:14 , “Having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children.”
Note: Wall Street, Washington, and Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex display having a heart trained in greed. Only people having a heart trained in greed could produce the American economic and financial crisis in 2008. If you ever audit a medical bill, you will quickly understand what it means to have a heart trained in greed. They seek to maximize profits by fraudulent and overcharge long billing of very sophisticated and technical nature that even a Ph.D. might not understand. A life insurance policy is masterpiece of lawyers having a heart trained in greed.
1Ti 6:10 , “Forthe love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Note: The love of money in Greek is philargyria which means avarice, greed; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. Apostle John sums it up:
1Jo 2:16 , “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Note: The word lust in Greek is epithymia, the same original word used in Rom 7:7. Avarice, greed, covetousness, and lust are synonymous.
Actually there are three forms of greed: greedy for money, greedy for power, and greedy for sex. Wall Street exemplifies greed for money, Washington exemplifies greed for power, and Hollywood exemplifies greed for sex. Military-industrial-security complex exemplifies greed for money and power. As you can see, everything in America is corrupted by greed in three forms.
Because of greed there are so many crooks and criminals who link their dirty and filthy and fraudulent sites to my name and my sites. There is actually no rule of law on the Internet, it is the biggest jungle in the world and full of beastly predators; no government is prosecuting any violation of rules and decency. These evildoers have no moral, no decency, no conscience – all they want is to make money on the labor and reputation of others.
On April 5, 2020 lured by the advertisement of free anti-virus, so I loaded a software program to my computer. Little did I know I had let the most vicious and malicious software of a certain company starting with the letter A… to invade my computer, and its free-anti-virus became worse than COVID-19. The A… company invaded my computer with thousands of items which the A… did not allow to delete them. It is like mafia that makes you an offer that you cannot refuse. They made it hard for use and almost impossible to uninstall the malicious program. I did battle two days and two nights to eliminate thousands its items one by one. It kept saying I do not have permission to delete them. It multiplies its items as I deleted them like cancer cells metastasized. It wasted my time and efforts and made me very tiresome. There are many unscrupulous and predatory businesses on the Internet that lure you with free software, free website, free email, free program, etc. Once you are led in, they made offer that you can refuse but pay or suffer a big loss. Another company with the name starting with the letter O… They advertised free website, when you put a lot of time and effort into your website and established yourself as a well-known entity, then they started to give you all kinds of technical problems and urged you to upgrade. They even blocked your website so that you cannot visit, you pay or lose your website. There are so many shameless crooks and criminals on the Internet, no government will enforce the law to prosecute them. Just remember, “free” or “100% free” may be a bait that can harm and hurt you.
The fact that the American national debt has surpassed $28 trillion (and this amount does not count the debts and deficits of states, counties, cities, agencies, institutions, corporations, individuals, students, etc.) and is going higher not day by day, but grows exponentially minute by minute proves that greed is a bottomless pit.Those who are benefited by American debts and deficits want to continue to live in luxuries and affluencies without end. Those who are rich and powerful in government and industry and military and security complex do not want to change. The one percent of the population who controls and rules over the 99 percent want to maintain the status quo. My fellow Americans, China and Russia are not American enemies. The real American enemies are those who are in power and position and have power to enrich themselves by spending America into oblivion. Can you see the handwriting is on the wall?
The virus of the greed (probably more deadly than CORONAVIRUS) of capitalism has infected the whole world, it permeates through government, bureaucracy, business, trade, economy, union, corporation, charity, church, institution, farm, university, defense, military, industry, health care, market, currency, construction, security, entertainment, and all walks of life beyond calculation.
The love of money (greed) is the most prominent sin committed in these last days. Peoples become lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasures, and lovers of money.
Evildoers are of all races. Let the evil advertisers, crooks and criminals, the military-industrial-security complex, makers of computer viruses, corrupt doctors and hospital owners, drug and insurance company executives, labs and medical supplies, evil leaders and politicians, liars and killers and robbers beware; Hell is opening up wide to swallow them up. They will not escape God’s judgment sooner or later.
Will you repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
According to Collin Dictionary, “People who die by suicide deliberately kill themselves because they do not want to continue living.”That is a factual statement.
WILLIE WONG
This article focuses on individual suicide, it does not deal with national suicide. Knowingly or not knowingly, many nations are committing suicide. America is the foremost.
Someone wrote an article, Do Christians Who Commit Suicide Go to Heaven? IT SEEMS THE ANSWER IS AFFIRMATIVE. Let me tell you, that is not the direct revelation of Jesus Christ. First I want to say, I do not know a Christian who has indwelling the Holy Spirit will ever commit suicide.Secondly, Christians are people who have blessed hope, why would people who have blessed hope commit suicide? Thirdly, it is completely unnecessary for Christians to commit suicide. because God will provide a way out. For all those reasons, and for the reason that the Word of God does not provide a direct answer, I think only God has the answer. I cannot pontificate my presumptuous opinion.
I say to any and all Christians who contemplate to commit suicide: DON’T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the name of God, I have good news for you. Those who contemplate suicide, I want you to know that suicide is unnecessary because God has a plan to save you.
If life is supreme, suicide is stupid.
The first appearance of the word “suicide” occurs on Jhn 8:22, “The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”
The people were stupid, will the Lord of Life commit suicide?
There are two possible cases that you want to commit suicide.
A). You have done so much blunders that you cannot redeem yourself. You are so ashamed. You feel life is meaningless, and so you want to get off.
B). You have been wronged by people so much and so bad that nothing you do would seem to be able to get out the pit you are in. It is not your fault, you were just entrapped. You think the way out is to end your life.
From the beginning, you should know the good news of God. In both cases, there is good news for you– you can be saved. So suicide is unnecessary, because salvation is at hand.
All people who successfully committed suicide believed in good faith that suicide was necessary. Those who had successfully killed themselves and are dead and sent to Hell, nothing I can do about. I am here to appeal to those who contemplate suicide to reconsider the Word of God. Jesus says,
Jhn 11:25-27, “Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
I believe all people desire to live. Most people do not know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can give eternal life.
“Suicide deaths, plans, and attempts in the United State
More than 48,000 people died by suicide in 2021. That is 1 death every 11 minutes. 12.3 million adults seriously thought about suicide. 3.5 million adults made a plan. 1.7 million adults attempted suicide.”
II. THE NATURE OF SUICIDE
Suicide 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
(from Lat. sui, of oneself, and cidium, from caedere, to kill), the act of intentionally destroying one’s own life. The phenomenon of suicide has at all times attracted a large amount of attention from moralists and social investigators. Its existence is looked upon, in Western civilization, as a sign of the presence of maladies in the body politic which, whether remediable or not, deserve careful examination. It is, of course, impossible to compare Western civilization in this respect with, say, Japan, where suicide in certain circumstances is part of a distinct moral creed. In Christian ethics and Christian law it is wrong, indeed illegal, as a felo de se, self-murder. It is within comparatively recent years that the study of suicide by means of the vital statistics of various European countries has demonstrated that while the act may be regarded as a purely voluntary one, yet that suicide as a whole conforms there to certain general laws, and is influenced by conditions other than mere individual circumstances or surroundings. Thus it can be shown that each country has a different suicide-rate, and that while the rate for each country may fluctuate from year to year, yet it maintains practically the same relative proportions to the rates of other countries.
In addition to furnishing materials for an approximately accurate estimate of the number of suicides which will occur in any country in a year, statistics have demonstrated that the proportion of male to female suicides is practically the same from year to year, viz. 3 or 4 males to 1 female; that it is possible to predict the month of greatest prevalence, the modes of death adopted by men on the one hand and women on the other, and even the relative frequency of suicide amongst persons following different professions and employments; and that in most of the countries of Europe the suicide-rate is increasing. In England and Wales the annual death-rate per million from suicide has steadily advanced, as is shown by the following figures for quinquennial periods: The next table illustrates the continued increase in recent years, and at the same time shows the total number and the number of male and female suicides each year from 1886 to 1905.
Male and Female – in England and Wales, 1886-1905, together with the annual rate per million living (Registrar-General’s Reports). The reason of the high suicide-rate in some countries as compared with others, and the causes of its progressive increase, are not easily determined. Various explanations have been offered, such as the influence of climate, the comparative prevalence of insanity, and the proportionate consumption of alcoholic drinks, but none satisfactorily accounts for the facts. It may, however, be remarked that suicide is much more common amongst Protestant than amongst Roman Catholic communities, while Jews have a smaller suicide-rate than Roman Catholics. A point of considerable interest is the increase of suicide in relation to the advance of elementary education. Ogle states that suicide is more common among the educated than the illiterate classes.It is also more prevalent in urban than in rural districts. A curious feature in large towns is the sudden outbreak of self-destruction which sometimes occurs, and which has led to its being described as epidemic. In such cases force of example and imitation undoubtedly play a considerable part, as it is well recognized that both these forces exert an influence not only in causing suicide, but also in suggesting the method, time and place for the act. No age above five years is exempted from furnishing its quota of suicidal deaths, although self-destruction between five and ten years is very rare. Above this age the proportion of suicides increases at each period, the maximum being reached between fifty-five and sixty-five. Among females there is a greater relative prevalence at earlier age periods than among males. The modes of suicide are found to vary very slightly in different countries. Hanging is most common amongst males; then drowning, injuries from fire-arms,stabs and cuts,poison and precipitation from heights. Amongst females, drowning comes first, while poison and hanging are more frequent than other methods entailing effusion of blood and disfigurement of the person. The methods used in England and Wales by suicides during 1888-1897, and in Scotland during the years 1881-1897, are given in the following table: TABLE III. Modes of Suicide in England and Wales, 1888-1897. Modes of Suicide in Scotland, 1881-1897. The season of the year influences suicide practically uniformly in all European countries, the number increasing from the commencement of the year to a maximum in May or June, and then declining again to a minimum in winter. Morselli attempts to account for this greater prevalence during what may well be called the most beautiful months of the year by attributing it to the influence of increased temperature upon the organism, while Durkheim suggests that the determining factor is more probably to be found in the length of the day and the effect of a longer period of daily activity. The suicide-rate is higher in certain male occupations and professions than in others (Ogle). Thus it is high amongst soldiers, doctors, innkeepers and chemists, and low for clergy, bargemen, railway drivers and stokers. The suicide-rate is twice as great for unoccupied males as for occupied males.”
III. Suicide is more than a social problem.
Suicide is basically a personal problem.
Suicide brings eternal damnation because your last chance to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, will be gone for good. There is a way to save you from suicide. So do not do it, suicide is unnecessary. No matter how big are your personal problems, God is bigger than all your problems.
Phl 2:4, “do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
It may sound ridiculous, people who committed suicide are selfish. They thought by killing themselves, all their problems disappeared. They never consider the problems they may leave behind. Have you thought about your spouse, your children, your relatives and friends?
grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
Grace in Greek ischariswhich means unmerited favor;
of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exerciseof the Christian virtues (Strong’s Concordance); mercy; compassion; benefit; — which occurs 155 times in the New Testament.
Verse 17. – The χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος is sustained by calling attention to the contrast between the two methods of Divine communication. Because the Law was given through Moses; “Law,” which in Paul’s writings had been even looked at by itself as an “antithesis to grace” (Romans 4:15; Romans 6:14; Romans 7:3; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:10; Galatians 4:4). The Law principle of approach to God fails through the weakness of the flesh. The will is too far enslaved for it to yield spontaneously to the majesty of the Lawgiver, or to feel the attractions of obedience. The Law condemns, – it is incapable of justifying the ungodly: the Law terrifies, – it never reconciles. The Law even provokes to sin and excites the passions which it punishes. Law was given through Moses, pointing to the historic fact of the pomp and splendour of its first delivery, associated therefore with the greatest human name in all past history. Law was a “gift,” a Divine bestowment of entirely unspeakable value to those who were ignorant of the mind and will of God. Even the ministration of death was glorious. The knowledge of an ideal perfection is a great advance, even though no power should accompany the ideal to draw the soul towards it. To know what is right, even without help to do it, save in the form of sanction, or penalty appealing to the lower nature, is better and nobler than to sin in utter ignorance. The Law was given “through” the mind, voice, conscience, and will of Moses. And alongside of him may be supposed to be ranged all the mighty sages and legislators of the human race – all who have thus been the mouthpiece of the Divine idea, all who have impressed the “ought” and “ought not,” the “shall” and “shall not,” upon mankind. Moses is not the author of the Law, the “giving” of the Law was not by Moses, but through his instrumentality. Grace and truth, however, came – became, passed into activity in human nature – through Jesus Christ. For “grace and truth” (see notes, ver. 14), the highest manifestation and self-communication of Divine love and Divine thought, came into human experience through Jesus Christ. A vast and wonderful contrast is here made between all earlier or other dispensations and that of which the apostle proceeds to speak. Divine favour and help, the life of God himself in the soul of man, awakening love in response to the Divine love; and Divine thought so made known as to bring all the higher faculties of man into direct contact with reality, are an enormous advance upon Lawgiving. The appropriate human response to Law is obedience; the appropriate human response to love is of the same nature with itself – nothing less than love; so the only adequate response to Divine truth is faith; to Divine thought may follow human thought. All this forth streaming of grace and truth originated in the person of Jesus Christ, and became possible through him. This great Name, this blending of the human and Divine, of saving grace and Messianic dignity, of ancient expectations and recent realization, is only twice more used in the Gospel (John 17:3 and John 20:31); but it pervades it throughout, and, though not actually said to be equivalent to the Word made flesh, yet no shadow of doubt is left that this was the apostle’s meaning. Here the full significance of the prologue really bursts into view to one who reads it for the first time (cf. 1 John 1:1-3). Difficulty may be felt by some as to the actual Capacity of Jesus Christ to reveal the Divine thought, or the truth, and so the closing verse of the prologue vindicates the claim of the Saviour of the world to be the truth (cf. John 14:6). John 1:17”
Act 4:33, “And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.”
Abundant in Greek is megaswhich means great; large; numerous; excellent; splendid; full; ample; plenteous; — which occurs 241 times in the New Testament.
All human beings need God’s grace. The grace of God is abundant. The abundant grace covers saving grace, living grace and serving grace.
And with great power – See Acts 1:8. The word “power” here denotes “efficacy,” and means that they had “ability” given them to bear witness of the resurrection of the Saviour. it refers, therefore, I rather to their preaching than to their miracles.
Gave the apostles witness – The apostles bore testimony to.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus – This was the main point to be established. If it proved that the Lord Jesus came to life again after having been put to death, it established all that he taught, and was a demonstration that he was sent from God. They exerted, therefore, all their powers to prove this, and their success was such as might have been expected. Multitudes were converted to the Christian faith.
And great grace … – The word “grace” means “favor.” See the notes on John 1:16. The expression here may mean either that the favor of God was remarkably shown to them, or that they had great favor in the sight of the people. It does not refer, as the expression now does commonly, to the internal blessings of religion on a man’s own soul, to their personal advancement in the Christian graces, but to the favor or success that attended their preaching. The meaning probably is, that the “favor” of the “people” toward them was great, or that great success attended their ministry among them. Thus, the same word grace (Greek) is used in Acts 2:47. If this is its meaning, then here is an instance of the power of the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus to impress the minds of people. But this is not all, nor probably is it the main idea. It is that their union, their benevolence their liberality in supplying the needs of the needy, was a means of opening the hearts of the people, and of winning them to the Saviour. If we wish to incline others to our opinions, nothing is better adapted to it than to show them kindness, and even to minister to their temporal needs.
Benevolence toward them softens the heart, and inclines them to listen to us. It disarms their prejudices, and disposes them to the exercise of the mild and amiable feelings of religion. Hence, our Saviour was engaged in healing the diseases and supplying the needs of the people. He drew around him the poor, the needy, and the diseased, and supplied their necessities, and thus prepared them to receive his message of truth. Thus, God is love, and is constantly doing good, that his goodness may lead people to repentance, Romans 2:4. And hence, no persons have better opportunities to spread the true sentiments of religion, or are clothed with higher responsibilities, than those who have it in their power to do good, or than those who are habitually engaged in bestowing favors. Thus, physicians have access to the hearts of people which other persons have not. Thus, parents have an easy access to the minds of children. for they are constantly doing them good. And thus Sunday-school teachers, whose whole work is a work of benevolence, have direct and most efficient access to the hearts of the children committed to their care.”
A). Saving grace
Eph 2:5-9, “even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with
Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Even when we were dead in sins,…. See Gill on Ephesians 2:1.
Hath quickened us together with Christ: which may be understood either of regeneration, when a soul that is dead in a moral or spiritual sense, is quickened and made alive; a principle of life is infused, and acts of life are put forth; such have their spiritual senses, and these in exercise; they can feel the load and weight of sin; see their lost state and condition, the odiousness of sin, and the beauty of a Saviour, the insufficiency of their own righteousness, and the fulness and suitableness of Christ’s; breathe after divine and spiritual things; speak in prayer to God, and the language of Canaan to fellow Christians; move towards Christ, exercise grace on him, act for him, and walk on in him: and this life they have not from themselves, for previous to it they are dead, and in this quickening work are entirely passive; nor can regenerate persons quicken themselves, when in dead and lifeless frames, and much less unregenerate sinners; but this is God’s act, the act of God the Father; though not exclusive of the Son, who quickens whom he will; nor of the Spirit, who is the Spirit of life from Christ; and it is an instance of the exceeding greatness, both of his power and love; and this may be said to be done with Christ, because he is the procuring and meritorious cause of it, by his death and resurrection from the dead; and is the author and efficient cause of it; and he is the matter of it, it is not so much the quickened persons that live, as Christ that lives in them, and it is the same life he himself lives; and because he lives, they shall live also; it is in him as in the fountain, and in them as in the stream: or else this may be understood of justification; men are dead in a legal sense, and on account of sin, are under the sentence of death; though they naturally think themselves alive, and in a good state; but when the Spirit of God comes, he strikes dead all their hopes of life by a covenant of works; not merely by letting in the terrors of the law upon the conscience, but by showing the spirituality of it, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin; and how incapable they are of satisfying the law, for the transgressions of it; and then he works faith in them, whereby they revive and live; they see pardon and righteousness in Christ, and pray for the one, and plead the other; and also lay hold and live upon the righteousness of Christ, when the Spirit seals up the pardon of their sins to them, and passes the sentence of justification on them, and so they reckon themselves alive unto God; and this is the justification of life, the Scripture speaks of; and this is in consequence of their being quickened with Christ, at the time of his resurrection; for when he rose from the dead, they rose with him; when he was justified, they were justified in him; and in this sense when he was quickened, they were quickened with him:
by grace ye are saved: the Claromontane copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, “by whose grace”; and the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, “by his grace”; either by the grace of him that quickens, or by the grace of Christ with whom they were quickened; the Syriac version renders it, “by his grace he hath redeemed us”; which seems to refer to the redeeming grace of Christ; and so the Ethiopic version, “and hath delivered us by his grace”; and there is a change of the person into “us”, which seems more agreeable to what goes before, and follows after; See Gill on Ephesians 2:8.”
No matter how good you are, you are not worthy to enter the Kingdom of God. No matter how bad you are, if you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, your Lord and Savior, you can be saved by grace to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the meaning of saved by grace. This is the salvation of God which is a gift. For that reason, suicide is unnecessary because the grace of God is sufficient for you.1Jo 4:14, “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”
B). Living grace
1Co 1:7, “So that having every grace you are living in the hope of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Verse 7. – So that ye come behind in no gift. The “gifts” are here the charismata, graces, such as powers of healing, etc., which were the result of the outpouring of the Spirit. The sequel shows that they were rather outward than inward; they were splendid endowments rather than spiritual fruits. Yet even these were not wholly wanting, as we see from 2 Corinthians 8:7. The Greek may also mean “causing you not to be conscious of inferiority.” Waiting; expecting, not fearing it, This was the constant attitude of the early Christians (Romans 8:19-25; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 9:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Colossians 3:4; Titus 2:13). Love for Christ’s manifestation was a Christian characteristic (2 Timothy 4:8). The revelation. Three words are used to express the second advent: apokalypsis (as here and in 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7, 13); parousia (as in Matthew 24:3, 27, etc.; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; James 5:7, 8, etc.); and epiphaneia, in the pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Titus 2:13). St. Paul, however, only uses parousia six times in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and once in 1 Corinthians 15:23. All Christians alike expected the return of Christ very soon, and possibly in their own lifetime (1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10, etc.; 1 Corinthians 15:51; James 5:8, 9; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 John 2:18; Revelation 22:20, etc.). Their expectation was founded on the great eschatological discourse of our Lord (Matthew 24:29, 30, 34), and on his express promise that that generation should not pass away before his predictions were fulfilled. They were fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem and the close of the old dispensation, though they await a stilt more universal fulfilment. 1 Corinthians 1:7.”
2Ti 1:6, “For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power.”
After you are saved by grace, it does not mean life is easy in this world, which is full of troubles and tragedies. You need the living grace to live in this present world forces of darkness, not in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, the world of the ungodly. As you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, He will guide you into all truth, and reveal to you the will of God so that you may discover what God wants you to do with your life.
1Th 4:11, “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we instructed you.”
C). Serving grace
Rom 12:11, “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
Not slothful – The word rendered “slothful” refers to those who are slow, idle, destitute of promptness of mind and activity; compare Matthew 25:16.
In business – τῇ σπουδῇ tē spoudē. This is the same word which in Romans 12:8 is rendered “diligence.” It properly denotes haste, intensity, ardor of mind; and hence, also it denotes industry, labor. The direction means that we should be diligently occupied in our proper employment. It does not refer to any particular occupation, but is used in general sense to denote all the labor which we may have to do; or is a direction to be faithful and industrious in the discharge of all our appropriate duties; compare Ecclesiastes 9:10. The tendency of the Christian religion is to promote industry:
(1) It teaches the value of time.
(2) presents numerous and important things to be done.
(3) it inclines people to be conscientious in the improvement of each moment.
(4) and it takes away the mind from those pleasures and pursuits which generate and promote indolence.
The Lord Jesus was constantly employed in filling up the great duties of his life, and the effect of his religion has been to promote industry wherever it has spread both among nations and individuals. An idle man and a Christian are names which do not harmonize. Every Christian has enough to do to occupy all his time; and he whose life is spent in ease and in doing nothing, should doubt altogether his religion. God has assigned us much to accomplish; and he will hold us answerable for the faithful performance of it; compare John 5:17; John 9:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:12. All that would be needful to transform the idle, and vicious, and wretched, into sober and useful people, would be to give to them the spirit of the Christian religion; see the example of Paul, Acts 20:34-35.
Fervent – This word is usually applied to water, or to metals so heated as to bubble, or boil. It hence is used to denote ardor, intensity, or as we express it, a glow, meaning intense zeal, Acts 18:25.
In Spirit – In your mind or heart. The expression is used to denote a mind filled with intense ardor in whatever it is engaged. It is supposed that Christians would first find appropriate objects for their labor, and then engage in them with intense ardor and zeal.
Serving – Regarding yourselves as the servants of the Lord. This direction is to be understood as connected with the preceding, and as growing out of it. They were to be diligent and fervid, and in doing so were to regard themselves as serving the Lord, or to do it in obedience to the command of God, and to promote his glory. The propriety of this caution may easily be seen.
(1) the tendency of worldly employments is to take off the affections from God.
(2) people are prone to forget God when deeply engaged in their worldly employments. It is proper to recall their attention to him.
(3) the right discharge of our duties in the various employments of life is to be regarded as serving God. He has arranged the order of things in this life to promote employment. He has made industry essential to happiness and success; and hence, to be industrious from proper motives is to be regarded as acceptable service of God.
(4) he has required that all such employments should be conducted with reference to his will and to his honor, 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:17, Colossians 3:22-24; 1 Peter 4:11. The meaning of the whole verse is, that Christians should be industrious, should be ardently engaged in some lawful employment, and that they should pursue it with reference to the will of God, in obedience to his commands, and to his glory.”
To be saved is meant to serve the Lord. We need the serving grace to serve the Lord.
1Pe 4:10, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.”
To serve the Lord also means to serve one another. Christians are to love one another. To love one another is to serve one another. The service of the Lord is not easy in this present world. But we have the promise.
2Ti 4:18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will
bring me safely to His Heavenly Kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
ALL Christians will dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven forever and ever.
“Cultures and countries around the world have different methods of mourning the passing of a loved one. Death is universal to people of every culture; however, their death rituals can vary greatly depending on their religious or cultural traditions and beliefs. Learning about these customs is fascinating, and if you’re honoring someone who has passed away, you can also get inspiration and comfort from death rituals in different cultures.
Common Death Rituals Still Practiced
Modern day death rituals are things people still do today to help process their grief and comfort loved ones after a death. The following are a few death rituals that occur in cultures around the world.
Throwing a Handful of Dirt on the Casket
If you’ve been to a funeral in the United States, Europe, Canada, and many other places, you may have seen loved ones reach down and throw a handful of dirt onto a casket. It is actually common in many cultures for mourners to toss a handful of dirt on the casket before leaving the cemetery. This symbolizes that a person was born of this earth and has returned to this earth, and it’s also a way for loved ones to directly participate in the burial. A spouse or close family member is often be the first to toss a handful of dirt on the casket; then other family and friends usually proceed to do the same.”
“Less Common Death Rituals
There are a number of less common death rituals, past and present, that you might never have heard of. Even if they seem unusual to many people, these rituals are or were socially and spiritually significant to those who practice them:
Practicing Sky Burials
Sky burials have been practiced for thousands of years, and up to 80 percent of Tibetans choose this method today over other types of burial. In Tibetan culture, many people believe the soul leaves the body immediately upon death, and this type of burial is sometimes considered a way to ease the transition. In a sky burial, the dead body is prepared with incredible care, brought to the sky burial site (typically hilltops or mountains), and broken down and chopped into pieces. It is then left for the Dakini (angels) to consume. The Dakini are typically vultures who then transport the soul to heaven, where it awaits reincarnation.
In addition to the spiritual importance of this type of burial, many Tibetans also see it as a way to return the body to the earth with minimal disruption. The body feeds nature and rejoins the cycle of life.”
“There were many ancient Egyptian afterlife rituals staged following one’s death. The status of the deceased individual could have added further complexity to otherwise standard practices. The most standard of rituals was the mummification of the body. Mummification would be followed by sacred rites and spells to allow the deceased’s spirit to function in the afterlife. The most famous of these ceremonies is the “Opening of the Mouth,” depicted in the Pyramid Texts, which would give the dead access to their senses in eternal life.”
All death rituals are influenced by its religion. Many religions believe in afterlife, rightly or wrongly. English is a little confusing, afterlife means an existence after death.
”Afterlife, continued existence in some form after physiological death. The belief that some aspect of an individual survives after death—usually, the individual’s soul—is common to the great majority of the world’s religions. Of those religions that include belief in an afterlife, almost all subscribe to one of two versions: reincarnation (a continuous cycle of death and rebirth in new bodies or forms), or an eternal life, which will occur in either a heaven or a hell, depending on the individual in question.” VI. THE SCRIPTURE IS THE SUPREME AUTHORITY
Hab 2:5, “Furthermore, wine betrays an arrogant man,So that he does not achieve his objective.He enlarges his appetite like Sheol,And he is like death, never satisfied.He also gathers to himself all the nationsAnd collects to himself all the peoples.”
Verse 5. – § 7. The character of the Chaldeans in some particulars is intimated. The general proposition in the former hemistich of ver. 4 is here applied to the Chaldeans, in striking contrast to the lot of the just in the latter clause. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine. This should be, And moreover, wine is treacherous. A kind of proverbial saying (Proverbs 20:1). Vulgate, Quomodo vinum potantem decipit. There is no word expressive of comparison in the original, though it may be supplied to complete the sense. The intemperate habits of the Babylonians are well attested (see Daniel 5:3, 4; Quint. Curt., 5:1, “Babylonii maxime in vinum et quae ebrietatem sequuntur effusi sunt;” comp. Her., 1:191; Xen., ‘Cyrop.,’ 7:5. 15). They used beth the fermented sap of the palm tree as well as the juice of the grape, the latter chiefly imported from abroad. “The wealthy Babylonians were fond of drinking to excess; their banquets were magnificent, but generally ended in drunkenness” (Rawlinson, ‘Anc. Men.,’ 3:450, edit. 1865). Neither the Septuagint, nor the Syriac, nor the Coptic Version has any mention of wine in this passage. The Septuagint gives, ὁ δὲ κατοιόμενος καὶ καταφρονητής, “the arrogant and the scorner.” He is a proud man, neither keepeth he at home; a haughty man, he resteth not. His pride is always impelling him to new raids and conquests. This is quite the character of the later Chaldeans, and is consistent with the latter part of the verse. The comparison, then, is this: As wine raises the spirits and excites men to great efforts which in the end deceive them, so pride rouses these men to go on their insatiate course of conquest, which shall one day prove their ruin. The verb translated “keepeth at home” has the secondary sense of “being decorous;” hence the Vulgate gives, Sicerit vir superbus, et non decorabitur; i.e. as wine first exhilarates and then makes a man contemptible, so pride, which begins by exalting a man, ends by bringing him to ignominy. Others take the verb in the sense of “continueth not,” explaining that the destruction of Babylon is here intimated. But what follows makes against this interpretation. The LXX. gives, ‘Ανὴρ ἀλαζὼν οὐθὲν μὴ τεράνη, which Jerome, combining with it his own version, paraphrases, “Sic vir superbus non decorabitur, nec voluntatem suam perducet ad finem; et juxta Symmachum, οὐκ εὐπορήσει, hoc est, in rerum omnium erit penuria.” Who enlargeth his desire as hell; Hebrew, Sheol. Hell is called insatiable (Proverbs 27:20; Proverbs 30:16; Isaiah 5:14). Is as death, which seizes all creatures and spares none. People; peoples. Habakkuk 2:5”
Mar 14:55, “Now the chief priests and the entire Council were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any.”
The chief priests and the entire Council were trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they are not finding any because Jesus was sinless.
Luk 1:79, “To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Jesus, the Light of the world, shines on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide those who want to commit suicide into the way of peace.Jesus is the Way of peace, you do not need to kill yourself.
Luke 1:79. To give light to them that sit in darkness — The Messiah at his coming would enlighten with the knowledge of salvation the Gentile nations, who had long lived in ignorance and wickedness, the cause of death. To guide our feet into the way of peace — And he would guide the feet, even of the Jews, into the way of finding peace with God, peace of mind, and true happiness, by making them more perfectly acquainted with the method of salvation, and the will of God concerning them. Such phrases as darkness and the shadow of death, describe with peculiar propriety the ignorant and miserable state of the Gentile world: and, probably, the former clause might be intended principally of them. But as Christ’s preaching to the Jews in Galilee is said, Matthew 4:14-16, to be an accomplishment of Isaiah 9:1-2, to which Zacharias here seems to refer, we must not confine the sense of it merely to the Gentiles; for indeed the sad character and circumstances of the Jews at this time too well suited the representation here made. Such are the elevated strains in which this pious man, under the extraordinary influence of the Holy Ghost, described the great blessings which mankind were to enjoy by the coming of the seed promised to Adam, to Abraham, and to David.”
Jhn 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My Word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
To be saved is not to come into judgment, but have passed out of death into life. The reason you do not need to commit suicide is because if you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, you will not come into judgment but have passed out of eternal death into eternal life.
John 5:24-30. Verily, he that heareth my word, &c., hath everlasting life — Such a person is already entitled to it, yea, it is already begun in his soul, and he shall shortly possess it in its full perfection: and shall not come into condemnation — For any former offences; but is passed from death unto life — That is, from that state of spiritual death, or of alienation from the life of God, (see Ephesians 4:18,) in which men naturally are, to spiritual life and felicity, in union and communion with God. Verily, verily, I say unto you — I renew the important declaration in the strongest terms; the hour is coming, and now is — That is, it is just at hand; when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God — Within the space of a few months some dead bodies shall be raised to life by the word of his power. See Mark 5:41; Luke 7:14; John 11:43; and Matthew 27:52-53. Or rather, he meant, that many souls then dead in sin, should be quickened by his grace, and made spiritually alive. For as the Father hath life in himself — Originally and essentially; so hath he given to the Son — In order to these purposes of glorious and divine operation; to have life in himself — To be communicated unto whomsoever he will. Hence the apostle (1 Corinthians 15:45) terms the second Adam, a quickening spirit: and hath given him authority — Not only to quicken men now, but also to execute final judgment; because he is the Son of man — Because he humbled himself so low as to become the Son of man, the Father conferred on him the high honour and glorious power of judging men and angels, that is, exalted the human nature, united to the divine, to this dignity and authority, Php 2:9-11. Marvel not at this, the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, &c. — “Be not surprised at my saying, the Son of man has power to raise a few particular persons from the dead. There is a far greater power committed to him, even that of raising all men at the last day, and of judging and rewarding them according to their works.” I can of my own self do nothing — Now in this judgment I will not act absolutely or arbitrarily, but according to the laws of equity, unalterably established by my Father; so that I shall not act therein so properly by my own, as by my Father’s authority. As I hear I judge — In allusion to human courts, where the judges found their sentences upon the testimony of witnesses, and the laws of the country. Yet the expression by no means implies that our Lord, at the great day, shall receive information from any one whatsoever, concerning the persons he is to judge. Having been himself privy to their actions, he needs no evidence, but knows all things that ever were thought, said, or done by mankind, from the beginning to the end of time, fully and certainly. And my judgment is just — Not only because it is thus a judgment according to truth and equity, but likewise, because I seek not my own will, but the will of my Father, &c. — I have no interest to pursue, no inclination to fulfil, different from that of my Father.”
Jhn 8:51, “Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.”
Act 2:24, “But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
(24) Whom God hath raised up.—It is probable enough that some rumour s of the Resurrection had found their way among the people, and had been met by the counter-statement of which we read in Matthew 28:11-15; but this was the first public witness, borne by one who was ready to seal his testimony with his blood, to the stupendous fact.
Having loosed the pains of death.—The word for “pains” is the same as that for “sorrows” in Matthew 24:8 : literally, travail-pangs. The phrase was not uncommon in the LXX. version, but was apparently a mistranslation of the Hebrew for “cords,” or “bands,” of death. If we take the Greek word in its full meaning, the Resurrection is thought of as a new birth as from the womb of the grave.
Because it was not possible. . . .—The moral impossibility was, we may say, two-fold. The work of the Son of Man could not have ended in a failure and death which would have given the lie to all that He had asserted of Himself. Its issue could not run counter to the prophecies which had implied with more or less clearness a victory over death. The latter, as the sequel shows, was the thought prominent in St. Peter’s mind.”
Act 3:15, “but put to death the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.”
Act 5:30,“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging Him on a cross.”
Death was impossible to put to death the Prince of life, God raised up Jesus from the dead, putting an ed to the agony of death.
My friend, the Prince of life can put an end to your agony, so suicide is unnecessary.
Rom 5:10, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
10. if] i.e. as. The hypothesis is also a fact. enemies] Personal enemies; the proper force of the Gr. word. Cp. Colossians 1:21. See below on Romans 8:7. reconciled to God] On “reconciliation,” see on Romans 5:1. Here certainly the idea of the conciliation of man’s will to God (as a result of the Propitiation revealed) is suggested. But even here it is scarcely the main idea. The language, carefully weighed, points more to God’s acceptance of the sinner than to the sinner’s acceptance of God. For the case is put thus:—“When we were enemies, God was gracious to us: much more (as to our apprehension) will He be gracious to us still.” How was He gracious to us then? Surely by the gift of justification (see Romans 5:9). As our Judge, He acquitted us; in other words, He was reconciled to us, and adopted us. Therefore, as our reconciled Father, He will surely be equally gracious to us still.—Through this context St Paul has not yet come to the result of pardon on the will. When he here uses the phrase “reconciled to God” it is evidently with main reference to the removal of a judicial bar.—Absalom, for instance, was reconciled to David—restored to his filial position—only when David put aside his just wrath: till this was done, no change of will in Absalom would be reconciliation. by the death] As propitiation, with a view to justification; Romans 3:24-25. being reconciled] He does not say “being friends;” which, as just stated, is not yet the idea in point. The barrier of condemnation is taken away; therefore à fortiori the Judge, who is also the Father, will continue to us His love. we shall be saved] See on Romans 5:9. by his life] Lit. in His life. The “in” here is probably strictly appropriate: “in His life” = “in Him who lives.” The justified are “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).—Cp. Colossians 3:4, where the reference to the final appearing of the Saviour, (the appearing to judgment and salvation,) serves to explain this passage. Q. d., “We shall be saved in the day of the Lord because He, who died for us, ever lives as our Life.”
Rom 5:12, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned—
Rom 5:14, “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the violation committed by Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Rom 5:17, “For if by the offense of the one, death reigned through the one, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”
Rom 5:21, “so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
21. that as sin, &c.] More lit. that as the sin reigned in death, so also may the grace reign through righteousness, &c.—“The sin reigned in death:”—i.e., death was the expression of its power. Cp. Romans 5:12-14 and notes.—“May grace reign:”—such is the exact rendering, which should be kept, though Gr. idiom makes E. V. (“might”) grammatically possible. St Paul is still thinking of the succession of future believers. through righteousness] i.e. “through the gift of righteousness,” (Romans 5:17,) Justification. Grace provides the Method of the justification of the ungodly; it gives them a position of acceptance in the eye of the sacred Law; constitutes them, for the purposes of that Law, righteous persons.—We do not for a moment here forget that a moral change is intended, and effected, in the subjects of grace; but the argument, up to this point, has in view not this yet, but the judicial acceptance which is the prior condition of it;—Justification, not yet Sanctification. unto eternal life] The final issue of the “reign of grace.” See Romans 6:22, Romans 8:32, and note on Romans 2:7. by Jesus Christ our Lord] Well do these holy words close that great section of the argument which specially explains the Way of Pardon. Jesus Christ is the one Cause and Means of Pardon, and therefore indeed also the “Lord” of those who through Him are accepted and glorified.”
Rom 6:9-10, “knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”
9. knowing] As an admitted foundation-truth. Christian faith is always viewed as grounded upon knowledge, upon fact. dieth no more] His life is continuous and endless; such then also is that of those to whom He is the Second Adam; who therefore “shall live with Him.” Through this whole context the parallel of Adam and Christ needs to be borne in mind. death hath no more dominion over him] “Him” is emphatic.—The Second Adam, as Representative and Substitute, submitted to the “dominion,” or mastery, of death as the appointed penalty of sin. But by that very act He exhausted death’s claim on Himself and His brethren; He “cancelled death.” (2 Timothy 1:10.)”
Rom 6:23,“For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
23. For] The “for” refers to the last statement. The verse may be paraphrased, “For whereas the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is, as we have now said, eternal life.” wages] The Gr. is same word as Luke 3:14; 1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 11:8. It strictly denotes pay for military service; and the metaphor here therefore points not to slavery so much as to the warfare of Romans 6:13 (where see note on weapons). The word is full of pregnant truth. Death, in its most awful sense, is no more than the reward and result of sin; and sin is nothing less than a conflict against God. gift] The Gr. is same word as free gift, ch. Romans 5:15.—This word here is, so to speak, a paradox. We should have expected one which would have represented life eternal as the issue of holiness, to balance the truth that death is the issue of sin. And in respect of holiness being the necessary preliminary to the future bliss, this would have been entirely true. But St Paul here all the more forcibly presses the thought that salvation is a gift wholly apart from human merit. The eternal Design, the meritorious Sacrifice, the life-giving and love-imparting Spirit, all alike are a Gift absolutely free. The works of sin are the procuring cause of Death; the course of sanctification is not the procuring cause of Life Eternal, but only the training for the enjoyment of what is essentially a Divine gift “in Jesus Christ our Lord.” through] Lit., and better, in. The “life eternal” is to be found only “in Him,” by those who “come to Him.” His work is the one meritorious cause; and in His hands also is the actual gift. (John 17:2-3).”
Rom 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
2. For the law, &c.] What is this law? We take it to be a phrase by way of paradox, meaning the institute, or procedure, of the Gospel of Grace. Cp. “the law of faith,” Romans 3:27. It is the Divine Rule of Justification, (which alone, as the whole previous reasoning shews, removes “all condemnation,”) and is thus “a law” in the sense of “fixed process.” But also it is here “the law of the Spirit,” because its necessary sequel (indeed we may say its final cause as regards man) is the impartation of the Holy Spirit, (see John 7:39,) of whose influences so much is now to be said. And He is here specially “the Spirit of Life,” because He is the Agent who first leads the soul to believe in the Propitiation (see 1 Peter 1:2), and so to escape sentence of “death;” and who then animates it with the energies of the new life. Lastly, this whole process is “in Christ Jesus,” who is the meritorious Cause of Justification, the Head of the Justified, and the Giver of the Spirit.—The sum of the meaning thus is that the deliverance from doom is by faith in the Justifying Merit of Christ, which faith is attended, as well as produced, by the influences of the Holy Spirit, given through and by Christ. hath made me free] An aorist in the Gr.; probably referring to the definite past fact of the delivering Work. The phrase thus refers to Justification rather than Sanctification, which is a present process, not a past event.—“Me:”—there is another reading “thee;” but “me” is certainly right. The word is an echo from ch. 7, Cp. Galatians 2:17-21, where the Apostle similarly turns from the plural of general truth to the singular of his own appropriation of it.—“Free:”—i.e. in respect of condemnation—not in respect of influence; which indeed (see next note) would be an alien idea here. He is here summing up the whole previous argument of the Epistle. the law of sin and death] i.e. the Law, which, as regards man apart from Christ, is invariably linked with sin, as evoking it, and with death, as thus, in the nature of things, calling it down on the sinner. In other words it is the Divine Law, (instanced in that of Moses,) which, as a Covenant, is by its very holiness the sinner’s doom. The word “law” is (though not at first sight) used in the sense of a fixed process in both parts of the verse: the “new covenant” is linked, by the chain of cause and effect, with the Spirit of Life; the “old covenant,” with sin and death.”
Rom 8:6, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
1Co 15:26, “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”
1 Corinthians 15:26. Ἔσχατος, the last) A pregnant announcement. Death is an enemy; is an enemy, who is destroyed; is the enemy, who is destroyed last of all; last moreover, that is, after Satan, Hebrews 2:14; and after sin, 1 Corinthians 15:56. For they acquired their strength in the same order; and Satan brought in sin, sin produced death. Those enemies have been destroyed; therefore also death is destroyed. It may be said, Does not the same principle hold good as to all the enemies alike? for in so far as all the others have been destroyed, death has been also destroyed, 2 Timothy 1:10, therefore inasmuch as death remains, the other enemies still remain, and therefore death is not destroyed last. Ans. Christ, in so far as He formerly engaged with His enemies, first overcame Satan by His death; next sin, in His death; lastly death, in His resurrection; and in the same order, in which He destroys His enemies, He delivers believers from their power. Again, it may be said, how is death destroyed last, if the resurrection of the dead precedes the destruction of ALL RULE?” Ans. The resurrection is immediately followed by the judgment, with which the destruction of all rule is connected; and the destruction of death and hell immediately succeeds this. The order of destruction is described, Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 20:14. Moreover the expression ought to be taken in a reduplicative sense. The enemies will be destroyed, as enemies. For even after all this, Satan will still be Satan, hell will still be hell, the goats will still be accursed. They will indeed be first destroyed, before death, the last enemy; not that they may altogether cease to be, as death shall; not that they may cease to be what they are called, namely Satan, hell, accursed; but that they may be no longer enemies, resisting, and able to oppose, for they will be completely subdued, rendered powerless, taken captive, visited with punishment, put under the feet of our Lord. The destruction of ALL RULE ought not to be reckoned as the destruction [i.e. annihilation] of enemies; moreover the destruction of the power of our enemies according to Revelation 19:20 is accomplished even before the destruction of death, which the destruction of ALL authority and of ALL rule straightway follows. The good angels are also then to obtain exemption from service.—ἐχθρὸς, enemy) Death, an enemy; therefore it was not at first natural to man. Those, who denied the resurrection, also denied the immortality of the soul. The defence of the former includes the defence of the latter.—καταργεῖται, is destroyed) The present for the future.—ὁ θάνατος, death) Hell is also included in the mention of death, so far as it is to be destroyed, 1 Corinthians 15:55.”
1Co 15:54, “But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP in victory.”
So when … – In that future glorious world, when all this shall have been accomplished.
Then shall be brought to pass – Then shall be fully accomplished; these words shall then receive their entire fulfillment; or this event shall meet all that is implied in these words.
The saying that is written – What is written, or the record which is made. These words are quoted from Isaiah 25:8; and the fact that Paul thus quotes them, and the connection in which they stand, prove that they had reference to the times of the gospel, and to the resurrection of the dead. Paul does not quote directly from the Hebrew, or from the Septuagint, but gives the substance of the passage.
Death – Referring here, undoubtedly, to death in the proper sense; death as prostrating the living, and consigning them to the grave.
Is swallowed up – Κατεπόθη Katepothē (from katapinō, to drink down, to swallow down) means to absorb Revelation 12:16; to overwhelm, to drown Hebrews 11:29; and then to destroy or remove. The idea may be taken from a whirlpool, or maelstrom, that absorbs all that comes near it; and the sense is, that he will abolish or remove death; that is, cause it to cease from its ravages and triumphs.
In victory – (εἰς νῖκος eis nikos. Unto victory; so as to obtain a complete victory. The Hebrew Isa 25:8 is לנצח laanetsach, The Septuagint often renders the word נצח drow netsach which properly means “splendor, purity, trust, perpetuity, eternity, perfection,” by νῖκος nikos, “victory”;Job 36:7; Lamentations 3:18; Lamentations 5:20; Amos 1:1-15; Amos 2; Amos 8:7. The Hebrew word here may be rendered either “unto the end, that is,” to completeness or perfection, or unto victory, with triumph. It matters little which is the meaning, for they both come to the same thing. The idea is, that the power and dominion of death shall be entirely destroyed, or brought to an end.”
2Co 7:10, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance] Rather, For the sorrow which is according to God (that is aftir God, Wiclif) worketh change of mind. The difference between the true repentance and the false remorse may be illustrated by the cases of David and Saul, St Peter and Judas. to salvation not to be repented of] Or not to be regretted, the word here used involving the idea of sorrow or anxiety. It is by most commentators connected with salvation, as though that were the result not to be regretted. But it may as naturally be referred to the change of mind. “The beautiful law is,” says Robertson, “that in proportion as the repentance increases, the grief diminishes. ‘I rejoice,’ says St Paul, ‘that I made you sorry, though it were but for a time.’ Grief for a time, but repentance for ever.” but the sorrow of the world] i.e. of the world untouched and un-regenerated by the Spirit of God—the sorrow of the natural man, “the opposite of the sorrow according to God.” Stanley. See 1 Corinthians 2:14. worketh death] Death of the body, sometimes, as when despair tempts to suicide, or brings on deadly sickness. Death of the soul, when sorrow fails to melt the heart, but leads it to that state of rebellious stubbornness, of entire alienation from God, which is expressed in the words “hardness of heart and contempt of His word and commandment.” Cf. Proverbs 17:22”
Eph 2:16, “and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.”
Phl 2:8, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”
8. found] as one who presented Himself for inspection and test. See Appendix F. fashion] See third note on Php 2:6 above. The Greek word schêma denotes appearance with or without underlying reality. It does not negative such reality any more than it asserts it; it emphasizes appearance. In the context, we have the reality of the Lord’s Manhood abundantly given; and in this word accordingly we read, as in the word “likeness” just above, an emphatic statement that (a) He was Man in guise, not in disguise; presenting Himself to all the conditions of concrete life as Man with man; and that (b) all the while the schêma had more beneath it than its own corresponding reality: it was the veil of Deity. as a man] Better, perhaps, as man, though R.V. retains “as a man.” As the Second Man, our Lord is rather Man, the Man of men, than a Man, one among men.—Yet the assertion here is rather as to what He was pleased to be in relation to those who “found” Him, came into contact with Him, in His earthly walk; and to such He certainly was “a man.” And so, with wonderful condescension, He speaks of Himself as “a man that hath told you the truth” (John 8:40). he humbled himself] in “the acts of condescension and humiliation in that human nature which He emptied Himself to assume” (Ellicott). More particularly the reference is to the specially submissive, bearing, life, under the afflictive will of His Father, which He undertook to lead for our sakes; see the next words. The Greek verb is in the aorist, and sums up the holy course of submission either into one idea, or into one initial crisis of will. and became] Lit. and better, becoming; an aorist participle coincident in reference with the previous aorist verb. obedient] to the Father’s will that He should suffer. The utterance of Gethsemane was but the amazing summary and crown of His whole sacred course as the Man of Sorrows. His “Passion,” standing in some vital respects quite alone in His work, was in other respects only the apex of His “Patience.” unto death] R.V. rightly supplies even before these words. “Unto” means (by the Greek) “to the length of.” He did not “obey” but “abolish” death (2 Timothy 1:10); He obeyed His Father, “even to the extent of” dying, as the sinner’s Sacrifice, at the demand of the holy Law, and “by the determinate foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23) of the Lawgiver. of the cross] “Far be the very name of a cross not only from the bodies of Roman citizens, but from their imagination, eyes, and ears” (Cicero, Proverbs Rabirio, c. 5. Cp. Gibbon, Decline and Fall, ch. xx.). Every thought of pain and shame was in the word, and was realized in the terrific thing. Combining, as we should do in the case of our Redeemer’s Crucifixion, the significance to the Jew of any death by suspension, with the significance to the Roman of execution on the cross, we must think of this supreme “obedience” as expressing the holy Sufferer’s submission both to “become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13, with Deuteronomy 21:23) as before God the Lawgiver, and meanwhile to be “despised and rejected of men” (Isaiah 53:3) in the most extreme degree. On the history of thought and usage in connexion with the Cross, and Crucifixion, see Zöckler’s Cross of Christ.”
Phl 3:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
9. That I may know him] In order to know Him. For the construction, cp. e.g. 1 Corinthians 10:13.—Observe the sequence of thought. He embraces “the righteousness which is of God on terms of faith,” and renounces “a righteousness of his own” as a means to the end here stated—the spiritual knowledge of Christ and of His power to sanctify and glorify by assimilation to Himself. In order to that end, he thankfully “submits Himself to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3; cp. 1 Peter 1:2); accepts the Divine justification for the merit’s sake of Jesus Christ alone; knowing, with the intuition of a soul enlightened by grace, that in such submission lies the secret of such assimilation. Welcoming Christ as his one ground of peace with God, he not only enters at the same time on spiritual contact with Christ as Life from God, but also gets such a view of himself and his Redeemer as to affect profoundly his whole intercourse with Christ, and the effects of that intercourse on his being. Php 3:10 is thus by no means a restatement of Php 3:9. It gives another range of thought and truth, in deep and strong connexion. To use a convenient classification, Php 3:9 deals with Justification, Php 3:10 with Sanctification in relation to it. “That I may know Him”:—the Greek seems to imply a decisive act of knowledge rather than a process. A lifelong process is sure to result from the act; for the Object of the act “passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). But the act, the decisive getting acquainted with what Christ is, is in immediate view. A far-reaching insight into Him in His glory of grace has a natural connexion with the spiritual act of submissive faith in Him as our Sacrifice and Righteousness. Cp. John 6:56. On this “knowledge” of recognition and intuition, cp. Php 3:8, and notes. the power of his resurrection] A phrase difficult to exhaust in exposition. The Lord’s Resurrection is spiritually powerful as (a) evidencing the justification of believers (Romans 4:24-25, and by all means cp. 1 Corinthians 15:14; 1 Corinthians 15:17-18); as (b) assuring them of their own bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20, &c.; 1 Thessalonians 4:14); and yet more as (c) being that which constituted Him actually the life-giving Second Adam, the Giver of the Spirit who unites the members to Him the Vital Head (John 7:39; John 20:22; Acts 2:33; cp. Ephesians 4:4-16). This latter aspect of truth is prominent in the Epistles to Ephesus and Colossæ, written at nearly the same period of St Paul’s apostolic work; and we have here, very probably, a passing hint of what is unfolded there. The thought of the Lord’s Resurrection is suggested here to his mind by the thought, not expressed but implied in the previous context, of the Atoning Death on which it followed as the Divine result. This passage indicates the great truth that while our acceptance in Christ is always based upon His propitiatory work for us, our power for service and endurance in His name is vitally connected with His life as the Risen One, made ours by the Holy Spirit. Cp. further Romans 5:10; Romans 6:4-11; Romans 7:4; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 4:10; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 13:20-21. the fellowship of his sufferings] Entrance, in measure, into His experience as the Sufferer. The thought recurs to the Cross, but in connexion now with Example, not with Atonement. St Paul deals with the fact that the Lord who has redeemed him has done it at the severest cost of pain; and that a moral and spiritual necessity calls His redeemed ones, who are united vitally to Him, to “carry the cross,” in their measure, for His sake, in His track, and by His Spirit’s power. And he implies that this cross bearing, whatever is its special form, this acceptance of affliction of any sort as for and from Him, is a deep secret of entrance into spiritual intimacy with Christ; into “knowledge of Him.” Cp. further Romans 8:17; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 4:13; Revelation 3:10. being made conformable] Better, with R.V., becoming conformed. The Greek construction is free, but clear.—The Lord’s Death as the supreme expression of His love and of His holiness, and the supreme act of His surrender to the Father’s will, draws the soul of the Apostle with spiritual magnetic force to desire, and to experience, assimilation of character to Him who endured it. The holy Atonement wrought by it is not here in direct view; he is full of the thought of the revelation of the Saviour through His Passion, and of the bliss of harmony in will with Him so revealed. No doubt the Atonement is not forgotten; for the inner glory of the Lord’s Death as Example is never fully seen apart from a sight of its propitiatory purpose. But the immediate thought is that of spiritual harmony with the dying Lord’s state of will. Cp. 2 Corinthians 4:10.”
2Ti 1:10, “but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”
10. is now made manifest] but manifested now; the opposition thus put between the ‘given’ and the ‘manifested’ implies that the gift had been, in the phrase of the other parallel passage, Romans 16:25, ‘kept in silence through times eternal.’ Compare 1 Timothy 3:16, ‘who in flesh was manifested.’ by the appearing] The one use of the substantive ‘epiphany’ for the Incarnation, and so the authority for our use of it in the Church’s season of Epiphany. See notes on 1 Timothy 6:14 and Titus 2:13. The verb, with this reference, occurs again Titus 2:11; Titus 3:4. our Saviour Jesus Christ] Again, with the best mss., Christ Jesus; the title now especially frequent, see note 1 Timothy 1:1. who hath abolished death] More exactly, abolishing death, as he did, and bringing into light instead life and immortality. The verb for ‘abolish,’ lit. ‘to make useless, powerless,’ is used here of the Incarnation; in Hebrews 2:14, of the Atonement; in 1 Corinthians 15:26, of the Second Advent, as effecting this victory; at each stage the victory is assured. To us the Incarnation and the Atonement are extended through union with Christ in Holy Baptism. Compare Dr H. Macmillan, Two Worlds are Ours, p. 22. ‘Naturally, we are the creatures of days and months and years that vanish, regulated by sun and moon and stars that will perish. But, born anew in Christ, we enter into a sphere where time has no existence, where one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day; we lay hold on eternal life.’ hath brought … to light] Vulg., Th. Mops., ‘illuminavit,’ i.e. ‘shed over them a full mid-day light.’ The use of the corresponding substantive 1 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 4:6, shews the force best, the illuminating power of the Gospel of the glory of Christ. ‘Life,’ ‘the life that is truly life,’ 1 Timothy 6:19, the spiritual life, which is ‘immortality;’ see notes on 1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:19; 1 Timothy 4:8. The Ember hymn well expresses the present glory of this ‘life’ thus illuminated,—‘our glory meets us ere we die.’ through the gospel] Added to the second half of the clause, as coming back to the thought of 2 Timothy 1:8, where ‘the gospel’ personified represents the saving work of the Lord and the suffering ministry of St Paul as here.”
Heb 2:14, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
14–18. A fuller statement of the moral fitness of Christ’s participation in human sufferings 14. are partakers of flesh and blood] Rather, “have shared (and do share) in blood and flesh,” i.e. are human. They are all inheritors of this common mystery. This is implied by the perfect tense. “Blood and flesh,” as in Ephesians 6:12. likewise] This word furnished the Fathers with a strong argument against the Docetae who regarded the body of Christ not as real but as purely phantasmal. took part of the same] Because, as he goes on to intimate, it would otherwise have been impossible for Christ to die. Comp. Php 2:8. The aorist implies the one historic fact of the Incarnation. he might destroy] Rather, “He may bring to nought,” or “render impotent.” See 2 Timothy 1:10, “Jesus Christ … hath abolished death;” 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Revelation 1:18. The word occurs 28 times in St Paul, but elsewhere only here and in Luke 13:7, though sometimes found in the LXX. him that had the power of death] Rather, “him that hath,” i.e. in the present condition of things. But Christ, by assuming our flesh, became “the Death of death,” as in the old epitaph, “Mors Mortis Morti mortem nisi morte dedisset Aeternae vitae janua clausa foret;” which we may render “Had not the Death of death to Death by death his death-blow given, For ever closèd were the gate, the gate of life and heaven.” It is, however, possible that the phrase, “the power of death,” does not imply that the devil can, by God’s permission, inflict death, but that he has “a sovereignty, of which death is the realm.” that is, the devil] This is the only place in this Epistle in which the name “Devil” occurs. It is nowhere very frequent in the N.T. The English reader is liable to be misled by the rendering “devils” for “demons” in the Gospels. Satan has the power of death, if that be the meaning here, not as lord, but as executioner (comp. Revelation 9:11); his power is only a permissive power (John 8:44; Revelation 12:10; Wis 2:24, “Through envy of the devil came death unto the world).” The manner in which Christ shall thus bring Satan to nought is left untouched, but the best general comments on the fact are in 1 Corinthians 15 and the Apocalypse. Nor does this expression encourage any Manichean or dualistic views; for, however evil may be the will of Satan, he can never exercise his power otherwise than in accordance with the just will of God. The Jews spoke of an Angel of Death, whom they called Sammael, and whom they identified with Satan (Eisenmenger, Entd. Judenth. ii. p. 821”
Heb 9:15, “For this reason He is the Mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
15–28. The indispensableness and efficacy of the death of Christ 15. for this cause] i.e. on account of the grandeur of His offering. the mediator of the new testament] Rather, “a mediator of a New Covenant.” Moses had been called by Philo “the Mediator” of the Old Covenant, i.e. he who came between God and Israel as the messenger of it. But Christ’s intervention—His coming as One who revealed God to man—was accompanied with a sacrifice so infinitely more efficacious that it involved a New Covenant altogether. by means of death] This version renders the passage entirely unintelligible. The true rendering and explanation seem to be as follows: “And on this account He is a Mediator of a New Covenant, that—since death” [namely the death of sacrificial victims] “occurred for the redemption of the transgressions which took place under the first covenant—those who have been called [whether Christians, or faithful believers under the Old Dispensation] may [by virtue of Christ’s death, which the death of those victims typified] receive [i.e. actually enjoy the fruition of, Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 6:17, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 11:13] the promise of the Eternal Inheritance.” Volumes of various explanations have been written on this verse, but the explanation given above is very simple. The verse is a sort of reason why Christ’s death was necessary. The ultimate, a priori, reason he does not attempt to explain, because it transcends all understanding; but he merely says that since under the Old Covenant death was necessary, and victims had to be slain in order that by their blood men might be purified, and the High Priest might enter the Holiest Place, so, under the New Covenant, a better and more efficacious death was necessary, both to give to those old sacrifices the only real validity which they possessed, and to secure for all of God’s elect an eternal heritage.”
Jas 1:15, “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.”
15. when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin] The image suggested in the previous verse is developed with an almost startling boldness. The will that yields to desire in so doing engenders evil. And as from that fatal embrace, there comes first the conception and then the birth of sin. But sin also grows; it has its infancy of purpose and its maturity of act; and so the parable is continued. Sin, in its turn, grows up, and by its union with the will becomes the mother of a yet more terrible offspring, and that offspring is Death, the loss of the true life of the soul, which consists in its capacity for knowing God. The second of the two words rendered “bringeth forth” (better, perhaps, engendereth) differs from the first, and seems, as a less common word, to have been used for extraordinary or monstrous births (such e. g. as a woman’s bearing four or five children), and so is appropriate here. The word occurs again in James 1:18, where see note. In looking at the allegory as a whole we note: (1) its agreement as to the relation of sin and death, with the teaching of St Paul (Romans 5:12); (2) its resemblance to like allegories in the literature of other nations, as in the well-known Choice of Hercules that bears the name of Prodicus, in which Pleasure appears with the garb and allurements of a harlot; (3) its expansion in the marvellous allegory of Sin and Death in Milton’s Paradise Lost (B. II. 745–814), where Satan represents Intellect and Will opposed to God, Sin its offspring, self-generated, and Death the fruit of the union of Mind and Will with Sin. In the incestuous union of Sin and Death that follows and in its horrid progeny, Milton seems to have sought to shadow forth the shame and foulness and misery in which even the fairest forms of sin finally issue.”
1Pe 3:18, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”
18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins] As in the previous chapter (1 Peter 2:21-25), so here, the Apostle cannot think of any righteous sufferer needing comfort without thinking also of the righteous Sufferer whom he had known. And here also, as there, though he begins with thinking of Him as an example, he cannot rest in that thought, but passes almost immediately to the higher aspects of that work as sacrificial and atoning. Every word that follows is full of significance—“Christ suffered” (better than “hath suffered,” as representing the sufferings as belonging entirely to the past), once and once for all. The closeness of the parallelism with Hebrews 9:26-28 might almost suggest the inference that St Peter was acquainted with that Epistle, but it admits also of the more probable explanation that both writers represent the current teaching of the Apostolic Church. The precise Greek phrase “for sins” (literally, “concerning, or on account of, sins”) is used in Hebrews 10:6; Hebrews 10:8; Hebrews 10:18; Hebrews 10:26, and in the LXX. of Psalm 40:6, and was almost the technical phrase of the Levitical Code (Leviticus 4:33). the just for the unjust] The preposition in this case means “on behalf of,” and is that used of the efficacy of Christ’s sufferings in Mark 14:24, John 6:51, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Timothy 2:6. It is used also of our sufferings for Christ (Php 1:29), or for our brother men (Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 3:13), and therefore does not by itself express the vicarious character of the death of Christ, though it naturally runs up into it. In the emphatic description of Christ as “the Just,” we have an echo of St Peter’s own words in Acts 3:14; in the stress laid on the fact that He, the just, died for the unjust, a like echo of the teaching of St Paul in Romans 5:6. that he might bring us to God] This, then, from St Peter’s point of view, and not a mere exemption from an infinite penalty, was the end contemplated in the death of Christ. “Access to God,” the right to come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), was with him as with St Paul (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12), the final cause of the redemptive work. The verb, it may be noted, is not used elsewhere in this connexion in the New Testament. being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit] The change of the preposition and the mode of printing “Spirit” both shew that the translators took the second clause as referring to the Holy Spirit, as quickening the human body of Christ in His resurrection from the dead. The carefully balanced contrast between the two clauses shews, however, that this cannot be the meaning, and that we have here an antithesis, like that of Romans 1:3-4, between the “flesh” and the human “spirit” of the man Christ Jesus, like that between the “manifest in the flesh” and “justified in the spirit” of 1 Timothy 3:16. By the “flesh” He was subject to the law of death, but in the very act of dying, His “spirit” was quickened, even prior to the resurrection of His body, into a fresh energy and activity. What was the sphere and what the result of that activity, the next verse informs us.”
Rev 1:18, ‘and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I AM alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
I am he that liveth, and was dead – I was indeed once dead, but now I live, and shall continue to live forever. This would at once identify him who thus appeared as the Lord Jesus Christ, for to no one else could this apply. He had been put to death; but he had risen from the grave. This also is given as a reason why John should not fear; and nothing would allay his fears more than this. He now saw that he was in the presence of that Saviour whom more than Ahalf a century before he had so tenderly loved when in the flesh, and whom, though now long absent, he had faithfully served, and for whose cause he was now in this lonely island. His faith in his resurrection had not been a delusion; he saw the very Redeemer before him who had once been laid in the tomb.
Behold, I am alive forevermore – I am to live forever. Death is no more to cut me down, and I am never again to slumber in the grave. As he was always to live, he could accomplish all his promises, and fulfil all his purposes. The Saviour is never to die again. He can, therefore, always sustain us in our troubles; he can be with us in our death. Whoever of our friends die, he will not die; when we die, he will still be on the throne.
Amen – A word here of strong affirmation – as if he had said, it is “truly,” or “certainly so.” See the notes on Revelation 1:7. This expression is one that the Saviour often used when he wished to give emphasis, or to express anything strongly. Compare John 3:3; John 5:25.
And have the keys of hell and of death – The word rendered “hell” – ᾅδης Hadēs, “Hades” – refers properly to the underworld; the abode of departed spirits; the region of the dead. This was represented as dull and gloomy; as enclosed with walls; as entered through gates which were fastened with bolts and bars. For a description of the views which prevailed among the ancients on the subject, see the Luke 16:23 note, and Job 10:21-22 notes. To hold the key of this, was to hold the power over the invisible world. It was the more appropriate that the Saviour should represent himself as having this authority, as he had himself been raised from the dead by his own power (compare John 10:18), thus showing that the dominion over this dark world was entrusted to him.
And of death – A personification. Death reigns in that world. But to his wide-extended realms the Saviour holds the key, and can have access to his empire when he pleases, releasing all whom he chooses, and confining there still such as he shall please. It is probably in part from such hints as these that Milton drew his sublime description of the gates of hell in the “Paradise Lost.” As Christ always lives; as he always retains this power over the regions of the dead, and the whole world of spirits, it may be further remarked that we have nothing to dread if we put our trust in him. We need not fear to enter a world which he has entered, and from which he has emerged, achieving a glorious triumph; we need not fear what the dread king that reigns there can do to us, for his power extends not beyond the permission of the Saviour, and in his own time that Saviour will call us forth to life, to die no more.”
VII. JESUS IS CALLING YOU
Mat 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
All of you who are weary and burden, Jesus wants you to come to Him. This is a personal invitation of Jesus. God knows you are weary and burdened of this life. Jesus will give you rest so that you do not need to commit suicide. To rest in Greek is anapauōwhich means “to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength” (Strong’s Concordance); to take ease; to refresh; peace of mind or spirit; — which occurs 12 times in the New Testament.
Matthew 11:28. Come unto me — Our Lord here shows to whom he is pleased to reveal the Father, and the things said above to be hid from the wise and prudent; to those that labour, or, are weary, as κοπιωντες may be rendered, and are heavy laden; namely, those that are weary of the slavery of sin and Satan, and of the love of the world and the pursuit of its vanities, and desire and labour after a state of reconciliation and peace with God, and rest in him; and who, till they enjoy these blessings, are heavy laden with a sense of the guilt and power of their sins, and of the displeasure of God due to them on account thereof. To these, and also to such as are burdened with the distresses of life and various trials, Jesus graciously says, Come unto me — The original word, Δευτε, come, expresses not so much a command, as a friendly request; a familiar exhorting, desiring, and begging a person to do any thing, particularly what is pleasant, and would be profitable to him if done. To come to Christ, is to apply to him in faith and prayer for such blessings as we see we want. And I — I alone, (for no one else can,) will give you freely, (what you cannot purchase,) rest, namely, from the guilt of sin by justification, and from the power of sin by sanctification; rest, from a sense of the wrath of God and an accusing conscience, in peace with God and peace of mind; rest, from all carnal affections, and fruitless worldly cares, disquietudes, and labours, in the love of God shed abroad in your hearts; and rest in the midst of the afflictions, trials, and troubles of life, in a full assurance that all things shall work for your good, and that, though in the world you may have tribulation, in me you shall have peace. Some commentators, by the rest offered in this invitation, understand that freedom from the burdensome services of the law which Christ has granted to men through the promulgation of the gospel. And it must be owned that this interpretation is favoured by the subsequent clause, in which men are invited to take on them Christ’s yoke and burden, from the consideration that they are light and easy, namely, in comparison of Moses’s yoke. There is no reason, however, for confining the rest of the soul here offered to that particular privilege of Christianity. It is more natural to think that it comprehends therewith all the blessings of the gospel whatsoever. Christianity, when embraced in faith and love, and possessed in the life and power of it, gives rest to the soul, because, 1st, it clearly informs the judgment concerning the most important points, removing all doubts concerning them; 2d, it settles the will in the choice of what is for its happiness; 3d, it controls and regulates the passions, and keeps them under subjection to the peace and love of God. Php 4:7; Colossians 3:14-15. See Dodd’s sermon on this text.”
Eze 34:15, “I Myself will feed My flock and I Myselfwill lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD.”
Jehovah Himself will seek His flock, gather it together from the dispersion, lead it to good pasture, and sift it by the destruction of the bad sheep. – Ezekiel 34:11. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I myself, I will inquire after my flock, and take charge thereof. Ezekiel 34:12. As a shepherd taketh charge of his flock in the day when he is in the midst of his scattered sheep, so will I take charge of my flock, and deliver them out of all the places whither they have been scattered in the day of cloud and cloudy night. Ezekiel 34:13. And I will bring them out from the nations, and gather them together out of the lands, and bring them into their land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the dwelling-places of the land. Ezekiel 34:14. I will feed them in a good pasture, and on the high mountains of Israel will their pasture-ground be: there shall they lie down in a good pasture-ground, and have fat pasture on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel 34:15. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. Ezekiel 34:16. That which is lost will I seek, and that which is driven away will I bring back; that which is wounded will I bind up, and that which is sick will I:strengthen: but that which is fat and strong will I destroy, and feed them according to justice. Ezekiel 34:17. And you, my sheep, thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will judge between sheep and sheep, and the rams and the he-goats. Ezekiel 34:18. Is it too little for you, that ye eat up the good pasture, and what remains of your pasture ye tread down with your feet? and the clear water ye drink, and render muddy what remains with your feet? Ezekiel 34:19. And are my sheep to have for food that which is trodden down by your feet, and to drink that which is made muddy by your feet? Ezekiel 34:20. Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah to them, Behold, I, I will judge between fat sheep and lean. Ezekiel 34:21. Because ye press with side and shoulder, and thrust all the weak with your horns, till ye have driven them out; Ezekiel 34:22. I will help my sheep, so that they shall no more become a prey; and will judge between sheep and sheep. – All that the Lord will do for His flock is summed up in Ezekiel 34:11, in the words דּרשׁתּי את־צאני וּבקּרתּים, which stand in obvious antithesis to ‘ואין דּורשׁ וגו in Ezekiel 34:6 – an antithesis sharply accentuated by the emphatic הנני אני, which stands at the head in an absolute form. The fuller explanation is given in the verses which follow, from Ezekiel 34:12 onwards. Observe here that biqger is substituted for בּקּשׁ. בּקּר, to seek and examine minutely, involves the idea of taking affectionate charge. What the Lord does for His people is compared in Ezekiel 34:12 to the care which a shepherd who deserves the name manifests towards sheep when they are scattered (נפרשׁות without the article is connected with צאנו in the form of apposition); and in Ezekiel 34:12 it is still more particularly explained. In the first place, He will gather them from all the places to which they have been scattered. הצּיל implies that in their dispersion they have fallen into a state of oppression and bondage among the nations (cf. Exodus 6:6). בּיום belongs to the relative clause: whither they have been scattered. The circumstance that these words are taken from Joel 2:2 does not compel us to take them in connection with the principal clause, as Hitzig and Kliefoth propose, and to understand them as relating to the time when God will hold His judgment of the heathen world. The notion that the words in Joel signify “God’s day of judgment upon all the heathen” (Kliefoth), is quite erroneous; and even Hitzig does not derive this meaning from Joel 2:2, but from the combination of our verse with Ezekiel 30:3 and Ezekiel 29:21. The deliverance of the sheep out of the places to which they have been scattered, consists in the gathering together of Israel out of the nations, and their restoration to their own land, and their feeding upon the mountains and all the dwelling-places of the land (מושׁב, a place suitable for settlement), and that in good and fat pasture (Ezekiel 34:14); and lastly, in the fact that Jehovah bestows the necessary care upon the sheep, strengthens and heals the weak and sick (Ezekiel 34:15 and Ezekiel 34:16) – that is to say, does just what the bad shepherds have omitted (Ezekiel 34:4) – and destroys the fat and strong. In this last clause another side is shown of the pastoral fidelity of Jehovah. אשׁמיד has been changed by the lxx, Syr., and Vulg. into ,אשׁמורφυλάχω; and Luther has followed them in his rendering, “I will watch over them.” But this is evidently a mistake, as it fails to harmonize with ארענּה במשׁפּט. The fat and strong sheep are characterized in Ezekiel 34:18 and Ezekiel 34:19 as those which spoil the food and water of the others. The allusion, therefore, is to the rich and strong ones of the nation, who oppress the humble and poor, and treat them with severity. The destruction of these oppressors shows that the loving care of the Lord is associated with righteousness – that He feeds the flock בּמשׁפּט.
This thought is carried out still further in Ezekiel 34:17-21, the sheep themselves being directly addressed, and the Lord assuring them that He will judge between sheep and sheep, and put an end to the oppressive conduct of the fat sheep and the strong. בּין שׂה לשׂה: between the one sheep and the other. לשׂה is extended in the apposition, “the rams and he-goats,” which must not be rendered, “with regard to the rams and he-goats,” as it has been by Kliefoth. The thought is not that Jehovah will divide the rams and he-goats from the sheep, as some have explained it, from an inappropriate comparison with Matthew 25:32; but the division is to be effected in such a manner that sheep will be separated from sheep, the fat sheep being placed on one side with the rams and he-goats, and kept apart from the lean (רזה, Ezekiel 34:20) and the sickly sheep (נהלות, Matthew 25:21). It is to the last-named sheep, rams, and he-goats that Matthew 25:18 and Matthew 25:19 are addressed. With regard to the charge brought against them, that they eat up the pasture and tread down the remainder with their feet, etc., Bochart has already correctly observed, that “if the words are not quite applicable to actual sheep, they are perfectly appropriate to the mystical sheep intended here, i.e., to the Israelites, among whom many of the rich, after enjoying an abundant harvest and vintage, grudged the poor their gleaning in either one or the other.” משׁקע, a substantive formation, like מרמס, literally, precipitation of the water, i.e., the water purified by precipitation; for שׁקע, to sink, is the opposite of רפשׂ, to stir up or render muddy by treading with the feet (compare Ezekiel 32:14 and Ezekiel 32:2). בּריה, Ezekiel 34:20 equals בּראה or בּריּה. Ezekiel 34:22 brings to a close the description of the manner in which God will deliver His flock, and feed it with righteousness. והושׁעתּי points back to והצּלתּי in Ezekiel 34:12, and ושׁפטתּי to ארענּה במשׁפּט in Ezekiel 34:16. – To this there is appended in Ezekiel 34:23. a new train of thought, describing how God will still further display to His people His pastoral fidelity.”
Mat 9:13, “Now go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Verse 13. – The first half of the verse comes in Matthew only. But go ye and learn. A common rabbinic phrase based on the fact that the disputants would not always have the cumbrous rolls of Scripture actually with them. These Pharisees pro-reseed to be students of Scripture, but had not yet learned the principle taught in this passage. What that meaneth, I will have (I desire, Revised Version) mercy, and not sacrifice. Mercy (ἔλεος). In the original connexion of this quotation (Hosea 6:6) the words are without doubt (but cf. Dr. Taylor’s ‘Gospel in the Law,’ p. 10) an expression of God’s desire that his people should show mercy rather than only perform external sacrifices, and this meaning is probably intended by our Lord here also. The connexion will then be either (1) “I wish you to show mercy rather than perform external actions, for only thus will you resemble me in my coming to call sinners;” or (2) “I wish you to show this mercy, and therefore I practise it myself.” The former seems the more natural. It is, however, possible that our Lord disregards the original context of the words, and uses them only as a summary of an important truth, that God prefers to show mercy rather than to insist on sacrifice. This would make excellent sense here, viz. “Learn the true principle by which God acts, free grace, for it is on this that I have acted in coming to call sinners.” (So nearly Dr. Taylor, op. cit., p. 3.) The sentence is quoted again in Matthew 12:7, where the original thought of the words seems more certainly applicable. For I am not come; for I came not (Revised Version). Christ refers to his historic coming in the Incarnation rather than to his abiding presence (cf. also Matthew 5:17). To call the righteous, but sinners (καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλ ἁμαρτωλούς). The English generic article in the first term spoils the anarthrous expression of the Greek by lessening the contrast between the two classes. Dr. Taylor suggests the rendering, “not saints, but sinners” (op. cit., p. 4). To repentance. Omitted by the Revised Version and Westcott and Herr. From the parallel passage in Luke. Matthew 9:13”
Mat 16:24, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Verse 24. – St. Mark tells us that Jesus called the multitude unto him together with the disciples, as about to say something of universal application. The connection between this paragraph and what has preceded is well put by St. Chrysostom. Then. “When? when St. Peter said, ‘Be it far from thee: this shall not be unto thee,’ and was told, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan.’ For Christ was by no means satisfied with the mere rebuke of Peter, but, willing more abundantly to show both the extravagance of Peter’s words and the future benefit of his Passion, he saith, ‘Thy word to me is, “Be it far from thee: this shall not be unto thee;” but my word to thee is, “Not only is it hurtful to thee to impede me and to be displeased at my Passion, but it will be impossible for thee even to be saved, unless thou thyself too be continually prepared for death.”‘ Thus, lest they should think his suffering unworthy of him, not by the former words only, but by those that were coming, he teaches them the gain thereof.” If any man will (θέλει, wills to) come after me. To come after Christ is to be his follower and disciple, and the Lord here declares what will be the life of such a one (see a parallel passage, Matthew 10:38, 39). Jesus mentions three points which belong to the character of a true disciple. The first is self-denial. Let him deny himself. There is no better test of reality and earnestness in the religious life than this. (See a sermon of Newman’s on this subject, vol. 1. serm. 5.) If a man follows Jesus, it must be by his own free will, and he must voluntarily renounce everything that might hinder his discipleship, denying himself even in things lawful that he may approach the likeness of his Master. Take up his cross. This is the second point. St. Luke adds, “daily.” He must not only be resigned to bear what is brought upon him – suffering, shame, and death, which he cannot escape, but be eager to endure it, meet it with a solemn joy, be glad that he is counted worthy of it. Follow me. The third point. He must be energetic and active, not passive only and resigned, but with all zeal tracking his Master’s footsteps, which lead on the way of sorrows. Here too is comfort; he is not called to a task as yet untried; Christ has gone before, and in his strength he may be strong. Matthew 16:24.”
Mat 19:21, “Jesus said to him, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
(21) Jesus said unto him . . .—St. Mark (Mark 10:21) adds the striking and interesting words, “Jesus beholding him” (better, perhaps, gazing on him), “loved him.” There was something in the young seeker after holiness which drew to him, in a measure altogether exceptional, the affection of the Great Teacher. The same word is used in regard to him which is used in relation to the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” and (here the coincidence takes its place in the chain of evidence for the view above suggested) to Lazarus, and Martha, and Mary (John 11:5). There was the fervour, the longing after a higher life, the personal trust, which made him a not unworthy object of the love of Jesus, and therefore He would not spare the discipline which the questioner needed, the test which, being such as he was, was required for the completeness of his life.
If thou wilt be perfect.—Better, if thou wishest. St. Mark and St. Luke report the words, “One thing thou lackest,” reminding us forcibly of the “One thing is needful” of Luke 10:42. (See Note on Matthew 19:16.)
Go and sell that thou hast.—It would be altogether a mistake to see in this either an obligation binding on all seekers after eternal life, or even what has been called a “counsel of perfection,” a precept laying down an indispensable condition for all who aim at its higher forms and powers. It was strictly a remedy for the special evil which hindered the young ruler’s progress to perfection, applicable to others so far only as their cases are analogous. It would be idle to deny that there have been and are many such analogous types of character, and so far as any one is conscious of being under the power of wealth and its temptations, so far there is a call to some act asserting his victory over those temptations, in the spirit, if not in the letter, of the command thus given. But it is, we must remember, the spirit, and not the letter, which is binding. Distribution to the poor was then almost the only form of charity. A wider range of action is presented by the organisation of modern Christian societies, and the same sacrifice may be made in ways more productive of true and permanent good; in the foundation, e.g., of schools or hospitals, in the erection of churches, in the maintenance of home or foreign missions.
Treasure in heaven.—The parallelism with the Sermon on the Mount should not be forgotten (5:20). The “treasure” is the “eternal life” which the young ruler was seeking, the memory of good deeds, the character formed and perfected, the vision of the presence of God.
Come and follow me.—Here again St. Mark adds words that are pregnant with meaning, “Take up thy cross, and follow Me.” The seeker could not then understand all their significance. To the Teacher that cross was now coming, day by day, nearer, and He saw that each true disciple must be prepared to follow Him in that path of suffering, which was also the path of glory. “Via cruris, via lucis.”
Mat 25:34, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Blessed of my Father – Made happy or raised to felicity by my Father. See the notes at Matthew 5:3.
Inherit the kingdom – Receive “as heirs” the kingdom, or be received there as the sons of God. Christians are often called heirs of God, Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:6-7; Hebrews 1:14; 1 John 3:2.
Prepared for you … – That is, “designed” for you, or appointed for you. The phrase “from the foundation of the world” is used to denote that this was appointed for them in the beginning; that God has no new plan; that the rewards which he will now confer on them he always intended to confer. Christ says to the righteous that the kingdom was prepared for “them.” Of course, God meant to confer it on “them.” They were individuals, and it follows that He intended to bestow His salvation on them as individuals. Accordingly, the salvation of His people is universally represented as the result of the free gift of God, according to His own pleasure, bestowed on individuals, and by a plan which is eternal, Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 1:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; John 6:37. This is right and consistent with justice; because
1. All people are by nature equally undeserving.
2. Bestowing favors on one does not do injustice to another, where neither deserves favor. Pardoning one criminal is not injuring another. Bestowing great talents on Locke, Newton, or Paul did not injure me.
3. If it is right for God to give eternal life to his people, or to admit them to heaven, it was right to “determine” to do it, which is but another way of saying that God resolved from all eternity to “do right.”
4. Those who perish choose the paths which lead to death, and will not be saved by the merits of Jesus. No blame can be charged on God if he does not save them against their will, John 5:40; Mark 16:15-16.”
Mat 27:42,“He saved others; He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.”
Verse 42. – He saved others. They knew something of his many miracles of healing; many among them had witnessed the cure of the man blind from his birth (John 9.); most must have heard of the raising of Lazarus; – they made these very works of mercy a reproach against him. He had proved himself a beneficent Saviour; he had shown superhuman power, and yet they say, Himself he cannot save. There was indeed a sense, not their sense, in which this was true. Christ willed to die; it was his purpose thus to redeem mankind; in adhering to this steadfast determination he could not deliver himself from suffering and death. Some read the clause interrogatively, “Cannot he save himself?” It is then parallel to the expression used at the grave of Lazarus (John 11:37). If he be the King of Israel. “If” (εἰ) is omitted by א, B, D, L, etc., and many modern editors. Its omission is more concinnons to the other taunts, e.g. “He saved others;” “He trusted in God.” His claim to be Messiah would involve the Kingship of Israel (Matthew 2:6), which the title over his head asserted. We will believe him (pisteu/somen au)tw = “”). We will believe (not subj., “let us believe”) what he says. The Sinaitic, Vatican, and other good manuscripts read ἐπ αὐτόν, “on him.” So Westcott and Hort, Tischendorf, etc. This form of expression would imply that they would put their trust in him, become his followers. A confident boast! for they were so fully persuaded of the final triumph of thcir malice, that they decreed they might safely make such a promise. And yet Christ did a greater thing than come down alive from the cross; he rose from the dead; but they believed not in him. And if the sign which they asked had been vouchsafed, they would have explained it away, or evaded its meaning, and nave been no nearer to salvation than now. Matthew 27:42”
Mar 1:15, “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Verse 15. – The time is fulfilled; that is, the time for the coming of Messiah and of his kingdom. The kingdom which had been shut for so many ages was now to be reopened by the preaching and the death of Christ. The time is very accurately indicated. St. Matthew tells us (Matthew 4:12) that “when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;” and then presently afterwards he adds, “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” The time and place are also accurately specified by St. Peter (Acts 10:36, 37), where he tells Cornelius that “the word of peace, preached by Jesus Christ, was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.” It was necessary that these circumstances should be carefully detailed, because they were among the proofs of the Messiahship of Jesus. Elias must come first; and he had come in the person of the Baptist, although the prophecy probably awaits its full accomplishment in the actual reappearance of the great prophet of Israel before the second coming of our Lord. Repent ye, and believe the gospel. These words may be regarded as a summary of the method of salvation. Repentance and faith are the conditions of admission into the Christian covenant. Repentance has a special reference to God the Father, and faith, to Jesus Christ the eternal Son. It is in the gospel that Christ is revealed to us as a Saviour; and therefore we find Jesus Christ, as the object of our faith, distinguished from the Father as the object of our repentance. Repentance of itself is not sufficient – it makes no satisfaction for the Law which we have broken; and hence, over and above repentance, there is required from us faith in the Gospel, wherein Christ is revealed to us as a propitiation for sin, and as the only way of reconciliation with the Father. Without faith repentance becomes despair, and without repentance faith becomes only presumption. Join the two together, and the faithful soul is borne onwards, like a well-balanced vessel, to the haven where it would be. Mark 1:15.”
Mar 2:17, “And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
When Jesus heard it, he saith to them,…. Christ either overheard what they said to his disciples, or he heard it from the relation of the disciples; and when he did, he turned to the Scribes and Pharisees, and spoke to them the following words:
they that are whole, have no need of the physician, but they that are sick; which seems to be a proverbial expression, signifying that he was a physician; that these publicans and sinners were sick persons, and needed his company and assistance; but that they, the Scribes and Pharisees, were whole, and in good health, in their own esteem, and so wanted no relief; and therefore ought not to take it amiss, that he attended the one, and not the other. These words give a general view of mankind, in their different sentiments of themselves and of Christ; and of the usefulness of Christ to one sort, and not another. There are some that cry up the power of man’s freewill, and plead for the strength and purity of human, nature, and extol its excellencies and abilities; and it is no wonder that these see no need of Christ, either for themselves or others: hence preachers of this complexion leave Christ out of their ministry for the most part; and generally speaking, lessen the glory and dignity of his person, depreciate his offices, reject his righteousness, and deny his satisfaction and atonement: and such reckon themselves the favourites of heaven, and are ready to say, whom shall God delight to honour, but us, who are so pure and holy? they therefore trust in their own righteousness, and despise others, and submit not to the righteousness of Christ; they make their own works their saviours, and so neglect the great salvation by Christ. There are others that are sick, and are quite sick of themselves; they see the impurity of their nature, how unsound and unhealthful they are; that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, there is no soundness in them, nothing but wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores: their loins are filled with the loathsome disease of sin; they are sensible of their inability to cure themselves, and that no mere creature can help them; and that all besides Christ, are physicians of no value: and therefore they apply to him, whose blood is a balm for every wound, and a medicine for every sickness and disease, and which cleanses from all sin: and whereas such, and such only, see their need of Christ as a physician, these only does he attend under this character; See Gill on Matthew 9:12. Adding this as a reason,
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. These words explain, what is more obscurely and figuratively expressed in the former; it appears from hence, that by “the whole” are meant, “righteous” persons; not such who are made righteous, by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, but such who were outwardly righteous before men, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, depended on their own righteousness, and fancied themselves, with respect to the righteousness of the law, blameless; and so, in their own apprehensions, stood in no need of Christ and his righteousness: yea, even needed not repentance, according to their own thoughts of things, and therefore were not called to it, but were left to their own stupidity and blindness; these were the Scribes and Pharisees; and by the “sick”, are meant “sinners”; such who are made sensible of sin, and so of their need of Christ as a Saviour; and who have evangelical repentance given them, and are called to the exercise and profession of it: and Christ’s calling sinners to repentance, and bestowing that grace, together with the remission of sins, which goes along with it, is doing his work and office as a “physician”. This evangelist makes no mention of the passage in Hosea 6:6, with which these words are introduced in Matthew. The last words, to “repentance”, are omitted by the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, and are wanting in some ancient copies; but are retained in the Arabic version, and in most copies, as in Matthew 9:13. See Gill on Matthew 9:13.”
2Co 12:9, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
To be Sufficient in Greek isarkeōwhich means to be enough; to be satisfied; to be possessed of unfailing strength; adequate; competent; — which occurs 8 times in the New Testament.
So the grace of God is not only abundant, it is sufficient. My friend, you do not need to commit suicide. Come to Jesus now!
Please accept the grace of God to save you from eternal death. Will you come to Jesus now?
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
This article is written to let you know how to cope with trouble and tragedy in this life. The world is full of troubles and tragedies that no one is exempt. But God is able to save His children. The promise of our Lord Jesus Christ is better than gold.
Psa 90:10, “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is only trouble and tragedy; For it quickly passes, and we disappear.”
I am an old man and can testify that the Word of God is true. Our life is short. The pride of our life is only trouble and tragedy. Our life quickly passes away, and we disappear. This is the truth of God that many do not know. Trouble in Hebrew is ʿāmālwhich means labor; mischief; misery; travail; sorrow; grievance; pain; perverseness; wickedness; toil; worry; suffering; wearisomeness; vexation; anguish; – which occurs 55 times in the Old Testament. Tragedy in Hebrew is ‘āvenwhich means iniquity; vanity; affliction; wickedness; mischief; evil; sorrow; emptiness; misfortune; calamity; – which occurs 79 times in the Old Testament. I am old and I have never met a person who has no trouble and tragedy. I have known people who have troubles upon troubles, tragedies upon tragedies AND distresses upon distresses.
COVID-19 (+OMICRON) alone proves to be trouble and tragedy for millions in the world to this day.
Even after the FALL of Adam and CURSE, the world would be better off if it were not evil and destructive deeds of mankind.
Suppose you were born in a big European mansion with all amenities, maids and servants. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Little you know that the wealth and riches of Europe were looted and robbed from their colonies. You see nice palaces and beautiful buildings and gardens in Europe, you did not see or know the abject poverty of European colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America. You may fancy you are superior white; therefore your life is sweet and pleasant; but sooner or later you will be bitterly disappointed. For no one can escape the trouble and tragedy in this life. Even the rich and powerful have no exception. This is the truth of God. You will not be exempt from trouble and tragedy in this life; for man is born for trouble. Trouble is nearer than you think. When you know it, it becomes your tragedy.
Natural disasters such as earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, drought, locusts, like Tonga’s volcano eruption and tsunami, etc. can create trouble and tragedy for many. There are also many man-made disasters that can create trouble and tragedy for you. For example, London’s Killer Fog, the Nuclear Power Plant Explosion in Chernobyl, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, the Three Mile Island Nuclear Explosion, the BHOPAL GAS LEAK, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, etc.
I. LIFE IS FULL OF TROUBLE
Job 14:1-2, “Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. Like a flower he comes out and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.”
Turmoil in Hebrew is rōḡez which means trouble; rage; noise; fear; wrath; trembling; trepidation; agitation; restlessness; perturbation; in German is Sturm und Drang; – which occurs 7 times in the Old Testament. Every man who is born of a woman is short-lived and full of turmoil. Turmoil is synonymous with trouble. Like a flower man comes out and withers. Man also flees like a shadow and does not remain. The man who lived longest in the world was Gen 5:27, “So all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.”
Even you do not trouble trouble, trouble will trouble you. No one can outrun death.
Gen 3:17, “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; with hard labor you shall eat from it all the days of your life.”
Since the Fall of Adam, the world has been cursed. Man shall have hard labor all the days of his life. I believe the curse also includes bacteria and viruses, flies and mosquitoes, etc.
The following Scriptures describe the futility of a man’s life:
Job 7:1-6, “Is a person not forced to labor on earth, And are his days not like the days of a hired worker?
As a slave pants for the shade, and as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages, so I am allotted worthless months, and nights of trouble are apportioned to me. “When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ But the night continues, And I am continually tossing until dawn.
“My flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and oozes. “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.”
The life of an unbeliever is without God and without hope in this world.
“trouble” occurs 80 times in80verses in the NASB20. Page 1 / 2exact matches(Gen 34:30–Psa 143:11)
Gen 34:30, “Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me repulsive among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since my men are few in number, they will band together against me and attack me, and I will be destroyed, I and my household!”
Do you realize you can bring trouble on yourself and your family? There are strength in number. The wicked always bands together to attack others.
Exo 5:19, “The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble, since they were told, “You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks.”
Egyptians were the first who practiced forced labor and quota. Today in America white and black supervisors also practice abuses to bring trouble and tragedy on many corporate employees. Especially those house slaves are the employees who have bought houses and they have monthly mortgage to pay. Those employees are so afraid of losing their jobs and so they are willing to bear abuses by their supervisors. Losing jobs will lose their homes –that is a frightening prospect. Because losing job means losing income, losing income means their inability to pay mortgage. Without paying mortgage, they will lose their homes.
Num 33:55, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from you, then it will come about that those whom you let remain of them will be like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.”
Today in Israel there are Arabs, Palestinians, and Hamas who live in the Jewish land, they are like thorns in the eyes of Israel and like pricks in the sides of Israel. They trouble the Jews in their own land.
America and its allies are also like thorns in the eyes of many nations and like pricks in their sides. America arms the Ukrainians and wants them to become NATO member are like thorns in the eyes of Russians and like pricks in their sides.
Deu 26:7, “Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our wretched condition, our trouble, and our oppression.”
In ancient times, Egyptians oppressed the children of Israel, creating wretched condition and trouble. God heard their voice and sent Moses to lead them out of the land of slavery.
Many unproductive, backward, underdeveloped, and unmotivated countries and peoples are in wretched condition, their troubles are self-made because of corrupt leaders, civil wars, natural and man-made disasters. However, there are also many weaker countries and peoples, their wretched conditions, troubles are due to American oppression and the oppression of American allies.
Knowingly or unknowingly, America is the sole trouble-maker in the world. America deliberately creates troubles for China and Russia. In the last 500 years Western nations have caused troubles and tragedies. Since the infamous Opium Wars, China has been oppressed by the West to this day. America used its superior military, financial, economic, technological, diplomatic, and trade powers to sanction and oppress many weaker nations and peoples. America has become troubles and tragedies of many weaker nations and peoples. So naturally, America is the most hated nation on earth. American leaders and politicians seem to like making troubles for other nations and peoples. America is looking for trouble in all the world.
1Sa 13:6, “When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits.”
Historically, the people of Israel were so hard-pressed by the Philistinesthat they kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits. Trouble and tragedy were not enough to describe their desperate situation.
Job 5:7, “For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.”
This is the truth of God: man is born for trouble. Sparks fly upward, never downward. Job 5:6, “For disaster does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble sprout from the ground.”
A wise and old man said, Job 4:8, “According to what I have seen, those who plow wrongdoing and those who sow trouble harvest it.”
Gal 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.”
No one can escape the truth of God. Times of trouble will find you.
Psa 55:3, “Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me And in anger they hold a grudge against me.”
There are the pressure of the wicked, for they bring down trouble upon you. The rich can have the iron gates and bodyguards to protect them from the wicked.
1Co 7:28, “But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.”
Married or single, people will have trouble in this life.
Isa 59:4, “No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies; They conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.”
There are leaders and politicians in the West who trust in confusion and speak lies; the conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.
Jer 20:18, “Why did I ever come out of the womb To look at trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame?”
Those questions suit a certain group of people. Why did they ever come out of the womb to look at trouble and sorrow, so that their days have been spent in shame?
Mat 6:34, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
How true! Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Nah 1:7, “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Zep 1:15, “That day is a day of anger, A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness.”
I believe the Scriptures cited are about the Day of God’s judgment.
Act 15:19, “Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God.”
Not only we do not cause trouble for those who are turning to God, we should help them. There are only kinds of people, those who cause trouble, and those who solve trouble. What kind are you?
Here was one who knew how not to create troubles on himself. John Stuart Mill said, “I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.” Socrates said about the same thing, “The secret of happiness, you see is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” I usually agree with Seneca who said, “The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.”
Like it or not, man contributes more to his/her trouble and tragedy than anything else. Whatever kind of person produces whatever kind of life. Whatever kind of life produce whatever kind of fate. People are not content with his lot because there are not many wise men in this world.
I agree with Fyodor Dostoyevsky who said, “Man only
likes to count his troubles; he doesn’t calculate his happiness.”
On the surface, you do not know still water runs deep. One philosopher said, “I don’t know why we are here…” Christians must know why they are in the world. For Jesus says, Jhn 20:21, “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Christians have a mission. Jesus sends Christians on a mission. Mar 16:15-16, “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned.” We fearfully proclaim the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ on the Internet absolutely free to all.
Jhn 17:11, “I AM no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are.”
I am ashamed of Christians world-wide who are divisive according to organization and denomination. I am willing to be one with all those who truly believe in Jesus Christ and who practice righteousness. For Jesus says again,
Jhn 17:14, “I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I am not of the world.”
Everyone in the world belongs to the world. Christians are in the world but do not belong to the world. So Christians cope with trouble and tragedy in a different way because Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior.
II. TRAGEDIES WILL FALL
Historically tragedies fall on many lives, the righteous and the wicked. We will learn from the Holy Bible the tragedies of the righteous.
Joseph was born well, being the beloved son of Rachel and Jacob.
Gen 37:3, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a multicolored tunic.”
The young and inexperienced Joseph did not realize his father’s love and his outrageous and self-centered dreams only earned hatred from his older ten brothers. Many times people did not realize that jealousy may breed evil.
One day Jacob sent Joseph to see his brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem. To make a long story short, his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver as a slave to Egypt. The ten cruel sons fake the evidence that a vicious animal might have devoured Joseph. Their old father mourned and wept for Joseph many days.
To make a long story short again, the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. His master’s wife had her eyes on Joseph, and wanted to have sex with Joseph. Because Joseph feared God and refused her; Joseph was falsely accused and sent to prison.
To make a long story short again, because God had given Joseph the ability to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream; Joseph was elevated to become a Ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.
Gen 41:51, “Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh; “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all of my father’s household.”
In the apex of Joseph’s fame and fortune, he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble.”
This is a triumphant experience God may give to any of His children.
One lesson we may learn from Joseph is the truth, Gen 50:20-21, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive.
“So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”
The life of Joseph teaches a precious truth of God: God is able to cause all things to work together for our own good.
The life of Naomi was a life of trouble and tragedy. Due to a famine in the land, Elimelech, and his wife, Naomi; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, went to the land of Moab and remained there. To make a long story short, unfortunately, Naomi’s husband and later two sons also died. Naomi therefore told her two daughters-in-law to return to their mothers’ house.
Naomi voiced her own tragedy that can break your heart.
Rth 1:11-13, “But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
“Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I were even to have a husband tonight and also give birth to sons, would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has come out against me.”
Ruth was one of the most beautiful women who ever lived in history. Her words would make you cry.
Rth 1:16-18, “But Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
“Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.”
When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her about it.”
These were the words of a daughter-in-law to her mother-in-law. Would any man to have been so lucky to have a woman said the same thing to him? All the fortunes of England were not good enough to exchange it. A thousand princesses cannot make one Ruth.
Rth 1:20-21, “But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
“I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”
Naomi in Hebrew isnāʿŏmîwhich means pleasant; Naomi = “my delight”; my pleasantness; – which occurs 21 times in the Old Testament. The story turned out well.
Rth 2:11-13, “Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know.
“May the LORD reward your work, and may your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not like one of your female servants.”
Rth 4:13-15, “So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he had relations with her. And the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.
“May he also be to you one who restores life and sustains your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”
Naomi turned out to have a pleasant life after all. She had some Redeemer who restored life and sustained her old age. Unprecedented in the history of mankind that there has never been a daughter-in-law who is better than seven sons. It will never be in the future that a daughter-in-law is better than seven sons to the mother-in-law. Bitter life turned into sweet for Naomi.
I do not know what Naomi said was true or not, “the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” I believe a good Christian should never say that. There are more Mara (bitterness) than Naomi (pleasantness) in life. However, under whatever circumstances Christians must always believe what Jesus says, 2Co 12:9, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
There are many tragedies in this life, including family tragedy. There was a wonderful family of three members, Martha, Mary and Lazarus who lived in a village called Bethany. This is not an ordinary family, because Jesus Christ loved them so much.
Luk 10:38-42, “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His Word.
But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.”
But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Have you welcomed Jesus into your home? Do you know only one thing is necessary? Listening to the Word of the Lord is the one thing necessary. Have you chosen the good part?
Jhn 11:1-45, “Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God God may be glorified by it.” (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.) So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and yet You are going there again?”
Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone
walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” This He said, and after this He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.”
The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will come out of it.” Now Jesus had
spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about actual sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus died, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let’s go to him.” Therefore Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may die with Him!” So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away;
and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them about their brother. So then Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha then
said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I AM the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and He who comes into the world.” When she
had said this, she left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard this, she got up quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”But some of them said, “Could this man, who opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also kept this man from dying?”
So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”
And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Out came the man
who had died, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.”
There is no family like the family of Bethany, Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Very little is known about them; nothing is said about their parents, apparently had passed away. Nothing is said about their social background, although they lived in a village, yet they were able to serve the Lord and His disciples with food. The important thing about this family is the fact that Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. Every family has a tear. There are many hidden precious truth in the Scriptures cited above.
1. The time may come where a member of the family is sick. On the day of trouble you can send word to the Lord.
2. Though they were not rich, yet Mary anointed the Lord with costly ointment and wiped His feet with her hair.
3. The Lord said, “This sickness is not meant for…” There are many troubles and tragedies in life; but we do not know This … is not meant for … Only the Lord can interpret what is happening to our lives.
4. Many delays can be God’s way of intervention so that we may believe.
5. ”Let’s go to Judea again.” The Lord may lead to where we are afraid to go.
6. What do we do to be entitled to be “friend” of Jesus?
7. Some believers like Didymus may have opinion that we do not understand.
8. This small family was so remarkable that many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them about their brother. They actually wept with them.
9. After Lazarus had died four days, Martha said to Jesus, Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you. Do not forget there are many “Even now” in our lives.
10. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Christ will live, even if he dies, do you believe this?
11. The right answer to whatever Jesus says is: Yes, Lord.
12. Whatever we want to say to Jesus, let us fall at His feet.
13. Jesus wept. It was the first time and the last time that it is written that Jesus wept. No reason or explanation was given why Jesus wept. Was it because of our unbelief or something else? Whatever it was, it must be significant.
14. Remove the stone. Anything that obstructs the doing of the Lord must be removed.
15. It is natural that a man who has been dead four days by this time there will be a stench.
16. God always hears Jesus Christ.
17. Lazarus, come out! The dead hears the voice of the Lord of life.
18. Unbind him, and let him go. The living must be free to go.
III. SOME TRAGEDIES IN THE WORLD
Some historical tragedies in the world that once you see the pictures, you will never forget:
“This disturbing photograph is just one piece of evidence of the atrocities that occurred in the Andersonville Prison, eventually known as the worst prisoner-of-war camp ever in the US. Soldiers were fed regularly; prisoners were not.[10]
The man in this image, a Union Army soldier, barely survived the Andersonville Prison after wasting away from hunger during the US Civil War. He was eventually released in May 1865.”
“The deadliest structural failure accident in modern history occurred in April 2013, and you’ve probably never heard of it. The infamous Boston Marathon bombing occurred the week before and garnered much media coverage with its three deaths and hundreds of wounded. But the collapse of this Bangladeshi building was a tragedy on a different order of magnitude: 1,134 people were killed, with more than twice as many injured.”
“It seems absurd to describe a worldwide pandemic with a 50 million-plus death toll as “forgotten.” Indeed, in its day, the effect was very widely felt. Yet the strange aspect here is now little of a historical footprint this rampaging illness made. It seemed to disappear into distant memory very quickly.”
There is debate as to what the deadliest disasters of all time actually are, due to discrepancies in death tolls, especially with disasters that occurred outside of the last century. Following is a list of ten of the deadliest disasters in recorded history, from lowest to highest estimated death toll.
10. Aleppo Earthquake (Syria 1138) – 230,000 dead
9. Indian Ocean Earthquake/Tsunami (Indian Ocean 2004) – 230,000 dead
6. Antioch Earthquake (Syria and Turkey 526) – 250,000 dead
5. India Cyclone (India 1839) – 300,000 dead
4. Shaanxi Earthquake (China 1556) – 830,000 dead
3. Bhola Cyclone (Bangladesh 1970) – 500,000-1,000,000 dead
2. Yellow River Flood (China 1887) – 900,000-2,000,000 dead
1. Yellow River Flood (China 1931) – 1,000,000-4,000,000 dead
IV. RULES TO FOLLOW
These RULES are good to FOLLOW before you get into trouble or after you get into trouble and tragedy.
1. Do not bring trouble on yourself.
It is awful that many do not know that they can bring troubles on themselves. There are infinite ways a person can bring trouble on himself/herself.
I can only give you some examples:
A man lives above his means. He buys what he cannot afford. He incurs debt to fund his luxurious life style. He borrows from friends and relatives, sinks deeper and deeper in debt that he has no way to get out of it.
A man drinks and smokes and overweight which create diseases for himself.
A married man but he seeks prostitutes, not only he wastes a lot of money and he is infected.
A student who wishes to attend a university, but he never studies and fails the entrance exam.
A young woman gets pregnant but her boyfriend neither wants nor can he support her and baby.
2. Be frugal and thrifty.
3. Minimize your loss.
4. Do not aggravate your situation.
5. Do not fall into debt trap.
6. Do not take on burden you cannot bear.
7. Do not enslave yourself.
8. Do not bring trouble to yourself and your family.
9. Be protective and never destructive.
10. All cultures have flaws; do not follow your cultural defects.
11. Do not loosely and leisurely give your word to the Lord, for you cannot take it back.
12. Do not promise something you cannot keep.
13. Be responsible.
Here is an example. A man has raised many children, but he never spent money, effort and time to educate his children. Consequently without skills his children are employed and cannot do well in this world. Here is a case of an irresponsible parent.
Another example, a women who bore many children without husbands to love her and support their children. The woman is on welfare, the more children she bears the more welfare she receives. Her daughters follow her step and also have children without husbands. The evil circles continues many generations.
14. Be careful what you sow. You will reap what you sow.
15. Learn good habits. Finish your job.
16. Be methodical; and put things where they belong. For example, if you put tableware in the bedroom, no one will find them.
17. Put the right thing in the right place, so that it will be easy to find.
18. Be diligent and industrious so you can help yourself in whatever you do.
19. You need the language skills in order to speak and write correctly.
20. Honesty is the best policy.
21. Remove all obstacles of your life.
22. Help the helpless so that on the day of trouble you may be helped.
23. Know the proper time and procedure.
24. Do not make the truth to suit yourself, make yourself to suit the truth. For example, a man likes many women sexually and so he becomes a Mormon or Muslim.
V. CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE
It is not stressed enough that the way of life for Christians is very different than peoples of the world. The Christian way of life is influenced by the Word of God and controlled by the Will of God. If you do not know the Word of God and do not obey the Will of God, it is in vain that you call yourself a Christian.
Jhn 14:19, “After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live.”
Christians are not afraid of death because our Redeemer lives and we will also live.
2Co 13:4, “For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we too are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.”
Jas 4:15, “Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Col 3:2, “Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.
Col 3:3, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Col 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Gen 41:51, “Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh; “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all of my father’s household.”
It is most gratifying when God made you forget all your trouble in the past.
Two things are most important to Christian way of life are the Word of God and the Will of God.
What Christians do with the Word of God:
(1.) Hear the Word.
Isa 28:14, “Therefore hear the Word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem.”
Isa 66:5 , “Hear the Word of the LORD, you who tremble at His Word: Your brethren who hated you, who cast you out for My name’s sake, said: Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy. But they shall be ashamed.”
Jesus says, Mat 13:9 , “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Rom 10:17 , “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
Note: Hear the Word means to listen to what God says and obey the Word of God. The Holy Bible is the Word of God.
(2.) Pay attention to the Word.
2Pe 1:19, “And we have the Word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
Note: Pay attention in Greek is prosechō which means to turn the mind to, attend to be attentive, give attention to, take heed, devote thought and effort to; – it occurs about 24 times in the New Testament. You do well to pay attention to the Word of God which a light like the morning star that shines in your hearts.
(3.) Believe the Word.
Act 4:4 ,“However, many of those who heard the Word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”
Note: Believe in Greek is pisteuō which means to think to be true, to be persuaded of, place confidence in, trust in Jesus or God as able to aid; – it occurs about 248 times in the New Testament. To believe the Word is to take God at His Word.
Act 15:7,“And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the Word of the Gospel and believe.”
Note: It is the duty of man to hear the Word of the Gospel and believe.
Eph 1:13 , “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the Word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”
Note: To hear the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation and believe is to be sealed to receive the Holy Spirit.
(4.) Receive the Word.
Act 8:14 , “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.”
Note: Receive in Greek is dechomaiwhich means to take hold of, take up, give ear to, embrace, approve, make one’s own; – it occurs 59 times in the New Testament. We must receive the Word of God.
Act 17:11 , “These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
Note: Readiness in Greek is prothymiawhich means readiness of mind, eagerness, zeal, spirit, inclination; – it occurs only 5 times in the New Testament. Search the Scriptures and receive the Word with readiness of mind and eagerness.
1Th 1:6, “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.”
Note: For followers of Jesus Christ to receive the Word in affliction means to suffer for the Lord and to be with joy of the Holy Spirit.
1Th 2:13, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”
Note: The Word of God is the Word of truth.
(5.) Desire the Word.
1Pe 2:2 , “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby.”
Note: Desire in Greek is epipotheō which means to long for, pursue with love, long after; – it occurs only 9 times in the New Testament. As newborn babes desire the milk so Christians should desire the pure milk of the Word. The Word is vital for spiritual growth. Christians are to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. Knowledge of and obedience to the Word of God are essential for Christian growth.
(6.) Taste the Word.
Hbr 6:5 , “And have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come.”
Note: Taste in Greek is geuomai which means to try the flavor of, partake of, enjoy, feel and experience; – it occurs about 15 times in the New Testament. The taste of the Word of God is good because of its promises and blessings. If you are a child of God, you must have experienced the divine providence and how God has blessed and helped you in many ways.
(7.) Keep the Word.
Luk 11:28 , “But He said: More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!”
Note: Keep here in Greek is phylassōwhich means to guard, watch, keep watch, guard i.e. care for, take care not to violate, observe; – it occurs about 30 times in the New Testament.
1Jo 2:5 , “But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
Note: Keep in Greek is tēreō which means to attend to carefully, take care of, observe of God’s or Christ’s command; – it occurs about 75 times in the New Testament. To keep the Word is to obey the commandments of God and do the will of God.
(8.) Remember the Word.
Jhn 15:20 , “Remember the Word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also.”
Note: Remember in Greek is mnēmoneuōwhich means to be mindful of, call to mind, hold in memory, keep in mind, make mention of; – it occurs about 21 times in the New Testament. Christians must remember the Word that Jesus said in the New Testament and keep it. To remember the Word of Christ you have to keep it in your heart. Here “yours” refers what the apostles later said and wrote in the New Testament. It does not mean what church leaders, theologians or pastors say.
(9.) Obey the Word.
Jos 24:24 , “The people said to Joshua: We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice. ”
Note: Obey in Hebrew isshama`which means to hear, listen to, consent, agree, yield to, be obedient, give heed; – it occurs about 1,159 times in the Old Testament. God’s voice and God’s word mean the same. To obey God’s voice is to obey His Word.
2Th 1:8 , “Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
Note: Obey in Greek is hypakouōwhich means to be obedient to, submit to, harken to a command; – it occurs 21 times in the New Testament. To obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus is to obey the Word. Those who do not obey will receive retribution. Retribution in Greek is ekdikēsiswhich means vengeance, punishment; – it occurs only 9 times in the New Testament. What punishment for those who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ says, Mat 25:46 , “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Punishment in Greek is kolasis which means correction, penalty; – it occurs only 2 times in the New Testament. What is eternal punishment? Body and soul suffer in Hell forever.
(10.) Be doers of the Word.
Jam 1:22, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Note: Doer in Greek is poiētēswhich means a performer, practitioner, one who obeys or fulfills the law; – it occurs only 6 times in the New Testament. One who hears the Word, but does not do it, deceives himself. A good illustration is the Western powers that claim to be Christian, but they practice imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, and hegemonism which are totally contrary to the Word of God.
Luk 6:46 , “Why do you call Me: ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Be doer of the Word is to do what the Lord says.
(11.) Hold firm the Word.
Phl 2:16 , “Holding out the Word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
Note: Hold out in Greek is epechō which means to have or hold upon, hold toward, hold forth; – it occurs only 5 times in the New Testament.
Tts 1:9 ,“Holding firm the faithful Word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
Note: Hold firm in Greek is antechōwhich means to hold to firmly, cleave to; – it occurs only 4 times in the New Testament. Believers must hold out and hold firm the Word of life in this ungodly world.
(12.) Speak the Word.
Act 4:31 , “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.”
Note: Speak in Greek is laleōwhich means to utter a voice or emit a sound, use the tongue or the faculty of speech, talk, tell, use words in order to declare one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts, make known by speaking; – it occurs about 296 times in the New Testament. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is not meant to speak in tongues, but to speak the Word of God with boldness. Boldness in Greek is parrēsiawhich means freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, open, frankly, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, assurance; – it occurs about 31 times in the New Testament.
Act 16:32,“Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.”
Phl 1:14 , “And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear.”
Note: What is the difference between speaking the Word and preaching the Word. Speaking the Word is informal, preaching the Word is formal. We should pray that the Word of God can be proclaimed everywhere without fear. In some countries that have state religion, you will lose your life or your head to preach the Word of God. If one of their citizens is converted to Christianity, he/she will be beheaded. That kind of oppressive religion should be outlawed in all civilized nations. Religious freedom should mean preaching and practicing the Gospel of Jesus Christ without fear.
(14.) Preach the Word.
Act 8:4, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word.”
Note: Preach in Greek is euaggelizō which means to evangelize, bring good news, announce glad tidings, proclaim glad tidings; – it occurs about 55 times in the New Testament. There is a wrong idea among believers. They think to preach the Word is only the job of preachers. Christians everywhere must preach the Word to unbelievers.
Act 8:25 ,“So when they had testified and preached the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.”
Act 15:35 ,“Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord, with many others also.”
2Ti 4:2,“Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
Note: Here the word preach iskēryssōwhich means to be a herald, to officiate as a herald, publish, proclaim openly; – it occurs about 61 times in the New Testament. The Gospel of Jesus Christ can be preached by TV, radio, movie, printed matter, record, DVD, and the Internet.
(15.) Spread the Word.
Act 13:49 ,“And the Word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”
Note: Spread in Greek is diapherōwhich means to bear or carry through any place, carry in different directions, to different places, spread abroad; – it occurs about 13 times in the New Testament. Preachers must preach the Gospel; all Christians must spread the Word. Today the Internet is the most effective and fastest means of spreading the Word of the Lord throughout the world, and the cheapest means.
(16.) Bear witness to the Word.
Act 14:3 ,“Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the Word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
Note: Bear witness in Greek is martyreōwhich means to testify, affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, be a witness of the truth; – it occurs about 79 times in the New Testament. Every born-again Christian is a witness to the Word of His grace; even most believers do not have the gift of performing signs and miracles. A Christian life is a living testimony to the grace and power of God.
(17.) Teach the Word.
Act 18:11 ,“And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.”
Note: Teach in Greek is didaskō which means to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses, impart instruction, instill doctrine into one, explain or expound a thing; – it occurs about 97 times in the New Testament. Not everyone can teach the Word. Ministers must be equipped to teach sound doctrines. The strangest things are professors of theology and ministers who do not know the Word but teach everything to deny and repudiate the Word. Such are false teachers. You wonder why they exist in seminaries and churches today. Actually it is a fulfilled prophecy,
Jud 1:4 , “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2Pe 2:1,“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” Any doctrine that denies Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world is a destructive heresy and false doctrine.
(18.) Labor in the Word.
1Ti 5:17 ,“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the Word and doctrine. ”
2Ti 2:15 , “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Note: This task is assigned to the preachers and Bible teachers. Labor in Greek is kopiaōwhich means to toil with wearisome effort; – it occurs about 23 times in the New Testament. What I am trying to do is to put the Word and fundamental doctrines of Christianity on the Internet absolutely free, rightly dividing the Word of truth, proclaiming and promoting the Kingdom of God and Christ. Rightly dividing in Greek is orthotomeōwhich means to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly; – it occurs only once in the New Testament. To explain the differences between law and grace, between work and gift, between reward and punishment, between heaven and hell, between this life and the life to come, between things below and things above, between the worldly and the spiritual, between the eternal life and eternal punishment, etc. is rightly dividing the Word of truth. Among those who labored in the Word and doctrines that I admire most are G. Campbell Morgan, J. C. Ryle, John Bunyan, Martin Luther, etc.
(19.) Glorify the Word.
Act 13:48 ,“Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
Note: Glorify in Greek is doxazōwhich means to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate, honor, do honor to, hold in honor, make glorious, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor, render it excellent or illustrious; – it occurs 62 times in the New Testament. There is nothing like the Holy Bible because it is the Word of God. There is nothing like the Word of God because it is truth, nothing but the truth, trustworthy to accept and believe. To glorify the Word of the Lord is to glorify God. Those who glorify the Word of God do not commit idolatry (bibliolatry). To glorify the Word of God you cannot glorify the words of men. Those who glorify the words of men are guilty of idolatry. The church of Jesus Christ must obey the Word of God.
Ezr 7:6-12 , “ This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practiceit, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes to Israel: “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now ”
Note: Ezra in Hebrew is Ezra’ which means Ezra = “help” , he was a co-worker with Nehemiah; – which occurs 22 times in the Old Testament. Ezra was a most remarkable learned man, gifted, a scribe and priest, learned in the Words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel. Ezra was a model student of the Word of God. He who studies the Bible must set his heart. Set in Hebrew is kuwnwhich means to prepare; to make ready; to be securely determined; to apply one’s mind to do something; to direct; – which occurs 237 times in the Old Testament. Heart in Hebrew is lebabwhich means mind; soul; the seat of senses, affections, and emotions of the mind; the mode of thinking and acting; the seat of will and purpose; intellect and wisdom; – which occurs 250 times in the Old Testament. Study in Hebrew is darash which means to search; seek with care; enquire; investigate; to apply oneself; – which occurs 167 times in the Old Testament. Practice in Hebrew is `asah which means to do; perform; execute; keep; maintain; accomplish; bring about; put in order; follow; fulfill; work about; – which occurs 2,642 times in the Old Testament. Ezra set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it because he wanted to teach God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel.
2Ti 3:14-17 , “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Sacred Writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Note: Timothy was blessed to have known the Sacred Writings from childhood. I am grateful to have studied the Bible from childhood. Convince in Greek ispistoō which means to be assured of; to be firmly persuaded of; – which occurs 1 time in the New Testament. Christians are convinced the Word of God is true, and Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Sacred in Greek ishieros which means Sacred Scriptures because inspired by God; holy; pertaining to God; consecrated to God; worthy of veneration; deserving respect; – which occurs 74 times in the New Testament. Writing in Greek is gramma which means Scriptures; a document or record; that which has been written; the sacred writings of the Old Testament; – which occurs 13 times in the New Testament. The Sacred Writings are able to give us the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Scripture in Greek is graphēwhich means the Scripture, used to denote either the book itself, or its contents ; a certain portion or section of the Holy Scripture ; Holy Writ; – which occurs 51 times in the New Testament. Inspire in Greek istheopneustoswhich means to be given inspiration by God; divinely breathed in; to influence by divine inspiration; to communicate supernaturally; to bring about; – which occurs 2 times in the New Testament. Luk 24:27 , “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” From Moses to all the prophets, they speak concerning Jesus Christ. Profitable in Greek is ōphelimoswhich means helpful or serviceable; advantageous; beneficial; – which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. A Chinese philosopher said, It is profitable to open a book. Although I had studied the world’s great masterpieces, I can assure you there is nothing more profitable or beneficial than the study of the Holy Bible. All the more a servant of Christ must master the Word of God in order to be adequate, and equipped for every good work.
Jhn 5:39 , “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me .”
Note: Search in Greek is eraunaō which means to examine into; to seek; to investigate; to look into carefully; – which occurs 7 times in the New Testament. Testify in Greek ismartyreōwhich means to bear witness; bear record; to give honest testimony; attest; – which occurs 96 times in the New Testament. The Scriptures testify about Jesus Christ. Everything we know about Jesus Christ we learn from the Scriptures.
Years ago when I was young, an American professor advised me: Study the Gospel of John 100 times. Study the Book of Romans 100 times. Now I am old, it was a good advice. Here is a plan for your self-study of the Bible. You begin by reading carefully the Gospel of John, do it consecutively, do not skip chapter. Read every verse, pay attention to every word. If you study the Gospel of John carefully, you will have the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the central message of the Holy Bible. Then read the Book of Romans the same way you read the Gospel of John. If you study the Book of Romans, you will understand the Christian faith. When you finish the Book of Romans, then start with the Gospel of Matthew and finish the whole New Testament. Afterwards you begin with Genesis and finish the whole Old Testament. Since the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament, it is profitable that you focus more on the New Testament. You do not need to use commentary. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you and lead you into all truth. If you are acquainted with the Scriptures, probably you will find many commentaries are wrong with private interpretations. Of course you may need a good dictionary to find the meanings of a word or the words you do not know. You can study the Bible, book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse. You can also study the Bible by topics, such as atonement, baptism, confession, faith, forgiveness, glorification, grace, judgment, justification, reconciliation, redemption, regeneration, repentance, salvation, sanctification, etc. To do topic or word study, you need a concordance. The best concordance is Strong’s Concordance, it is provided free on line on the Internet.
Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicon http://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html
As regards the Will of God which is supreme in every Christian life. It is most important to understand the Will of God encompasses the General Will for all Christians and the Special Will for specific person in Christ.
To know the General Will of God is easy, everything that the Word of God requires all Christians to do belongs to the General Will of God. For example,
1Th 4:3-4, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor.”
This is the General Will of God, no Christian is exempt. Members of black churches often cover up and exempt their pastor or preacher from greed or sexual immorality. A preacher is not allowed to commit adultery no matter who he is. There was a famous black preacher of false gospel and he was certified by FBI as an immoral person. The black preacher although was married to a black woman also had white women sexual partners. One white female Christian told me some White churches also cover up sexual immorality of their pastors.
Rom 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Do not be conformed to this world is the General Will of God for all Christians of all generations. To prove what the will of God is for specific believer is not easy. I do not know what the Special Will of God for you. You have to find out by the help of the Holy Spirit.
May I tell you Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, all prophets, etc., in the Old Testament each had God’s Special Will for their lives. In the New Testament, Mary, John the Baptist, Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, Apostle John, Stephen, etc., also had God’s Special Will for their lives. People outside the Holy Bible, I believe Martin Luther was the greatest man ever lived in history, he had God’s Special Will for his life. My dear friend, Dr. Arthur Mouw, the great missionary to Borneo also had God’s Special Will for his life. I can certify that Dr. Mouw did not have US$10 million in his will. He was not rich at all.
A person who has God’s Special Will for his life is not to enjoy power and wealth in this world. On the contrary, I had never met a person who had God’s special will in his life at the same time enjoying fame and fortune.
VI. CALL UPON THE LORD
People of the world, especially the wicked or the children of darkness do not know that there are so many divine promises to help the righteous. The promises of God are many, His salvation is abundant. The testimonies of God’s deliverance are numerous.
Psa 50:15, “Call upon Me on the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
This is a precious promise of our Heavenly Father. We Christians may call upon the Lord on the day of trouble. The Lord promises to rescue us, and we will honor Him. I have called upon my Heavenly Father, a million times for big and small troubles. I can testify my heavenly Father rescued me and I honor Him a million times. Just think about being drown and eaten by a crocodile. Now I am an old man, I still call upon the Lord day and night.
Psa 9:9, “The LORD will also be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
Psa 37:39, “But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.”
Psa 32:7, “You are my hiding place; You keep me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah”
Psa 46:1, “For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, A very ready help in trouble.”
Psa 86:7, “On the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.”
Christians can call upon the Lord on the day of trouble, for the Lord will answer them.
Psa 91:15, “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.”
Psa 107:6, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them from their distresses.”
Psa 107:13, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them from their distresses.”
Psa 107:19, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them from their distresses.”
Psa 107:28, “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses.”
Psa 120:1, “A Song of Ascents. I cried to the LORD in my trouble, And He answered me.”
Psa 143:11, “For the sake of Your name, LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.”
Pro 3:25, “Do not be afraid of sudden danger, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes.”
Years ago, when I was going to preach the Gospel to another town, my brother Jimmie accompanied me. In the midst of my preaching, Jimmie suddenly fell ill. This Word of God assured me, I was not afraid of sudden danger; we were able to go home safely.
Pro 11:8, “The righteous is rescued from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.”
Pro 12:13, “An evil person is ensnared by the offense of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble.”
Pro 12:21, “No harm happens to the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble.’
Pro 15:6, “Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked.”
Rom 8:35, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
Christians pray that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ. Not even tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword. The wonder of all wonders is the fact that even tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness (cold), or danger, or sword can separate us from the love of Christ.
VII.THE BLESSED HOPE
Tit 2:13,“looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
Hope in Greek is elpis which means expectation of good; in the Christian sense joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation (Strong’s Concordance); expectation with pleasure and confidence; the thing on which the hope depends; something would happen and true; – which occurs 54 times in the New Testament. Truth is offensive. It is not nice to tell the truth to executives of Washington, Wall Street, and Hollywood that they are without God and without hope in this world. It is not nice but true to tell the military-industrial-security complex though they have power and wealth, they are without God and without hope in this world.
Christians are different from all people in the world. Jesus Christ is our great God and Savior, and we are looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of Christ Jesus.
Psa 146:5, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
1Pe 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
God has given His children not only the blessed hope, but a living hope. It means Christians have hope while we are living in this miserable world.
Isa 40:30-31, “Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
It is wonderful that the Lord will give new strength to His children; they will mount up with wings like eagles.
Jer 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Every Christians has a future and a hope. Our future is in the Kingdom of Heaven. Our hope is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Col 1:27, “to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The saints of God not only have the blessed hope, the living hope, and the hope of glory. The world does not know what glory it will be when the saints reign with Jesus Christ for eternity.
Rom 15:13, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
The saints (children of God) are very different from the people of the world. God is the source of our hope. For the people of the world, their source is military power and money which will pass away. Christians will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit fills Christians with joy and peace, not trouble and tragedy.
Job 11:16-18, “For you would forget your trouble; Like waters that have passed by, you would remember it. Your life would be brighter than
noonday; darkness would be like the morning.
“Then you would trust, because there is hope; And you would look around and rest securely.”
Children of God would forget their trouble. Even death there is hope. The saints of God would rest securely at the Paradise of God till the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. When I was an ignorant boy, I was afraid of being asleep that I did not hear the trumpet of God when Jesus comes. Well, be assured every Christian who has the Holy Spirit in him/her will hear the trumpet of God whether you sleep or not.
IN CONCLUSION
No matter who you are, your power and wealth cannot protect you from trouble and tragedy in this life and distress in this world. All your power and wealth are like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence.
But the Gospel has good news for you. Jesus Christ is the Rock. If you build your life on the Rock, there is nothing to fear or worry. In God’s plan, Christians have a blessed hope and a glorious future.
Mat 7:24-29,“Therefore, everyone who hears these Words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these Words of Mine, and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.” When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was
teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”
William Shakespeare said, “The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.” But a false hope is worse than poison. In Jesus Christ, all you miserable come and you will be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Stay positive and work hard are not enough. You need the Savior who is able to save to the end, to save you from the wrath to come, and to bring all things together in Christ, things in the Heavens and things on earth. (Eph 1:10)
2Ti 4:18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil; every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His Heavenly Kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
This is the blessed hope even world leaders and politicians do not have it.
You can have assurance that the Lord will rescue you from every evil, trouble and tragedy, every evil deed; if you only you repent of your sins and believe in the Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Lord and Savior.
You can do it now, for now is the day of salvation.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
This article is written to let you know the limits of human knowledge. Human knowledge is beset with various limitations, uncertainty, difficulty, restricted and limited by time and space, and lacking of true knowledge. “Had I known” is a very regrettable expression because the person does not know the true facts about a situation. If the truth were known in advance, he would act differently, he would do differently. If he knew that waiting for a taxi in Shanghai at a bus stop for two hours would not get on a taxi after all, he would not have gone there to wait for the taxi and wasted two hours for nothing! This is an illustration of the sad and sorrowful meaning of “Had I known!”
Luk 16:19-31, “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in
purple and fine linen, enjoying himself in splendor everyday. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and
longing to be fed from the scraps which fell from the rich man’s table;
not only that, the dogs also were coming and licking his sores. Now it
happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s arms; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in
Hades he raised his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away
and Lazarus in his arms. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham,
have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his
finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being
comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us
and you a great chasm has been set, so that those who want to go over
from here to you will not be able, nor will any people cross over from
there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I request of you, father, that you send
him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not come to this place of torment as
well.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them
hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to
them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not
listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if
someone rises from the dead.’”
Note: We are not here to discuss Hades which means Hell had been
moved. It is impossible for those in the Paradise to see those in Hell
now. Nowadays you have the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached all over
the world. The point is had the rich man known, he would not want to be
in the place of torment. Actually, the rich man asked Abraham to let
Lazarus rise from the dead and send him to his father’s house to warn
his five brothers, so that they will not come to the place of torment as
well. This is a lesson and warning to the unbelieving and the wicked,
they had better know now and repent and believe so that they will not go to Hell. It will be too late to regret then and there. I believe all who are in Hell suffering now, if they had known Hell is such a place of eternal torture and agony, they would not want to be there. If you do not have other knowledge, you should have this knowledge. So, beware, when you still have a chance to repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Do it now when you can!
July 14, 2021 is the day of infamy and ignominy for me. If you can picture or imagine an old man getting up early, eating breakfast, and getting ready to get to a taxi because he has some important business to be done. He could not have a full breakfast because he is incontinent. From where he is to where he is going it will take a long time even by a taxi. He cannot afford to have urination or bowel movement anywhere like home. The old man retired in Shanghai because he could not afford to retire in America. Besides it is costly and dangerous for a man of advanced years to drive in America. In Shanghai his transportation completely relies on taxi. It is impossible to get on a public bus to go where you want to go in Shanghai. It would not be possible for an old man to travel by subway (although cheap) because there is no seat available and it requires plenty of walking, and up and down in fighting the crowds.
So before 10 a.m. the old man with his cane is walking slowly and
unsteadily to the elevator. Getting down from the elevator, he struggles
with his cane walking toward a bus stop where there is a metal bench he can sit down there waiting for the taxi. He does not have a cellphone to call taxi, so he just sits there hoping luckily an empty taxi may come by. You do not know how inconvenient in Shanghai waiting for a taxi if you do not have a cellphone to make a call. The day is hot with 36℃ and he feels thirsty and tired. He waits, waits and waits. One hour has passed. There he sits waiting and waiting and waiting. All his expectations, turning his head left and right watching and looking for an empty taxi, do not bring a good result. He is still patiently waiting, waiting and waiting. Twelve o’clock strikes in his travel watch silently, there is no hope to get on a taxi. So he disappointingly walks with his cane going back home. If the old man had known that waiting two hours for a taxi would not produce a positive result, he would not have gone to the bus stop to wait there anyway.
You see, man has limited knowledge. He does not know the real situation. Many things that he does, he has no assurance what will be the outcome. Not only the old man, but every man and woman, even the scientist and philosopher does not and cannot know the future whether immediate or tomorrow or by and by.
Once I was watching an earthquake taking place in Los Angeles, many
were driving on a bridge. A certain man driving westward, suddenly and without notice, the front part of the bridge fell off to the sea; the poor man with his car plunging into the sea helplessly and hopelessly. “Had he known” what would happen to the bridge, he would certainly change the course of his driving and drive safely to where he was heading. No one would intentionally head for disaster unless he is insane or suicidal. This unfortunate life situations happen to billions of people on earth. You just do not know what lies ahead. No one has advanced knowledge, however bright and brilliant a person maybe.
I knew the family of a white beautiful blond young woman who married to a white man. It happened that I met the white man at the friend’s house. After a number of years of marriage, suddenly the white man told his wife that he wanted a younger woman and so divorced her. If the white woman knew that her marriage is going to be a divorce down the road, I am sure she would not have married that white man in after years.
I had met another Chinese fellow at the college. He knew my English was very good, and so he befriended me since college days. I went on to obtain a B.A. and advanced degree from a top American university, and became a very knowledgeable person. And when he had a business of his own, he even used me to write a policy and procedure manual to
satisfy the government requirement. Over the years he had consulted me which cost thousands of hours of my time to help him in many ways. Had I known he would be a traitor, I would not recognize the friendship from the beginning.
How many men and women get married, and did not know who their
spouses actually were. When they realized it, it was too late. Now it is
necessary to say I have been around the world, I have seen plenty of
beautiful girls and women. This is the most beautiful girl I have ever met in my life. After years have gone by, when this most beautiful girl turns into an old lady and after the death of her husband, she told me
personally something most shocking and sad, she said to me directly:
“I made a mistake in finding the wrong man!” You do not know how much tears and heartbreaks and pain in that confession.
A young woman who was a CPA, one day she consulted me of her
personal problem: her husband ran away. She asked me what to do about it. I told her confidentially: If she still loves him, run after him. By the way she was not a Christian, so divorce was not a problem for her case. However, Jesus Christ forbids Christians to have a divorce.
Human knowledge is so limited. Lots of knowledge you have are useless. The knowledge you really need, but you do not have. It is such a sad story. My German professor told us, when he was young, he needed the money, but he had no money. Now when he is old, he had the money, but he did not need the money. Knowledge is worth much more than money. Knowledge is often like money, when you need it you do not have it. It is useless to possess all kinds of knowledge when you do not need them. The knowledge you need, you do not have it. That is the tragedy of needing the true knowledge.
A young man told me his story. When he was young he thought or
fancied that to be a social worker would be a nice thing. So he went to
college and major in sociology. After he obtained his degree, he landed a job in a welfare department of a county. There and then he mourned for the mistake of his life everyday. He confided to me, it was terrible to
become a social worker. Everyday you meet and deal with the most
undesirable people and lowest strata of the society. He was sick of his
job, sick of his life….
Life is full of contradictions. When you need money, you do not have
money. When you have money, you do not need money. When you are
young, you have many friends, but you do not need friends. When you
are old, you do not have reliable friends. When you are successful, you
have many friends, but you do not need friends. When you are down, all your friends disappeared. In our lives probably there are a million of things we really do not know, had we known about the real situation, we may have done or lived differently.
This is my reflection and confession. After studying, working, and living in America for almost half a century. I gain some insights. Whether you know it or not, job has the most effects or impacts on anyone’s life. I discover among all medium and large corporations I have worked for, it was not principle and practice of management that ruled and dominated corporate life, it was personalities and politics. Unbelievable but it is real and true, most of executives were white males who knew nothing about management principles and practices and without any leadership skills.
Once I had a project to establish the company policy and procedure
manual. The senior vice president was angry at me and told me to get off his back because he did not do anything. Imagine the senior vice
president of a corporation who did nothing? Another vice president of
finance once called me and said he did not know the difference between a policy and procedure. I assured him I was there to help. Although I have retired more than 10 years, the ghost of awful corporate experiences still hunt me in my sleep. Only once I had the pleasant dream of being elected the chief of a big corporation; oh how I restructured the organization, appointed competent executives, laid down directives and objectives of the company! That was only a dream. In reality America is a very discriminatory society, structured and built in a way that the highest level an able minority can go is a middle level manager. I had known and worked with Chairmen, Presidents, CEOs, and many Vice Presidents before. They were all white males who did not have a respectable or proven ability, expertise, knowledge and leadership. Years ago but one white executive called Jim King was the most remarkable. He wanted to do a corporate wide project, he looked around and found me the most qualified. So he did a most remarkable and unusual thing by putting line executives, Vice President of Finance, Controller, General Manager under me a staff specialist to undertake and lead the project. When the project was completed, he ordered to give me a bonus of $2,000, but Uncle Sam took 50% of tax away. I learned an able, qualified, and talented minority is like an eagle without wings in America. Abilities without real opportunities will not go far.
If the great Russian leader Putin said, “There is no happiness in this
world.” You should have knowledge of the peril and problem of super
powers. Jesus Christ says, Jhn 16:33, “These things I have spoken to
you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Peace in Greek is eirēnēwhich means a state of emotional tranquility; rest; quietness; freedom from conflict and war; harmony; concord; felicity; assurance of one’s soul having passed from death to life; the blessed state; – which occurs 92 times in the New Testament. Tribulation in Greek isthlipsiswhich means anguish; affliction; oppression; trouble; pressure; distress; burden; straits; – which occurs 45 times in the New Testament.
Mat 12:7, “But if you had known what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, RATHER THAN SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
We often do not know the meaning of life, so often we condemn the
innocent. Without the true knowledge, we would not have known many
things.
Dan 12:4,“But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”
Years ago people did not travel more than 50 miles from the place of their birth. In the end of time, travel becomes convenient by jets and fashionable and affordable. It was Helen Keller who said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” I never regretted to spend a great sum of my savings for seeing the world when and where I developed the Theory of Good Society. This experience was more precious than owning a real estate. It was a bold and daring adventure of quitting a job, took my savings with me and explored and evaluated the six most advanced European societies. Clearly the trip broadened my vision and enriched my experiences to learn and discover how the best of the world had lived. I consider it is worth to pay for the knowledge of the world while you are young. Someone said, “I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.” I like to say I feel at home in Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden, and Norway) but not for the cold climate; and I dislike England, France, and Germany anyway. I agree with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who said, “A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place.”
Tourists roam around the world and knowledge of the people will increase. The world witnesses the tremendous increase of knowledge. Probably in the last 50 years the world has acquired more knowledge than in the last 5,000 years.
“If you had known” …
I. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is difficult to define, and there are many opinions. I define
knowledge as the comprehension of truth by the mind in reality.
Knowledge is more than belief, opinion, perception, or information. Later I will divide knowledge into two kinds: divine and human. It will better explain their differences.
Merriam Webster defines knowledge: the circumstance or condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning : COGNITION
No one can by human knowledge discover the ultimate truth of life.Not one human idea can explain all things.
What we see may not be true. For example, it is a well known fact that a
straight stick looks bent if it is half-immersed in water. The straight stick does not really become crooked when submerged in water. It only
appears to be so. So we know appearances are deceptive. Perception
alone cannot be basis of knowledge. Perception is often subjective.
One’s belief is not knowledge. All primitive people believe in idols and
their idols are true gods. Just like the Japanese who believe their
executed WWII war criminals are heroes and true gods. All idols are
actually false gods. You might say then what is the difference between
the belief of an idol worshipper and the faith of a Christian? There are
great differences between falsity and truth, between darkness and light.
The Bible says, Heb 11:1, “Now faith is the certainty of of things hoped
for, a proof of things not seen.”
Christian faith is based on the certainty of things and a proof of things
not seen. What are the certainty of things? Death is certain. The Bible says, Rom 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
It is certain that all have sinned, for all will die. There is no man who will not die. So death is certain. Eternal life is a proof of things not seen. God is eternal. For God is Spirit cannot be seen. Faith is to believe in God’s Word that sinners who repent and believe in Jesus Christ will have eternal life. Secondly, let you know for certain, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, that God has made Jesus Christ both Lord and Christ. Act 2:36, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certainthat God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” The Gospel is first preached to the Jews, the Jews may know for certain that this Jesus whom they crucified is both Lord and Christ.
How do we know that God has made Jesus Lord and Christ? By the
power of resurrection from death. Because my Redeemer lives for ever,
so I shall live. Therefore, the Christian faith is unlike the belief of idolaters. The things we hope for is eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the proof of things we have seen is Jesus Christ rose from the dead, ascended to the highest Heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, and He is coming to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This revealed knowledge of God is the certainty and proof of the Christian faith. Christians know the reason of our faith: it rests on the Word of God and the Person of Jesus Christ.
The blind man testifies, Jhn 9:25, “He then answered, “Whether He is a
sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now
I see.” Christians do know now because Jesus Christ has opened our
eyes so that we may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan to God. Act 26:18, “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among who have been
sanctified by faith in Me.” The forgiveness of sins are certain, and an
inheritance among saints are what we hoped for. The proof is the Spirit
of the Lord living in us. Jhn 20:29, “Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
In early days, all disciples and believers had seen the Lord and witnessed the miracles that Jesus performed. In the last days we do not see, and yet we believed.
Gal 1:11, “For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the
Gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention.” The
glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is not of human invention, because it is according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past. We know evolution was a human invention. We know “big bang” was also a human invention. We know “higher criticism” was also a human invention. In 1907, Leo Baekeland developed Bakelite, the first popular synthetic plastic. Now plastics have polluted lands and oceans everywhere. Many human inventions are as trash and rubbish as used plastics.
Eph 1:18, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the
glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
Note: I do not know whether the eyes of your heart means your mind.
One thing is clear Christians have the eyes of their hearts enlightened so that they will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. I also know that unbelieving scientists, theologians and philosophers do not have the eyes of their hearts enlightened. So they are blind spiritually.
Phl 3:10, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
Not many know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the
fellowship of His sufferings, including me.
Apostle Paul said, 2Ti 1:12, “For this reason I also suffer these things;
but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am
convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until
that day.”
What reason? 2Ti 1:10-11, “but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.”
The Lord Jesus has also given me life and immortality. I cannot compare myself with the great Apostle Paul, what I have suffered for Christ and the Gospel is very little and almost nothing. But I am also not ashamed, for I know Whom I have believed, and I am also convinced that He is able to protect what I have I have entrusted to Him until that day. That day is coming soon.
Cited above are examples of the faith and knowledge of Christians are
quite different from the people of the world. We have sure and true
knowledge in Jesus Christ which secular scientists, scholars, and
philosophers could never have.
For Christians, knowledge is based on the revelation of Jesus Christ,
enlightened in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It is not human concept or
invention. Christians do not trust our perception, conception, cognition, figures and numbers, sensations, experiences, analysis, imagination, impression, induction, intuition, introspection, deduction, opinion, observation, proposition, representation, reflection, and reason. Christians trust in the Word of God, and the revealed truth in Jesus Christ.
Someone said, “There are two kinds of knowledge: the first one is
because of our senses and the second one is because of thought.” Now we know our senses are not dependable. If thought is able to produce knowledge, then the mental hospital with psychotic patients would be profuse with knowledge.
Gen 12:11, “It came about, when he was approaching Egypt, that he said to his wife Sarai, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman.”
Note: Know in Hebrew isyāḏaʿwhich means to perceive and see;
acknowledge; consider; declare; learn to know; know by experience; find out and discern; recognize; have understanding of; to be acquainted; – which occurs 953 times in the Old Testament. Abraham knows Sarai or Sarah by acquaintance, senses, experiences and reason. If Abraham and Sarah were standing there, I could not honestly say I know Abraham because I have never met him before. However, although I did not know Sarah before, I could honestly say I recognize she is a beautiful woman. Just as I know my professor Dr. Harold Koontz intimately, so I could say I know Dr. Koontz was a world class great professor.
Jhn 7:29, “I do know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
Note: Know in Greek here isoidawhich means to have knowledge;
understand; to know for sure. Jesus uses the word “know” especially
emphatic. He knows God emphatically which no one can say. Jesus
does know God, because He is from God, and God sent Him to the world to save sinners. Such knowledge is not possible for mankind, because the knowledge of Jesus Christ is absolutely true, pure, infallible, highest, complete, ultimate, and eternal. God is ONE and ETERNAL.
Despite of all you know, there are only two kinds of knowledge: divine
and human. Divine knowledge is impossible and beyond human, it is
only acquired by revelation of God through Jesus Christ. It is impossible for human to find or get to know God. There is no human way to God. God must reveal Himself or man has no means to find or get to know God. The knowledge of the Most High is the sure and true knowledge because God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. God has foreknowledge, for He knows the end from the beginning. Just as the clay cannot be anything without the potter, so the creature without the Creator is nothing. A dog without its mater is nothing, so man without God is less than a dog. The OMNIPOTENT, OMNIPRESENT, AND OMNISCIENT GOD is all and in all. Everything good flows down from God. So the knowledge of God as He is, is from everlasting to everlasting.
God knows the end from the beginning. Isa 46:10, “Declaring the end
from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been
done, Saying, ‘My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My
good pleasure’.” God has no beginning and no ending. Jhn 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being though Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”
Divine knowledge is the Light, humankind being in the ignorance of
darkness cannot grasp it. For this reason, the knowledge of God is
absolute, complete, pure, sure, infallible, supreme, ultimate, and eternal. This divine knowledge is the revealed knowledge.
Eph 1:17, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of
Him.”
The knowledge of the Almighty God can be obtained only through the revelation. Revelation in Greek is apokalypsis which means manifestation; enlightenment; laying bare; making known things before unknown; disclosure of truth; instruction; – which occurs 18 times in the New Testament. The revealed knowledge of God is precise, correct and true knowledge.
On the other hand, human knowledge is verified knowledge, never a foreknowledge. The best of human knowledge is scientific, organized,
but limited by time and space, always progressive and tentative, never
absolute or ultimate or eternal. For example, Japan is a country in Asia.
This is a current knowledge. But we do not know if 50 years from now
would God use ten largest earthquakes of 10 magnitude and ten biggest tsunamis to sink Japan to the bottom of Pacific Ocean. Then Japan will be no more, what you know now about Japan will not be true anymore. Another example, California is a state of America. Who knows if later California successfully secedes from the Union, then California will not be a state of the United States. One hundred years from now, probably all adults in the world today will be gone for good — dead.
Exo 18:11, “Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently against the people.”
Note: Did I not tell you that human knowledge is limited by space and
time? The Scripture cited above, “Now I know” is spoken by Jethro, the
father-in-law of Moses after Moses told him everything that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had confronted them on the journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. You see the divine knowledge can also be verified. Divine knowledge is more than belief, fact, experience, and reason. We may not understand what we see. For example, when the children of Israel are crossing the dry Red Sea, do you understand what you see? Insight, introspection, good sense and cognition may not grasp the divine truth. Someone has well said, “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” I am saying you cannot use imperfect human instruments trying to attain true knowledge.
Nicolaus Copernicus said, “To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.” NO. That is not true knowledge, it is only human knowledge that you do not know. I like the humor of Mark Twain, “The trouble with the world is not that people know too little; it’s that they know so many things that just aren’t so.”
Just look at your own life, is it not true that you know so many things
that just are not so? History has proven, even scientists have known so many things that just are not so. Human knowledge is fallible. I like
Confucius who said, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s
ignorance.” The extent of human ignorance is further from this side of
Heaven to that side of Heaven. It is not exaggeration to say that human
ignorance is unlimited. Humans have too many stupid ideas.
Of all the knowledge in the world, most people do not know there are
only two kinds of knowledge: human and divine. Divine knowledge is
beyond humans no matter scientists or philosophers. Divine knowledge by nature is absolute, complete, definitive, infinite, infallible, supreme, supernatural, ultimate, and eternal. The God of the universe is OMNIPOTENT, OMNIPRESENT, OMNISCIENT, SELF-EXISTENT, and
ETERNAL. That is the reason man cannot compare with His creator. A
creature cannot compare with the Lord of the Universe. As regards
human knowledge, by nature it is progressive, tentative, never complete or ultimate. Immanuel Kant said, “All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.” The senses, understanding, and reason of all people are not equal and the same, therefore one may know better than the other. It was Socrates who said, “I know that I know nothing.” This confession should humble all human limitations, ignorance, and incompetence.
Knowledge is not equal to understanding. Albert Einstein said, “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” For example, as it is reported on TV that Western Europe recently suffers severe floods; but I have no understanding why more than two hundreds of people died. Could it be the floods come all too suddenly and catch the people unprepared? Could it be the level of water was too high and some people who could not swim were drowned? One may have knowledge without understanding. It is not possible to have understanding without knowledge. “But knowledge is easy for one who has understanding.” I found my female university classmates were so afraid of philosophy because they could not understand what they read. We all know to believe in Jesus Christ is to have eternal life. Many, including me, would not really understand the meaning of eternal life. “But rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.” But if you rebuke a fool, that is a different story. You see it is not easy even to know the relationship between knowledge and understanding. “But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.” Most people may think the wise does not need to be instructed. Pro 24:5, “A wise man is strong, and a person of knowledge increases power.” A wise man is strong, because knowledge is power. Do you know knowledge can be increased? No one has enough knowledge in this life. May I suggest understanding this paragraph alone is better than many books you have read. How many do you know have learned wisdom?
Western civilization has gone through thousands of years and earnestly sought the wrong things, namely money, power and sex– striving after wind. Ecc 2:26, “For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is futility and striving after wind.”And the West has followed the path of injustice to this day; confronting futility and striving after wind.
Western knowledge is ridiculous. They propagandize democracy, human rights, freedom, and justice; but they practice the opposite. In the last 500 years or more they practiced imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, militarism, monopolism, supremacism to dictate and dominate the world.
Take the United States, from the beginning it lied, killed the natives of
America and robbed the land of the Red Indians. The West (Europe and
America) has oppressed China since the infamous Opium Wars. Since
the end of WWII, America has been a warmonger and aggressor that
killed millions of innocent peoples around the world. The democracy
practiced in America is a phony democracy where 1% of the population
rules over and controls the 99%. The 1% of the population owns most of the power and wealth, while the 99% work for the one percent. American leaders and politicians spread so-called democracy and freedom by attacking, occupying, robbing, and changing the governments of many nations. America passes extra-territorial laws to force other countries to comply, interfere and intervene and sanction many nations that do not kowtow to America. America is the hegemonic power in the world with its allies. America is no model for the world. The wisdom and knowledge of the West has led the West astray and produced corrupt, worldly and secular civilizations.
The best organized human knowledge is acquired by senses, but senses are not perfect instruments, not completely reliable. Sigmund Freud said, “Knowledge is the intellectual manipulation of carefully verified observations.” Human observations themselves are not completely reliable and can be manipulated by many factors.
On the other hand, divine knowledge is quite the opposite of human
knowledge just as God is not like man. It is impossible to compare the
infinite with the finite, the glorious with the ignoble, the eternal with the
temporal. The sooner a man realizes his sinfulness and weaknesses and ignorance and bows down to the Almighty God the better.
Even so, human knowledge needs to be verified. The standard of human knowledge is so low in terms of space and time. For example, all have the knowledge that Japan is a nation in Asia. Suppose in 50 years from now God uses ten earthquakes of 10 degrees and ten giant tsunamis to sink Japan down to the bottom of Pacific Ocean; then Japan is no more. Who can be sure that Japan will always be in Asia? No one.
This is the knowledge not all have it:
Knowledge will cease and will be done away with.
II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
Since the Fall of Adam, every human is born with the knowledge of good and evil. All human adults have the innate knowledge of good and evil, right and wrong, light and darkness. Conscience is not something
acquired, however conscience can be deadened by sin. The knowledge
of good and evil is not acquired by the senses.
Little ones (babies and infants) do not have knowledge of good and evil, therefore they should not be baptized because they do not know how to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Roman Catholic Church baptizes every infant because it counts them as their members. The Roman Catholic Church may have the largest members in the world because their infants and babies are
counted as members.
U. S. is dominated and ruled by American leaders and politicians that
make democracy a mockery. One of the greatest flaws of American
government is its criminal justice system. The judges habitually plea
not guilty on behave of crooks and criminals. There is an insanity plea
which is most outrageous. Insanity plea is not a plea on behalf of the
insane person. An insanity plea is a plea by defense lawyers to make
culpable crook and criminal to escape punishment and judgment on the pretense the criminal is insane. I had visited a mental hospital before where various insane and psychotic persons were hospitalized. I saw one most pitiful act was the insane patient eating his own feces. If all those crooks and criminals in American courts make insane pleas would voluntarily and willingly eat their own feces, then probably I would believe in their insanity pleas.
All human beings are born with the knowledge of good and evil. Every
rapist, robber, arsonist, terrorist, extortionist, monopolist, con artist, liar, killer, prostitute, pimp, drug trafficker, etc. knows what he/she has done is wrong and evil, but they do it.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said, “The battle line between good and evil
runs though the heart of every man.”
Rom 7:19, “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very
evil that I do not want.” The heart of every man and woman knows the
difference between good and evil. No one has to be told.
Origen was right, “The power of choosing good and evil is within the
reach of all.” God has given mankind free will, he/she is free to choose.
But the sad thing is the fact that mankind often chooses evil. By nature
man has a tendency toward evil. To sin is natural, to be holy is
supernatural.
I agree with Marcus Tullius Cicero, “The function of wisdom is to
discriminate between good and evil.” Racial discrimination as practiced in America is bad. There is a kind of discrimination which is good, that is the discrimination between good and evil. The Bible says,Rom 12:9, “Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.” Let this be the motto of every Christian, Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.
Immaneul Kant said, “The only objects of practical reason are therefore
those of good and evil. For by the former is meant an object necessarily desired according to a principle of reason; by the latter one necessarily shunned, also according to a principle of reason.” Immaneul Kant is wrong. We can only know good and evil by the Word of God. According to the sight of God who determines which is good or evil. Human reason is faulty.
Blaise Pascal was right, “When we would think of God, how many things we find which turn us away from Him, and tempt us to think otherwise. All this is evil, yet it is innate.” Remember, Cling to good; for the choice of evil has bad eternal consequences.
III. MAN’S KNOWLEDGE IS LIMITED AND
FALLIBLE.
Peoples of the world are divided into two groups: not the rich and the
poor, but those who have knowledge, and those who have not. There are also two kinds of knowledge: the human and the divine.
Socrates may represent the best of human wisdom, who said, “True
wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand
about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” Among the three to
know and understand, ourselves may be the easiest and smallest (yet
most people do not know themselves); life is complicated, when one
starts to understand life a bit, the person is already old; and the world is the largest and may be the most difficult to understand because of its size, scope and complexity. Socrates did not even mention the
unknowable: God, truth, wisdom and eternity. The wise is characterized
by humility.
John Locke points out, “The knowledge of man can not extend beyond
his own experience.” Now, a born blind person can never know what a
beautiful sunset is, that is beyond his own experience. If you have never tasted the original delicious Hangzhou’s beggar chicken, it is impossible you have such understanding. If you have never seen the beauty of green valley in Norway, it is not possible you understand what I am talking about. Man’s knowledge is limited by his own experience. For this reason, Jesus says, Jhn 3:6, “That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.” Flesh can never understand spirit. A natural man like scientist, theologian, and philosopher can never understand spiritual things or things pertaining to God.
I appreciate and almost love the statement of a great scientist, Werner
von Braun, the father of space science, who said, “They (evolutionists)
challenge science to prove the existence of God. But must we really
light a candle to see the sun? They say they cannot visualize a Designer. Well, can a physicist visualize an electron? What strange rationale makes some physicists accept the inconceivable electron as real while refusing to accept the reality of a Designer on the grounds that they cannot conceive Him?”
I concur with Pascal who said, “It is the heart which perceives God and
not the reason. That is what faith is: God perceived by the heart, not the reason.” Heart may have a reason to believe in God which reason may not know. It was Immanuel Kant who discovered, “The human heart refuses to believe in a universe without a purpose.” God created the universe with a purpose.
Eph 3:9-11, “and to enlighten all people as to what the plan of the
mystery is which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all
things; so that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made
known through the Church to the rulers and the authorities in the
Heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The eternal God has eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ Jesus our Lord is appointed to reign and rule with the saints in the Kingdom of Heaven forever and ever.
It was Epictetus who said, “God gave man two ears, but only one mouth, that he might hear twice as much as he speaks.”
Rev 2:7, “The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’”
Do you want to eat the fruit of life in the Paradise of God? No one yet
has the experience with the fruit of life and in the Paradise of God.
Gen 2:9, “Out of the ground the LORD God caused every tree to grow
that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life was also
in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.” God caused every tree to grow that is pleasing to the sight and good for food. When I was in Norway, oh how beautiful those forest trees that I saw. How pleasant to the sight was the green valley! Ignorant man does not know God caused many things to happen, including the forest trees.
Man cannot see from a distance for several reasons:
1. Man’s eyes are too dim to see.
Eyes are dim from old age (cataract).
2. There are also blinded eyes who cannot see.
2Co 4:4, “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds
of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the Gospel of
the glory of Christ, who is the Image of God.”
This explains WHY otherwise brilliant secularists and philosophers who do not and cannot see the light of the Gospel and the glorious Jesus Christ who is the Image of God. I do not need to name those blind scholars and unbelievers. I usually do not promote the names of the wicked or evildoers.
3. Thorns in the eyes.
Num 33:55, “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from you, then it will come about that those whom you let remain of
them will be like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides,
and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.”
What are the thorns? Jesus Christ explains, Luk 8:7, “Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out.”
Luk 8:14,“And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity.”
European and American supremacists for hundreds of years are
chocked by worries, riches, and pleasure of this life, and they bring no
fruit although they claim to be Christians. Isn’t it funny that the white and black supremacists have worries about the peaceful rise of China? For riches and pleasure of this life they have dictated and dominated the world. They are also blinded by the god of this world, so they do not see the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter how bright and brilliant are unbelieving scientists, theologians, and philosophers — the god of this world (the devil) has blinded the minds of them so that they will not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the Image of God.
1Jo 2:11, “But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
Those who have racial hatred, and those who hate Christians are in the
darkness and walk in the darkness. Hatred is darkness that blinds people. Europeans and Americans who hate other nations and peoples are in the darkness and walk in the darkness. Blacks who attack, rob and murder Asians are in the darkness and walk in the darkness. Western leaders and politicians who harbor hatred and they are in darkness and walk in darkness, so that they cannot see the value of peace to coexist with Russia and China. They refuse to follow President Richard Nixon in seeking a just and lasting peace for the world.
Gen 39:7, “And it came about after these events that his master’s wife had her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Sleep with me.”
Western leaders and politicians have their eyes on the wrong things in
dictating and dominating the world.
Men have their eyes on the wrong things: lust, greed, power, money,
glory — the things that will pass away.
Ridiculous is knowledge of Western powers. On the one hand they preach democracy, on the other hand they practice autocracy and dictatorship. For example, in America 1% of the population rules over and controls 99% of the population. The 1% of the population owns all the power and wealth, while the 99% work like slaves for the one percent. Is that called democracy and freedom?
According to Serghey Stoilov Gherdjikov, “We live and it seems we never experience Death. But actually we always experience the resistance of chaos against our lives and we finally die. So, science can not resolve the problems outside the limit (the form) of the perceived world. It is not possible to explain the un-observable, the indescribable.”
Herbert Spencersaid something interesting: “Scientific knowledge is a
sphere floating in a space of ignorance and growing ever larger. As the
sphere grows, its outer surface grows, too, and thus the surface of
contact with ignorance grows.” In fact, humans also live and float in a
space of ignorance.
According to Jürgen Mittelstrass, “scientific knowledge must as a rule
be taken to be imperfect or incomplete and incorrect, though not in the
sense of a defect.”
It is interesting that Dr. Bryan W. Roberts lists the following limits:
· Limits on the study of human relationships.
· Limits on the transmission of data like television signals.
· Limits on human travel, such as to deep-sea regions.
· Limits on the tasks a computer can carry out.
· Limits on one’s ability to move.
· Limits on tasks like the turning on/off of a lamp.
· Limits on the speed of matter and light..
Limits on what you can see from outside a black hole, or hear from outside a dumb hole.
· Limits on what you can do from within a black hole.
· Limits on what you can prove.
After all, it is wise to know human is limited, limited in every way.
The following questions confront mankind perennially:
Do you know? What do you know? How do you know?
Do you not know? What can you know? Do you not know whatthese things mean?Do you not know what these are?
Do you not know that a littleleaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inheritthe Kingdom of
God? Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one
receives the prize? Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? There are limits to the human knowledge.
You do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked.
You donot know what misfortune may occur on the earth.
You do not know the activity of God who makeseverything.
You do not know destruction will come on you suddenly.
You do not know greatand mighty things.
You do not know what you are asking.
You do not know which dayyour Lord is coming.
You do not know when the appointed time is.
Youdo not know how to analyze this present time.
You do not know about.
Pro 27:1, “Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring.”
1Co 8:1, “Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that we
all have knowledge. Knowledge makes one conceited, but love edifies
people.”
The danger of human knowledge is to make one conceited or puffed up. Have you ever met a humble professor? Or a humble rich and powerful person?
Worldly knowledge can ruin people. Eve wants to know like God.
Knowledge of poison can kill people. A babbling fool will come to ruin.
Wickedness brings the sinner to ruin. A fool’s mouth is his ruin.
Luk 19:40-42, “Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the
stones will cry out!”
When Jesus approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for
peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.”
If you had known! If Christians do not tell the truth on this day, the
stones will cry out! What upsets me most is that many false preachers
pretend to tell the truth for money. Many false prophets predict the day
of the second coming of the Lord for money. Many teach false doctrines to mislead the people. I do not need to name names. The mainstream powerful American and Western media continuously and habitually spew out false opinions and views, and deliberately spread fake news and disinformation without shame. Jesus Christ wept over Jerusalem. Will any American weep for Washington, D.C.?
What is it that blinds American leaders and politicians? What is it that
blinds European leaders and politicians? What is it that blinds the
Japanese, Australian, Canadian, Indian, and British leaders and
politicians? It is most shocking they do not know the time. It is most
shocking they do not know what they should do. It is most shocking they do not know the condition for peace. The West does not feel
responsibility and remorse for their genocide, war crimes, sins and
iniquities. The truth is hidden from their eyes!
Jesus warns, Luk 17:26-30, “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man: people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, and they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, and they were building; but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”
If Hitler, Hideki Tojo (and Japanese emperor) and Mussolini had known
their outcome would be defeat and death, would they start the World War II?
If you had known! Would you …
2Pe 3:10-14, “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the
Heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hasteningthe coming of the Day of God, because of which the Heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new Heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.”
The Day of the Lord and the Day of God refer to the Day of the second
coming of Jesus Christ. This is the revealed knowledge that the Heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. That is the end of the world.
IV. MAN DOES NOT HAVE TRUE
KNOWLEDGE.
Num 22:31, “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the
angel of the LORD standing in the way with His sword drawn in His hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground.”
Man as the measure of all things is not correct. Incorrect man can not
have true knowledge, just like a crooked ruler cannot make a straight
line. Using Plato’s cave as an illustration, what the prisoner sees is only the shadows, not the reality. The best of human knowledge is only the
shadows. White and black supremacists want to conquer the world, but
they do not know the Lord standing in the way with His sword drawn in
His hand. Not only many blinded by darkness only see shadows. The pornography produced by evildoers makes you see flesh, lust, lewdness and nakedness even you did not want them. They just suddenly popped up in your computer uninvited. There are so many evildoers who harm and hurt others’ computers. No government is doing anything to destroy those who force smut and dirt and filth and gunk of ugly female nakedness on others through the Internet. The last days are full of perils because many are lawless and useless and they are terrorists of all kinds. These evildoers love themselves, love pleasure, and love money by all means.
I don’t know who was Philip K. Dick, but he said something which is true. “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” There are people who actually do not believe the existence of sin, sickness, death and Hell. My friends, they do not go away just because you do not believe them. If you do not deal with sin, death, and Hell now; you will have eternity to regret then. No one can say I have no sin. Well, if you have no sin, then you will not die. Is there anyone who will not die? After death, everything is settled in the place of suffering, which is called Hell, the place of eternal suffering. They will not go away whether you believe it or not. The good news is the truth that the problems of sin, death and Hell can be resolved once and for all while you are still alive. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, WHO came down from Heaven is to be your Savior and my Savior. All you need to do is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, you can be saved by grace through faith. All your sins may be forgiven because Jesus Christ has paid for them by His life. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and so He can justify you before God. Then death is not a fear. For Jesus says, Jhn 6:40, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” The last day is the end of the world. We do not see Jesus Christ now for He is sitting on the right of God in Heaven. But those who do not see and yet believe are blessed. Because our Redeemer lives forever, so we shall also live.
Those who died in Christ will be raised on the last day, the day Jesus
Christ comes to judge the world and to be the King of kings and the
Lord of lords. You had better deal with the reality of sin, death, and Hell
while you can now. Sweat, determination, and hard work cannot deal
with sin, death, and Hell. Jesus Christ can. But you must seize the
moment of salvation.
Mar 8:22-25, “And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought a
man who was blind to Jesus and begged Him to touch him. Taking the
man who was blind by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and
after spitting in his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him,
“Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, for I
see them like trees, walking around.” Then again He laid His hands on
his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see
everything clearly.”
In an analogy, the best perception of man is seeing people like trees,
walking around. Perception is not knowledge. Is seeing knowing? Is
knowing seeing? Even a man can see clearly, it does not mean he
understands what he sees. Like the ten blind men by touching an
elephant have different perceptions of what an elephant really looks like.
The Blind Men and the Elephant is a parable from India that has been
adapted by many religions and published in various stories for adults and children. It is about a group of blind men who attempt to learn what anelephant is, each touching a different part, and disagreeing on their findings. Their collective wisdom leads them
to half truth. The same collective wisdom of mankind leads only to half truths.
The enemies of the true knowledge are lies, falsehoods, falsity, deceit, conceit, fake news, disinformation, misinformation, false religions, false doctrines and teachings, false theories, etc. which are so prevalent like dog feces on the streets.
2Co 4:6,“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
The mass of mankind needs the Light to shine out of darkness. Only God who is Light can give the Light of the true knowledge. All primitive religions born and bred in darkness and ignorance, and spreads superstition like wild fire. There are trillions of examples how superstition destroys and ruins lives. When there is great rain storm and flood, the primitive people believe somehow they angered the god of the sea. So they picked a virgin and sacrificed her by throwing the girl to the sea to appease gods. In the West, some believe wearing a rabbit’s foot around your neck brings good luck. Some Chinese believe turning the word blessing福upside down will bring good luck. Every race has its own superstitions. A few examples are sufficient.
Jer 10:14, “Every person is stupid, devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his cast metal images are deceitful,and there is no breath in them.”
A stupid person is devoid of knowledge. Idols and cast metal images are deceitful. The Word of God says every person who worships idols is stupid. I do not have to name countries and peoples. Idolatry breeds superstition, and superstition promotes backwardness. Not a few primitive people believe they had previous existence. The fact is, you only exist when you are born. No one, except Jesus Christ, had previous existence. Jesus Christ had previous existence before He came down to the earth. Jesus Christ was with God. Some people believe they have life to come. Their belief in the life to come is quite different from Christian belief in eternal life. They believe in so-called cyclical life, one does not die and he just changes into different animal. Some believe in the life to come they may marry the persons they could not marry in this life. The Word of God says in the life to come there will be no marriage or given to marriage, the saints will live like angels. There is no such a thing called reincarnation. Every person who dies either goes to Hell or goes to Heaven. It is very funny, being superstitious is ridiculous.
Some people in Portugal believe that walking backwards may connect you to the devil. However, in China some people think walking backwards is a beneficial exercise. In China the number 4 is an unlucky number, because the pronunciation of “four” in Chinese is similar to the word “death.” In primitive societies, the most pitiful and pathetic is the live sacrifice of humans to appease their angry gods.
False preachers who merchandise the Gospel and get rich by preaching do not know the Lord is standing in the way with His sword drawn in His hand.
European and American supremacists want to dictate and dominate the world do not know that the Lord standing in the way with His sword drawn in His hand.
Japanese militarists who committed genocide of 35 million Chinese, sex slavery, slave labor, and untold atrocities, but denied them and refused to pay reparations and compensations; and they want to revive an imperial and militaristic Japan. The Lord is standing in the way with His sword drawn in His hand. The judgment of the Lord is going to fall upon the world sooner than you think.
Increasing knowledge of the world results in increasing pain. The more knowledge you have about the world, the more worries you have.
Ecc 2:26,“For to a person who is good in His sight, He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is futility and striving after wind.”
The people who seek money, power, and pleasure are striving after wind. A life that is striving after wind is futility and vanity.
The knowledge of the Most High is the real knowledge and the true knowledge. God is the measure of everything. It is God’s sight that determines good and evil. It is the will of God which rules the universe.
1Co8:2, “If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has
not yet known as he ought to know.”
Unbelieving scientists, theologians and philosophers think they know something, but the Word of God says they have not yet known as they ought to know. They do not know what they ought to know. Just like the children in kindergarten do not know what they ought to know. Most people do not know what they ought to know. The poor man knows he is poor, but a fool does not know he is a fool.
Eph 4:13, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
A mature Christian has attained to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. The fullness of Christ can only be known by the revelation of God. So the human knowledge cannot reach the revealed knowledge.
Luk 1:77, “To give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.”
A Western philosopher was so arrogant that he wrote an article, “Why I Am Not A Christian”. What is the use of worldly knowledge that a man died in his sins?
What is the point of having science, theology and philosophy, if you do not have the knowledge of salvation? The knowledge of salvation is the revealed knowledge of God. Salvation is the way of God. You may obtain the salvation of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins.
1Co 12:8, “For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit.”
God is Spirit, beyond the inquiry of science and philosophy. The power of the Spirit is the power of God. The Spirit of Christ dwells in Christians. 1Co 2:12,
“Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.” To know the things freely given to us by God, you need to have the Spirit who is from God.
1Co 2:13-14, “We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Human knowledge can be taught by human wisdom. The Ivy League American universities at best teach human wisdom, they do not know spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. A scientist or philosopher is a natural person who does not accept and does not understand the things of the Spirit of God. Worse of all, these natural persons think the things of God as foolishness to them. Since they are not spiritual, so they cannot discern thing spiritually.
I agree with Karl Popper, “Our aim as scientists is objective truth; more truth, more interesting truth, more intelligible truth. We cannot reasonably aim at certainty. Once we realize that human knowledge is fallible, we realize also that we can never be completely certain that we have not made a mistake.”
Actually some so-called scientific theories have been wrong and mistaken.
Someone said, “The pretensions of final truth are always partly an effort to obscure a darkly felt consciousness of the limits of human knowledge.”
Human knowledge has no final truth, only pretensions, because human knowledge is limited and faulty.
I agree with Robert Frost, “Courage is the human virtue that counts most-courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence. That’s all any of us have.” There is no need to be arrogant. All humans have are limited knowledge and insufficient evidence.
Jean Piaget admits, “This means that no single logic is strong enough to support the total construction of human knowledge.”
On the other hand, the Savior Jesus Christ is not only strong enough but powerful to uphold all things by the Word of His power.
Heb 1:3, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the Word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” In Christ is the final truth and certainty of all things.
2Co 10:5, “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Secularists have many arguments and arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, it is the task of Christians to destroy anything theory or teaching against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. The true knowledge is the knowledge of God. The true wisdom is obedient to Jesus Christ.
V. THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS THE GOD OF KNOWLEDGE
1Sa 2:3, “Do not go on boasting so very proudly, Do not let
arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is the God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.”
The Lord knows if you are boasting, if you let arrogance come out of your mouth. The Lord God also weighs the actions of men. Unbelieving theologians, secular scientists and philosophers, national leaders and politicians, Wall Street executives, the rich and powerful go on boasting so very proudly. They do not know that the God of knowledge weighs their actions. God will judge every word, deed, and thought of every man. God weighs every word, deed, and thought of every man. There is no exception, be it president or pimp, prime minister or prostitute.
The Lord is the God of knowledge. Unlike idols and false gods who know nothing.
Luk 16:15, “And He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of people, but God knows your hearts; because that which is highly esteemed among people is detestable in the sight of God.”
The God of knowledge knows all things, including every secret, and the hearts of men. Are not leaders and politicians highly esteemed among people? If I tell you the truth, you will be offended. The people who are highly esteemed among you are the detestable in the sight of God. How do you stand if you know God detests your president, prime minister, general, high ranking official? God knows the hearts of men, although most men are deceptive. Can you find an honest man in government, business, industry, education, entertainment, sports, and media?
Psa 44:21, “Would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
God knows everything. God can find out everything. Your sins will find you out. God knows the national secrets of America, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, etc. with their genocide. God knows the secrets of all nations, all peoples, the secrets of the heart. God knows the heart and the secrets of the heart. No one can escape God’s judgment for God knows everything. You cannot have a dream team of lawyers to fool God. God knows the secrets of evidence. Most pathetic is Japan trying to revise history textbooks to whitewash the evil and dark history of Japan. God searches the hearts. God knows all things and all peoples.
Job 11:11, “For He knows false people, And He sees injustice without investigating.”
God knows, white and black supremacists are false people. They create conflict and chaos in this world, and yet they have the gall to call for order. They are the trouble makers in this world, and yet they do not have shame to pass the blame on others. They practice darkness, evil, and injustice and yet they are like the Pharisees who point the fault and flaw of other peoples. What they really want is to dictate and dominate the world and enslave the whole world. Europeans are false people who fool the world for hundreds of years with their evil deeds. Japanese are false people who deny their war crimes and refuse to pay compensations. Americans are false people who invade and attack other nations under false pretenses. Palestinians and Hamas are false people who claim they have resettlement right in Jerusalem and the Jewish land. Illegal migrants are false people who pretend refugees and invade America and Europe; they want to get something for nothing. Funny parts about Western governments, whenever there are bad and unlawful things happen, there will be investigation. Investigations benefits lawyers and legal professions at huge public expense. The worst thing is the investigations of American presidents that amount to millions and millions of dollars for nothing. God knows injustice without investigating.
There is a Chinese saying, You know the man, you know his face, but you do not know his heart.
Psa 44:21,“Would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
God also knows the haughty from afar.
Historically, there are no people who are more haughty than white supremacists. You would not be able to bear or stand it if the black supremacists gain power and position.
Dan 2:22,“It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”
God reveals the profound and hidden things. God knows what is in the darkness because God dwells with the light. The light of God exposes all dark and evil things profound and hidden. There are so many revisionists to cover up dark and profound and hidden things in history. On the Day of Judgement, God can play back all those dark, profound and hidden things of nations and peoples. The light of God will reveal everything so that the wicked cannot make excuses. For God knows all things, He is greater than our heart.
May I remind the rich and powerful of the world, you have no way to escape the torchlight of God; and so you have no way to escape the judgment of God. It is much better you repent and believe than go to Hell for eternal punishment.
The following is a contrast between our God and the idols:
Psa 115:3-8, “But our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold, The work of human hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see;
They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot
smell; They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat.
Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them.”
Why in the age of information, there are still many who worship idols? Those who make idols become like them. Those who trust idols are fools.
VI. THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE.
The knowledge of God is the highest knowledge. The creature has a need to know the Creator. Without the knowledge of the Creator, the creature is lost.
Saint Augustine said something most remarkable, “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” For thousands of years, Western civilization has looked for and pursued the wrong things: money, power, and sex. That is why the Western civilization is restless and manifested itself in imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, monopolism, supremacism, materialism, militarism, secularism, etc. arrogant and self-centered, and under the pretense of democracy, human rights, freedom and justice.
Immanuel Kant said, “A single line in the Bible has consoled me more than all the books I ever read besides.” Life is full of problems and troubles. We can get consolation of love from the Word of God which cannot find anywhere in the world. This is one of the many benefits from the knowledge of the Most High. It is all free because it is the grace of God.
Marcus Tullius Cicero said something partly true, “The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct.” When Cicero talked about human, he only meant the human reason. The human reason is not infallible and perfect. The Word of God is infallible and perfect. So let the wise, average minds, the stupid and all instructed by the Word of God. The knowledge of the Most High is the highest knowledge.
I concur with Immanuel Kant, “The sum total of all possible knowledge of God is not possible for a human being, not even through a true revelation. But it is one of the worthiest inquiries to see how far our reason can go in the knowledge of God.” There is no one has more knowledge of God through revelation than the great Apostle Paul. For this reason even Paul says, 1Co 13:9-10, “For we know in part and prophesy in part; but when the Perfect comes, the partial will be done away with.” No one has perfect knowledge of God on earth. When the Perfect Jesus Christ returns, we will know fully as we are fully known. 1Co 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.” This is the advanced knowledge based on true revelation: The day is coming when Christians will have full knowledge.
The key of knowledge includes the knowledge of sin, the knowledge of salvation, and the knowledge of the Savior. With the knowledge of sin, the sinner seeks the salvation of God. In seeking the way of Salvation one must come to the knowledge of the Savior, the Son of God who came down from Heaven to save sinners.
Num 24:16, “The declaration of him who hears the Words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.”
The knowledge of the Most High is the most important knowledge because God is the Judge and measure of all things. To have the knowledge of the Most High, firstly, you must hear the Word of God. Secondly, you must have the mind of Christ. Thirdly, you must have the Spirit of God to enlighten you.
Isa 55:9, “For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
I heartily concur with the magnanimous John Milton who said, “The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.”
It seems to many secularists, the end of all learning is to glorify themselves. In the last days, we witness people who love themselves, who love money, and who love pleasure and hate God.
Christians do well if we can echo the great Apostle Paul, Phl 3:8, “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ.” Do you know money, power, and sex are actually rubbish? On the other hand, human knowledge acquired by scientists, theologians and philosophers makes them “puffed up” and more “self-centered” than others. Col 2:18, “Take care that no one keeps defrauding you of your prize by delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind.” The values of money, power, and pleasure are inflated so high in Western nations that truth, integrity, and justice disappear from them. The worldly have the fleshly mind. The fleshly mind is a depraved mind, the mind set on the flesh; but Christians have the mind of Christ. To have the mind of Christ is to have the highest knowledge, surpassing all the values of men.
Deu 31:29,“For I know that after my death you will behave very corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will confront you in the latter days, because you will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.”
Note: Moses by revelation had advanced knowledge that after his death, the children of Israel would behave very corruptly and do evil in the sight of the Lord. After your death, do you know how would your children behave? I always felt sorry for those who by faith built a great institution or organization, but after their death those institutions or organizations turned out to be against the wishes of the founders. Harvard university is one of many examples. Whoever thought after the death of President Richard Nixon, his Library would invite a pompous betrayer to speak at his Library against the strategic policy and grand vision of the great Richard Nixon who sought a just and lasting peace for the world?
This is a great precious lesson in life we can draw from David. In spite of all his faults, David was a great believer. In his darkest hour and the most difficult moment of his life, he said something most memorable:
1Sa 22:3, “And David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother come and stay with you until I know what God will do for me.”
Although David was a man after God’s own heart, a prophet, but he did not know everything. So David must wait until he knows what God will do for him. Christians must not run ahead of God, or make preparations until they know what God will do for them. What God will do for you is much more important than what you will do for God. George W. Truett was right, “To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge! To do the will of God is the greatest achievement.”
1Ki 17:24, “Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the Word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”
Note: This is the second “Now I know” in the Old Testament. The poor widow who had her boy brought back from death said to the prophet of God, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in your mouth in truth.” This poor widow also verified the Word of God as truth. When I was a professor hired by the Chinese Ministry of Education at a Chinese university, the students asked me if I had encountered errors in the Holy Bible. I said to them, If the Word of God is wrong, I would not have believed in God on the basis of truth.
1Ch 12:32, “From the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.”
Note: The sons of Issachar were blessed; they were men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do. Since the death of President Richard Nixon who sought a just and lasting peace for the world, I hold American leaders and politicians do not understand the times, with no knowledge of what America should do. This is the day of infamy and calamity. American leaders and politicians do not understand the times, with no knowledge of what America should do. America is in crisis. The world is in crisis. They may have windy knowledge of democracy, human rights, freedom, equality and justice. They are in darkness, and they do not practice truth, integrity, and justice.
Jesus Christ not only is the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jhn 14:5-6, “Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus Christ is the Way to God, there is no other way. This is the Truth; to believe in the Truth is to have Life. To have Life is to have eternal Life. The way of the world is the ungodly way. The way of salvation is to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Christianity is the Way. It is not narrow minded to say all religions are the wrong ways to God. Truth may be offensive. The way of life is not corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. The Western way of life is corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit. The Christian way is a new and living way, for in this way is the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ a new and living way. Christ has taken the old way and nailed it to the cross. The way of the truth is the way of righteousness. This is the mature Christian way of life:
Eph 4:14-17, “Henceforth, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him Who is the Head, that is, Christ, from Whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the Body for the building up of itself in love. So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds.”
Christians no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk. There are also Gentile Christians. The Gentiles here means the unbelievers, the worldly. Christians no longer walk just as the unbelievers and the worldly also walk. The unbelievers and the worldly walk in the futility of their minds. Money, power, and sex are futility. The minds that seek money, power, and pleasure are the futility of minds.
Col 1:9, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
The highest knowledge is not didactic, dialectic, mathematics, geometric, atomic, scientific, theoretic, hyperbolic, astrophysics, linguistic, cosmologic, Vedic, Platonic, Aristocratic, Socratic, Stoic, etc.The highest knowledge is the knowledge of the Most High and the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Secular scientists, scholars, and philosophers however brilliant and bright they may be, they do not have the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Much worse are world leaders and politicians who are actually agents of the devil who rules this present world.
Col 1:9-10, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it,have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
For Christians, to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God — this is the highest peak of a Christian life or the Summum Bonumwhich all believers aspire to. They understand the ultimate truth of life in Christ.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
This article is written to let you know the deadly sin of pride. It is so much better to humble yourself before God, repent and believe in Jesus Christ to receive the forgiveness of sins and the eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Human beings are miserable and sinful creatures, yet they have pride not because of their strength and superiority. Men have pride because exactly of their weakness and inferiority; they have to pride themselves in wealth, fame, power, position, possession, property, profession, pornography, pleasure, etc. in order to satisfy their needs, rather their lusts. They could never find satisfactions in the things cited and aforementioned, so they want more and more and more, until their lives are consumed and years wasted. Here lies the miserable end of human existence without God and without hope in this evil and ungodly and wicked world. Above all, poor miserable creatures do not realize or they do not wat to know mankind has to be accountable to God in the end. They thought and wish death is the end of everything. They never know or do not want to know, after death is judgment.
Psa 75:5, “Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.’”
God does not like insolent pride. Insolent in Hebrew is ʿāṯāqwhich means bold; forward; arrogant; stiff; grievous; hard; impudent; wicked; – which occurs 4 times in the Old Testament. What is insolent pride? In ancient times man wore gold chain as ornament on his neck. So to show off his gold chain ornament, a proud man spoke with his neck moving to and fro. If you watch some Western leaders speak, you will recognize they speak with insolent pride also.
Pro 21:24, ““Proud,” “Arrogant,” “Scoffer,” are his names, one who acts with insolent pride.”
Pro 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor; But with the humble there is wisdom.”
Dishonor follows pride.
Pro 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”
The first sin committed in the universe was pride, and the sinner was Lucifer. Destruction follows pride.
It was Samuel Taylor Coleridge who said, “And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.”
Isa 14:12-19, “How you have fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! You have been cut down to the earth, You who defeated the nations!
“But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to Heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.
‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
“Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol, To the recesses of the Pit.
“Those who see you will stare at you, They will closely examine you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’
“All the kings of the nations lie in glory, Each in his own tomb.
“But you have been hurled out of your tomb Like a rejected branch, Clothed with those killed who have been pierced with a sword, Who go down to the stones of the Pit Like a trampled corpse.”
The fallen angel had five fatal “I will.”
All sins are conceived by self.
‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
No one can be like the Most High.
The creature can never become like the Creator.
The devil used the same dirty trick on Eve,
Gen 3:5, “For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.”
If Eve was not seduced, the whole history of mankind would be different. However, there is something that the Lord Jesus wants Christians to be like the Father.
Mat 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” To be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect is a sanctified ambition. Sinful men do not want to be perfect, merciful, longsuffering, compassionate, holy, etc. But sinful men want to be like God in power, glory, honor, majesty, dominion, authority, sovereignty, Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence, etc.
Emily Bronte said to the point, “Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves.”
Remember Lucifer and Eve. Henry Ward Beecher had an insight, “A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.”I have many things to be grateful to my Heavenly Father. I was terrified and grateful that I was not eaten by a crocodile when I was a stupid boy. Now as an old man everyday I am looking forward to the Kingdom of Heaven. Heb 12:28, “Therefore, since we receive a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.”
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, trans. D.C. Lau
“The whole world recognizes the beautiful as the beautiful, yet this is only the ugly; the whole world recognizes the good as the good, yet this is only the bad.” “The court is corrupt,The fields are overgrown with weeds,
The granaries are empty; Yet there are those dressed in fineries,
With swords at their sides,Filled with food and drink,
And possessed of too much wealth. This is known as taking the lead in robbery.Far indeed is this from the way.”
James Bryce thought the system of democratic government in America is such that it is hardly calculated to attract the best men of the country into politics. I think the strenuousness of a presidential campaign alone is enough to frighten off all the wise souls of America…Who is he that he should want to reform other people and uplift their morals and send other people into an insane asylum? But these primary and secondary humbugs keep him happily busy, if he is successful, and give him the illusion that he is really doing something and is therefore ‘somebody’.”
Pro 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.”
Shame follows pride. Why? Pride falls and fails.
Pro 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Not only shame comes after pride, destruction also follows pride.
Oba 1:3, “The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’”
The pride of the hearts of American leaders and politicians have deceived themselves. Although they lost the Vietnam War, the Afghanistan War, etc. they have not learned how to change and conduct themselves in pursuit of peace and prosperity. They have not learned from President Richard Nixon.
Francesco Petrarca was right, “Five enemies of peace inhabit with us – avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.”
I. WHAT IS PRIDE
In the Old Testament there are several words in Hebrew which mean the same as the English word pride.
Lev 26:19, ‘‘I will also break down your pride of power; and I will make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze.”
Pride in Hebrew is gā’ônwhich means arrogance; pomp; excellency; swelling; exaltation; majesty; sublimity; – which occurs 49 times in the Old Testament.
2Ch 32:26, “However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.”
Pride here in Hebrew is gōḇahwhich means height; loftiness; haughtiness; excellency; exaltation; grandeur; arrogance; elation; magnificence; majesty; – which occurs 17 times in the Old Testament. Because Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, so the wrath of God did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
Job 33:17, “So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct, and keep a man from pride;”
Pride here in Hebrew isgēvâwhich means lifting up; arrogance; exaltation; – which occurs 3 times in the Old Testament. Pride is a bad conduct.
Job 41:15, “His strong scales are his pride, Locked as with a tight seal.”
Pride here in Hebrew is ga’ăvâwhich means haughtiness; arrogance; excellence; highness; swelling; rising up; majesty; magnificence; splendor; – which occurs 19 times in the Old Testament. The strong scales of a crocodile are its pride. Do men have strong scales to protect themselves?
Job 41:34, “He looks on everything that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.”
Pride here in Hebrew is šaḥaṣwhich means lion; dignity; elation; – which occurs 2 times in the Old Testament. Sons of pride call themselves son of lion the king of beast. Ignorance or not, the Chinese emperors called themselves sons of dragon. Dragon is another name for devil.
Psa 75:5, “Do not lift up your horn on high, Do not speak with insolent pride.’”
Pride here in Hebrew isṣaûā’rwhich means neck; back of neck; back of neck, of man, wearing gold chain as ornament; necklace; thus speak not with arrogant neck means not to speak with insolent pride.
Psa 90:10, “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is only trouble and tragedy; For it quickly passes, and we disappear.”
Here pride in Hebrew isrōhaḇwhich means arrogance; object of pride; strength; that of which one is proud; – which occurs 1 time in the Old Testament. The pride of a human life is only trouble and tragedy. The rich and powerful also cannot escape from trouble and tragedy.
Pro 8:13, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.”
Here pride in Hebrew is gē’âwhich means arrogance; – which occurs 1 times in the Old Testament. The fear of the Lord prevents man from pride and arrogance.
Pro 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor; But with the humble there is wisdom.”
Dishonor follows pride. Dishonor comes after pride.
Pride here in Hebrew iszāḏônwhich means presumptuousness; arrogance; insolence; godlessness; swelling; haughtiness; – which occurs 11 times in the Old Testament. Dishonor comes after pride.
Isa 2:17, “And the pride of humanity will be humbled And the arrogance of people will be brought low; And the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.”
Pride here in Hebrew isgaḇhûṯwhich means loftiness; haughtiness; – which occurs 2 times in the Old Testament. Humanity has no pride, in some way some animals have more pride than humanity.
Isa 10:12, “So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the arrogant pride of his eyes.”
Pride here in Hebrew is tip̄’ārâwhich means glory; beauty; honor; splendor; boasting; bravery; – which occurs 51 times in the Old Testament. The eyes reflect the arrogant pride of man.
Isa 16:6, “We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; his idle boasts are false.”
Pride here in Hebrew isgē’êwhich means lofty; arrogant; lifted up; high; – which occurs 8 times in the Old Testament. America, UK, Canada, and Australia exhibit excessive pride in boycotting Beijing Winter Olympics.
Dan 4:37, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Here pride in Hebrew isgēvâwhich means absolute pride; – which occurs 1 times in the Old Testament.
It does not take a Hebrew scholar to know that pride is a very complicated concept in Hebrew. A man can be proud in many ways.
Mar 7:21-22, “For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery,
deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”
In the New Testament Jesus is the first to point out pride and other things are out of the hearts of people.
Pride in Greek is hyperēphania which means arrogance; haughtiness; the character of one who, with a swollen estimate of his own powers or merits, looks down on others and even treats them with insolence and contempt (Strong’s Concordance); – which occurs 1 time in the New Testament. Jesus’ concept of pride is very clear and cuts to the heart.
I agree with Sophocles, “All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.” Too bad, not many know that their course is wrong. For 500 years the white Europeans have not learned that their course is wrong and Americans plunge into the same dark path of destruction.
Augustine said, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”
Billy Graham had this right, “Self-centered indulgence, pride and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.”
American lifestyle is getting more and more outrageous and ridiculous that you can’t tell a man from a woman, a woman from a man; because genders have many classifications and categories beyond the grasp of ordinary people. There are people who take pride in same-sex marriage and homosexuality.
Martin Luther said years ago, “The god of this world is riches, pleasure and pride.” Surprisingly, the three prevalent values of America and the world today are money, power and sex.
I will give you a picture of a proud man: he is a man who has no wisdom, but full of self-hallucinations and puffed up with fanciful vanities. George Eliot had keen insight when she said about a proud man, “He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.”
But I just select only two words, arrogance and vanity.
There are even people who think their successes are due to arrogance. It is like to say dog feces is a delicious dish.
Jer 49:16, “As for the terror you cause, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, Who occupy the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s, I will bring you down from there,” declares the LORD.”
I used to wonder how lofty Western leaders caused terror in the world, I have found the answer is the arrogance of their hearts have deceived them.
Leo Tolstoysaid, “An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person’s main task in life – becoming a better person.”
Let us agree for now with Tolstoy’s thesis for the time being that a person’s main task in life – becoming a better person. But I disagree that an arrogant person considers himself perfect. In my observations, all arrogant persons consider themselves superior, superior in ability and morality. I have never met an arrogant person who is truly morally excellent. I often argue, if you are right then you do not need to get angry. If you are wrong, anger would not justify you.
Someone said, “Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change. “
Some poor stud chose honest arrogance. There may be hypocritical humility, but there is no such a thing called honest arrogance, just as there
is no honest fraud. A man may go down to Hell and still thinks he is honest.
Isa 13:11, “So I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their wrongdoing; I will also put an end to the audacity of the proud and humiliate the arrogance of the tyrants.”
There was an American leader, he is the incarnation of the audacity of the proud, and the arrogance of the tyrants. God will put an end to the audacity of the proud and humiliate the arrogance of the tyrants.
The worst kind of arrogance is arrogance for the sake of arrogance. There are people who are simply arrogant, they do not know why they are arrogant. It is like peacock that displays itself.
Pride is the mother of arrogance.Arrogance is a bastard son of pride, vanity is its promiscuous daughter. Isa 9:9, “And all the people know it, That is, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart:”
Pride is the mother of arrogance, it is conceived in the heart.
Arrogance may be doing something for an inadequate person, it is certainly not doing anything for the country.
I agree with Samuel Butler, “The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance.”
I was surprised but I agree with Joe Biden who said,
“This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power. “ There is no nuclear option for mankind. The West has exhibited too much arrogance of power in the last 500 years. It is hoped Joe Biden will stick to his word and never uses the nuclear option against Russia and China.
Arrogance is a beggar naked without clothes. I agree with Albert Einstein who said, “The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.” Western and American leaders and politicians have conducted themselves most dangerously and arrogantly. I saw a Western diplomat with a pale and ghastly face like a corpse, and yet he exhibits an air of arrogance. The Word of God is descriptive, Pro 30:13, “There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.”
Eze 7:10, “Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! Your doom has gone forth; the rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed.”
In some of Hollywood movies, you can see “arrogance has blossomed.” Sadly, many nations copy Hollywood’s blossomed arrogance in making movies of violence and vulgarity.
I agree with Manoj Vaz who said, “Arrogance is nothing but Stupidity with an ego.”
Walter Russell Mead said, “What begins in arrogance often ends in shame.”
The Scripture says, Psa 119:78, “May the arrogant be put to shame, because they lead me astray with a lie; But I shall meditate on Your precepts.”
Arrogance is not bigness, it is swelling like a frog blowing up itself. It is most pathetic to watch a little man acting and talking like a big man. If you have not met some, try to watch TV.
Someone said, “Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit, for merit itself is offensive.” The arrogance of those who have merit is like a woman who uncovers her buttock.
I agree with Nicolas Gomez Davilaalthough I do not know who he was. “The modern mentality is the child of human vanity puffed up by commercial advertising.” This is true in all Western nations.
Ecc 7:8, “The end of a matter is better than its beginning; patience of spirit is better than arrogance of spirit.”
Do you want to watch the arrogance of spirit? Watch the way Western leaders and politicians speak.
The highest form of vanity is not love of fame. Worse, it is love of self. Lucifer had it. Eve had it. Christians are told Rom 6:6, “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Eph 4:22-24, “that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you are
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put
on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
Jas 4:16, “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”
Inevitably arrogant people boast, all such boasting is evil. God considers pride, arrogance and boast evil.
Job 20:6, “Though his arrogance reaches the Heavens, and his head touches the clouds.”
Arrogance has lofty goal, it reaches the Heavens.
It is my estimate that the arrogance of the West has reached the Heavens. The heads of Western leaders and politicians touch the clouds. For example, the West prides themselves in democracy, but their form of democracy is phony. What is democracy when one percent of population rules over the 99 percent and owns most of the power and wealth? What kind of human rights when justice is perverted and abuse of power is prevalent and racial discrimination is rampant?
1Sa 2:3, “Do not go on boasting so very proudly, Do not let arrogance
come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.”
God does not like arrogance, and He weighs the actions of man.
“vanity” occurs 89 times in81verses in the YLT. Page 1 / 2exact matches(Job 7:3–Ecc 7:6)
Job 15:31, “Let him not put credence in vanity, he has been deceived, for vanity is his recompense.”
A man must not put credence in vanity, for doing so is to be deceived; vanity is his recompense.
Years ago I discovered there is vanity in beauty, but no beauty in vanity. This applies to both male and female. Often a vain male is worse than a vain female.
Job 31:5, “If I have walked with vanity, and my foot does hasten to deceit.”
If a man walks with vanity, and his foot hastens to deceit. All vain people resort to deceit. The state of the world is very bad when lie and falsehood become fashionable.
Psa 39:5, “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vanity.”
This is a truth that the rich and powerful will soon find out: Certainly every man at his best state is but vanity.
Eph 4:17, “So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their minds.”
Vanity in Greek is mataiotēswhich means what is devoid of truth and appropriateness (Strong’s Concordance); perverseness; depravity; frailty; fruitlessness; transience; – which occurs 3 times in the New Testament. The modus operandi of Washington, Wall Street, and Hollywood is the vanity of their minds.
If you spend some time and effort, you soon discover theologians and philosophers walk in the vanity of their minds. If you watch Western leaders and politicians, you soon find them walking in the vanity of their minds. The knowledge of self will preserve the virtuous from vanity; while the knowledge of self will prompt the wicked to display vanity.
Victor Hugo has good insight when he said, “Stupidity talks, vanity acts.” Because arrogance and vanity are children of pride, like mother like daughters. Both the acts of arrogance and vanity are not pretty to look at because they are spiritually naked and ugly. Something is morally defective and mentally deficient when one is motivated by vanity. Blaise Pascal had keen sight when he said, “Vanity is but the surface.” All vain people are superficial. When I was in Europe, they told me Americans are superficial. When I was in Washington, D.C. they told me Californians are superficial. All vain people are superficial.
The wicked let arrogance and vanity walk through their mind with their dirty feet. The pure out of the integrity of his mind shuts them out.
Ecc 1:2, “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
All is vanity includes self, self-interest, power, money, pleasure, this life, this world, all human works, all the days of your life, all sorts of evil, all things you cherished, all things that were luxurious and splendid, all things that are what the nations of the world eagerly seek, all things that can be destroyed, all things of the world, all things not for the glory of God, all things not in truth, all things not in accordance with the plan of God’s will, all things not subjected to Christ — all is vanity.
2Co 10:5, “We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Above all, Christians are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Science, theology and philosophy of the world have many arguments and arrogance raised against the knowledge of God. Christians must reject those “arguments and arrogance” and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Marcus Aurelius said something to the point:
“Look at the minds of those who seek fame, observe what they are, and what kind of things they avoid, and what kind of things they pursue. And consider that as the heaps of sand piled on one another hide the former sands, so in life the events which go before are soon covered by those which come after.”
Jane Austen was shrewd to say, “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”
I agree with Emily Bronte who said, “Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves.”
C.G. Jung was right, “Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep down below the surface of the average conscience a still, small voice says to us, something is out of tune.” Western leaders and politicians are good examples of people “something is out of tune” but they never hear a still, small voice says to them. (1Ki 19:12)
Andrew Murray was right, “Pride must die in you, or nothing of Heaven can live in you.” If pride dwells in our heart, nothing of Heaven has room to live in.
Pride is the mother of arrogance; for arrogance is the manifestation of pride. You never see a humble person with arrogance. Pride takes pleasure in thinking highly of oneself. Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us natural. I agree with Samuel Butler who said, “The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance.”
All money does not mean a pride in accomplishment. Monopolists make money easy way. Corrupt doctors and hospitals are organized criminals who charge whatever they please with immunity and impunity. Scam artists defraud a bundle of money without skill. Once my professor asked me what went wrong with the Savings and Loan industry and insurance companies. I told him Savings and Loans who took in your money and gave you 3% interest, when you make loan they charged you 8% interest — does not have any skill at all. When you can borrow at a $1 million against your life insurance policy and pay 8% interest, insurance executives did not have any skill at all. When the market paid 24% interest, Savings & Loans and Insurance companies still charged 8% interest, there skills are required and so most Savings & Loans and Insurance companies went bankrupt.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau boldly said, “The English are predisposed to pride, the French vanity.” I have been to the two nations and met multitudes of their peoples. That was the reason I do not like the two countries.
There is a secret bottom-line self-respect and spirit in every human heart that revolts against tyranny. You may order and drive an individual, but you cannot make him respect you.
1Jo 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride
of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” The lust of the flesh is sex. The lust of the eyes is money or wealth. The boastful pride of life is power.These three things are all that is in the world, and cherished by the world.
There are two things that characterize human moral failure and character flaw more than anything else in the world, namely, arrogance and violence. An arrogant person may not be violent; but a violent person is always arrogant. On TV recently I witnessed a black big man who exhibited maximum violence and arrogance by stepping on and trampling over the small body and head of an Asian woman repeatedly, while another big black man was watching at a glass door of another store. The worst thing about this evil deed maybe the fact that the big black man did not know at all this unfortunate small Asian woman and she never did anything wrong to the big black man. God knows.
Everything stained by the world, has pride in one or another of these things, and arrogance and vanity.
III. PRIDE OF FAME
George Santaya considered Love of fame the highest form of vanity.
Lin Yutang was among the most famous Chinese, he said, “Fame is one of humbugs of this life.”
When evil Japanese aggressors occupied China, they first killed those famous in towns. That is the way to eliminate leadership. You have less resistance without leadership. Only God knows how many evil deeds committed by the Japanese militarists that wared war against China in14 years.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld was a sharp thinker who said, “The fame of great men ought to be judged always by the means they used to acquire it.” I have no respect for the fame of a general that many died for him needlessly.
George Santayana reasoned brilliantly, “The highest form of vanity is love of fame. It is a passion easy to deride but hard to understand, and in men who live at all by imagination almost impossible to eradicate. The good opinion of posterity can have no possible effect on our fortunes, and the practical value which reputation may temporarily have is quite absent in posthumous fame. The direct object of this passion — that a name should survive in men’s mouths to which no adequate idea of its original can be attached — seems a thin and fantastic satisfaction, especially when we consider how little we should probably sympathize with the creatures that are to remember us. What comfort would it be to Virgil that boys still read him at school, or to Pindar that he is sometimes mentioned in a world from which everything he loved has departed? Yet, beneath this desire for nominal longevity, apparently so inane, there may lurk an ideal ambition of which the ancients cannot have been unconscious when they set so high a value on fame. They often identified fame with immortality, a subject on which they had far more rational sentiments than have since prevailed.”
Lin Yutang said, “There is a wealth of humbug in this life, but the multitudinous little humbugs have been classified by Chinese Buddhists under two big humbugs: fame and wealth. There is a story that Emperor Ch’ienlung once went up a hill overlooking the sea during his trip to South China and saw a great number of sailing ships busily plying the China Sea to and fro. He asked his minister what the people in those hundreds of ships were doing, and his minister replied that he saw only two ships, and their names were ‘Fame’ and ‘Wealth’. Many cultured persons were able to escape the lure of wealth, but only the very greatest could escape the lure of fame. Once a monk was discoursing with his pupil on these two sources of worldly cares, and said: ‘It is easier to get rid of the desire for money than to get rid of the desire for fame. Even retired scholars and monks still want to be distinguished and well-known among their company. They want to give public discourses to a large audience, and not retire to a small monastery talking to one pupil, like you and me now.’ The pupil replied: ‘Indeed, Master, you are the only man in the world who has conquered the desire for fame!’ And the Master smiled.
“From my own observation of life, this Buddhist classification of life’s humbugs is not complete, and the great humbugs of life are three, instead of two: Fame, Wealth and Power. There is a convenient American word which again combines these three humbugs into the One Great Humbug: Success. But many wise men know that the desires for success, fame and wealth are euphemistic names for the fears of failure, poverty and obscurity, and that these fears dominate our lives. There are many people who have already attained both fame and wealth, but who still insist on ruling others. They are the people who have consecrated their lives to the service of their country. The price is often very heavy. Ask a wise man to wave his silk hat to a crowd and make seven speeches a day and give him a presidency, and he will refuse to serve his country. James Bryce thinks the system of democratic government in America is such that it is hardly calculated to attract the best men of the country into politics. I think the strenuousness of a presidential campaign alone is enough to frighten off all the wise souls of America…Who is he that he should want to reform other people and uplift their morals and send other people into an insane asylum? But these primary and secondary humbugs keep him happily busy, if he is successful, and give him the illusion that he is really doing something and is therefore ‘somebody’.”
Although I do not know Erma Bombeck, I agree with what she said, “Don’t confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other.”
IV. PRIDE OF POWER
Lev 26:19, “I will also break down your pride of power; and I will make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze.”
The most malicious and vicious concept of power was conceived Niccolo Machiavelli who said,
“Power is the pivot on which everything hinges. He who has the power is always right; the weaker is always wrong.” That is the power politics practiced by American and European supremacists and also by Islamic terrorists.
Power belongs to God. Man is unfit to exercise power. Only God is worthy to have absolute power.
I agree with Abraham Lincoln who said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’’ I knew a white man who was without job experience and work skill, when he was promoted to be a supervisor by another veteran, the poor man lost his head and ran his little unit like the military. One of the major reasons of the American corporate failure is Theory X managers. I found it sour when an Internet article praised Theory X managers. Little do they know Theory X manager or supervisor is autocratic, authoritarian, bossy, irrational because he considers everything wrong what he does not know. Besides a Theory X supervisor throws a tantrum like a child with an iron hand. His pathological personality blossomed.
Power belongs to God; it is unsafe in the hands of men.
V. PRIDE OF POSITION
Position entails authority, and authority comes with glory. For that reason, people of the world cherish position.
There is a Biblical incident that describes the power of position. Asa was a good king who did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like his father David.
1Ki 15:12-14, “He also removed the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made. And even his mother Maacah, he also removed her from the position of queen mother, because she had made an abominable image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her abominable image and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not eliminated; nevertheless Asa’s heart was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days.”
King Asa removed even his mother Maacah, because she had made an abominable image. There is no tolerance for idolatry.
The history was so interesting and instructive that I must quote the whole chapter, 2Ki 7:1-20, “Then
Elisha said, “Listen to the Word of the LORD; this is what the LORD says: ‘About this time tomorrow a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’” The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning responded to the man of God and said, “Even if the LORD were to make windows in Heaven, could this thing happen?” Then he said, “Behold, you are going to see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; but if we sit here, we will also die. Now then come, and let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, then we will die.”
So they got up at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there. For the Lord had made the army of the Arameans hear a sound of chariots, a sound of horses, that is, the sound of a great army; and they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians against us, to attack us!”
So they got up and fled at twilight, and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—indeed the camp itself, just as it was; and they fled for their lives.
When these men with leprosy came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver, gold, and clothes, and they went and hid them; then they returned and entered another tent, and carried valuables from there also, and went and hid them.
Then they said to one another, “We are not doing the right thing. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent about it; if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now then come, let’s go and inform the king’s household.”
So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor a human voice; only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.”
And the gatekeepers called and announced it inside the king’s house.
Then the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; so they have left the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.’”
One of his servants responded and said, “Please, have some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send them and see.”
Therefore they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the army of the Arameans, saying, “Go and see.”
They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away when they fled in a hurry. Then the messengers returned and informed the king.
So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the Word of the LORD.
Now the king appointed the royal officer on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate; but the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold about this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria.”
At that time the royal officer had responded to the man of God and said, “Now even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could such a thing as this happen?” And he had said, “Behold, you are going to see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”
And this is what happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate and he died.”
There are many lesson from this history: (1). Suffice to say the Word of God will always come true. (2). Unbelievers will perish. (3). The royal officer was trampled to death, his position could not save him.
Don’t be fooled, there are no moral authorities and virtuous characters in high places. Noam Chomsky said, “Intellectuals are in a position to expose the lies of governments, to analyze actions according to their causes and motives and often hidden intentions.”
Dag Hammarskjold said something interesting,
“Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others can receive your orders without being humiliated.” You see in many big American corporations where there are unqualified and unworthy executives or supervisors who intentionally humiliated their subordinates.
Thomas a Kempis had spiritual advice, “Activate yourself to duty by remembering your position, who you are, and what you have obliged yourself to be. “
Mar 10:42, “Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them; and their people in high position exercise authority over
them.”
Western powers fool the world with so-called democracy and human rights. In practice Western leaders and politicians domineer over the people, and those in high position exercise authority over the people.
Christians are different. Whoever want to be prominent must be servants. There is no Christian nation on earth. Which country you know is really serving the people?
VI. PRIDE OF POSSESSION
Gen 13:5-13, “Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. And the land could not support both of them while living together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are relatives!
“Is the entire land not before you? Please separate from me; if you choose the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” Lot raised his eyes and saw all the vicinity of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt going toward Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the vicinity of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. So they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the vicinity of the Jordan, and moved his tents as far as Sodom.
Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked sinners against the LORD.”
The Scriptures cited above are very interesting about the two men, Abraham and his nephew Lot. When Abraham went away as the Lord spoken to him; and Lot his nephew had almost nothing and went with Abram. God blessed Abraham so much that he was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Now Lot also had flocks, herds, and tents. “And the land could not support both of them while living together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.”
(1). If you follow and accompany a man blessed by God, you will be blessed too.
(2). The land could not support both of them. The world today could not support the world’s population while the poor and backward nations keep producing people who are not self-supportive.
(3). Too great possessions will separate people.
(4). Possession is often the cause of strife between people.
(5). There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.
(6). Relative should not have strife.
(7). Magnificent Abraham let his nephew choose first.
(8). A man’s choice reveals his true character. Knowing the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked sinners, Lot moved his tents as far as Sodom.
Gen 12:4-8, “So Abram went away as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the people which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; so they came to the land of Canaan.
Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanites were in the land at that time. And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.”
People who have expertise in topography and geography should follow the Word of God and make a map representing the land that God had given to Abraham and his descendants. The illegally occupied land by Palestinians, Arabs, and Hamas must be vacated and they should depart from the Jewish land without further delay.
Luk 12:16-21, “And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. And I will say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’
“Such is the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”
This rich man, God calls him a fool! Why? He has many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy himself! There are people in Washington, Wall Street, and Hollywood who store up money and gold for many years to come so that they can relax, eat, drink, and enjoy themselves! Unawares and unprepared, this every night God demands his soul. The rich man stores up treasure for himself and his family and his descendants, but he is not rich in relation to God.
Democritus said, “Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.”
I agree with Oliver Goldsmith who said, “Our chief comforts often produce our greatest anxieties, and the increase in our possessions is but an inlet to new disquietudes.”
A worldly philosopher said, “The money rewards … which those agencies of publicity have made possible places temptations in the way of able men which are difficult to resist. To be pointed out, admired, mentioned constantly in the press, and offered easy ways of earning much money is highly agreeable; and when all this is open to a man, he finds it difficult to go on doing the work that he himself thinks best and is inclined to subordinate his judgment to the general opinion.”
As an illustration, an incumbent American president is often offered millions of dollars by publishers for whatever book he may want to write although he is no scholar and does not offer any worth of wisdom.
Just as a famed movie star or sports star or just a celebrity can make big money on commercials whether what he/she presents and represents is true or not. If the star or celebrity is beautiful or handsome so much the better. The commercials sell image or appearance, this tells you how phony it is. Thanks be to God there will be no advertising or commercial in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I agree with Arthur Schopenhauer who said, “Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.”
Among the most important teachings of Jesus Christ is to be on your guard against every form of greed. In particular in the last days people become lovers of money, lovers of themselves, and lovers of pleasure. One of Jesus’ great truth is not even when one is affluent does his life consists of his possessions. In America a man is valued by his possessions. In the Kingdom of God man is not valued by his possession.
Luk 12:15, “But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.”
JESUSmade it clear, life does not consist of one’s possessions even when one is affluent. Even when one is affluent, his life does not consist of his possessions.
VII. PRIDE OF PROFESSION
Not a few take pride in professional competency. In a sense it is good to have professional competency. Imagine a surgeon who does not know what he is doing. Imagine a doctor who gives wrong diagnosis. Or imagine a pilot who does not know how to fly.
What is bad is the professionalism that looks down at other professions. A megachurch and TV preacher pushed an airplane attendant with the statement, “Do you know WHO I am?”
A professional who wants to be a “guru” in order to attract more followers and make more money.
Scientists, theologians, philosophers have an air they are superior and indispensable. A Chinese physician PROUDLY declared he was a scientist.
Mat 23:2-12, “saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.”
The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses, because that is the highest and most honored chair. My professor Dr. Koontz told me a new colleague Japanese was very arrogant. All professors like to be the chair of …
“Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say
things and do not do them. And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,
and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people. But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in Heaven.
Roman Catholics are guilty of so many fathers, church fathers, such as Augustine, John Chrysostom, Jerome, and Eusebius, etc. The worst of all the apostate church calls the pope “Holy Father.” It is blasphemous to call anybody “Holy Father”. Only God is the Holy Father.
“And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest of you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” In the Bible, in particular the Jews, Rabbi is such an honorable and venerable title.
student, with the guru serving as a “counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student”. Whatever language it is written in, Judith Simmer-Brown explains that a tantric spiritual text is often codified in an obscure twilight language so that it cannot be understood by anyone without the verbal explanation of a qualified teacher, the guru. A guru is also one’s spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized.”
In the eyes of the world, guru maybe equivalent to Rabbi, more than a teacher. Jesus Christ does not want any Christian to be called Rabbi, Father, or Leader.
Jhn 13:12-17, “Then, when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’; and you are correct, for so I am. So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Humility is not just a topic, it must be practiced.
“The Indian movie “Oh My God” has explored the corrupt side of religious gurus who are involved in money swindling and cheating in the name of religion. More and more of India’s godmen are finding spirituality to be profitable bank account. The god business has become a sublime way to make ridiculous wealth. In the name of spiritualism, wide varieties of “spiritual” products are sold to commoners. These products are quite pricey and act as a great source of income for the “religious” figureheads. “Spiritual” magazines, books, incense sticks, oils, food supplements and medicines are the most popular merchandise available at almost all “spiritual hubs”. Most of the gurus run their business through trusts so that their names are not directly associated with the matter.”According to https://bashny.net/t/en/164513“British journalist Mick Brown conducted an investigation of Sai Baba and found that those who were religious teacher allegedly “raised” or dead so far, either, and did not die at all. Brown accused the guru not only for fraud but also of sexual abuse, although evidence has not led the last journalist.”C. Wright Millsseemed to talk about those famed professionals, “The celebrities are The Names that need no further identification…Wherever the celebrities go, they are recognized, and moreover, recognized with some excitement and awe. Whatever they do has publicity value. More or less continuously, over a period of time, they are the material for the media of communication and entertainment. And, when that time ends — as it must — and the celebrity still lives — as he may — from time to time it may be asked, ‘Remember him?’ That is what celebrity means…
“The professional celebrity, male and female, is the crowning result of the star system of a society that makes a fetish of competition. In America, this system is carried to the point where a man who can knock a small white ball into a series of holes in the ground with more efficiency and skill than anyone else thereby gains social access to the President of the United States. It is carried to the point where a chattering radio and television entertainer becomes the hunting chum of leading industrial executives, cabinet members, and the higher military. It does not seem to matter what the man is the very best at; so long as he has won out in competition over all others, he is celebrated. Then, a second feature of the star system begins to work: all the stars of any other sphere of endeavor or position are drawn toward the new star and he toward them. The success, the champion, accordingly, is one who mingles freely with other champions to populate the world of the celebrity.”
America has become a strange land where brutal police, corrupt politicians, pimps and prostitutes take pride in their profession.
VIII. PRIDE OF APPEARANCE
Eve was attracted by the appearance of forbidden fruit that she listened to
the devil and disobeyed God. Appearance influences behavior.
Gen 29:17, “And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in figure and appearance.”
When a woman is beautiful in figure and appearance, what else does she need? Rachel was probably the most beautiful shepherdess. Where can you find a man who is not interested in a beautiful woman? Jacob loved Rachel and was willing to work seven years for her. Love is an incredible thing. Gen 29:20, “So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because of his love for her.” Love is able to commute seven years into a few days. Love is willing to wait.
Gen 39:6, “So he left Joseph in charge of everything that he owned; and with him there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.”
A young man needs more than handsome in form and appearance. Being handsome in form and appearance may open a career door, but it takes more to make one somebody.
1Sa 16:7, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
God does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
In America, if you live in a mansion, drive Mercedes- Benze, dressed in $5,000 suit, and wear expensive jewelry, everyone including strangers will salute and bow to you. For in America, the value of a person is measured by what he appears to be or what he has or what he possesses. But God is not like men.
Jhn 7:24, “Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Jesus knows the heart of man, and people judge according to the appearance. Although most people know, appearances are deceptive.
2Co 5:12, “We are not commending ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.”
Worldly people take pride in appearance, Christians take pride in heart. It is normal to be proud of a sound ministry.
2Co 10:7, “You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, have him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so too are we.”
Appearances are outwardly.
Col 2:23, “These are matters which do not have the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”
Self-made religion and humility and severe treatment of the body may have the appearance of wisdom, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Jas 1:11, “For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”
The rich man in his pursuits will fade away like the sun withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perished.
If Marilyn Monroe were alive and walking on the street, every man in the vicinity will stop what he is doing and starts looking. This is the power of appearance.
Immanuel Kant said, “You only know me as you see me, not as I actually am.” To really know a person, you must not only see the outside, you need to know the inside of a man. The Chinese has a saying, “You know a man from his face, but not from his heart.”
According to Aesop, “Appearances are often deceiving.” Remember, the fatal mistake of Samson was to fall in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. Samson was not deceived by Delilah, Samson deceived himself.
A spiritual man rooted in the Word of God, enlightened, made partakers of the Holy Spirit, can penetrate the veneer of the outward appearances of false prophets, false teachers and anti-christs. But multitudes of people are deceived and fooled.
IX. PRIDE OF LIFE
1Jo 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Luk 12:19, “And I will say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”
The rich and powerful in the world habitually express themselves as the rich man cited above. They have stored money and gold for many years to come. What have they to worry?
For some people, they have pride of life because what they know to control others, force and persuade others to do things they want them to do; or to show off and make people think they are better, richer, stronger, smarter, and more knowledgeable than others.
A centurion said something remarkable,
Mat 8:9, “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
There are people who have boastful pride of life, they have authority and power to tell people come or go, do this or do that. Unfortunately, I encountered a Jewish jeweler who deliberately dropped things on the floor and told his employees to pick them up. He did not allow his regular employees to work 8 hours a day. At the sixth hour he would make a tour to pressure every employee to finish their work in seven hours a day, and thus he saved one hour without pay from each employee.
The most dangerous fact today is this: Western leaders and politicians have the authority and capability to attack and occupy any nation they like, without cause or reason. The same group of people can incite a nuclear war to destroy the whole world. This is the prize they pride of life. Those who think they are secure because they have power, position, wealth and pleasure usually take pride in life.
God reveals a future of conflict and peril. The Word of God has revealed the future to mankind. Many uninformed people believe tomorrow will be better. They are led down the primrose path by false prophets and false teachers.
2Ti 3:1-13, “But know this, that in the last days last days perilous times will come. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters
of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless
in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres. Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Western leaders and politicians are holding to a form of democracy, human rights, justice but they have denied their powers. The democracy they practice is 1% of population rules over the 99 percent and own most of the power and wealth. These men oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless claim to be Christians.
1Ti 1:5, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.”
Love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith is more precious to Christians than the boastful pride of life from the world.
X. THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE
Phl 2:16, “holding firmly the Word of Life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.”
It is sound and good to hold firm the Word of Life so that on the day of Christ one can take pride because one did not run in vain nor labor in vain. This is the kind of pride which is without sin and without blame.
2Ch 32:26, “However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.”
The wrath of the Lord often comes to those who exhibit the pride of their hearts.
Job 33:17, “So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct, and keep a man from pride.”
Pride is a bad conduct which we must turn away.
Job 40:10, “Adorn yourself with pride and dignity, And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.”
Believers adorn themselves with good pride and dignity, and clothe themselves with honor and majesty.
Psa 31:18, “Let the lying lips be speechless, which speak arrogantly
against the righteous with pride and contempt.”
The sons of pride speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt. The wicked speak with swelling pride.
Dan 4:37, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just; and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest king of the Babylonian Empire learned the experience that God is able to humble those who walk in pride.
With all my heart, I believe the Kingdom of Heaven is an object of pride forever, the Holy City, New Jerusalem is a great joy from generation to generation. The pride of Western powers and sole superpower will come down. The will fall by the sword when Jesus Christ will return to reign with the saints forever and ever. The world and everything in it will be destroyed. The kingdoms of the world will be brought to an end. The Kingdom of Heaven will begin when the Lord rules and reigns for eternity.
The Christian pride in Christ Jesus is abundant now, but will be glorious in power and honor in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming.
CONCLUSION
Pro 8:13, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.”
The fear of the Lord is to hat evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way and the perverted mouth. American and European leaders and politicians are guilty of pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth.
If American leaders and politicians truly love America, really concerned about the future of America and want to do what is right. This is the way they can do. Issue a proclamation of a national day of mourning for the past sins of America. Leaders and politician push aside personal pride, put on sackcloth and sit down on the floor of the Capitol. They are to call on God earnestly, confessing their sins and iniquities, and they are to turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands. They are to apologize to the American citizens for leading America in the wrong path for so long. They are to apologize to the whole world for their crimes committed against many nations and peoples. This maybe their last chance.
They are to resolve to reform and renew America, building a righteous nation. This is a revolutionary change without a revolution.
Luk 18:9-14, “Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward Heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The two men represent the two groups of people. One who is self-righteous, the other who is repentant. The self-righteous can never find forgiveness of sins.
Olivier G. Wison said something interesting, “Happy is the soul that has something to look backward to with pride, and something to look forward to with hope.”
Gal 6:17, “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.”
Rev 14:13, “And I heard a voice from Heaven, saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”
John Ruskin said, “In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.”
Why let pride send you to Hell? Come down and humble as a child and kneel at the cross and ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and accept Him as your God and Savior.
I agree with Blaise Pascal who said, “Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.”
Phl 1:26, “so that your pride in Christ Jesus may be abundant because of me by my coming to you again.”
Pride here in Greek is kauchēmawhich means rejoicing, the same word used in first part of 2Co 5:12. To have pride in Christ Jesus is to have abundant joy in Christ Jesus.
Phl 2:16, “holding firmly the Word of life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.”
There is One day as no other days, that is the Day of Christ. There is one pride as no other prides. The pride in Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
The mayor of Washington, D.C. bowed to the illegal acts of street people who set up tents on public streets. She should be dismissed and deported. The National Guards are empowered to trash the tents, clear the streets and vanish street people. Los Angeles is disgraced city because the California Governor and Los Angeles mayor failed to solve the problems of street people who not only set up tents on public streets, but also urinate and defecate. All the more urgent for the national capital to move to Lincoln, Nebraska. In the face of national debt exceeding $37 trillion, the people can save money by abolishing the House, retain the unicameral legislation of Senate to move also to Lincoln Nebraska. All this can be accomplished legally by a national refrerendum. America is ruined by dark and evil forces.
Descendants of American Flying Tiers whose forefathers had sacrified their lives in the war against Japanese aggression and atrocities must always be honored and remembered. The Chinse government must treat them as eternal friends, and they are welcome to China anytime. Such blood bonds must be appreciated and maintained forever.
The world wrongly marks the anniversary of dropping atomic bomb on Hiroshima while neglecting the Japanse aggression and atrocities of killing 35 million innocent Chinese without remorse or reparations. UN overappointed unqualified blacks and media have given too much covergage to unworthy black spoke-persons. It is amazing no matter how beautifully white organizations and individuals hail human rights, civil rights, democracy, development, technology, benefits, justice, etc., what they are actually after is MONEY. This can be said equally true about blacks.
Global media highlight the number of Palestinians who have died, but fail to consider why Palestinian Authority and Palestinians do not want to evacuate from Jewish land and resettle in Arab land. Palestinians, men and women, young and old, are shameless beggars. They remain in Gaza to qualify for refugees so that they can get everything free from international community. The international community is ignorant of the fact that GAZA and related territories all belong to the Jews. Israel has every right to take back and take over Gaza and related territories. Palestinians must evacuate and relocate to Arab lands, make a living and establish its own Palestinian state without further delay.
French nincompoop Macron reognized Palestine as a state but failed to know that Palestine does not have territory and sovereignty. Leaders of UK, GERMANY, AUSTRLALIA would commit the same mistake by supporting terrorists. Hamas, Hezebolla, Houthis are wicked terrorists, they should be destroyed without mercy. Leaders of Palestinian Authority are guilty for the death and malnutrition of children because they lead Palestinians to the path of destruction. They could have led Palestinians to lands of Arabs to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Palestinians (young & old, man & woman) are most shameless beggars for food & water, they don’t want to go to an Arab land to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Africa amid famine has the most fat people in the world, they are also shameless beggars. Ukranians are shameless beggars for weapons, they do not have reason for existence. Harvard though the richest university in the world is a shameless beggar for US aid. Japan claims to practice democracy, its ruling party lost election miserably, yet its prime minister shamelessly wants to stay in power. The world must realize years of aid to Africa produced nothing, trillions of dollars went to black holes. Africa is corrupt, unmotivated and useless.Black leaders and politicians take advantage of it; dress well, eat well, and live a luxurious life style. Black problems can be solved only by Blacks. Let Africa alone to survive on its own. Blacks create most of the problems in the world, given too much coverage and platform in world media, overappointed and given too many spokespersons and positions in UN. Any nation who shares destiny with Africa will be doomed. Nothing good comes out of Africa: primitive religion, superstition, spiritism, orgies, black magic, tribalism, voordoism.
If the Texas flooding is an act of God; Ukraine conflict, and conflicts of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis must be acts of the devil.
India must coexist with China, at the same time India and South Africa must be expelled from BRICS besause they do not remain true to BRICS’ founding mission, they do not belong, must be replaced by Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. US and EU must not rearm Ukraine, let Russia destroy it, and never to be rebuilt. The leader of Ukraine must also be executed.
Palestinian Authorities are guilty for leading Palestinians to a path of death, children died and suffer malnutrition. Palestian Authorities do not lead Palestinians (who are Arabs) to a land of Arabs to work for a living and build the Palestinian state.
American forces have successfully wiped out three Iranian nuclear sites through B-2 bombers. The “everlasting consequence” is Iran cannot be a nuclear threat anymore. I stand with the overwhelming majority of Dutch people to demolish NATO — the war machine.
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*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
Some philosopher misconceived and misstated, “The greatest evil is physical pain.” The greatest evil is evil itself. Evil has many forms. You do not have to agree, but you need to be open-minded and seek the truth of God. The greatest evil on this Planet is not only ignorance, but deliberate distortion of the truth. Secondly, the greatest evil is travesty of justice.
Gen 6:5, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intentof the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.”
Mankind is often confused for not knowing the Word of God. The Ultimate of Righteousness, Holiness, Truth, Wisdom and Power is God, therefore it is proper that God decides and determines what is good or evil. Good and evil are determined by the sight of God. What God sees as good is good. What God sees as evil is evil. If you do not know this, you are in darkness. Wickedness in Hebrew israʿwhich means mischief; hurt; harm; badness; grievance; noise; sadness; trouble; adversity; sore; ill; pain; unpleasantness; pain; unhappiness; malignancy; viciousness; devilishness; distress; misery; injury; calamity; impishness; wrong; wretchedness; – which occurs 666 times in the Old Testament. Wickedness is synonymous with evil. Apparently, the evil intent of the thoughts resides in the human heart.
Jesus Christ says, Mat 15:19-20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements. These are
the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”
Gen 6:5 summarizes historically the condition of days of Noah that prompted God to wipe out mankind from the face of the earth.
Then naturally comes the question:
What is the origin of evil? Where did evil come from?
Speculations of philosophers on evil are so varied and voluminous that a lifetime of study cannot find the answer. Many still do not know that science and philosophy do not have the clue or right answers to the ultimate things, but the Word of God is sure and shining. In Genesis you cannot find the origin of the devil, for evil comes from the devil; and the devil exists before the creation of mankind. In the beginning was Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ was with God, for Jesus Christ was God. So Jesus Christ existed before everything, before the universe, and before the devil. Jesus Christ says, Luk 10:18, “And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven.” This is the historical event, witnessed by Jesus Christ, of the downfall of Satan like a flash of lightning from Heaven.
I. The Origin of Evil
The devil is the origin of evil. Evil comes from the devil.
The Fall of Lucifer as the origin of evil is provided in detail as follows:
Isa 14:12-21, “How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
“Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’
All the kings of the nations, All of them, sleep in glory, Everyone in his own house;
But you are cast out of your grave Like an abominable branch, Like the garment of those who are slain, Thrust through with a sword, Who go down to the stones of the Pit, Like a corpse trodden underfoot.
You will not be joined with them in burial, Because you have destroyed your land And slain your people. The brood of evildoers shall never be named.
Prepare slaughter for his children Because of the iniquity of their fathers, Lest they rise up and possess the land, And fill the face of the world with cities.”
The Word of God provides what a lesson for the children of mankind. There is nothing higher than Heaven, yet the devil who was called Lucifer before, fallen from Heaven like lightning and was cut down to the ground. In an analysis we discover the problem of Lucifer was his heart, worse than cardiac diseases like Angina, Myocardial infarction or Atherosclerosis; for the devil has the evil heart. Lucifer had five deadly desires in the expression:
‘I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
The sin of Lucifer was rebellion, more than insubordination. Satanic sin was related to lust for power, arrogance, and self-centeredness. Evil is a mystery, and the devil is also a mystery. In Genesis 3 is not the origin of evil; the origin of evil is in Isaiah 14. Lucifer wanted self-deification.
I object to preachers and theologians who hold the power of evil is greater than the power of good. The Word God says, Rev 20:1-3, “Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he took
hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
and he threw him into the Abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.”
Jesus Christ did not send a legion of angels to arrest the devil, Satan, the serpent of old, the dragon. A mighty angel alone is more than enough to take hold of the devil in a great chain and throws the devil into the Abyss and shuts it and seals it over him. The Lord will commence His millennium so He does not want the devil to upset the peace reign.
It is stupid to question whether the Scriptures cited above are literal or figurative. Can you fall from Heaven and the fall be figurative? There is a tendency and general practice of all unbelieving theologians who distort and dismiss the major doctrines of the Bible as figurative or symbolic representations. It becomes fashionable for them to call the Holy City, New Jerusalem, the square City of 1,400 miles wide, long, and high as figurative and state of imagination.
Rev 12:7– 13, “And there was war in Heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,
and they did not prevail, and there was no longer a place found for them in Heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard
a loud voice in Heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with with death. For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time. And
when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.”
It is important to know that the devil has many names, including the serpent of old, the dragon, Satan, the ruler of this world.
The greatest evil is to have a false opinion about truth; secondly is to have wrong opinion about justice.
Pro 6:18, “A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil.”
The wicked has a heart that devises wicked plans, and feet that run rapidly to evil.
You do not see the wicked slowly and gradually run to evil. And equally the wicked fall like a flash of lightening.
Not a few hold the greatest moral issue of all times is the nuclear war. I think the use of the word “issue” is unfortunate. The related matters can be sized up as dilemma, problem, predicament, perplexity, trouble, tragedy, double bind, quandary, etc.
We know evil is intrinsically bad. In this article we consider the greatest things which are intrinsically evil. The more I study the world, the longer I live the more I am convinced of the truth of Christ, Jhn 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because
because he is a liar and the father of lies.” The truth of Christ is the Word of God.Heb 4:12-13, “For the Word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.” The true source of all evil in this world is the devil and his children. Truth is true not only for you, and it is true for all. Liars are inevitably become murderers or killers. The US, Australia and Japan tell lies about China, China’s threat in order to justify their attacks, containment and interference in China’s internal affairs of Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. Only God keeps the records how many lies Western leaders and politicians and Japanese militarists have told.
Like father, like son. The children of the devil are like their father. Two sins characterized the devil from the beginning are murderer and liar and the father of lies. You see Western leaders and politicians commit the same sins as their father the devil. They want to do the desires of their father. The atrocities and brutalities and inhumanities of Western powers and Japan no longer confound or confuse believers.
Jhn 3:19-21, “And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”
The history of the West (including the United States) despite of Christian influence is nothing but like the child who only thinks about how he may dominate the world, and does right or wrong according as he finds advantage to himself.
Consequently, there are people in this world who try to avoid punishment when they do wrong. They never had the idea of doing good for the sake of goodness. People do not do right because it is right. People do not do good because it is good. German has a word called schadenfreude: enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others. Liars eventually and inevitably become killers and murderers.
The Western mainstream media bothers me with their shameless lies and falsehoods. Long ago Soren Kierkegaard said about them, “The daily press is the
Although the source and origin of evil is the devil, there are unbelievers and the wicked who like to blame God for anything. Many misunderstand God because they misunderstand the truth.
Mat 5:17, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”
To misunderstand is to hold the wrong opinion. Do not suppose that Jesus has come to abolish the law of Moses. No, Jesus came to accomplish their purpose. The law is good and holy, but mankind is sinful. No man can accomplish the law of Moses, Jesus Christ accomplished on behalf of sinners, the Righteous for the unrighteous. That is the meaning of redemption.
1Co 12:2, “You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols.”
Pagans are led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols by falsehoods, false beliefs, and false religions. Many misunderstand God led astray by wrong ideas and swept away by mistaken religion. For example, the Chinese has many false beliefs.
Mat 22:29-33, “But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in Heaven. But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God:
‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.”
Peoples, including philosophers and scientists, are mistaken because they do not understand the Scripture nor the power of God. You should use the Word of God to test all doctrines and teachings of men. Lack of understanding of the Scriptures and the power of God often lead people to errors and misunderstanding. The more knowledge you have of the Holy Bible and the power of God, the less confusion you have in this world.
Job 34:10, “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, And from the Almighty to do wrong.”
This is the truth of God: Far be it from God to do evil, and from the Almighty to do wrong. God does not do evil and God does not do wrong.
There was an evil philosopher who posed a challenge to God as follows:
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
The he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then where cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”
With one track mind, the evil philosopher did not know God. The evil philosopher thought he was wiser and more able than God. God is able to prevent evil, there is nothing impossible with God. There is no doubt that God is almighty and omnipotent. But God in His wisdom does not prevent evil now. Why? Evil comes from the devil. The devil is the ruler of demons and the present ruler of the world.
Jhn 16:11, “and regarding judgment, because the because the ruler of this world has been judged.”
The devil has been judged and condemned, but his execution day is when Jesus Christ returns to the earth.
Eph 2:2-3, “in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among
them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest.”
The evil philosopher did not know that there are two opposite groups in this world: the children of God and the children of the devil, also called the children of wrath and sons of disobedience. God is His mercy saved some people in the world who previously walked according the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the evil spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. The sons of disobedience are agents of the devil, they walk according to the course of this world, live in the lusts of their flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and they are by nature children of wrath. This explains why the world is in such a sorry sinful state. The sons of disobedience are among world leaders and politicians, they will judge after death. When Even disobeyed God by reaching for the forbidden fruit, God did not prevent her by chopping her hand. God created mankind with free will.
God is never malevolent. 2Pe 3:7-9, “But by His Word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”
The ungodly people who do all evil deeds in this world are going to be destroyed on the day of judgment. Even so God is patient toward them, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. The evil philosopher simply did not have the knowledge of the plan and work of God.
God is beyond the mind of the evil philosopher.
Amo 3:7, “Certainly the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret plan to His servants the prophets.”
The evil philosopher did not know God’s secret plan because he was not a servant or prophet of God.
Psa 115:3, “But our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases.”
The Scriptures cited above should put to the rest the argument that God was not able or not willing.
Mic 6:8, “He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”
Do you know any evil philosopher who walks humbly with God?
1Co 2:14, “But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
The evil philosopher was a natural person who did not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. All natural persons, including philosophers and scientists, are devoid of the Holy Spirit, and they cannot understand spiritual things.
1Jo 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him.”
1Jo 3:10, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.”
3Jo 1:11, “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does what is good is of God; the one who does what is evil has not seen God.”
Children of God do what is good; children of the devil do what is evil.
If you fail to understand this dichotomy existing in this world, then you fail to understand many things.
III. EVIL THINGS
Evil is construed the equivalent of wickedness. The following seven evil things are the source of evil.
I agree with Blaise Pascal who said, “Evil is easy, and has infinite forms.”
Here I only identified 7 forms of evil which we will analyze and discuss one by one.
Good and evil are not appetites. They are abstract concept of real things.
I do not agree with the philosopher who said, “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
Those executives in Wall Street who created the economic crisis in 2008 that robbed the world more than $50 trillion dollars were knowledgeable but not good. The Japanese militarists had knowledge of the weakness of China and thus in 14 years of war of aggression they killed 35 million Chinese. The Eight Power Allied Forces (Britain, US, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Austria and Italy) attacked the weak Qing Government and forced China to sign the most insolvent and unequal Protocol in human civilization, burned down Yuan Ming Garden, robbed and looted China’s national treasures worth at market value of more than US$100,000 trillion, not counting the interest. Those leaders of 8 nations had knowledge of China’s weakness and they were most evil aggressors and oppressors. The days are coming that they will have to return all China’s national treasures. History upon history rejects the philosophy of knowledge good, ignorance evil.
Among the evils presented in this world today, they include:
1. War of aggression (including possibly nuclear war)
Gen 43:9, “I myself will take responsibility for him! You may demand him back from me. If I do not bring him back to you and present him to you, then you can let me take the blame forever.”
Judah was great and grand to take responsibility. Judah did not give just empty words, he backed up his words with deed. He was willing to be a slave so that to let the boy go back to his father.
I do not know Steven Magee who said, “The terrorist in my life is the corrupt government.”
I do agree, a corrupt government is the greatest terrorist because it has the greatest power and wealth.
When leaders and politicians are caught committing crimes, they say they take responsibility means nothing because they are not prosecuted and do not pay for their crimes.
1. War (or possibly nuclear war)
The first conflict on earth was Cain killed his brother Abel. The history of mankind is the history of war.
The first war in the Bible were called the War of the Kings as follows:
Gen 14:1-2, “And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,
that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).”
The victor was the unpredicted but magnificent Abram, the Hebrew, who led out his trained men, born in house, number 318 and went in pursuit of the enemies.
Gen 14:16, “He brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the other people.”
To make a long story short, after Abram’s return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
Gen 14:21-24, “Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the possessions for yourself.”
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, Possessor of Heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you do not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”
Abram or later Abraham fought a just war and won.
Who takes responsibility for killing the natives of America and robbing their lands? Germany killed 6 million Jews and took responsibility to confess their crimes and paid compensations. Japan killed 35 million Chinese in 14-year war of aggression and denied them and never paid war reparations or compensations. Japanese leaders and people even worship their executed war criminals as national heroes and living gods. Who takes responsibility for creating the largest national debt in history? Who takes responsibility for the big lie about Iraq for having the weapons of mass destruction? Who takes responsibility for spreading lies about the last election? Who takes responsibility for European imperialism and colonialism and capitalism in the last 500 years or more? Who takes responsibility for all the war crimes and genocide committed by America since the end of World War II?
The allied forces of 8 nations (Britain, US, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Austria, Italy) were responsible for the infamous Opium Wars and burning and killing of Chinese, robbing and looting China’s national treasures at the market value of US$100,000 trillion dollars not counting years of interest. The days of accounting are coming, the 8 nations must return China’s national treasures without further delay.
It was Ernest Hemingway who said, “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. ”
Historically, all the wars since the end of Word War II were waged by America and its allies. America is responsible for killing millions of innocent peoples around the world and making millions more of war refugees who live in abject poverty. If American leaders and politicians do not change, there will be more atrocities and war deaths to come.
Please read my article, WHY THE UNITED STATES MUST NOT HAVE WAR WITH CHINA.
It has been a long time, now something good has happened. According to Hong Kong (CNN)Five of the world’s largest nuclear powers pledged on Monday to work together toward “a world without nuclear weapons” in a rare statement of unity amid rising East-West tensions.
“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,” said the joint statement, which was issued simultaneously by the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France. “As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons — for as long as they continue to exist — should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war.” The US and its allies must keep their word. The West has proven to say one thing and does another thing. Words need to be backed up by deeds. If America is serious, now disband NATO, close all overseas military bases, annul all military alliances, withdraw all troops and military apparatus, condemn Australia-Japan war pact, and cease interference and sanction of any nation. It is not wise for U.S. to arm Ukraine and threaten the security of Russia. History will prove who is sincere and true, but history is always after the fact.
I supported President Richard Nixon who sought a just and lasting peace for the world and I agree with what he said, “Short of changing human nature … the only way to achieve a practical, livable peace in a world of competing nations is to take the profit out of war. ”
Many Americans do not know that American wars since the end of World War II have enriched the military-industrial-security complex very much and increase the national debt exceeding $37 trillion dollars.
2. Terrorism
The nation that produces and supports terrorism is evil. The religion that produces and supports terrorism must also be evil. Islamic terrorists are the only viable groups that have caused world-wide problems today.
· On average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.1
Younger People Are at the Highest Risk of Sexual Violence
· Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years for rape and sexual assault.3
· Those age 65 and older are 92% less likely than 12-24 year olds to be a victim of rape or sexual assault, and 83% less likely than 25-49 year olds.4”
If what is reported above is true, then there is something obviously and outrageously wrong with American criminal justice system. The first time rape the man should suffer 20 years of hard labor without parole. The second rape the man should be castrated. The third rape the man should be executed.
For 14 years Japanese militarists committed innumerable terrorist acts in China. The allied
troops of 8 nations (namely Britain, US, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Austria, Italy) committed terrorist acts in China.
The Opium Wars were terrorist acts.
Europeans committed terrorist acts under imperialism, colonialism and capitalism for the last 500 years or more.
The 9-11 incident was a terrorist act.
Hamas and Hezbollah have committed terrorist acts.
Although America is the sole super power, it is not effective in fighting terrorists because it has fought the terrorists the wrong way.
The greatest terrorist acts committed since the end of World War II have been done by America.
American hegemony and imperialism have committed terrorist acts to this day.
“Also, what are the 6 types of terrorism? There are six basic types of tactics that terrorist groups have used: hijackings, kidnappings, bombings, assassinations, armed assaults, and barricade-hostage incidents.”
Sociologists have raised the question, why the black population in America only comprises 14.2% of population and yet blacks commit most of the crimes in America and commit especially most of the violent crimes? Since Johnson’s Great Society the federal government, state and local governments have spent more than US$6 trillion dollars to aid the black peoples, and yet the blacks do not improve but get worse in all indicators. I never forget what I saw live on TV, a black youth covered up his whole body forcefully pushed an Asian elderly man from behind that he fell on his face to the ground and died later. A big black man for no reason repeatedly and forcefully trampled on a small Asian woman on her head and body while another big black man watching from the glass door at a store and closing the door. I also watched on TV some blacks looted the stores of Asians and beat up the owners.
Violence is a great evil. There is no question about the barbaric nature of these violent people. Historically, the first violence was committed by Cain against his brother Abel. In addition to physical violence, there are also psychological violence and verbal violence.
3. Corruption
Corruption must have evidence. Man like Daniel who was trustworthy and never had negligence could not be charged of corruption. Sin is slavery and creates corruption.
Corruption is an abuse of power. ONLY those who are in power and those who have power can be corrupted. The best deterrence to corruption is to vest and invest sovereignty in the Constitution. The Constitution must stipulate that the national sovereignty lies in the power of its citizens. Citizens are vested with the national sovereignty powers and rights. Under national referendum, the citizens have the authority, power and right to remove anyone from office, including the president, simply by a majority vote of no confidence. It does not require the ineffective and useless process of impeachment. Citizens exercise power in every dominant issue and direction of the country.
“Despite increased international attention and resources from states and other non-governmental institutions, the number of people falling victim to human trafficking around the world continues to grow. Between 2008 and 2019 the number of human trafficking victims identified worldwide more than tripled from 30,961 to 105,787.”
Sociologists wonder at the chops and skills of black pimps who successfully seduce a group of pretty young white women willing to sell their bodies to support black pimps and their life styles. There are all kinds of prostitutes which are hard to eliminate. The law should execute all pimps and those selling children and young women for sex. Religion that practices sexual abuses of women and girls should be outlawed in the world. The law should also execute drug traffickers without mercy.
2Pe 1:4, “Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.”
Born again Christians are partakers of the divines nature and they have escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust. You must wake up if you do not know the world is corrupt. The world is corrupted by lust.
I do not know who Ken Poirot was, but I agree with what he said, “Wherever there is power, greed, and money, there is corruption.”
Government has the greatest power and money, therefore greed and corruption. I think many backward, poor, unproductive countries have corrupt leaders who swindle and squander their national resources, the people should rise up to execute them. Corruption is like cancer that no nation can tolerate.
I always respect Edmund Burke who said, “Among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.” If the leaders and politicians of a nation are generally corrupt, where is democracy, freedom, human rights, equality, and justice?
According to
https://ourworldindata.org/corruption
“Corruption is a phenomenon involving many different aspects, and it is therefore hard to give a precise and comprehensive definition. However, at the core of most definitions of corruption is the idea that a corrupt act implies the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Classic examples include bribery, clientelism, and embezzlement. Other, often more subtle and sometimes even legal examples of corruption include lobbying and patronage.”
Perception of Corruption by Institution, World, 2017
Percentage of survey respondents who answered that either “Most” or “All” are corrupt.
· Change country
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%
Legislature38%
Police38%
Government officials37%
Local government councillors36%
Business executives35%
Tax officials34%
Prime Minister / President33%
Judges and magistrates31%
Traditional leaders25%
Religious leaders19%”
It was John Dewey who said, “As long as politics is the shadow of big business, the attenuation of the shadow will not change the substance.”
The problems of Western nations, big business runs the countries and monopolizes power and wealth. That is why imperialism and capitalism flourish.
I do not know Edward Abbey, but what he said keeps me thinking, “And the so-called ‘political process’ is a fraud: Our elected officials, like our bureaucratic functionaries, like even our judges, are largely the indentured servants of the commercial interests.”
Isn’t that what is happening in America? Big business and big money rule America.
Do you know the leaders and politicians are the ones who can commit treason from within? The mess and misery of America are caused by treason from within. They will seal the doom and destruction of America, if American citizens do not wake up and do something.
4. Injustice
The world is full of injustice. Probably you cannot find a 100% just country in the world.
Deu 32:4, “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and just is He.”
In the sight of God, injustice is a great evil.
Aristotle was right when he said, “Yes the truth is that men’s ambition and their desire to make money are among the most frequent causes of deliberate acts of injustice.”
Watch out corrupt doctors, dentists, hospital owners, drug and insurance companies, labs and medical supplies, etc., create the most costly healthcare in the world, run as organized crime, defraud and fleece patients with immunity and impunity, and bankrupt millions of American families. Banks and insurance companies also defraud customers and do not follow the federal records keeping laws. Industries produce fake products and unreliable services.
I also agree withDesmond Tutu who said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” Billions of peoples in the world are oppressed by injustice one way or another.
Plato had better understanding than most people when he said, “The tyranny imposed on the soul by anger, or fear, or lust, or pain, or envy, or desire, I generally call ‘injustice’.”
Millions of American employees suffer injustice under the hands of white and black abusive supervisors.
America needs the spirit of Thomas Jefferson who said, “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.” Most peoples in the world are not even aware of the unjust laws exist in their countries. Lawyers and lawmakers often are the worse abusers of injustice.
The noble Plato said, “To do injustice is more disgraceful than to suffer it.” But the wicked who inflict injustice on the victims think they are superior.
I agree with Theodore Roosevelt who said, “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.” The evil of the wicked is that they know what is wrong and they still choose to do what is wrong.
Marcus Aurelius was morally brilliant when he said, “Whosoever does wrong, wrongs himself; whosoever does injustice, does it to himself, making himself evil.” There are people who do not know, that doing injustice makes oneself evil.
2Ch 19:7, ““Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be careful about what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in injustice or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe.”
Christians fear the Lord, and they are careful about what they do. Christians have no part in injustice or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe.
Years ago a black man who killed his white wife and another white man, because he had a dream team of lawyers and black jury, the black man was acquitted. Injustice is to acquit the guilty, injustice is a great evil.
By Barbara McQuade, Chuck Rosenberg and Joyce VanceIs a glaring example of injustice.
“There are many appalling facts in the August New York attorney general’s report regarding Cuomo’s behavior toward numerous women, which preceded his resignation from office. Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah’s findings – that there was credible evidence to conclude the alleged conduct did occur – are consistent with those in the report. But a DA’s authority is limited to prosecuting crimes that were committed in their county. Cuomo might have done reprehensible things to women in other places, such as Manhattan, but these prosecutors have no authority to prosecute him for conduct occurring outside of their jurisdictions. This is the law.
New York state has three criminal statutes that could apply here. The first makes “forcible touching” a crime. To convict someone of that crime, a prosecutor must prove that Cuomo “forcibly touche(d) the sexual or other intimate parts of another person for the purpose of degrading or abusing (them,) or for the purpose of gratifying (his own) sexual desire.” State law also makes third-degree “sexual abuse” a crime; here, a prosecutor must prove that Cuomo “subject(ed) another person to sexual contact without (their) consent.” The final statute, general assault, requires a physical injury. This is also the law.
An unjust legal system cannot produce justice. Unjust leaders and politicians work to create injustice. The government that knowing what is right and still does what is wrong is causing injustice. Injustice is to indict the innocent and acquit the guilty. Injustice is a great evil.
Psa 7:14, “Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice, and he conceives harm and gives birth to lies.”
Western leaders and politicians are pregnant with injustice because they want to dominate and dictate the world, so they conceive harm and give birth to lies. This Scripture gives reason why people lies.
5. FRAUDS, FALSE WORDS
I agree with Plato who said, “False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.”
Preachers who do not have the power of the Holy Spirit use flowery words or false words to exploit and fool the congregation by saying, “Something good is going to happen to you!”
The West operatives proclaim, Russia isn’t under any threat from NATO. This is a classic example of false words or a black lie. Another Western propaganda, “Kazakhstan’s current unrest was sparked by the government’s decision to lift caps on the price of fuel.” Western powers execute a strategy of creating unrest and instability so that they can overthrow a government from within that they don’t like. They tried the same strategy for many years on China’s Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, but they failed and China was strengthened by smart policy and wise actions. Taiwan is different. Since 1949 the U.S. by military forces has taken Taiwan as a de facto colony. The current Taiwanese regime is made of anti-China and traitorous members who committed treason against China, they are willing running dogs of America and they deserve to be executed when Taiwan is liberated.
Financial frauds appear in many forms including investment fraud, Ponzi scheme, bank fraud, stock fraud, pension fraud, pyramid scheme, bankruptcy scandal, mail fraud, skimming, phone bank fraud, invoice fraud, online banking fraud, loan fraud, check fraud, insurance fraud, electronic fraud, etc.
2Pe 2:3, “and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
You see so many drug and medicine advertisements that exploit you with false words. False words lead you to be a hypochondriac that you need to see doctors for all sorts of unnecessary tests and take all sorts of unnecessary drugs. Greedy people are always exploiters. They exploit you with words because they intend to exploit you in deeds. Western powers exploit the world with the propaganda of democracy, freedom, equality, and human rights. The truth is none of Western powers practice real democracy. How can anyone claim democracy when 1 percent of population rules over the 99 percent and owns most of the power and wealth?
Some years ago I had my cataract surgery done in Shanghai which was expensive. The surgeon gave me the false words that there would be no more problem. I was ignorant of what was called post cataract. Some doctors gave the wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment that I almost lost the sight of my left eye until I went through the second eye surgery. False words produce false assurance.
Exo 5:9,“Let the labor be heavier on the men, and have them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”
Generally speaking, it is right to pay no attention to false words.
Beware, there are many false things in this world, including:
I think one of the most shocking things I encounter in my humble life is the present day lack of integrity. People are no longer honest. People are no longer moral. I agree with Marcus Tullius Cicero who said, “Where is there dignity unless there is honesty?” People would deliberately lie without shame.
2Th 2:11, “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.”
To believe what is false is a great evil.
Countless frauds and scams are committed daily through phone, Internet, email, and mass media and across nations. Which governments are truly prosecuting them? Just the emails alone, you receive frauds and scams every day and some in the names of famous persons.
6. Greed
Jesus says, Luk 12:15, “But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.”
Jesus knows there are many forms of greed that mankind must be on his guard against. Even when one is affluent his life does not consist of his possessions.
I agree with Democritus who said, “Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul. “
Epictetus had well said, “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. “
I also agree with Marcus Tullius Cicero who said, “Morals today are corrupted by our worship of riches.” The greatest danger America faces is not from outside, it is from within. American people worship riches, not righteousness. America is corrupted by lust for power and riches. The bad thing is if you are rich, living in a mansion, driving a Mercedes, wearing expensive clothes and costly jewelry, even you are a crook – American public will kowtow to you. In American society, a person is valued by his possessions. People do not mind how you get rich so long you are rich. Money matters to most people.
Avarice is also called greed in the Bible. This is the truth of God which will not pass away:
1Ti 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
Yeas ago at work I met a white woman who was so much possessed by the love of money that she irrationally believed in Chinese Fengshui to make her rich.
I do not know Erich Fromm, but I agree with what he said, “Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.”
Seneca was right, “For greed all nature is too little.”
I think B. C. Forbes was right when he said, “The man who has won millions at the cost of his conscience is a failure.”
In my opinion, all those billionaires and the richest people in the world are out-and-out failures. They know it that is why they use philanthropy to compensate their guilt and failure.
I agree with Mahatma Gandhi who said, ““Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” Capitalists and imperialists have destroyed the world to satisfy their greed. Climate warming is only but one dangerous consequence.
I think this is the confession of Warren Buffet, “I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy.”
Rich people are greedy and fearful, fearful and greedy.
7. Lust
Mat 5:28, “but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus Christ has the highest moral standard. A man not only can commit adultery by his deed, he can also commit adultery in his heart.
Jas 1:14, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”
Lust is so strong like a flood that can sweep away a person, a people, and a nation.
Jas 1:15, “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.”
The Scriptures cited above give etiology of lust: when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.
Jas 4:2, “You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel…”
When people lust and do not have, they will resort to murder. When people are envious and cannot obtain, so they will fight and quarrel.”
Western leaders and politicians are envious of Hong Kong and Xinjiang. They cannot obtain, so they fight and quarrel with China by false accusations.
2Pe 1:4, “Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.”
Corruption that is in the world is great on account of lust.
1Jo 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
In the world and from the world are the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh is sex, the lust of the eyes is money, and the pride of life is power. The lust of the flesh includes sexual immorality, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, etc.
I wonder why you often hear male leaders and politicians involve in sexual immorality, whether sexual abuse or forced sexual intercourse with other women. Does it means male by nature has stronger sexual desire than female? Or such lust of the flesh is culturally and socially determined. We do not intend to answer those questions. We just call to the fact of the lust of the flesh is strong evil desire whether male or female. Lust denotes strong evil desire.
Col 3:5, “Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
Lust is related to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. KJV uses a big word called concupiscence.
1Th 4:5, “Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:” Lust is used only negatively. It is not proper to say one lusts for virtue.
Lust is a strong craving or desire, often of a sexual nature. The word is never used in a positive context; rather, it is always seen in a negative light, relating primarily either to a strong desire for sexual immorality or idolatrous worship.
Jas 4:2, “You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.”
To lust in Greek is epithymeōwhich means to covet; strongly desire; lust after; long for; seek things forbidden; set the heart upon; – which occurs 16 times in the New Testament.
The truth of Christ is most instructive: lust leads to murder. The wicked lust and do not have, so they will resort to murder. Western powers lust after Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang. They did not get what they lust so they hired Chinese traitors to commit terrorist acts in Hong Kong, and followers of Dalai Lama to commit riots in Tibet, and Islamic terrorists in Xinjiang. Western leaders and politicians fight and quarrel with China because they have intention to destroy China from within. They failed and made false accusations against China, such as genocide, forced labor, abuses of human rights, etc.
Indeed, the unregenerate are governed and controlled by deceitful lusts or dark desires of the flesh.
Eph 2:3, “Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest.”
Eph 4:22, “that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.”
All unbelievers and the wicked have “old self”, their way of life is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit.
Col 3:5, “Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.”
The earthly body of unbelievers and the wicked is much alive to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.
Tit 2:12, “instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age.”
On the contrary, Christians are instructed to deny ungodliness and worldly desires; and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age. How do Christians live? Live sensibly, righteously, and godly. To know this is better reading many books on Christian life.
1Th 4:3-6, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess
his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in
lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no one violate the rights and take advantage of his brother or sister in the matter, because the Lord is the Avenger in all these things, just as we also told you previously and solemnly warned you.”
Paul warns Christians solemnly that it is the will of God to have sanctification, abstain from sexual immorality and lustful passion, which is characteristic of those who do not know God.
Peter also admonishes Christians to live for the will of God.
1Pe 4:2-5, “so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human lusts, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them in the same excesses of of debauchery, and they slander you; but they will
give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”
Christians will give an account to God and not to pursue a course of indecent behavior, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, wanton idolatries and debauchery. Beware carousing and drinking fit the description of American parties.
Apostle John also stresses Christians to do the will of God:
1Jo 2:15-17, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.”
The lust of the flesh is sex. The lust of the eyes is money. The boastful pride of life is power. The values of sex, money, and power are prevailing American values. They are passing away; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
Interestingly, the three Apostles cited above concur by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to do the will of God is to deny the lusts.
Do animals know sin? I don’t know because I am not an animal. But mankind who lusts for power, lusts for sex, lusts for fame, and lusts for fortune do know sin.
Lust is overwhelmed and driven by feeling. Feeling overpowers flesh. Whether it is a strong desire, passion, or lust it is rooted in feeling. So a life base on feeling can never be spiritual. A spiritual life is based on faith.
American leaders and politicians live as if they were unaware of the impending disaster and destruction of America, and the impending disaster and destruction of the world.
War, terrorism, corruption, oppression, fraud, greed, lust, etc. are what the Bible calls sins. They are evil deeds.
IV. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
Psa 103:19, “The LORD has established His throne in the Heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”
This is the truth of God. The sovereignty of God rules over all. The sovereignty of God means God rules over all. The truth of God is supreme. The knowledge of God is the greatest knowledge. The sovereignty of God is supreme because it rules the universe. It is a mistaken idea that evil escapes the sovereignty of God.
Note: Sovereignty in Hebrew is malkuwthwhich means reign; empire; realm; royalty; royal power; supreme power; sovereign power over a country; royal dominion; kingdom; the power of authority to rule; – which occurs 92 times in the Old Testament. Rule in Hebrew is mashalwhich means to reign; to govern; to have dominion; to exercise authority or power; – which occurs 84 times in the Old Testament. God’s sovereign power is not over a country, over a sphere, or over a people. The sovereignty of God rules over all, the whole universe.
The sovereignty of God manifests especially the POWER and Wisdom of God. The sovereign power of God historically is used to protect His children from calamity, to provide means to meet the needs of God’s people, to prevent bad things from happening or to punish the wicked or evildoers.
The concept of the sovereignty of God must be viewed in terms of the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of God coupled in the framework of His will and the providence of God.
Exo 15:18, “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”
Note: Reign in Hebrew is malakwhich means to rule; to induct into royalty; to be king; to govern; to exercise sovereign power; to exercise authority as a monarch; to rule a country; – which occurs 520 times in the Old Testament. The Lord shall reign forever and ever.
Psa 77:14 , “You are theGod who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples. ”
Note: Wonder in Hebrew ispele’ which means marvel; extraordinary and hard to understand thing; miracle; something wonderful and admirable; something awesome and mysterious; – which occurs 12 times in the Old Testament. Scientists do not even know how many wonders God works in nature, not to say the supernatural. Strength in Hebrew is `ozwhich means power; might; security; majesty; praise; splendor; glory; – which occurs 93 times in the Old Testament. Christian peoples know something about the power and strength of God. Unbelievers do not know God or His power and glory.
As a comparison in the much lower level, American leaders and politicians proudly promulgate so-called democracy, but they do not believe or practice the sovereignty of American citizens. So the US CONSTITUTION does not vest the national sovereignty with the American people. There is no practice of national referendum to determine and decide the most important issues and matters of the country. For that reason American leaders and politicians execute America as an empire even though the vast majority of American citizens do not want wars of aggression or interference in the affairs of other nations. They do not respect the will and wishes of American citizens. For this reason, American democracy is not true democracy.
Dan 4:35 , “All the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of Heaven and among the inhabitants of Earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ”
Note: Nothing is la’ (Aramaic) which means no; none; without; not anything; no thing; – which occurs 24 times in the Old Testament. In comparison to the Almighty God, the inhabitants of the earth (including secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers) are accounted as nothing. This kills the ego of atheists to count them as nothing.
Deu 4:39 , “Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in Heaven above and on the Earth below; there is no other. ”
Note: Unbelievers and atheists, know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in Heaven above and on the Earth below, there is no other. In time of death, you will know too late.
1Ch 29:11-12, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the Heavens and the Earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. ”
Job 9:10 , “Who does great things, unfathomable, And wondrous works without number. ”
Note: The great things God does are unfathomable, and the wondrous works are without number.
Job 9:12, “Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’
Psa 29:10 , “The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. ”
Note: The Lord sat as King at the flood means nothing disturbs God. The Lord sits as King forever means the Lord reigns and rules forever. Can any white supremacist dictator sit at flood or snow storm?
Psa 83:18 , “That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth. ”
Psa 93:1, “The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. ” The Lord reigns, nothing can be moved.
Psa 135:5-6, “For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in Heaven and in Earth, in the seas and in all deeps. ”
Note: Let all the peoples in the world know this, especially the atheists and unbelievers: Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in Heaven and in Earth.
Dan 2:47 , “The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.”
Mat 6:13, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Note: The Kingdom, and the power, and the glory belong to the Lord Almighty forever. God is able to deliver His children from evil.
Act 17:24-25, “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and Earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to allpeoplelife and breath and all things .”
Note: God is the Lord of Heaven and Earth. God does not need anything or anyone. God is eternally Self-Sufficient. He gives to all people life and breath and all things.
Rom 9:19, “You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? Forwho resists His will?”
Note: Because GOD IS WHO GOD IS, His sovereignty is absolute and ultimate and eternal. No one and nothing can resist or thwart the will of God. It is meaningless to say God has the right to rule the universe. That is neither an issue nor a question. Who is to challenge the right of God? Supreme power belongs to God. Some notion that God has to pledge allegiance to someone or something is absolutely stupid, even if it is not blasphemous. Therefore, to understand the concept of the Sovereignty of God, it must be viewed in the overall framework of God’s omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence, coupled with the Will of God and Divine Providence that God does whatever He pleases. God does not please anyone or anything. God does as He pleases.
The sovereignty of God can be defined as the Lord God rules over all, over all mankind, nature, kingdoms, all things in Heavens or on Earth, visible and invisible, forever. God’s sovereignty manifests in the control of men or mankind, control of events, control of kingdoms, control of nature, control of events or whatever comes to pass, and control of the whole universe (Heavens and Earth). All things and everything are in the hands of God.
Psa 45:6 , “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. ”
Note: God’s throne is forever and ever. God’s sovereignty is forever and ever. A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of God’s Kingdom.
(A.) God rules over the Universe
Psa 59:13 , “Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more; that men may know thatGod rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. Selah. ”
Ecc 11:5 , “Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. ”
Note: Man includes secular academics, unbelieving theologians, scientists and philosophers do not know many things. For whatever they claim to know, they do not even know a little thing such as when they are going to die. Much less they do not know the activity of God who makes all things.
Amo 4:13 , “For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name. ”
2Ki 19:15, “Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthronedabove the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made Heaven and Earth. ”
(B.) God rules over the nations.
Psa 47:8 , “God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. ”
Not even the sole superpower can escape the rule and control of God. ASK American leaders and politicians, why after spending trillions of dollars and over 20 years, they could not win the war in Afghanistan, and run away in defeat and disgrace?
Note: Reign in Hebrew is malak which means to be king; to rule over; to ascend the throne; to induct into royalty; to exercise authority as monarch; – which occurs 520 times in the Old Testament. Nation in Hebrew is gowywhich means state; country; people; the nations besides Israel; – which occurs 561 times in the Old Testament. Throne in Hebrew is kicce’which means seat of honor; figuratively royal dignity, authority, power; sovereignty; – which occurs 136 times in the Old Testament. No throne is like God’s throne because it is holy. Holy in Hebrew is qodeshwhich means hallowed; consecrated; sacred; divine; perfect in goodness and righteousness; – which occurs 519 times in the Old Testament. God rules over the nations, let all world leaders beware. Western and American powers have dictated and dominated the world for the last 500 years, God can destroy super powers in a moment!
Deu 11:12 , “a land that the LORD your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year! ”
Note: The State of Israel was originally given by God to Abraham and his descendants. Care for in Hebrew is darash which means to inquire; to resort to; to seek with care; to frequent it; to ask for; to take the care of; to feel interest or concern; – which occurs 167 times in the Old Testament. Watch over means the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it. It is called the Promised Land, a land that the Lord cares for. The State of Israel is surrounded by enemies, but God watches over it through each season of the year. Palestine and Palestinians are the evil legacy of British empire. When God gave the Promised Land to Abraham and his descendants, there were no Palestine and Palestinians. There will be no Palestine or Palestinians in the Promised Land. So it is right and wise for Palestinians to seek their statehood in the neighboring Arab states. I wish them well.
The British empire historically had done many evil deeds. There are two things that the leaders of United Kingdom if they have moral character and courage to do right. (1.) When the British empire colonized Israel it turned to be Palestine where illegal Arabs moved in and occupied the Holy Land without payment. In the beginning was Israel and Jewish people when God gave the land to Abraham and his descendants. It is right for leaders of UK to inform the Palestinians and Hamas and all Arabs that they have no part or portion in the Promised Land. They cannot build a state in the land of the Jews. No authority under Heaven can give the Promised Land to Palestinians who are actually Arabs. The United Nations has no authority to give the land that God gave to Abraham and his descendants for over 4,000 years to so-called Palestinians. Therefore the so-called Palestinian authority can find Arab land to build its state or for Palestinians to join other Arab states. (2). When the British empire colonized India, to make its colony look bigger, the British government illegally and unilaterally incorporated large territories of China into the Indian Map. Thus it created today the border conflict between India and China. It is up to the leaders of United Kingdom to inform its former colony India that the British government was wrong in robbing the land of China, and so solve the conflict once and for all. The world is witnessing and watching whether the government of UK will do right or not.
Deu 8:20, “Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God. ”
Note: Study history to find so many nations the Lord makes to perish. The sole Superpower is so arrogant, being a liar, aggressor, murderer and robber — threatening and oppressing, sanctioning and attacking many nations. Beware, God is able to make the sole Superpower to perish and vanish from the world because its leaders would not listen to the voice of God.
Psa 82:1, “A Psalm of Asaph. God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. ”
Note: God judges in the midst of the rulers, He will punish the wicked rulers and their nations.
Rev 18:8, “For this reason in one day her plagueswill come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. ” Apparently the whole world is plagued by COVID-19 and OMICRON helplessly.
Job 34:29, “But when God is silent, who can declare Him guilty? When Hehides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both individuals and nations .”
Note: Some world leaders and nations are doing evil for hundreds of years, for example Western imperialist and colonialist nations have done in the last 500 years or more. God watches over both individuals and nations for their words and deeds.
2Ch 20:6, “and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the Heavens? And are You not Ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. ” Note: No one can stand against God. For God are the Ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations, including the sole superpower and evil empires.
Psa 22:28 , “For the kingdom is the LORD’S. And He rules over the nations. ” Psa 66:7, “He rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. ”
Note: Kingdom in Hebrew is mĕluwkah which means kingship; royalty; a realm; dominion; a country ruled by a king or queen; – which occurs 24 times in the Old Testament. Rule over in Hebrew is mashal which means to reign; to govern; to have dominion; to exercise dominion; to have power; to exercise authority or power over; – which occurs 84 times in the Old Testament. The sovereignty of Godincludes ruling over the nations. The eyes of God keep watch on terrorist and warmongering nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Can the U.S. Space Force Troops attack or invade the throne of God? Of course not; like eggs cannot hit the Rock.
Dan 2:20-22, “Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. ”
Note: Wisdom and power belong to God. Some countries rely on their nuclear weapons and boast of their military power. God removes and establishes kings. God knows the secrets of nations.
Dan 5:21 , “He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of Heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and appoints over it whomever He chooses. ”
Note: The king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard lesson; he was made like a beast, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and appoints over it whoever He chooses.There are those who still do not realize that God can destroy great nations, even the sole superpower.
God is warning against arrogant and aggressive dictators and warmongers. Because their arrogance has come up to the ears of God, therefore God may put His hook in their noses and His bridle in their lips. They may turn back to folly, turn into dust, turn back and suddenly be ashamed, turn aside to their crooked ways; turn pale; turn to wailing, turn away from the truth.
Dan 5:17-30, “Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. Yet you, his son, Belshazzar , have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of Heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out. Now this is the inscription that was written out: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ “This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ‘TEKEL’— you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient .‘PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple andput a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom. That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. ”
Note: There are not a few world leaders today whose hearts are made like that of beasts. They have no truth and no integrity. Where is the Babylon empire now? Where is the Roman Empire now? Where is the British Empire now? Where is… The leaders of the super powers are so arrogant and wicked, lying, killing and robbing. Pretty soon they will see the handwriting on the wall, MENE, MENE… TEKEL, they have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
God can cause a superpower to be defeated, an example of terror to all the nation of the Earth.
Psa 22:28 , “For the kingdom is the LORD’S And He rules over the nations.”
Psa 132:17 , “There I will cause the horn of David to spring forth; I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed.”
Jer 33:15 , “ In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. ”
Note: There is a nation that declares to wipe out Israel from the face of the earth. I am not worried because the Lord will cause the horn of David to spring forth. God’s sovereignty includes controlling and ruling over the affairs of nations.
Neh 13:26, “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. ”
Note: Foreign women (women who are idolaters) are dangerous, they even cause Solomon to sin.
(C.) God controls men, events or things come to pass.
Job 34:21, “For God watches how people live; He sees everything they do. ”
Note: Do you see imperialist and capitalist nations live in pleasure and luxury from the wealth they robbed from their colonies and practices of monopoly, sanction and oppression, live in the flesh and injustice??? God sees everything the unrighteous nations do.
Deu 32:39 , “See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand. ”
Note: God is One, there is no other. God puts to death and gives life. God wounds and He heals. There is no one who can escape the hand of God. There is nothing or no event can withstand the sovereign power of God. No one and nothing can restrain God.
Job 38:33, “Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the Earth?”
Note: NO man knows the laws of the universe. No man can regulate the Earth.
Psa 14:2 , “The LORD looks down from Heaven upon the entire human race, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. ”
Psa 53:2 , “God looks down from Heaven on all humankind to see if anyone who is truly wise, if anyone seeks after God.”
Western leaders and supremacists are wise in their own estimate. Do you know who is truly wise?
Psa 147:17 , “He casts forth His ice as fragments; Who can stand before His cold? ”
Note: The ungodly do not realize that God looks down from Heaven upon the entire human race, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. Today all over the world peoples seek money, power and sex. Do you seek after God? Do you seek righteousness? Do you seek things above? Man is so feeble and weak, he cannot stand cold or heat.
Ecc 6:12 , “For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, duringthe few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?”
Note: Even secular academics and atheists do not know what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life. No one can tell a man what will be after him under the sun.
Ecc 8:7 , “If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?”
Note: Secular scientists claim to know a lot, things happening billions of years ago. Yet, really no one knows what will happen tomorrow. No one can tell when death will happen.
Isa 33:14, “Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning? ”
Note: Sinners should be terrified and the godless should be trembling. In the last days the wicked are arrogant and get worse and worse. God is the Consuming Fire. Hell fire is continual burning. Hell fire cannot be quenched.
Dan 5:23 , “For you have proudly defied the Lord of Heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! ”
Note: Destiny means fate, something to which a person or thing is destined. God controls what happens in the future. Many are not aware that controls the whole course of everybody’s life is God. God controls your destiny. God controls the destiny of any nation, including the sole superpower.
Psa 18:32 , “The God who girds me with strength And makes my way blameless? ”
Hab 3:19 , “The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments. ”
1Sa 16:7, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Note: God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Appearances are deceptive. No man can fool God.
1Th 2:4 , “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. ”
Note: Those who have been entrusted with the Gospel must not please men. God examines our hearts to see the motive.
Psa 55:19, “God will hear and answer them — Even the one who sits enthroned from of old— Selah. With whom there is no change, And who do not fear God. ”
Job 21:22 , “Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high? ”
Psa 58:11, “And men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely there is a God who judges on Earth! ”
Note: You may doubt or disbelieve. Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on Earth. As you see more and live longer you will know.
Psa 95:7 , “for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care. If only you would listen to His voice today! ”
Gen 9:6, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man. ”
Note: The Sovereign God decreed that whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed. God instituted death penalty for murderer. Whoever opposes death penalty (capital punishment) opposes the authority of God. If you oppose God, do not call yourself a Christian. Those who oppose God are enemies of God.
Gen 41:51 , “Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”
Note: Most wonderful is the fact God can make His children forget all their troubles. God not only made Joseph lord of all Egypt; God made him to forget all his trouble.
Psa 37:31 , “The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. ”
Psa 68:6 , “God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. ”
Lev 26:13, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. ”
Note: God brought the Jewish people out of the slavery of Egypt and broke the bars of their yoke and made them walk erect. A free man can walk erect.
1Ki 12:15 , “So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His Word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ”
Note: Turn of event in Hebrew is cibbahwhich means turn of affairs; a change of course; a cause to change; a change of what is happening; a sudden change in circumstance; – which occurs 1 time in the Old Testament. Mind you, the Supreme Lord can make a turn of events. No one controls events, events control men. Warmongers, imperialists, supremacists, monopolists, militarists, and terrorists may think they are strong and powerful, actually they do not control events, events control them. COVID-19 in 2020 proves how desperate and powerless are nations and peoples of the world.
1Ki 22:34 , “Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded.”
Note: God can use what seems to be at random or without definite aim or direction, rule or method to serve His purpose. There are myriads of events or happenings in the world and some may be thought of as accidents, incidents or chances. How can secular academics and atheists know which ones are not turns of events from the Lord? God had decided the wicked Saul must die. A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. It is awesome to know the Supreme God controls whatever comes to pass.
1Ch 12:23 , “Now these are the numbers of the divisions equipped for war, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to theWord of the LORD.”
Note: God turned the kingdom of Saul to David according to His Word. God can vanish the greatest evil empire any time.
2Ch 10:15 , “So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the LORD might establish His Word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. ”
Note: King Rehoboam did not listen to the people, it appeared he was willingly made his decision. But it was a turn of events from God that the Lord might establish His Word.
1Ki 14:1-20, “At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.” Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. Now the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that she will pretend to be another woman.” When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message. Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight; you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back—therefore behold, I am bringing calamityon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, andI will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the LORD has spoken it. Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die. All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on. For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.” Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. As she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died. All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the Word of the LORD which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place. ”
Note: Calamity in Hebrew is ra`which means evil; mischief; trouble; harm; affliction; adversity; unhappiness; misery; bad thing; painful thing; injury; sorrow; wretchedness; badness; disaster; lasting distress or suffering; major misfortune; – which occurs 690 times in the Old Testament. God is able to bring calamity on the house of any one, including the royalties. God is able to bring calamity on any evil nation.
Isa 44:25, “Causing the omens of boasters to fail, Making fools out of diviners, Causing wise men to draw back And turning their knowledge into foolishness. ”
Note: Cause to fail in Hebrew is parar which means to break; break in pieces; make void; defeat; disannul; frustrate; come to naught; break asunder; cause to cease; make ineffectual; shatter; make of none effect; crack through; annul; bring to nothing; – which occurs 51 times in the Old Testament. Just as Jesus Christ turned water into wine, so God can turn the knowledge of wise men into foolishness. God can make fools out of strategists, causing wise men to draw back.
2Ch 30:7, “Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them a horror, as you see. ”
Note: White supremacists, imperialists, militarists, monopolists, hegemonists, capitalists, and terrorists — don’t be so arrogant, God can make you a horror.
2Ch 18:33 , “A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight, for I am severely wounded.”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes controlling whatever comes to pass. The wonder is the fact that a certain man drew his bow at random, God made it to strike King Saul in a joint of the armor. When God wants to destroy a man, no weapons or military can protect him.
Isa 29:16 , “You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
Note: God turns things around means God reverses things. The clay is not equal with the potter. God is the potter, man is the clay. God’s sovereignty includes the power of God to turn things around. God controls events.
Eze 14:17, “Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it.”
Eze 14:19 , “Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it .”
Note: God can bring a sword on any country or send a plague (epidemics) against any nation. COVID-19 powerfully proves the case.
Eze 14:21 , “For thus says the Lord GOD, “How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts and plague to cut off man and beast from it! ”
Note: God can use sword, famine, wild beasts and plague as severe judgments against any country to cut off man and beast from it.
2Ki 19:28 , “Because of your raging against Me, And because your arrogance has come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose, And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back by the way which you came. ”
There is no doubt that the arrogance of American and European leaders and politicians has come up to the ears of God.
Job 12:17-21, “He makes counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges. He loosens the bond of kings And binds their loins with a girdle. He makes priests walk barefoot And overthrows the secure ones. He deprives the trusted ones of speech and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on nobles and loosens the belt of the strong. ”
Note: Counselors, judges, kings, priests, secure ones, trusted ones, elders, nobles, the strong cannot escape the sovereignty of God.
Pro 21:1 , “ The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes. ”
Note: Everyone and everything is in the hand of the Lord. God turns everyone and everything wherever He wishes.
1Co 1:19 , “For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE .”
Note: Destroy in Greek is apollymiwhich means to perish; to abolish; to put out of the way entirely; to put an end to ruin; to render useless; to kill; to put to death; to ruin; to annihilate; to vanish away; to blot out; to vanquish; to put out of existence; – which occurs 94 times in the New Testament. Set aside in Greek is atheteō which means to bring to nothing; to despise; to reject; to disannul; to cast off; to do away with; to disregard; to nullify; to make void; to slight; – which occurs 21 times in the New Testament. God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the cleverness of the clever. Study Biblical history you will find many interesting illustrations.
Psa 55:23 , “But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of Destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You. ”
Note: You can be sure God will bring down the wicked to the Pit of Destruction (Hell), and deal with men of bloodshed and deceit not to live out half their days. Yes, I trust in God.
Num 9:18 , “At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. ”
Note: God cares and controls the state and sons of Israel. God is known as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God brought the sons of Israel out of Egypt and led them through the great wilderness to the Promised Land.
Dan 4:37, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Note: Nebuchadnezzar spoke in experience about the sovereignty of God. God was able to humble the arrogant Nebuchadnezzar. God is able to humble American and European leaders and politicians who walk in pride and dictate the world.
Jas 4:4 , “ You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ”
Note: Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. The ways of the world are contrary to the way of God.
Mar 7:37 , “They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Note: It is wonderful to know ultimately all will acknowledge that God in His sovereignty does all things well. People were utterly astonished that Jesus Christ has done all things well.
(D.) God Rules Over Nature.
Exo 15:1-21, “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him. The LORD is a Warrior; the LORD is His name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; and the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deeps cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. And in the greatness of Your excellence You overthrow those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning anger, and it consumes them as chaff . At the blast of Your nostrils the waters were piled up, the flowing waters stood up like a heap; the deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them.’ You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders? You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them. In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation. The peoples have heard, they tremble; anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; the leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; by the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; until Your people pass over, O LORD, until the people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever. For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea. Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’ s sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. Miriam answered them,“ Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and his rider He has hurled into the sea.”
Note: Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song because God delivered them from the powerful Pharaoh in ruling over nature. By nature it means the natural, physical, or material world. Sea, winds, waters, earth, mountains, wilderness, birds, rock, weather, sun, moon, stars, storm, animals, fire, etc. are parts of nature. God controls over nature and the law of nature.
Deu 11:4 , “and what He did to Egypt’s army, to its horses and its chariots, when He made the water of the Red Sea to engulf them while they were pursuing you, and the LORD completely destroyed them.”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to protect His children and prevent them from disaster or destruction and at the same time God punished and destroyed the enemies of Israel the Egypt’s army.
Exo 15:22-26, “Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your Healer. ”
Note: Here is another historical example of how God used His sovereign power to change bitter waters into sweet for His children to drink in the wilderness.
Exo 16-7, “Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from Heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the sons of Israel, “At evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt; and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, for He hears your grumblings against the LORD; and what are we, that you grumble against us?”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to provide Manna (bread from Heaven) to eat in the wilderness of Sin. The Lord hates grumblings against Him. Therefore, Christians do not grumble against the Lord.
Exo 16:8-15, “Moses said, “This will happenwhen the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the LORD hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the LORD.” Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.’” It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ”So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. ”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to provide bread and meat for the children of Israel to eat in the wilderness.
Deu 8:15 , “He led you through the great and terrible wilderness,with itsfiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint.”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to lead the children of Israel through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water. God provided and brought water for them out of the rock of flint. Imagine water out of the rock of flint, never before had it happened.
1Ki 17:3-7, “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” So he went and did according to the Word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. ”
Note: Here is a marvelous historical example how God used His sovereign power to command the ravens to provide bread and meat for the prophet Elijah.
1Ki 17:9-16,“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “ Please get me a little water in a jar , that I may drink.” As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘ The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.’ So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the Word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah.”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to provide for Elijah, the widow and her son for many days. God overruled the nature to make the bowl of flour never exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty. God works wonders.
2Ki 2:19-22 , “Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘ I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.”So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. ”
Note: Here is another historical example how God used His sovereign power to purify the waters.
2Ki 6:1-7, “Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” So he said, “Go.” Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I shall go.” So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a beam, the ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. He said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it. ”
Note: Here is an interesting historical example how God used His sovereign power and overruled the laws of physics to make the iron (axe) float to relieve the son of the prophets from losing his borrowed axe.
Job 37:15 , “Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from His clouds?”
Psa 107:29 , “He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed.”
Note: Cause in Hebrew isquwm which means to perform; accomplish; establish; set; fix; impose; make; carry out; give effect to; to make something happen; – which occurs 630 times in the Old Testament.God has power over nature to cause things to happen.
Jer 13:16 , “Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom. ”
Amo 4:13 , “For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name.”
Num 16:25-35 , “Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, with the elders of Israel following him, and he spoke to the congregation, saying, “ Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin. ” So they got back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents, along with their wives and their sons and their little ones. Moses said, “By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD.” As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.”
Note: These two examples show how God used His sovereign power to punish the wicked men by splitting open the ground under them, swallowed them up, then the earth closed over them. And fire came forth from the Lord to consume the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense presumptuously.
Isa 38:8 , “Behold, I will cause the shadow on the stairway , which has gone down with the sun on the stairway of Ahaz, to go back ten steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down. ”
Note: God caused the sun’s shadow go back ten steps on the stairway on which it had gone down. God rules over nature.
Jos 10:12-13, “Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,“ O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. ”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes God made the sun stand still and the moon stopped for about a whole day.
Psa 104:19, “He made the moon for the seasons; The sun knows the place of its setting. ”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes controlling the seasons.
Jon 4:8 , “When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes controlling a scorching east wind.
Jon 1:4, “The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. ”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes the Lord hurling a great wind on the sea.
Dan 3:8-30, “For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namelyShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. ” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men thatthe fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon. ”
Note: Here is another most dramatic example how God used His supreme power to protect Shadrach, Meschach and Abed-nego and prevent fire from consuming them, and used the same fire to punish and slay His enemies.
Dan 6:10-24, “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions? ” Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. ”
Note: This is a classic example how God used His sovereign power to prevent the lions from harming Daniel, at the same time using His power to punish those malicious men (with their children and wives) crushed by the same lions.
Jer 10:13 , “When He utters His voice,there isa tumult of waters in the Heavens, and He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the Earth; He makes lightning for the rain , And brings out the wind from His storehouses. ”
Zec 7:14 , “but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate.”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes scattering among all nations with a storm wind and making the pleasant land desolate.
2Ch 6:28, “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is.”
Note: God’s sovereignty includes creating famine, pestilence, blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, plague, trouble, tragedy, earthquake, flood, tornado, drought and sickness.
V. THE ULTIMATE VICTORY
2Sa 23:12, “But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it, and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.”
As Shammah took his stand and the LORD brought about a great victory, so Christians must take a stand in the truth.
1Ch 29:11, “Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the Heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion, LORD, and You exalt Yourself as Head over all.”
Victory in Hebrew is neṣaḥwhich means strength; constancy; perpetuity; eminence; endurance; to the end; splendor; triumph; glory; – which occurs 43 times in the Old Testament. Victory is God’s. Dominion in Hebrew is mamlāḵâwhich means kingdom; reign; realm; sovereignty; royal dignity; – which occurs 117 times in the Old Testament. Head in Hebrew is rō’šwhich means chief; top; captain; ruler; first; leader; highest; – which occurs 600 times in the Old Testament. The Lord has victory and dominion; and He is the Head over all.
Pro 21:31, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.”
The West is preparing for war, because its has military alliances, military bases, military equipment and apparatus, and large quantity of nuclear weapons; but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Mat 12:20, “A BENT REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A DIMLY BURNING WICK HE WILL NOT EXTINGUISH,UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO
VICTORY.”
The Lord is merciful, a bent reed He will not break off, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish. You say what the Lord is doing? Until the Lord leads justice to victory. JUSTICE will have victory, because the Lord Jesus is coming to lead justice to victory. Warmongers, imperialists, militarists, supremacists will have defeat, justice will ultimately have victory.
1Co 15:54, “But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “DEATH HAS BEEN SWALLOWED UP in victory.”
The Lord of Life Jesus Christ is able to make perishable put on the imperishable, the mortal put on immortality. In Jesus Christ even death will be swallowed up in victory. So Christians have nothing to worry.
1Co 15:55-57, “WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Through our Lord Jesus Christ we Christians have final victory over sin, over evil, and even over death.
God will finally, completely, and ultimately eliminate evil all together.
I wholeheartedly agree with Edmund Burke who said,
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Good men and good women must do something so that the evil does not triumph in this world. However, due to the limits of what mankind can do, there will always be injustice and as there will be always poor people in this world until the second coming of Jesus Christ to right the wrong, and to judge the world.
The ultimate victory of God over evil does not depend on mankind or anything. God will reign forever and ever.
Psa 146:10, “The LORD will reign forever, Your God, Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!”
IN CONLUSION
Victory belongs to God. Ultimate victory belongs to God. By faith you can have final victory in Christ. You do not need any strategy. There is no anxiety or apprehension. For the Lord is able to make believers stand.No one can stand in God’s way. God has done it, it is a matter of time. The victory in Christ that no evil can defeat. The victory in Christ that nobody and nothing can change.
In the Kingdom of Heaven there will be absolutely no evil, no evil of any kind or form. There will be no longer evil, filth, darkness, injustice, tear, sorrow, sickness, or even death in the Kingdom of God.
Do you want to have a share in the Kingdom of Heaven of perfection? You may, if you repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
ON September 3, 2025 for China to mark 80th anniversary of victory over Japanese aggression and fascism is a historical necessity and hard-earned victory. All foreigners who heroically sacrificed their lives for China in their fight against Japanese aggression must individually be commemorated and remembered, their relatives are eternal friends of China. I have never seen such a great parade before, the size and scope of it would overwhelm your mind; every aspect of it was systematically planned, every step of male and female soldiers was of uniform procedures, every military vehicle with all nuclear missiles and every war airplane in the sky well performed; the words such as grand, massive, superb, magnificent fail to describe the whole celebration. I wholeheartedly salute every Chinese military man and woman who participated. From 1931-1945, the brutal behavior of Japanese were worse than wild beasts and deserve ten atomic bombs in recompense. Even today Japanese government and leaders do not repent of their war crimes, they worship executed war criminals as their national heroes and living gods. Japan never apologizes and pays compensation for killing 35 million Chinese, made hundreds of thousands sex slaves, millions of labor slaves and untold atrocities. Never again will China be oppressed. I am sure the militant Japan is deterred, but America is on the wrong side of history. Thank God it did not rain.
UN, EU, GERMANY, UK, FRANCE, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZELAND, ETC. are strange and unreasonable peoples. Who is stopping Palestinians to build a Palestinian state in an Arab land? It is wrong and illegal to build a Palestinian state in Jewish land (Gaza, West Bank, etc.). That is the cause of conflict.
The fact that National Guards have to patrol Washington, D.C. with weapons speaks loudly and badly of the capital. The mayor of Washington, D.C. should be dismissed and deported. All the more urgent the national capital should move to Lincoln, Nebraska, without delay.
The mayor of Washington, D.C. bowed to the illegal acts of street people who set up tents on public streets. She should be dismissed and deported. The National Guards are empowered to trash the tents, clear the streets and vanish street people. Los Angeles is a disgraced city because the California Governor and Los Angeles mayor failed to solve the problems of street people who not only set up tents on public streets, but also urinate and defecate. All the more urgent for the national capital to move to Lincoln, Nebraska. In the face of national debt exceeding $37 trillion, the people can save money by abolishing the House, retain the unicameral legislation of Senate to move also to Lincoln Nebraska. All this can be accomplished legally by a national refrerendum. America is ruined by dark and evil forces.
Heroes of all races who sacrified their lives for China in the war against Japanese aggression should be celebrated and remembered. The descendants of them are eternal friends of China. Descendants of American Flying Tiers whose forefathers had sacrified their lives in the war against Japanese aggression and atrocities must always be honored and remembered. The Chinse government must treat them as eternal friends, and they are welcome to China anytime. Such blood bonds must be appreciated and maintained forever.
The world wrongly marks the anniversary of dropping atomic bomb on Hiroshima while neglecting the Japanse aggression and atrocities of killing 35 million innocent Chinese without remorse or reparations. UN overappointed unqualified blacks and media have given too much covergage to unworthy black spoke-persons. It is amazing no matter how beautifully white organizations and individuals hail human rights, civil rights, democracy, development, technology, benefits, justice, etc., what they are actually after is MONEY. This can be said equally true about blacks.
Pet economy is wasted economy. Money should better be spent on nutrition and education of children and orphanes. In cities all dogs must have annual license of Y5,000, cats Y4,000, and birds Y3,000. It is exempt for rural areas. If a dog defecates in public place, it shall be fined Y3,000 plus cleanup by owner or walker.
Global media highlight the number of Palestinians who have died, but fail to consider why Palestinian Authority and Palestinians do not want to evacuate from Jewish land and resettle in Arab land. Palestinians, men and women, young and old, are shameless beggars. They remain in Gaza to qualify for refugees so that they can get everything free from international community. The international community is ignorant of the fact that GAZA and related territories all belong to the Jews. Israel has every right to take back and take over Gaza and related territories. Palestinians must evacuate and relocate to Arab lands, make a living and establish its own Palestinian state without further delay.
French nincompoop Macron reognized Palestine as a state but failed to know that Palestine does not have territory and sovereignty. Leaders of UK, GERMANY, AUSTRLALIA would commit the same mistake by supporting terrorists. Hamas, Hezebolla, Houthis are wicked terrorists, they should be destroyed without mercy. Leaders of Palestinian Authority are guilty for the death and malnutrition of children because they lead Palestinians to the path of destruction. They could have led Palestinians to lands of Arabs to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Palestinians (young & old, man & woman) are most shameless beggars for food & water, they don’t want to go to an Arab land to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Africa amid famine has the most fat people in the world, they are also shameless beggars. Ukranians are shameless beggars for weapons, they do not have reason for existence. Harvard though the richest university in the world is a shameless beggar for US aid. Japan claims to practice democracy, its ruling party lost election miserably, yet its prime minister shamelessly wants to stay in power. The world must realize years of aid to Africa produced nothing, trillions of dollars went to black holes. Africa is corrupt, unmotivated and useless.Black leaders and politicians take advantage of it; dress well, eat well, and live a luxurious life style. Black problems can be solved only by Blacks. Let Africa alone to survive on its own. Blacks create most of the problems in the world, given too much coverage and platform in world media, overappointed and given too many spokespersons and positions in UN. Any nation who shares destiny with Africa will be doomed. Nothing good comes out of Africa: primitive religion, superstition, spiritism, orgies, black magic, tribalism, voordoism.
If the Texas flooding is an act of God; Ukraine conflict, and conflicts of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis must be acts of the devil.
India must coexist with China, at the same time India and South Africa must be expelled from BRICS besause they do not remain true to BRICS’ founding mission, they do not belong, must be replaced by Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. US and EU must not rearm Ukraine, let Russia destroy it, and never to be rebuilt. The leader of Ukraine must also be executed.
Palestinian Authorities are guilty for leading Palestinians to a path of death, children died and suffer malnutrition. Palestian Authorities do not lead Palestinians (who are Arabs) to a land of Arabs to work for a living and build the Palestinian state.
American forces have successfully wiped out three Iranian nuclear sites through B-2 bombers. The “everlasting consequence” is Iran cannot be a nuclear threat anymore. I stand with the overwhelming majority of Dutch people to demolish NATO — the war machine.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
This article is written to declare life has no color. The worth of a life is not based on color but based on character. A person who has no moral character is no better than a beast. A person who wants to have special rights and privileges discriminates all others who are ordinary.
As a principle:
1. ALL LIVES MATTER.
Of course, black lives matter. All lives matter, whether they are white, black, yellow, brown or red. Jesus Christ especially warns those who harm or hurt the little ones who believe in Him. It would be better the criminals had never been born. Jesus says,Mar 9:42, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea.” Catholic priests and nuns had sexually abused and raped the little ones for a long time.
Of the Ten Great Commandments, the first commandment relating to mankind is to Honor your father and your mother. After it, You shall not murder. I was appalled and shocked why America the whole nation watched on TV and let a white policeman used choke hold (asphyxiation) to kill a black suspect, and not one authority gave order to stop it. The city Chief of Police could have ordered to stop the killing. The City Mayor could have ordered to stop the killing. The Governor could have ordered to stop the killing. But no one did.
Apparently, too many Americans are conditioned to violent crimes and they become numb and unfeeling.
The lives of crooks and criminals do not matter.
Gen 9:6, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.”
News was leaked out that the black man was no hero, he was a victim. The black man had a $20 counterfeit money and he was an admitted drug addict.
George Floyd was no hero but a suspect killed by an illegal act of a Minneapolis white police officer. The Minneapolis City Council was wrong to approve the excessive and unjustified $27 million award to the victim’s family. A man’s life worth can be calculated by his yearly incomes times the life expectancy. A common man’s life can never be worth $27 million. In addition, the city is not responsible for any unlawful acts of its employees. Here is one more cases of American unjust criminal justice system which encourages crooks and criminals and enriches defense lawyers. The jury trial should be abolished, replaced by three independent judges. The white policeman was responsible for his crime, but the residents of Minneapolis City are not. It is a travesty of justice when a criminal commits a major crime, the citizens have to bear the cost of providing free defense to the criminal and a large award to the family of the victim.
Lives that matter do not commit violent crimes such as pushing an elderly Asian man with great force from behind that he fell face down and died later. Do not trample on a small Asian woman repeatedly on her head and her small body like a big animal. Do not rob and loot shops and stores of Asian owners. Do not attack Asian men and women on the streets. Do not engage in gang and drug activities. Do not become pimps and prostitutes. Do not demand to get something for nothing. Do not have sex with women and produce children you do not love and do not want to support. Lives that matter become decent citizens that pay taxes and do not live on welfare. Do not become uncivilized barbarians.
2. WHITE DISCRIMINATION MUST BE GONE.
For the last 500 years white supremacists have oppressed, suppressed, exploited, discriminated, and mistreated all other races because Western and American powers dictate and dominate the world to this day. Having lived in America almost half a century, I have experienced, heard and seen a lot. I was a son of poor missionaries and I know how it was to work my way through college. I know what it means to be paid at the minimum wage at that time was $1.25 an hour. I know what it means to get up at 5 am and went to bed at 11 pm, seven days a week. I knew how to live like a Robinson Crusoe. I also have known hunger. I have suffered cold.
Thanks goodness, there was no discrimination in higher education; you were admitted to university according to your merit, not Affirmative Action. Professors did not give you high or low grade because of your race. You got what you deserved. I was at the advanced management class of Dr. Harold Koontz. Out of 40 MBA and PH.D. candidates, I got the highest grade in the class. This can be certified by a letter of recommendation from Dr. Harold Koontz.
In the employment area, discrimination was and is rampant. Although I hold a Master’s degree from a top American university and had worked at a reputable federal agency the Securities & Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. — a white female of Human Resources of a company interviewed and asked me if I knew how to climb a tree. The question was too provocative and explosive that I did not know whether to laugh or cry. I controlled myself and didn’t do either, but walking away disappointed but realizing something was ominous and odious confronting me in the land of the free.
To be frank, an able and highly qualified minority does not have much chance of climbing high because of the fixed detrimental social environment and a ceiling was fixed for him. I do not need to cite too many examples of personal experiences. I always worked for white supervisors who had less qualifications and abilities than I do. A white man was hired as a manager of policies and procedures although he never had any experience. So every morning the white manager greeted me at the office by shaking my hands because he said Willie Wong was the only one who knew policies and procedures in his department. If you think because you have high qualifications and abilities, the American corporations would welcome you with a red carpet, you are doomed to a rude awakening. Abilities without opportunity are like a bird with only one wing.
Washington, D.C. is not like any other city in America. I had cultural shock when I first arrived from California. The federal government hired and hires proportionally more lower and middle blacks than any place in America. I found a GS-7 black female employee who could not even do a simple arithmetic. While I was a candidate for MPA hired as a GS-5. If you believe Civil Service is a creator and supporter of equal opportunity, you are greatly mistaken.
Whether in government or business, discrimination in employment and promotion is a fact of life in America. Connection is much more important than education. You may not know whites also discriminate against other whites in employment and promotion. White executives do not hire or promote people just because of your qualifications and abilities; they hire people of so-called in group, the people they could trust. I had witnessed some more qualified white persons who were bypassed. I used to work for a big corporation, I discovered something most disgusting. When I was hired, I submitted copies of my undergraduate and graduate degrees. After years of employment, I discovered in my personnel file there was only an under graduate degree certificate. Then it dawned on me someone in the Human Resources must have removed and discarded my graduate degree certificate. You know why I was underpaid and under employed. When audited by the government agency, the Personnel can better defend themselves saying that the employee had only undergraduate degree. This is a most insidious and treacherous practice to justify discrimination in employment, pay, and promotion.
3. BLACK DISCRIMINATION MUST ALSO BE UPROOTED.
I do not know whether blacks know that blacks also discriminate against other minorities when they are in power or position to do so. Well, I do not want to cite too many intimate experiences. I have lived, studied, and worked also among blacks; and I know black people. The black supervisors exercised even more crude and gross discrimination than white supervisors. There was a black mayor the first time in Los Angles, he was so corrupt and filled his office with blacks only. If you are diligent you can study and verify with many cities which have black mayors and many counties which have black county supervisors. Do you know why the U.S. POSTAL SERVICE disproportionately has more black employees than any other agencies? Once a Chinese minority woman was interested in a postal clerk job, she asked me to pick up an application for her. When I arrived at the Post Office, the front door was blocked by all black females who would not let me in to pick up an application. I believe this practice is illegal and unconstitutional for any federal employee to prevent an American to pick up employment application for another person. In local governments, it is a well-known fact that blacks practice hiring blacks, and Latinos practice hiring Latinos. A Chinese worker told me personally he could not even get a janitor’s job because of black union.
Most people think there are only white supremacists. I recall it was a black secretary of state who held a small vial of white stuff with his finger shaking that he accused Iraq had weapons of mass destruction on TV and therefore justified American attack and occupied Iraq and killed its leader Saddam Hussein. There was no reporting at all how they robbed and looted Saddam Hussein many palaces, cash and gold, and treasures beyond measure. In the name of phony democracy, America has killed millions of innocent peoples around the world.
I also remember watching on TV how a black youth covered him so much and he pushed an Asian elderly man with great force from behind that he fell faced down and died later. I also recall a big black man repeatedly trampled on the head and body of a small Asian woman while another black man was witnessing but he was closing his glass door. I also remember watching on TV live that some black men and women were looting an Asian store. None of those criminals were reported and prosecuted.
4. NO LINK BETWEEN POVERTY AND CRIME.
The myth has been promulgated and pushed by liberal sociologists that poverty is linked to crime. The more blacks believe there is a link between poverty and crime, the more blacks will commit crimes and the more blacks will remain poor.
First, poverty is a cause of multi-factors. If your family is poor, usually you are also poor. There are quite a few rich families in America and Europe. They have been rich for generations and generations. Those who are born rich have better opportunity to remain rich because of financial, educational, social, political and other resources. There are millions of poor people in poor countries where their leaders are very rich and their governments are very corrupt. The corrupt officials use national resources and treasuries as their own. Peoples in such nations are very hard to get out of poverty. There are also poor peoples in poor countries where there are no infrastructure development, the poor peoples are very difficult to get out poverty in underdeveloped countries. Except China, it has a national policy to reduce poverty, so China has lifted out 770 million peasants.
In America, it is different. If you are educated, having a skill, or employable, you do not have to be poor. Although I fully understand American dream is dead. If I had to do it over again, I could not succeed because of the high cost of education, living, and transportation, not to say the high cost of health care. No one can work enough hours to earn minimum wage to work his way through college. By the way when I finished university with Bachelor degree on my left hand and Master’s degree on my right hand, I did not borrow from anyone and I did not owe anyone a penny. Nowadays, an undergraduate already owes tens of thousands of dollars before graduation. If you are employable (this includes you who do not have a crime record, etc.) you may have subsistence so that you do not live on the streets. A job brings wages, and if you have income you are not in abject poverty. There is not justification whatsoever that because you are poor, so you are forced to commit a crime.
I was young and now I am old. The best people I have met in my life were the poor farmers. When we were kids we just roamed around and did not know how we landed in a farm house. We were strangers but the poor Chinese farmer kindly entertained the guests with boiled fresh peanuts. Let me tell you, although I had eaten at 5 star restaurants, the fresh peanuts provided by the poor Chinese farmer was among the most delicious things I had ever eaten in my life. They were the kindest people. The biggest crooks and criminals I have known are the rich people in America.
5. THERE IS LINK BETWEEN CULTURE AND CRIME.
PROOF: When I first went to China in 1985 hired by the Ministry of Education as a professor, China then was very poor. But then China had the highest morals in the world, the Chinese were so honest that they would not cheat you for one yuan. Today China has become more affluent, but the morality has gone down. You can watch TV that reports to you frauds of infinite varieties have been committed. THERE WERE LESS CRIME AND HIGHER MORALITY IN CHINA IN 1980s THAN TODAY in 2023 WHICH IS LESS POVERTY AND MORE AFFLUENCE.
The Chinese society has been infected by something more deadly than the CORONAVIRUS, the American greedy capitalism. Many Chinese view materialism more important than morality. This is cultural change that can breed crime. I have a longitudinal view of China from 1985 to the present. As I have lived almost 50 years in America, I realize the public morals have gone down so rapidly that American leaders and politicians can lie, lie, and lie in public on TV without shame; they also kill and rob and destroy around the world.
When I was a poor college student working my way I needed a dentist. Looking up at the Yellow Pages, I found a cheap dentist. I had no idea where it was about. I drove my old jalopy to the address and parked my car on the street. Suddenly I notice a thousand pair of eyes were focusing on me. Immediately I felt a sense of fear and threat. So I quickly went to the dental office, I found it was a black dentist with all black patients. I quickly went in and quickly came out, not doing any dental work. I rushed to my old car and immediately drove away from that area. Then I felt a sense of relief.
A black preacher once made a famous statement that he did not feel safe and comfortable among the black youths. Black leaders who are greedy and immoral can never be heroes or role models for black people.
Affirmative Action is the worst gift to the Blacks. That is a cultural toxin. You must do it the old fashionable way: to earn everything you get, not given. When a racial group is given special right, privilege and treatment, all other racial groups suffer injustice. Let me cite only a few examples. There was a state position advertised, many applied for the job. The three top finalists were: I scored the most qualified, a white man second, and a black man third. You might not know, the less qualified black got the job because of Affirmative Action. Another example, Chinese students with GPA 4.0 were rejected by medical schools. A black man told me he got admitted to UCLA Medical School with only 2.0. Affirmative Action is unconstitutional and illegal and it has to be annulled. When I was working my way, to get sick would be a great calamity because I could not afford a doctor. I knew personally a young black woman who was admitted for abortion at the hospital where I was working part-time, she had Medicaid and three doctors took care of her all paid by the government, completely free for her. A hardworking young American cannot afford even one doctor while a young black women had three doctors for free, do you see the futility of democracy and the evil injustice?
Once more personal incident would give you a better understanding of the American situation. I was going to a gas station to fill up. Suddenly a black woman on wheelchair approached me and committed forced begging, and defaming my ancestors as owing her something. I rebutted that although my ancestors were freemen and never been a slave, they were never slave masters. So they owe blacks nothing. The black woman picked the wrong target and I gave her nothing. While a Latino woman with a baby holding in her hands was smarter, she begged by saying she did not have enough money to eat in the nearby Chinese restaurant, so I had to give her some money for food.
6. REPARATIONS AND LOOTINGS
Since JOHNSON’S GREAT SOCIETY, the Federal government, STATE governments, COUNTY AND CITY governments have spent and aided the black community more than US$6 trillion dollars so far. The saddest thing is the fact the Black Community has not improved a bit but got worse and worse. How do you know?
If you are diligent and sincere, do some research to find out the facts for yourself, using Lyndon Johnson’s administration as a focal point of comparison:
(A) . The black prison population has increased or decreased since Johnson’s Great Society after spending such huge sums of money.
(B) . The black single parent family population has increased or decreased.
(C) . The black drug addiction population has increased or decreased.
(D) . The black welfare population has increased or decreased.
(E) . The black unemployment population has increased or decreased.
(F) . The black school dropouts have increased or decreased.
(G) . The black homosexual population has increased or decreased.
(H). The black prostitution population has increased or decreased.
Many blacks have been misled to believe the descendants of slaves deserve reparations. I have studied black slavery of the African history. Did you know it was the blacks in Africa who sold the black slaves to American white owners or landlords of large plantations? America has already given more than $6 trillion dollars to the blacks since Johnson’s Great Society and administration and continues to do so to this day. Could you conscientiously demand more money from the government? You may have a case to seek out the white descendants of large plantation landlords for reparation?
Do you know our national debt has exceeded $35 trillion dollars? The largest in the world, and getting worse with the passage of time.
I have lived through and witnessed two Black Riots in Los Angeles and also personally encountered one at Los Angeles City College black students riot in 1969. Thanks for the rescue of President Richard Nixon. What I saw and heard could never be forgotten. A ton of lies cannot change a simple fact. Burning, looting, destroying, and killing could never justify for any cause. Looting in American cities under Black Lives Matter as reparations could never be justified legally. Burning, destroying public and private properties, looting, harming, killing are crimes under the Court of Heaven. Not only they are not reparations, they are iniquities upon iniquities. There is a better way:
7. BLACKS CAN SAVE THEMSELVES
Someone says, “Freedom is at the core of what it means to be American.” The statement per se is born of racism, it is rooted in implication that American is Exceptional. No one is exceptional. Listen to a Great American, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” This idea of democracy is not practiced in America nor it is practiced by the American government. What is the proof? For the last 500 years White Europeans have enslaved the world through conquest, occupation, and domination. For the last 300 years America has enslaved the Red Indians the original natives of America and almost killed them off and the whole world (not free world so-called) through absolute military superiority, conquest, dictatorship, monopoly, sanction, aggression, oppression, suppression, intervention, and domination to this day.
Blacks can save themselves by embracing Protestant ethics. Hard work, frugality, thrift, responsibility and diligence can lift any poor person from abject poverty. Responsibility can make any man respectable. Character can change the perception of color. Do not support or excuse black leaders or pastors who are immoral and greedy. Do not humiliate yourself by incivility, vulgarity, criminality, and social deviation. Do for yourself what others cannot do for you. Do not get something for nothing. Earn everything you get.
8. IT IS WRONG TO TARGET ASIAN AMERICANS.
I am a Chinese American. I am proud to be a Chinese American. I am also proud of the Asian American group. If you want to know the truth, the Asian American group is the group that does well in education, in employment, in achievement and in everything positive in America. If you visit the jail, you can hardly find an Asian American. If you visit the top American universities, you can find many ASIAN American students. If you check the Welfare Department, you may find some Vietnamese on welfare. There is practically no Chinese prostitute. There are very few Asian American drug addicts. There are very few Asian American homosexuals.
It is awfully wrong for Blacks to rob and loot the stores of Asian Americans, to abuse physically (I saw a black man trample and stampede an Asian American woman while a big black man watching and closing the glass door;) I saw a young black man all covered up and pushed with force an old Asian American man to fall on the ground and died later; and to attack Asian Americans without cause or reason. For Asian Americans had not abused nor discriminated blacks in America. In fact, China is the only nation that helps so many black nations and peoples in Africa. But China is neither an imperialist nor a colonialist. China helps Africa out of good will and with no strings attached.
THE LAST 500 YEARS
Many Western leaders and politicians who claim to be Christians are actually children of the devil who rules the present world. They are doing what their father desires. Pompeo and his master Trump are leading America to self-destruction, falsely using the name of freedom and democracy and justice to fool the world, they are actually plotting and scheming to have America and Europe maintain their status quo of continuously dictating and dominating the world. They lie, tell lies, make lies, believe in lies, spread lies and practice lies.
For the last 500 years European imperialists and colonialists, and for the last 300 years American imperialists and supremacists, have ruled the world with phony capitalism, democracy, freedom, and human rights. The peaceful rise of China posts the greatest threat to America, Europe and its allies. American presidents, and politicians and European counterparts fear China is going to surpass and bypass and to replace them. Soon China will be be the number one economy in the world. Militarily they also fear Russia and China standing together. So they organize covertly and overtly and conduct a last-ditch campaign to smear and stain China as the authoritarian rule and rouse the so-called free world to be against China. America has a long history of using the name of national security to cover up many aggression, atrocity, intervention, oppression, and sanction. American and European leaders tell lies, spread lies and practice lies to cover up their evil deeds. They falsely charged Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, so they attacked and occupied Iraq, murdered Hussein, and robbed the country blind and poor. These white supremacists are very sly and shrewd; they incited, plotted, and financed some young Hong Kong Chinese anarchists, hoodlums, traitors and terrorists to cause bloody riots and violent terrors to destabilize the government in order to make Hong Kong an American colony like Taiwan.
Now that China has enacted a national security law to protect Hong Kong and its residents, the white supremacists (Western leaders, politicians, reporters, diplomats, journalists, authors, professors, executives, commentators, etc. hypocritically say they are worried Hong Kong is losing democracy and freedom; and so they organize a campaign to incite the so-called free world to pit against China. The funny bone is the fact the Axis of Evil led by America with a few number of followers like UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, NATO, and vacillating EU about unilateralism. China has never attacked, occupied, or interfered with any nation’s internal matters. China has aided more than 100 nations with no strings attacked. The real free world is the great majority of nations under the UN that practices multilateralism and they are well-aware of the atrocities and injustice and war crimes committed by imperial America and European nations. The great majority of nations in the UN support China and Russia. Henry David Thoreau said, “It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.” Wherever and whenever China is ahead, America is afraid. It is hoped that white supremacists would not do a desperate thing to start a nuclear war which will cause mutual destruction and the destruction of the whole world.
The biggest threat to the world is America exercising hegemony and continuing in the shadow of the hegemon. No one asks America to lead. God does not appoint America to rule the world. The United Nations did not elect America to lead the world or become the police of the world. God does not make America an exceptional nation. Actually the United Nations view America as the greatest obstacle to peace. The nation that started all unjust wars and bloody military interventions since the end of World War II is the United States. Japanese government wants America to lead because it has ulterior motive of becoming a resurgent militarist Japan. Japanese and Koreans want American troops to leave their countries. Biden was mistaken to think he can lead the world or the world wants America to lead. The leaders of two American parties cannot be trusted by Americans, much less the world.
It does not seem to have a glimpse of hope when warmongers have unmistakable motive and ground to perpetuate American global dictatorship and domination. China and Russia stand in the way. So American leaders would do anything, by hook or by crook, to instigate the coming war with China and Russia in order to remove them. American strategists like RAND, etc. are greatly mistaken because this will be an all-out total nuclear war that America cannot win. China and Russia and others will target all America from California to New York, from South to North, and blanket the whole America mainland with nuclear weapons and like a billion Sodom(s) and Gomorrah(s) exploding and burning. America will be able to kill one billion Chinese, but there still will be 400 million Chinese world-wide. China and Russia will kill 350 million Americans world-wide, there will not be one American left in the world. The numbers are against America. This is the nuclear war of mutual destruction and destruction of the whole world. Maybe if all patriotic Americans rise up can deter and stop our insane leaders and politicians from total destruction. Maybe if all peace-loving nations and peoples of the world rise up can stop America. May God have mercy on America!
Luk 12:32, “Do not be afraid, Little Flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the Kingdom.”
The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again! Jesus Christ is coming to destroy unrighteous nations and peoples.
A certain organization asked me about the fundamental problem of the world and provide description of the key issues, and try to come up with a solution. I wrote the following:
A New World Order
Western imperialists, colonialists, capitalists, militarists, hegemonists, supremacists, monopolists have dictated and dominated the world in the last 500 years to the present day. America and Europe use their military might, nuclear weapons, political, financial and economic and technological supremacy want to continue and maintain the status quo. They view China and Russia without reason as their enemies who stand in their way.Their unilateralism may unknowingly and unintentionally bring about the nuclear war that destroys the whole world. American and European leaders and politicians are blinded by their unholy ambition and self-interest and totally devoid of morality and integrity; they lie, kill, and rob without shame. A peaceful change with a New World Order is therefore imperative.
A New World Order will establish International Security, where big and small nations obey International Laws and work together for mutual progress and prosperity. Out of these big and small nations, international leadership must be established and recognized so that the world is free to take a new direction in seeking a just and lasting peace (such as the platform of the United Nations, WTO, WHO, ETC.) with the vision of the great President Richard Nixon. When Geopolitics is in a condition of peace, justice, and tranquility; hundreds of flowers may blossom and millions of good trees may bear good fruits. There each nation is building a good society of its own, and where Liberty, Prosperity, Equality, Civility, and Security become the wealth of nations.
Gal 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Note: Blacks should not be deceived by some Black leaders who are greedy and immoral. For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Under a New World Order the blacks can save themselves. If black lives really matter, the blacks are obligated to save themselves:
(A). Adopt the Protestant Ethic as a new culture for blacks to win freedom and dignity. Protestant Ethic is an ideology that values hard work, thrift, responsibility and integrity. It is a way of life that an individual is responsible to himself whether it is failure or success. No one else is to be blamed. God-given resources are at his disposal only he needs to discipline himself to work hard, be thrifty, and be morally and personally responsible. If he vigorously and sincerely pursues it, he can free himself from poverty and earn dignity. It was the Chinese philosopher Mencius who said, “Before people look down at you, you must have first humiliated yourself.” There is no link between poverty and crime. You do not have to commit crime just because you are poor. If you embrace the Protestant Ethic, with self-help, frugality and hard work you will soon find yourself free from poverty and get respectability.
(B). Do not have sex with black women or any women and produce children you could not and would not support.
(C). Do not seek welfare benefits, seek the benefits of hard work, frugality, and responsibility. Do you know it is hard to find a dependable worker. Your dependability is your great ability. Make yourself matters.
(D). Fear God and do not use drugs, alcohol, cigarette to enslave yourself, and free yourself from greed, lust, and violence. Do not buy what you cannot afford.
(E). If you are frugal, thrifty and save, you will see the miracle: Many a mickle makes a muckle. I was poor working my way through college. I know what I am saying. Believe in yourself. I earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree without owing anyone a penny.
(F).Remember what you are is more important than what you have.If you drink, smoke, use illegal drugs and engage in promiscuous sexual immorality simultaneously, that is a quick way of destroying your life or committing suicide. If you want to live a meaningful life, seek the truth, buy wisdom and do what is good and right. This is the meaning that you are the master of your own destiny. Life is meaningful when you do good and do right under any circumstances.
No race or people can demand respectability. You have to earn respectability. If you have immoral character and you are a common crook and criminal, who will respect you? If you are uncivilized, who will respect you? If you behave, speak, and act in a most disgusting way, who will respect you? If you start a riot, looting and robbing stores, who can respect you? If you live on welfare, who want to respect you? If your G.P.A. is only 2.0, what university you expect to take you? If you are lazy, dirty, and unskillful, what company wants to hire you? If you are a drug addict and a pimp, what society can respect you?
(G). The most important knowledge is the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ can save you to the end. What else do you fear? By faith go forward.
I wish you well. I wish the people of every race well.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
This article is written to let you know that fatalism is a worthless doctrine because God’s sovereignty rules the universe, and controls whatever comes to pass. Jesus Christ has all powers and authorities to determine everything.
Some secularists, pseudo scholars, and unbelievers try to make the worthless doctrine of fatalism fashionable. They blame the One and True Living God for all the troubles of mankind in this world. They use the will of God (天意) as the root cause of all human problems. So the wicked try to make God in the image of man. The belief that all events are predetermined by God and therefore inevitable because men can do nothing about it. The word “fatalism” does not occur in the Bible. It is a worthless doctrine that cannot stand the fire of truth. However, there are enemies of truth who try to blame the evils and troubles of mankind on Christianity, especially Christianity practiced by Europeans and Americans.
Fatalism is the most severe form of determinism. According to Merriam Webster, “it is a theory or doctrine that acts of the will, occurrences in nature, or social or psychological phenomena are causally determined by preceding events or natural laws.” However, among other things, man is limited and restricted by time. God is eternal and unlimited and unrestricted by anyone or anything.
This article is written to let you know that Godcontrols all events in the universe. God controls everything that comes to pass. Not everything that happens, happens of necessity or by necessity.
In the sovereignty of God, fatalism cannot and does not exist. Nothing stands in the way of God. Fatalism only exists among altogether dull-hearted and foolish.
Jer 10:8, “But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; a wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.”
“Though the word “fatalism” is commonly used to refer to an attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable, philosophers usually use the word to refer to the view that we are powerless to do anything other than what we actually do.”
Commonly when people express this kind of view and attitude they would say, “What will be will be.”Looking more closely are the fundamental tenets of Christianity present potential problem of their incompatibility? There is no such a thing called “Theological fatalism.” The Word of God does not contradict itself.
Do things happen of necessity? It is a matter of semantics. We do not know the meaning “of necessity” or “by necessity”. For example, if you a shoot at a certain person, targeting his head or his chest, and if it hits probably the man will die. Is the death of the man of necessity or by necessity?
I have no problem in believing God has foreknowledge of all future events. The Holy Bible supports such belief. I also do not have problem in believing the Almighty and Omnipotent God is able to work all things together to achieve His will. This doctrine is also taught in the Holy Scriptures. I have problem in believing the possibility of anyone knowing all future events. A human being is so limited that he does not know what is going to happen tomorrow. If a man boils water reaching 212°F (100°C), is it of necessity or by necessity, that the water will boils; or just in all probabilities that the water boils. Of course there is cause and effect. But the living and true God that we serve and worship, by His intervention, is able to make the cause of no effect. Historical events prove this truth.
Dan 3:23-27, “But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood quickly; he said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the middle of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Absolutely, O king.”
He responded, “Look! I see four men untied and walking about in the middle of the fire unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like a Son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the middle of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had even the smell of fire touched them.” This is the truth that God caused the fire had no effect on the bodies of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego. Normally the blazing fire would burn human bodies, hair of the heads singed, trousers damaged, and even the smell of fire.
We learn through Divine Intervention, cause can become no effect. We do not know how many events in the universe which God caused no effects. We do not know even the events that God intervened in our lives. We are so slow and dumb can never know what things happened of necessity or by necessity. To God there are no such a thing called potential incompatibilities. To God everything is possible. God does not have a problem. God never has a dilemma. God does as He pleases. By faith, we know all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, Rom 8:28.
It is not Augustine, but the Word of God that presents the God of Christianity who is perfectly knowledgeable, or omniscient; He knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen, and He cannot be mistaken. This perfect knowledge forms part of God’s essential nature. His “foreknowledge is infallible”; what He knows will happen will happen. I think it is futile and silly to think of events happening of necessity or by necessity. God does not have dilemma with man’s temporal and causal necessity.God does not believe, He knows. When God says it will happen, it will happen whether of necessity or by necessity or not.
Men have responsibilities for our actions. There are so many problems and troubles are man-made, therefore, men must do what men must do, whether it is corrective or preventive. The problems of Imperialism, Colonialism, Capitalism, and Terrorism that plague and paralyze the world are caused by immoral and irresponsible men, therefor men must repent and do what God says or commands. Men have a choice to do right or to do wrong. To do wrong has consequences. The history of the world is the history of the failures of mankind. The worst or greatest failure is to blame God for our failures.
II. WARS ARE NOT THE WILL OF GOD
All wars are expressions of violence. Violence is corrupt in the sight of God. God was so displeased with violence that He wanted to destroy the world in the days of Noah.
Gen 6:11, “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.”
Gen 6:13, “Then God said to Noah, “The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.”
Historically, it was violence that brought the end of humanity. Violence in Hebrew is ḥāmāswhich means cruelty; wrong doing; damage; injustice; oppressor; unrighteousness; unjust gain; violent dealing; harsh treatment; rude wickedness; ruthlessness; false witness; oppression; – which occurs 60 times in the Old Testament.
It is very funny, according to
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hamas
“Hamas, also spelled Ḥamās, acronym of Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-Islāmiyyah, English Islamic Resistance Movement, militant Palestinian nationalist and Islamist movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that is dedicated to the establishment of an independent Islamic state in historical Palestine. Founded in 1987, Hamas opposed the secular approach of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and rejected attempts to cede any part of Palestine.”
It is good and right for United Kingdom to outlaw and ban Hamas as terrorist organization. The leaders of Britain have moral responsibility to tell Palestinians, Arabs, and Hamas that they have no resettlement right in the Jewish land and they cannot build a Palestinian state in the Promised Land. It is better they get out of the Jewish land in peace the sooner the better. It is also moral obligation of the UK leaders to tell India that they forged the colonial India map by incorporating large areas of Chinese territories into the Indian map to make the colony look bigger. This moral obligation of the United Kingdom can prevent unnecessary conflict or war.
Exo 1:13, “The Egyptians used violence to compel the sons of Israel to labor.”
Violence in Hebrew is pereḵwhich means rigor; physical force; cruelty; harshness; severity; oppression; tyranny; crushing; – which occurs 6 times in the Old Testament.
In the last 500 years or more European imperialists and colonialists used wars to conquer nations and subdued peoples and practiced forced labor like the ancient Egyptians. Western imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, militarism, hegemonism, supremacism, etc. are not the will of God. God never approves them. White supremacists used Christianity to cover up their iniquities and criminalities and brutalities for hundreds of years. At the end of World War II, American supremacists also used unjust wars to conquer nations and subdue peoples. America from the beginning killed the Red Indians to rob their lands.
Job 19:7, “Behold, I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer; I shout for help, but there is no justice.”
This Scripture cited vividly depicts America which has become a violent society with no justice.
According to
“This report is a part of “Rethinking Gun Violence,” an ABC News series examining the level of gun violence in the U.S. — and what can be done about it.
‘We all bear a burden’: How gun violence costs America $280 billion a year
11/2/2021
One that is prominently mentioned is the number of gun deaths, more than 194,000 over the past five years, averaging about 39,000 deaths annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”
If you are wise you will by all means avoid and shun Emergency of any hospital in America for it is where you will be slaughtered financially with or without insurance, they run like an organized crime and can charge whatever they please even fraudulently and excessively with immunity and impunity. How did I know? Personal experience. The tragedy is the monopoly that makes American citizens helpless victims. No one will help you. It is much better you die at home than your children bear the burden of debt all life long.
“Interpersonal violence and gang violence kill much more people than political violence • Interpersonal violence exacts a high human cost 6 Source: Center for Systemic Peace 2014 Interpersonal violence and political violence tend to be increasingly interrelated, particularly where institutions are weak and social norms have become tolerant of violence.
• It is estimated that close to 90% of current war casualties are civilians, the majority of whom are women and children, compared to a century ago when 90% of those who lost their lives were military personnel • Contextual factors, such as humanitarian crises, including conflict and post-conflict situations, may increase women’s vulnerability to violence (UN Women)
The aggregate economic and financial cost of conflict in 2014 was estimated to be $14.3 billion, or 13.4% of the global economy (Institute for Economics and Peace)”
1Ch 22:8, “But the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me.”
Act 13:22, “After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” Although David was “a man after God’s own heart”, God did not like David having shed too much blood and have waged great wars. God does not like shedding of much blood and great wars.
Psa 140:2, “Who devise evil things in their hearts; They continually stir up wars.”
European and American hegemonists devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars against Russia and China.
Luk 21:9, “And when you hear of wars and revolts, do not be alarmed; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.”
America goes to war just because it is able to wage war. America wages war to conquer nations and subdue peoples. The world is not at rest from wars because Western imperialists want to continuously dominate the world. No nations on earth have spent more money on weapons and weapons development than the United States. America has nuclear weapons to destroy the whole world many times over. America and its allies falsely accused Iraq for having weapons of mass destruction to justify the attack and occupation of Iraq and killed Saddam Hussein, although Iraq did not and does not have weapons of mass destruction. America always made false accusations to justify its wars of aggression. America made outrageous false accusations against China on Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong. America never confesses or condemns itself for evil doings. America and its allies almost every day drill and prepare for wars. America spends trillions to make machines of war. American leaders and politicians delight in wars.
It is a well-known fact: Prolonged conflict keeps countries poor.
“Climate change has caused billions of dollars in flood damages
Flooding has caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage in the U.S. over the past three decades. Researchers found that 36 percent of the costs of flooding in the U.S. from 1988 to 2017 were a result of intensifying precipitation, consistent with predictions of global warming.
In a new study, Stanford researchers report that intensifying precipitation contributed one-third of the financial costs of flooding in the United States over the past three decades, totaling almost $75 billion of the estimated $199 billion in flood damages from 1988 to 2017.
The research, published Jan. 11 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps to resolve a long-standing debate about the role of climate change in the rising costs of flooding and provides new insight into the financial costs of global warming overall.
“The fact that extreme precipitation has been increasing and will likely increase in the future is well known, but what effect that has had on financial damages has been uncertain,” said lead author Frances Davenport, a PhD student in Earth system science at Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth). “Our analysis allows us to isolate how much of those changes in precipitation translate to changes in the cost of flooding, both now and in the future.”
The global insurance company Munich Re calls flooding “the number-one natural peril in the U.S.” However, although flooding is one of the most common, widespread and costly natural hazards, whether climate change has contributed to the rising financial costs of flooding – and if so, how much – has been a topic of debate, including in the most recent climate change assessments from the U.S. government and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.”
Pro 25:20, “Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.”
Mat 16:2-3, “He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’;“ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.”
Luk 12:55, “And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is.”
Merriam-Webster defines weather as:the state of the air and atmosphere at a particular time and place: the temperature and other outside conditions (such as rain, cloudiness, etc.) at a particular time and place. Climate: the average course or condition of the weather at a place usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation. If we look at weather as an individual small matter, we look at climate as the overall bigger picture. If the Lord favors good weather at a particular time and place, God must also favors a healthful climate for the whole world.
The problem of climate change is caused by human irresponsible behavior.
“Human activities (primarily the burning of fossil fuels) have fundamentally increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet. Natural drivers, without human intervention, would push our planet toward a cooling period.
Scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the “greenhouse effect”1 — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.
Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are described as “forcing” climate change. Gases, such as water vapor, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as “feedbacks.”
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
· Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth’s atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
· Carbon dioxide (CO2). A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by 48% since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived “forcing” of climate change.
· Methane. A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities, including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule-for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.
· Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning.
· Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now largely regulated in production and release to the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gases.
On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO2. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict, but some effects seem likely:
· On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but others may not.
· Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.
· A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the ocean and partially melt glaciers and ice sheets, increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level rise.
Outside of a greenhouse, higher atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels can have both positive and negative effects on crop yields. Some laboratory experiments suggest that elevated CO2 levels can increase plant growth. However, other factors, such as changing temperatures, ozone, and water and nutrient constraints, may more than counteract any potential increase in yield. If optimal temperature ranges for some crops are exceeded, earlier possible gains in yield may be reduced or reversed altogether.
Climate extremes, such as droughts, floods and extreme temperatures, can lead to crop losses and threaten the livelihoods of agricultural producers and the food security of communities worldwide. Depending on the crop and ecosystem, weeds, pests, and fungi can also thrive under warmer temperatures, wetter climates, and increased CO2 levels, and climate change will likely increase weeds and pests.
Finally, although rising CO2 can stimulate plant growth, research has shown that it can also reduce the nutritional value of most food crops by reducing the concentrations of protein and essential minerals in most plant species. Climate change can cause new patterns of pests and diseases to emerge, affecting plants, animals and humans, and posing new risks for food security, food safety and human health.2
The Role of Human Activity
In its Fifth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under the auspices of the United Nations, concluded there’s a more than 95 percent probability that human activities over the past 50 years have warmed our planet.
The industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to about 417 parts per million in the last 151 years. The panel also concluded there’s a better than 95 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth’s temperatures over the past 50-plus years.
“Climate policy intersects with other societal goals creating the possibility of co-benefits or adverse side effects. These intersections, if well-managed, can strengthen the basis for undertaking climate action. Mitigation and adaptation can positively or negatively influence the achievement of other societal goals, such as those related to human health, food security, biodiversity, local environmental quality, energy access, livelihoods, and equitable sustainable development; and vice versa, policies toward other societal goals can influence the achievement of mitigation and adaptation objectives [4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.8]. These influences can be substantial, although sometimes difficult to quantify, especially in welfare terms [3.6.3]. This multi-objective perspective is important in part because it helps to identify areas where support for policies that advance multiple goals will be robust [1.2.1, 4.2, 4.8, 6.6.1].
”Behavior, lifestyle and culture have a considerable influence on energy use and associated emissions, with high mitigation potential in some sectors, in particular when complementing technological and structural change23 (medium evidence, medium agreement). Emissions can be substantially lowered through changes in consumption patterns (e.g., mobility demand and mode, energy use in households, choice of longer-lasting products) and dietary change and reduction in food wastes. A number of options including monetary and non-monetary incentives as well as information measures may facilitate behavioural changes. [6.8, 7.9, 8.3.5, 8.9, 9.2, 9.3, 9.10, Box 10.2, 10.4, 11.4, 12.4, 12.6, 12.7, 15.3, 15.5, Table TS.2]
“The potential future effects of global climate change include more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought in some regions and an increase in the number, duration and intensity of tropical storms.“
“The intensity, frequency and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes, as well as the frequency of the strongest (Category 4 and 5) hurricanes, have all increased since the early 1980s. The relative contributions of human and natural causes to these increases are still uncertain. Hurricane-associated storm intensity and rainfall rates are projected to increase as the climate continues to warm.”
“Global sea level has risen by about 8 inches since reliable record keeping began in 1880. It is projected to rise another 1 to 8 feet by 2100. This is the result of added water from melting land ice and the expansion of seawater as it warms. In the next several decades, storm surges and high tides could combine with sea level rise and land subsidence to further increase flooding in many regions. Sea level rise will continue past 2100 because the oceans take a very long time to respond to warmer conditions at the Earth’s surface. Ocean waters will therefore continue to warm and sea level will continue to rise for many centuries at rates equal to or higher than those of the current century.”
For sea level continues to rise is the greatest threat to island nations and cities because this factor will make island nations and cities disappear under the sea. Fifty years ago nobody would think of the disappearance of islands as something possible.
“The Arctic Ocean is expected to become essentially ice free in summer before mid-century.”
As a concerned human being, the effects of climate change are the most important for all to consider and for all to act as necessary. It is no longer tolerable for irresponsible human activities when you know it is a matter of life or death for individual, and a matter of survival for the human race.
“Earth’s climate is now changing faster than at any point in the history of modern civilization, primarily as a result of human activities. Global climate change has already resulted in a wide range of impacts across every region of the country and many sectors of the economy that are expected to grow in the coming decades. ”
“Global action to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions can substantially reduce climate-related risks and increase opportunities for these populations in the longer term.”
“In the absence of significant global mitigation action and regional adaptation efforts, rising temperatures, sea level rise, and changes in extreme events are expected to increasingly disrupt and damage critical infrastructure and property, labor productivity, and the vitality of our communities. Regional economies and industries that depend on natural resources and favorable climate conditions, such as agriculture, tourism, and fisheries, are vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures are projected to reduce the efficiency of power generation while increasing energy demands, resulting in higher electricity costs. The impacts of climate change beyond our borders are expected to increasingly affect our trade and economy, including import and export prices and U.S. businesses with overseas operations and supply chains. Some aspects of our economy may see slight near-term improvements in a modestly warmer world. However, the continued warming that is projected to occur without substantial and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions is expected to cause substantial net damage to the U.S. economy throughout this century, especially in the absence of increased adaptation efforts. With continued growth in emissions at historic rates, annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century—more than the current gross domestic product (GDP) of many U.S. states.”
The Effects of Climate Change are so alarming, frightening, horrifying, terrifying, and most shocking. The world no longer can do as usual. The peoples of the world no longer can afford to do as usual. Now is the most urgent, most pressing, most compelling for every human being to act promptly and effectively. American leaders and politicians must be blockheads and nincompoops to plot world conquest while the country is facing the greatest peril. The following things are sure to happen to the United States:
Below are some of the impacts that are currently visible throughout the U.S. and will continue to affect these regions, according to the Third3 and Fourth4 National Climate Assessment Reports, released by the U.S. Global Change Research Program:
Northeast. Heat waves, heavy downpours and sea level rise pose growing challenges to many aspects of life in the Northeast. Infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and ecosystems will be increasingly compromised. Many states and cities are beginning to incorporate climate change into their planning.
Northwest. Changes in the timing of streamflow reduce water supplies for competing demands. Sea level rise, erosion, inundation, risks to infrastructure and increasing ocean acidity pose major threats. Increasing wildfire, insect outbreaks and tree diseases are causing widespread tree die-off.
Southeast. Sea level rise poses widespread and continuing threats to the region’s economy and environment. Extreme heat will affect health, energy, agriculture and more. Decreased water availability will have economic and environmental impacts.
Midwest. Extreme heat, heavy downpours and flooding will affect infrastructure, health, agriculture, forestry, transportation, air and water quality, and more. Climate change will also exacerbate a range of risks to the Great Lakes.
Southwest. Increased heat, drought and insect outbreaks, all linked to climate change, have increased wildfires. Declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas are additional concerns.”
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) was established by Presidential initiative in 1989 and mandated by Congress in the Global Change Research Act (GCRA) of 1990. Its mandate is to develop and coordinate “a comprehensive and integrated United States research program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change.”
“The Strategic Plan fulfills Congress’s mandate in the Global Change Research Act to develop a program to “understand, assess, predict, and respond to” global change. It reflects recommendations from multiple reports of the National Academies, from dozens of listening sessions with stakeholders around the country, and from collaborative planning among the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) member agencies. Altogether, the USGCRP envisioned through this Strategic Plan, by connecting fundamental human and Earth system research with the translation and dissemination of credible and authoritative information, harnesses the work of Federal agencies into a coordinated effort for the future benefit of the Nation.”
Men have sinned against the Creator by activities which cause environment degradation and degeneration. So everybody is responsible and required to save the climate by doing his parts.
IV. POLLUTION IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
God condemns moral pollutions:
Eze 22:10-12, “Among you they have uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; among you they have abused her who was unclean in her menstruation. And one has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife, another has outrageously defiled his daughter-in-law, and another among you has sexually abused his sister, his father’s daughter.
Among you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest, you have injured your neighbors by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord GOD.”
2Co 7:1, “Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.”
God is very concerned about every pollution of flesh and spirit.
Act 15:20, “but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.”
Christians abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.
“Pollution is the introduction of substances (or energy) that cause adverse changes in the environment and living entities .”
Pollution need not always be caused by chemical substances such as particulates (like smoke and dust). Forms of energy such as sound, heat or light can also cause pollution. These substances that cause pollution are called pollutants.
Pollution, even in minuscule amounts, impacts the ecological balance. Pollutants can make their way up the food chain and eventually find their way inside the human body. Read on to explore the types of pollution and their implications.
Types of Pollution
As stated before, there are different types of pollution, which are either caused by natural events (like forest fires) or by man-made activities (like cars, factories, nuclear wastes, etc.) These are further classified into the following types of pollution:
Besides these 4 types of pollution, other types exist such as light pollution, thermal pollution and radioactive pollution. The latter is much rarer than other types, but it is the deadliest.”
“Pollution continues to increase with the consequences affecting growing numbers of people and ultimately the global environment. The effects of pollution manifest themselves in deteriorating air and water quality around the world, resulting in increased cases of respiratory illness, water-borne disease, acid rain, and the increasing global threat of climate change. From an economic perspective, the forces behind pollution are related to the inability of markets to properly “price” the goods and services whose production and consumption processes cause pollution, as well as the ecosystems which serve to absorb the residuals of these processes. One way to address the problem of pricing is to estimate the costs that pollution imposes on society. Then, regulatory and economic instruments can be used in an attempt to alter prices as well as societal and industry behavior in order to reduce pollution.”
“Discharges or residuals may originate from any number of sources including domestic wastewater, community solid wastes, industrial waste effluents, and wastes from agricultural activities such as runoff of excess pesticides and fertilizers. Pollution may be categorized by environmental medium (air, water, and land or solid waste). Physical data compiled on emissions includes categories for different sources such as industry (manufacturing, construction, sewage, mining) households, agriculture, forestry, utilities (electricity, water, gas), and others.”
V. CORRUPTION IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
The corruption that is in the world on account of lust is incalculable and inestimable. European and American leaders and politicians promise the peoples of the world freedom and democracy while they themselves are slaves of corruption. A lot of people say, corruption is in the system. No, corruption is in the politicians themselves. Corrupt doctors, dentists, hospital owners, drug and insurance executives, medical and hospital suppliers, labs, etc. have defrauded American patients for decades and decades. The wicked will see the Pit of Corruption.
Gal 6:8, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
There are two groups of people. Those who sow to the flesh and those who sow to the Spirit. The people of the world, or the children of the devil, sow to the flesh. Christians, the children of God who are led by the Spirit follow the Spirit, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, and praying in the Holy Spirit.
Children of God are not corrupted by the world.
Rom 8:19-21, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”
I see not a few backward, poor, unproductive nations compounded by corrupt leaders who swallow all national resources as personal assets. Corruption has hindered and impeded these poor and backward nations.
“Corruption is a crime which slows economic growth, undermines development, and causes inequality. With a cost to the global economy estimated at around US$2.6 trillion (£1.8 trillion) a year, it is often linked to politics and profiteering by large corporations”
VI. INJUSTICE IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
Deu 32:4, “The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and just is He.”
The God of Christianity is the Rock. Rock in Hebrew is ṣûrwhich means strength; mighty one; a refuge; security; symbol of firmness; support and defense of His people; boulder; solid mass; – which occurs 78 times in the Old Testament. God is my Rock means God is my Strength, my Security, and my Support. The work of God is perfect. All the ways of God are just. God is faithful and without injustice. God is righteous and just. Now you have the basic knowledge of God.
Lev 19:15, “You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the poor nor give preference to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.”
God hates injustice committed by judges. Judges must not show partiality to the poor nor give preference to the great, judges are to judge fairly no matter who.
2Ch 19:7, “Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be careful about what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in injustice or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe.”
The fear of the Lord prevents a person in committing injustice or partiality, or in the taking of a bribe.
Job 11:11,“For He knows false people, And He sees injustice without investigating.”
God knows false people, people who pretend to be what they are not. God sees injustice without investigating. From the beginning God sees the injustice done by Americans, Europeans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealand, Japanese, and Islamic terrorists without investigating.
Job 31:3, “Is it not disaster to the criminal, And misfortune to those who practice injustice?”
God gives disaster to the criminal, and misfortune to those who practice injustice.
Job 34:22,“There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.”
Evildoers love darkness or deep shadow to hide themselves. There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of injustice can hide themselves. Europeans, Americans, Australians, New Zealand, Japanese, and Islamic terrorists have done so much injustice in this world.
Psa 5:5, “The boastful will not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do injustice.”
The boastful will not stand before the eyes of God; and God hate all who do injustice.
Psa 7:14, “Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice, and he conceives harm and gives birth to lies.”
Evil American and European leaders and politicians, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Japanese leaders are pregnant with injustice, and they conceive harm and give birth to lies. This is the Biblical etiology of injustice and lies.
Pro 22:8, “One who sows injustice will reap disaster, And the rod of his fury will perish.”
One who sows injustice will reap disaster. For 500 years or more Europeans have sown injustice will reap disaster. For 300 years Americans have sown injustice will reap disaster. Canadian, Australian and New Zealand, Japanese, Islamic terrorists have sown injustice, will reap disaster.
Hos 10:13, “You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your many warriors.”
The Scriptures cited above fitly describe the American, European and Japanese. They have plowed wickedness, they have harvested injustice, and they have eaten the fruit of lies. They have trusted in their way, their military might.
Is it ironic and unjust that Bill Clinton stayed in a four-bedroom suite at the Waldorf-Astoria last month for the United Nations’ 50th anniversary that cost America $6,000 per night, at the same time that babies in Detroit or Los Angeles were being born into poverty so great their parents do not have the means to feed them? Or is it simply the beauty of capitalism?”
Samuel Greggsaid, “All that matters in the crony capitalist world is access of political power, so inequality is no longer about wealth, it’s about how much access you have to political power.”
Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
I like Benjamin Disraeli who said, “Justice is truth in action.”
I agree with Joseph Addison, “There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.”
The magnificent Daniel Webster who said, “Justice, sir, is the great interest of man on earth. It is the ligament which holds civilized beings and civilized nations together. Wherever her temple stands, and so long as it is duly honored, there is a foundation for general security, general happiness, and the improvement and progress of our race.”
There is no injustice with God. God wants the leaders of the world to practice justice.
VII. POVERTY IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
There are many reasons why a nation is poor. (1). It has poor natural resources. (2). It has corrupt leaders who waste its meager resources. (3). It has a wrong priority. (4). Its people are lazy and not motivated. 5. It does not create employment opportunities.
The two major reasons that nations and peoples are poor: (1.) Corrupt leaders and politicians steal and rob national resources and use them for their personal and private interests. (2). Business and corporations monopolize and make national resources to enrich themselves. The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
Pro 13:18, “Poverty and shame will come to one who neglects discipline, but one who complies with rebuke will be honored.”
Poverty and shame will come to the people who neglect discipline. You see not a few poor countries fall into this category.
Pro 14:23, “In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Do you notice the leaders of some countries do not labor, they just talk, and talk, and talk. The more they talk, the poorer their countries become.
Pro 23:21, “For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.”
Heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty if they are not poor yet. The lazy who are fond of sleep with clothe with rags.
Pro 28:19, “One who works his land will have plenty of food, but one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty.”
I do not know any people like the Chinese who work their land and have plenty of food. You wonder why many countries and peoples are poor, because they follow empty pursuits.
Pro 10:4, “Poor is one who works with a lazy hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
God wants Christians to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,1Ti 6:18.
2Co 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”
It was the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich. So you see it is not the will of God that we become poor.
Jas 2:5, “Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
To be rich in faith is not what executives of Wall Street, Washington and Hollywood, banking, insurance and drug companies, corrupt doctors and hospital owners can know about.
N. B. Among the European nations listed above, Norway has the least share of population living on less than $30.00 per day, 2019.
“The $1.90 poverty line, set by the UN, shows that globally close to one in ten people live in extreme poverty.7 In all these statistics the researchers are not only taking people’s monetary income into account, but also their non-monetary income and home production. One reason why this is important is because many poor people are small scale farmers who produce their own food.8The fact that there are so many extremely poor people in the world makes it necessary to have such a low poverty line. Without an extremely low poverty line, we would not be able to see that a large share of the world lives in such deep poverty. ”
China is the only nation which has lifted up 770 million peasants from extreme poverty. So it is wise for poor and undeveloped nations to copy the Chinese model of reducing poverty.
VIII. IGNORANCE IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
1Pe 2:15, “For such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people.”
In fact, it is the will of God, that Christians by doing right may silence the ignorance of foolish people. The ignorance of foolish people is lack of the knowledge of God and of truth. Foolish people speal against the truth.
“The cost of ignorance defies knowing. Just imagine what it costs us in just the following areas:
· Current wars and preparations for upcoming ones fed by ignorance and fueled by fear and prejudice;
· Every day violence including: physical and mental abuse, accidents, and terrorism of many forms;
· Pandemics that spread because of layers of incompetence, prejudice, piety and indifference;
· Waste of human talent while massive environmental degradation savages the planet, and populations rise because women and girls are excluded from education;
· Climate change denied by willfully ignorant leaders. These are leaders who justify not stopping climate change by treating the fossil fuel industry as a job source (not so) and the spread of AIDS as God’s angry response to bad behavior, not a sexually transmitted disease (as everyone now knows);”
If ignorance is the cause of world’s problems, then true knowledge is the right antidote.
Act 3:17, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers also did.”
Human activities of ignorance cannot be numbered. Idolatry and false religions are worship in ignorance. People commit sins in ignorance. Conforming to the lusts is ignorance. To be uninformed is to be ignorant.
Pro 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he grows older he will not abandon it.” Education begins in childhood and throughout adulthood. Nations which have peoples of talents and skills cannot be poor.
1. Wrongful deception with the intent to gain personally or financially
2. Intentional deception in order to persuade another person to part with something of value
3. A person who pretends to be something or someone he is not.”
Types of fraud:
1. Check Fraud. Check fraud occurs when a person pays for something with a check knowing that there is not enough money in the account to cover the cost, or when an individual forges a check stolen from someone else.
2. Internet sales. Internet frauds are becoming more prevalent since the world relies heavily on technology. This type of fraud involves selling fake or counterfeit items, or taking payment with no intention to ship or deliver the item.
3. Website misdirection. This occurs when hackers mimic reputable companies such as Amazon, eBay, or PayPal, redirecting consumers to another website where they enter their credit card information. The criminal then use this information to make personal purchases.
4. Charities fraud. For many years, criminals have taken advantage of the fact that Americans generously give to worthy causes. Criminals solicit people to make donations to various causes that do not actually exist.
5. Work-from-home scams. Working from home sounds like a dream to many people, so it is not surprising that a number of Americans fall for this type of fraud each year. Criminals promise income to people who sign up for their fictitious work-from-home job, often requiring that money be paid up front with the promise of a big payoff in a short amount of time.
6. Pyramid schemes. These work-from-home type schemes promise the consumer large returns on their investment if they are able to recruit others to their network. People often pay money up front to buy into the business, or to buy a sales package of some type, and only make money if they get a large number of people to join beneath them.
7. Identity theft. One of the most commonly perpetrated types of fraud in this age, identity theft robs victims of their money, credit rating, and personal identity. Fraudsters obtain credit card, bank account, and other personal information, using them for personal gain.
8. Credit card fraud. In today’s climate of electronic money, credit card fraud has become a prevalent crime. By obtaining people’s credit card information, through a variety of means, the perpetrator can quickly make a large amount of purchases before the consumer even realizes what is happening. Credit card fraud is classified as identity theft, identity assumption, or a fraud spree, depending on the specifics of the crime.
9. Debt elimination. Many Americas find themselves deeply in debt, making it easy for criminals to offer them an opportunity to climb out from under a mountain of bills. Fake companies produce ads and other solicitations promising to help eliminate every type of debt, from credit card bills to taxes, for a partial payment up front. The victim fronts the payment as well as their credit card information, getting nothing in return, and often having their information sold to other fraudsters.
10. Insurance fraud. Insurance fraud is committed every day in the U.S., by people who otherwise would not consider themselves to be criminals. False or inflated insurance claims for automobile damages, health care expenses, and homeowners or renters insurance are considered to be insurance fraud, and may be charged as felonies, depending on the circumstances and amount of the fraud.”
Lately fake news is the most devastating and disastrous type of frauds. World leaders and politicians and mainstream media prevalently commit fake news fraud. Business and corporations commit product and service frauds. A fake drug is more deadly than a fake product.
“But it is strongly recommended that consumers never let their debit card out of sight during a transaction. Also, know that the liability limits for debit cards are less restrictive than credit cards. If you report the debit card lost, stolen or misused within two business days, the maximum liability under federal law is $50. If you report it within 60 days, the maximum liability is $500. But after 60 days, there is no maximum liability.
Many people also are victimized by credit card fraud every year. It is estimated that debit card and credit card losses could exceed $12 billion by 2020.
But you should know that there are strong credit card protections in place, if you discover the fraud in time. Under federal law, you should only have to pay $50 if the credit card is lost or stolen and used illegitimately. If you report the card lost or stolen before it is used, you have zero liability under federal law. Thus, it is important to regularly review your credit card and bank statements to ensure that no fraudulent activity has occurred.”
How can you discover your Credit Card or Debit Card has been stolen or fraudulently used, when the bank sends you the monthly statement several months lagging behind?
· Medical equipment fraud, where bills are created for equipment that was never received.
· Rolling lab schemes, where fake tests are offered and billed to Medicare or insurance companies.
· Services not performed, whereby insurers are billed for services that were never delivered.
Medicare fraud is one of the most common types of healthcare fraud. It is something that senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to. Medicare fraud wastes a lot of money every year and it results in higher costs for healthcare and taxes for all Americans. They may be billed for equipment that they don’t need or told that certain tests have to be performed. Con artists will also often try to get a senior citizen’s signature so that they can bill Medicare for further non-existent services. It is important to guard your Medicare card very carefully as if it is your debit or credit card. You should only give your Medicare number to people that should have it. Know that no one from Medicare is ever going to contact you and ask you for this number, except in very rare circumstances.”
I believe corrupt doctors and hospitals who fraudulently charge for services, supplies, treatment, procedures, tests, etc. which are not performed or unnecessary must be punished severely. A total cost of $1 million or more should be executed. The monopoly and life and death situation of health care make death penalty necessary. And it should be legally required that doctors and hospitals provide cost information in advance for patients to make decision.
“A phony charity can use the same techniques to steal money as real charities use to raise money. Before you give a donation, you should be certain of where your money is going. Do not pay attention to high pressure sales pitches. Never give cash, and always be on guard after a natural disaster. This is when con artists know that people are likely to be generous and sympathetic as they open their wallets. You should obtain the contact information for the charity and examine the organization before you provide funds. The organization also should be an IRS-approved nonprofit organization.
There are many examples of fraudulent charities. One of the worst is located in Florida called Kids Wish Network. Each year, the charity has raised millions of dollars in the names of dying children and their loved ones. It has been reported that the charity spends less than three cents of every dollar helping families and children. Most of the rest is used to enrich the owners of the charity. On average, the worst charities in America devote less than 4% of their donations to their causes.”
Beware, many charities are actually thieves and robbers.
Leaders and politicians lie and rob the nation and fool the people with phony democracy, human rights, justice and freedom.
Environmental pollutions are caused by irresponsible behavior of people. Just pick the plastic pollution of many nations in the seas, lakes and rivers will frighten any sensible person.
“Air pollution negatively impacts the U.S. economy, costing the U.S. roughly 5 percent of its yearly gross domestic product (GDP) in damages ($790 billion in 2014). The highest costs come from early deaths, attributable to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
However, damages from air pollution in the U.S. are sharply falling, as levels of outdoor air pollutants have decreased in recent years, according to recent research from the Center for Air Quality, Climate, and Energy Solutions (CACES) at Carnegie Mellon University. The study, published Sept. 9 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that external damages from air pollution have fallen 20 percent recently over just a six-year span, from 2008 to 2014.
Air pollution damages are largely concentrated within a small number of economic sectors: the top four sectors responsible for the highest external damages (agriculture, utilities, manufacturing, and transportation) contribute just under 20 percent of GDP, but are responsible for more than 75 percent of all air pollution-related damages. ”
The air pollution occurs in India reported on TV is so disastrous I personally believe than asthmatic patients could die.
X. DESTRUCTION IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD
Most destructions of the world are accomplished by imperialism and colonialism. I do not agree with the difference between colonialism and imperialism:
• Imperialism is when a country or an empire starts influencing other countries by using its power.
• Colonialism is when an empire or a country goes and conquers another country or region. Settling in this new region is a part of colonialism.”
There are evils which have done the most destructive works in the world:
Imperialism is always and almost inevitably turns into Colonialism. The only exception was the Chinese Empire which did not have any desire of conquest or colonialism. Imperialism can exist without colonialism, colonialism cannot exist without imperialism. On the contrary, Japanese imperialism in 14 years engaging in war of aggression committed the untold brutalities and cruelties that God will settle account with them
“Finally, the policy of colonialism and imperialism caused untold misery and suffering to the people. The various imperialist powers were involved in a number of wars with the local people as well as amongst themselves which resulted in loss of millions lives. Thus colonialism and imperialism resulted in untold misery to humanity.”
“The British Empire moulders in the grave, but is there an American Empire? The US keeps nearly 800 military bases in 70 countries and territories abroad. It launches innumerable invasions of foreign countries when they resist its domination. However, if there is a demon driving American imperialism, it must be a stupid one. After 20 years of occupying Afghanistan and seeking to turn it into a colony, the Americans had to scarper and run. A bunch of shaggy-bearded Islamic warriors have beaten the high-tech armies, drones and missiles of the Great Satan. A wonder to behold! The seeing off of a dumb demon?”
Only white supremacists are so blind and biased that they may raise the question, Was imperialism good or evil? Did anybody question the poisoned qualities of Cyanide?
“Often the greatest criticism of capitalism comes from social visionaries, such as Erich Fromm. He proposes that mankind must cease living in the having mode, concerned only with material wealth and power, to enter the being mode, and abandon their selfishness and greed. Fromm states, “In the having mode of existence my relationship to the world is one of possessing and owning, one in which I want to make everybody and everything, including myself, my property” (12). This view of the having mode would certainly explain the obscenely extravagant impulses of residents of Beverly Hills, California, but would it apply to corporations, whose contributions ultimately raise the standard of living for all?”
“The underlying element in the radical Islamist worldview is a historic and dichotomist: Perfection lies in the ways of the Prophet and the events of his time; therefore, religious innovations, philosophical relativism, and intellectual or political pluralism are anathema. In such a worldview, there can exist only two camps — Dar al-Islam (“The House of Islam” — i.e., the Muslim countries) and Dar al-Harp (“The House of War” — i.e., countries ruled by any regime but Islam) — which are pitted against each other until the final victory of Islam. These concepts are carried to their extreme conclusion by the radicals; however, they have deep roots in mainstream Islam.”
“Accordingly, given the number of Muslim lands under “infidel occupation” and the length of time of those occupations, it is argued that it has become a personal duty for all Muslims to join the jihad. This duty — if taken seriously — is no less a religious imperative than the other five pillars of Islam (the statement of belief or shahadah, prayer, fasting, charity, and haj). It becomes a de facto (and in the eyes of some a de jure) sixth pillar; a Muslim who does not perform it will inherit hell.”
It is good and right that the United Kingdom bans and outlaws Hamas because it is an Islamic terrorist organization.
“Around 60 million Christians were slaughtered during the jihadic conquest. Half of the glorious Hindu civilization was annihilated and 80 million Hindus killed. The first Western Buddhists were the Greeks descended from Alexander the Great’s army in what is now Afghanistan. Jihad destroyed all of Buddhism along the silk route. About 10 million Buddhists died. The conquest of Buddhism is the practical result of pacifism. Zoroastrianism was eliminated from Persia. The Jews became permanent dhimmis throughout Islam. In Africa over 120 million Christians and animists have died over the last 1400 years of jihad. Approximately 270 million nonbelievers died over the last 1400 years for the glory of political Islam. These are the Tears of Jihad which are not taught in any school.”
So for all the evils in the world, you can see Islamic Terrorism is the most horrible because it is rooted in its religious dogma, back up by Islamic sources, driven by extremism in believing they do God a service by killing and committing terrorist acts. According to Jesus, destructive works are Satanic in nature. Jhn 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”
XI. THINGS GOD WANTS YOU TO DO
1. You must choose.
Job 34:33 , “Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.”
Note: God has given man a choice; so you must choose. Man has no choice to be born, but you have a choice how to live. You must choose to receive the Lord Jesus Christ or reject Him. You must choose the way of life or the way of death. You must choose the narrow gate that leads to life or the wide gate that leads to death. You must choose to do right or to do wrong. You must choose to serve the Lord or the devil. Those who lie and kill serve the devil. Choose life in order that you may live. Choose for yourself today whom you will serve. Choose for yourself what is right. Choose the fear of the Lord. Choose good and refuse evil. Choose what pleases the Lord. So choose life in order that you may live. To choose Jesus Christ is to choose life.
Choose what is right.
Choose the fear of the Lord.
Choose good and not evil.
Choose what pleases God.
The choice of man reveals his character.
2. You must be born again.
Jhn 3:7, “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
Note: Must in Greek is dei which means ought, should, it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, it is right and proper, it is required, necessity established by God’s will; – it occurs 103 times in the New Testament. To be born again is to receive new life by the Holy Spirit. To be born again is to be saved from sins and eternal death. To be born again is to receive the Holy Spirit living in you. To be born again is to be a new man in Christ. Do not be surprised flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Man by nature is bad; to be born again is to participate in the divine nature by the power of God. You do not need to be rich. You do not need to be powerful. You do not need to be rich. You must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God.
Born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Born of water and the Spirit.
Born of the Spirit.
Born according to the Spirit.
Born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God.
Born of God.
Born of God and knows God.
Born of God overcomes the world.
3. You also must be ready.
Mat 24:44 , “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Note: No one knows when the Son of God is coming, for this reason we also must be ready. Jesus Christ will return at an hour when you do not think He will. So be ready at all times. A wise person is always ready. Remember the foolish virgins.
4. You must walk and please God.
1Th 4:1 , “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you must walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”
Note: The Word of God instructs us how to walk to please God. How to walk means how to conduct oneself, how to behave at all times. To please God, you cannot please man or the world.
Jhn 8:12 , “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
He who follows Jesus will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.
Col 1:10, “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Christians are to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
5. You must worship in spirit and truth.
Jhn 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
GOD knowsyour heart. You cannot claim to be a Christian and lie, kill, rob and commit sexual immorality. You must worship God in spirit and truth.
6. All that you do must be done in love.
1Co 16:14, “All that you do must be done in love.” How can imperialist, colonialist, capitalist and terrorist do anything in love?
7. Do not love the world.
1Jo 2:15, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
Christians do not belong to this world. Christians are citizens of Heaven. We wait and witness for the Lord. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
XII. JESUS DETERMINES ALL
Mat 11:27, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.”
Determine in Greek is boulomaiwhich means to will deliberately; intend; desire; have a purpose; wish; – which occurs 34 times in the New Testament. Jesus Christ has been given all things handed over to Him by the Lord of the universe who has all the powers and authorities to decide, establish, settle, fix, ordain, rule, and do all things. Nothing is outside the sovereignty and power of Jesus Christ. So no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son. The revelation of Jesus Christ is determined by Himself to reveal God to anyone He chooses. It is impossible for anyone by science, human wisdom, research and effort to have the knowledge of God. However, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Jesus says clearly,
Jhn 6:37, “Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out.”
Everyone and anyone who comes to Jesus Christ, He certainly will not cast out, will not drive out, will not send out or kick out.
CONCLUSION
You have learned the doctrine of fatalism is worthless and useless. You cannot blame God for the evil made by men in this world, you must do your duty. The first duty is to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. You can do it now.
Secondly, you will do the will of God through study of the Holy Scriptures. It is the highest duty and responsibility for Christians to do the will of God.
Jesus says, Mat 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Are you not weary and burdened by sin, sorrow, and worry of this world? Jesus is calling you, He will give you the forgiveness of sins, rest, eternal life and the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Come now. No matter who you are and where you are.
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
This article is written to let you know: Christians are citizens of Heaven. The Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world. Christians are in the world but do not belong to this world. This truth precludes Christians from polluted by the dirty and filthy politics of the world. There is no Christian politics anyway.
According to https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/politicsMeriam Webster defines the Essential Meaning of politics : “activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government.” Based on the definition, the Bible does not forbid Christian to have “activities relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government.” Of course “activities” do not include illegal activities or dirty tricks or fake news and fake statements.
There is no Christian politics just as there is no Christian prostitution. There is no Christendom. There is no Christian nation. There is no Christian nationalism. There is no Christian democracy. There is not Christian imperialism. There is no Christian capitalism. There is no Christian terrorism. These terrible things do not exist and the Bible does not approve them. Unbelievers and the wicked call those un-Christian things “Christian” in order to justify their evil deeds and existence.
I. LET US TALK POLITICS
Let us first talk about politics and see if you can stand the truth and not personally get angry or mad:
Marianne Thiemesaid, “Politicians and corporations have always placed economic interests above moral interests. This is now hurting the entire planet.” This is a true confession. American politics are all about money and power for their groups and individuals; it has nothing to do with truth and justice. The ballot is not strong anymore, it is bought by vested interest. Those who have most money get elected. In most cases, election has no meaning but an exercise of the rich and powerful to gain power and to remain in power.
A politicians boasted, “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.“ I am sure that politician found out the matter too late.
Some politicians said, “Show me a young Conservative and I’ll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I’ll show you someone with no brains.”That is the problem of the world, not just America. The world leaders today have no heart and no brains.
Abraham Lincoln said, “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” For white and black supremacists, their idea of democracy is to make America the Master, America First, and the whole world slaves.
Plutarch said, “An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.”There are so many imbalances in the world, not just between rich and poor, but also between powerful and helpless, between the just and the unjust, between the civilized and the uncivilized, between the informed and the ignorant, between males and females, between peaceful and the violent, between the productive and unproductive, between the noble and vulgar, between honesty and crookedness, between disciplined and undisciplined, between order and chaos, and between the desirable and undesirable.
Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” American government has absolute power for a long time. Many governments of the world also go for absolute power. You wonder why absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Charles Krauthamer, “To understand the workings of American politics, you have to understand this fundamental law: Conservatives think liberals are stupid. Liberals think conservatives are evil.”
Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Lincoln was right. There was a white man who knew nothing about policy and procedure. He was promoted to be a supervisor by his friend the same veteran. He was so intoxicated with power. A fool in power is most dangerous. His character came out so ugly that he ran his group like military. He considered wrong whatever he did not know.
Will Durantsaid, ““The political machine triumphs because it is united minority acting against a divided majority.” A united minority can win power because of the unorganized majority. History again and again, repeatedly proves the case. I had personal knowledge about this: Black students of Los Angeles City College were minority but well organized to have a black student president. They wanted more and more power and so demonstrated their power by disrupting the educational process by rioting. They wanted to shut down the college. I saw the college president was a weakling. The governor of California had no jurisdiction over the junior college. The research for help logically led the president of the United States. I was a poor unknown junior, the activities stood to destroy my educational dream. It was the last semester that I must transfer to the university. So my future was threatened by ambitious but ignorant black students. That made me decided to appeal my case to the President. I wrote a powerful letter that President Richard Nixon responded by sending two FBI agents to investigate the riots at the Los Angeles City College. Consequently, the city college was never shut down, I was successfully transferred to the University. The rest was history. I soon learned even I don’t bother politics, politics would bother me. Ever since I was a strong supporter and follower of President Richard Nixon to this day. Years later I could describe myself in this way: I am a Christian by grace, a Chinese by race, an American by nationality. In politics I am a Nixonian; in Management I am a Koontzian; in English I am a Ruskinian; in philosophy I am Willie Wong Thought. This whole incident or episode waked me up from my political slumber that prompted me to become a strategist.
Years ago I dreamed of using the website to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. After a number of years, now my websites have reached more than 182 nations; and it reaches roughly 3,153,750 users and delivers about 6,938,310 pageviews each month.
According to Niccolo Machiavelli, “Politics have no relation to morals.” This is an indirect confession that politicians are immoral.
Maybe you say enough of talking politics, we want to get down with the serious business. I agree.
II. THERE ARE VARIOUS FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
According to 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica“Government
(0. Fr. governement, mod. gouvernement, O. Fr. governer, mod. gouverner, from Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, guide, rule; cf. Gr. Kv(3epvelv), in its widest sense, the ruling power in a political society. In every society of men there is a determinate body (whether consisting of one individual or a few or many individuals) whose commands the rest of the community are bound to obey. This sovereign body is what in more popular phrase is termed the government of the country, and the varieties which may exist in its constitution are known as forms of government.”
I think we can all agree that government is “the ruling power in a society.” As to what form of government is the best it is debatable to this day. We select some forms of government for analysis and consideration. The oldest form of government, historically speaking may be theocracy.
A. THEOCRACY
Theocracy simply means the rule of God. Under theocracy, there was no king, but priests and prophets spoke on behalf of God. They rule the nation in the name of God. God is being King over the people. Historically speaking, the first and last nation of theocracy was the state of Israel.
Historically Theocracy failed not because God failed, but because Israelites wanted to be ruled by king as other nations do at that time.
In human government, the rulers have to get the consent of the ruled. In Divine government, God does not seek the consent of the people. God rules by His sovereignty, by His wisdom and power, by His will without consultation with mankind. Theocracy is only the forerunner of the eternal Kingdom of God and the sovereignty of God is universal, supreme, righteous, just, holy, majestic, perfect and eternal.
At the present, the world is in a chaos, because no matter what form of government, man is not suitable to rule over mankind. So the history of mankind is the history of wars and failures, again and again.
Jdg 17:6, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” In the history of the Jews, there were days when there was no king in Israel. In those days everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Jdg 18:1, “In those days there was no king of Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in, for until that day an inheritance had not been allotted to them as a possession among the tribes of Israel.”Jdg 19:1, “Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah.”Jdg 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
God ruled over Israel since the exodus from Egypt. God had shown Israelites His glory and His greatness, and they had heard His voice in the midst of fire. The children of Israel could remember all the way which the Lord had led them in the wilderness these forty years. They had seen all that the Lord had done to all those nations because of them and the Lord had been fighting for them. Exo 13:18, “Therefore God led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea; and the sons of Israel went up in battle formation from the land of Egypt.”
Exo 16:35, “And the sons of Israel ate the manna for forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate the manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.”
The miracles and wonders of theocracy can be illustrated by history and attested by His servant Moses, Deu 29:2, “And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants, and to all his land;thegreat trials which your eyes have seen, those great miracles and wonders. Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. And I have led you in the wilderness for forty years; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot.”
Act 13:17, “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.”
Exo 13:21, “And the LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from the presence of the people.But at the morning watch, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.”
1Sa 8:4-22, “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.”But the matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them.”So Samuel spoke all the Words of the LORD to the people who had asked him for a king.And he said, “This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and put them in his chariots for himself and among his horsemen, and they will run before his chariots.He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to gather in his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. “He will also take your daughtersand use them as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. “And he will take a tenth of your seed and your vineyards and give it to his high officials and his servants. “He will also take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and use them for his work.“ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.“ Then you will cry out on that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but theLORD will not answer you on that day.” Yet the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’S hearing. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice and appoint a king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go, every man to his city.”1Sa 10:19, “But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your catastrophes and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but put a king over us!’ Now then, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your groups of thousands.”
The sons of Israel had rejected God being King over them. They preferred to have a human king over them like all the nations. So God gave them what they wanted.I am aware of other forms of theocracy by other religions which leaders have absolute authority — but I neither have interest to dwell nor interest to discuss. The only theocracy worthy is the second coming of Jesus Christ to be King of kings and Lord of lords in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
B. MONARCHY
1Ch 11:2, “In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be leader over My people Israel.” Perhaps the State of Israel from the beginning was the first nation that views its leader as the shepherd of the people. The idea originated from God.
1Sa 9:2, “He had a son whose name was Saul, a young and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.”Saul was more handsome and taller, if he campaigns in America, he will surely win.
1Sa 9:21, “Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?” Saul began as a humble man.
1Sa 9:27, “As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Speak to the servant and have him go on ahead of us and pass by; but you stand here now, so that I may proclaim the Word of God to you.” Saul in the beginning also listened to the Word of God.
1Sa 10:21, “Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin forward by its families, and the Matrite family was selected by lot. And Saul the son of Kish was selected by lot; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.” According to: The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia Lots: “Means of determining chances. Primitive peoples, and occasionally those on a higher plane of culture, resort to lots for the purposes of augury. They spin a coconut or entangle strips of leather in order to obtain an omen. Thieves especially are detected by the casting of lots, etc. (Tylor, “Primitive Culture,” German ed., 1:78-82). The pagans on a ship with Jonah under stress of a storm cast lots in order to find out who among them had incurred the Divine anger (Jonah 1:7). ”According to International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia“(b) But the Bible appears in some places to give its approval to some kinds of artificial or (as it may be called) ominal divination.
(i) Sortliege or divination by lot. The use of the lot as a means of ascertaining the will of Deity is referred to at least without expressed censure, and, as the present writer thinks, with tacit approval, in many parts of the Bible. It was by lot that Aaron decided which of the two goats was to be for Yahweh and which for Azazel (Le 16:7-10). It was by lot that the land of Canaan was divided after the conquest (Nu 26:56 ff; Jos 18; 19). For other Biblical instances see Jos 7:14 (Achan found out by lot); 1Ch 6:54 ff; 24:5 ff; 25:8 f; 26:13 f; Es 3:7 (“They cast Pur, that is, the lot”; see Century Bible in the place cited.); Ne 10:34; 11:1; Jon 1:7 (“The lot fell upon Jonah”); Mt 27:35; Ac 1:26. In the URIM AND THUMMIM (which see), as explained by modern scholars, the same principle is applied, for these two words, though etymologically still obscure, stand for two objects (pebbles?), one denoting yes or its equivalent, and the other number Whichever the high priest took from his ephod was believed to be the answer to the question asked. In all cases it is taken for granted that the lot cast was an expression and indication of the Divine will.”. Jos 7:14, “So in the morning you shall come forward by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects by lot shall come forward by families, and the family which the LORD selects shall come forward by households, and the household which the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.”1Sa 10:20, “So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel forward; and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.” Lot in Hebrew islāḵaḏwhich meansto choose (by lot); figuratively, to cohere; to take (by lot); – which occurs 121 times in the Old Testament.1Sa 14:41-42, “Therefore, Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected by lot, but the people were exonerated.Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected by lot.” Jon 1:7, “And each man said to his mate, “Come, let’s cast lots so that we may find out on whose account this catastrophe has struck us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.” Although the primitive people used their method to cast lots, God determined to make sure Jonah could not escape and made the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah could not run away from God, he must accomplish his mission. Lot in Hebrewgôrālwhich means lot – pebbles used for systematically making decisions; a pebble, i.e. a lot (small stones being used for that purpose); figuratively, a portion or destiny (as if determined by lot):—lot.No lot is fallen over it, i.e. no discrimination is made. Be divided by lot; according to lot; apportion by lot; give by lot; have by lot; lot for assigning to service, duty or punishment; portion; – which occurs 77 times in the Old Testament.”
Luk 1:8-9, “Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.” A priest named Zechariah was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Chosen by lot in Greek is lagchanō which means to obtain by lot; to receive by divine allotment; obtain; , determine by lot; – which occurs 4 times in the New Testament. And there and then Luk 1:13, “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.”
Act 1:26, “And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.” Lot in Greek is klēros which means an object used in casting or drawing lots, which was either a pebble, or a potsherd, or a bit of wood; the lots of several persons concerned, inscribed with their names, were thrown together into a vase, which was then shaken, and he whose lot fell out first upon the ground was the one chosen. History proves the lot of Matthias was not valid; 2Co 1:1, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” According to https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com
“By lot: using a method of choosing somebody to do something in which each person takes a piece of paper, etc. from a container and the one whose paper has a special mark is chosen.” To make a long story short, Saul was selected by lot to be the king when he was thirty years old.
1Sa 11:15, “So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”
1Sa 13:11-13, “But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” But Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly! You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for the LORD would now have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” Saul acted foolishly because the king must not perform the office of the priest.
1Sa 13:14, “But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” Poor Saul from the start had not kept what the Lord commanded him.
To make a long story short, how God rejected Saul, how Saul wanted to kill David, and how Saul and Jonathan died at the battle–they are written in the Old Testament. This history of the Jews were plagued with many bad kings and few good kings.
In the majority of the kings of both Judah and Israel, history only attested it was a dismal and disastrous failure. Only king David may be with a 95percentpassrate; in the majority of the kings of both Judah and Israel it was a dismal and disastrous failure. The Chinese people believe there were famous ancient virtuous and wise emperors. Afterwards most of Chinese emperors were corrupted by power and luxury. The emperors were not wise and had too much power in the hands of one person. His words were the law and had power to kill nine clans. The last miserable dynasty was a shame to all Chinese because it was so corrupt and weak and abused and oppressed by Japan and Western powers. Sun Yat Sen was a good and great leader, but he was not fortunate. The analysis of Sun Yat Sen would require a book, at least a separate article.
“The word “monarch” comes from the Greek language: The Greek word monos, which means “one” is paired with the Greek word árkhō which means “to rule.” In a monarchy, there is one supreme leader who often rules by “divine right.” Monarchy — whether king, emperor or some other title–is one of the oldest forms of government, going back to prehistoric times when a chief was the tribal leader. The position of monarch is hereditary, usually passing from father to son. (Occasionally, if there were no sons, a daughter could become the ruling queen.)Until the nineteenth century, an autocratic monarchy was the most common form of government—the sovereign had absolute power. The modern monarchy is quite different from earlier ones. In some countries, the monarchy is only symbolic as in a crowned republic. The most common form of modern monarchy is a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch retains only restricted power. The degree of power the monarch retains varies from country to country
· In some countries, the real authority resides in a constitution and in an elected body of representatives of the people. The monarch may reign, but not rule.
· In other countries, the constitutional part remains in theory, but the ruler has close to absolute power. Today a person who rules with the power of an absolute monarch is often called a dictator. Queen Elizabeth of England is an example of a monarchy without absolute power.” United Kingdom, although it is a constitutional monarchy, the House of Lords proves the aristocrats (the wealthy nobility) participate in the rule. There are quite a few monarchies in some underdeveloped nations in fact their kings practice Kleptocracy.
Ideologies exhibit themselves like fascism, communism, socialism, capitalism, authoritarianism, etc. rule in some nations whatever they classify or call themselves.
China has a long history. During the Zhou (1040-256 BC) dynasty, great schools of thought—Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, and others—all developed.A long history is always mixed with mythology and legend and even superstition. The Yellow Emperor is the ancient ancestor from which all Han Chinese are believed to have descended. Because my graduate student arranged the company car and chauffer, we were able to visit the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor in the vicinity of Xian which took half a day to go. My students asked why I did not worship the Yellow Emperor, I replied as a Christian I respected my ancestor, but I only worship the true and living God.
In the history of China, the last ruler of the last Dynasty is the most miserable and pitiful government that most Chinese cannot accept. Although Western observers and so-called scholars practice pure European embroidery to depict the decline and decay of the last Chinese Dynasty. Even today Western journalists, politicians and scholars still practice ethnocentric bias and prejudices against China without measure.
The most undesirable person appeared in the last Dynasty of China was the Manchu Empress Dowager Cixi, the Concubine in 1849–the unmistakable devious and depraved tyrant in Chinese history.
In passing I want to call attention to a pagan king, King Ahasuerus whowas interesting. When Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s order, the king consulted his seven wise men what to do with disobedient Queen Vashti. Memucan was right that the Queen has wronged not only the king but also all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. According to Niccolo Machiavelli, “The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”King Ahasuerus was a wise ruler who was surrounded by seven wise men. In reflection, I believe the seven wise men would be more effective and efficient in managing and running the United States and with less budget and no debt. Do you know how much the U.S. bureaucracy costs and wastes? No one exactly knows. A few years ago I read in the mainstream media that the Department of Defense alone had unaccountable trillions of dollars. The Court of King Ahasuerus would be more efficient and effective than the Executive government of America. Besides King Ahasuerus did not have a foreign policy of aggression and military interventions all over the world to conquer nations and subdue peoples. No one knows exactly how much the U.S. bureaucracy costs and wastes each year. According to https://harvardpolitics.com/under-the-hood-the-cost-of-bureaucracy“Oct 24, 2011 · TheSmallBusinessAdministration (SBA) released a study earlierthisyearestimating that regulation costs America $1.75 trillion.” No one releases the costs of the Pentagon which is known the black hole of American government.
I would like to mention King James I. According to https://www.royal.uk/james-i?https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-I-king-cof-England-and-ScotlandAs a Christian and English-speaking I really adore James I (r. 1603-1625) “An able theologian, James ordered a new translation of the Bible which became known as the Authorized King James’s Version of the Bible.” You may not know how much the King James Bible has meant to me personally (before the new versions became available) and how much it has influenced the whole world. “James famously oversaw a new authorized English translation of the Bible, published in 1611, which became known as the King James Version.”
C. Totalitarianism
According to https://thebestschools.org/magazine/common-forms-of-government-study“Totalitarianism is an authoritarian form of government in which the ruling party recognizes no limitations whatsoever on its power, including in its citizens’ lives or rights. A single figure often holds power and maintains authority through widespread surveillance, control over mass media, intimidating demonstrations of paramilitary or police power, and suppression of protest, activism, or political opposition.”
There is one peculiar nation on earth which calls itself as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The way things are in North Korea had a historical background, because it was once ran over and attacked by the supreme power of the United States and its allies. It is clear to all, North Korea is a totalitarian state, and its supreme leader is hereditary with one consistent Kim dynasty, who rules with unchallenged and seemingly popular authority. In my opinion, North Korea can not be a threat to any other nation because it is poor and backward country with whatever ideology.
It is fair to say, the Chinese emperors were generally totalitarian in their rules, with a few exceptions. You can say the Chinese imperial rule was wrong in nature and bad in system. It crumbled and collapsed in the last Qing Dynasty.
The most funny part is a totalitarian country claims to be democratic. There is totalitarianism in so-called democracy, and there is also so-called democracy in totalitarianism.
D. Military Dictatorship
Military dictatorship is illegal and unconstitutional, all generals who usurped power should be executed. That is the only thing worthwhile comment.
E. Democracy
Democracy is the Pandora’ box full with many political troubles and worms. Historically, Europe and later on America claim to represent the political forms of democracy. Whatever its definition, it does not fit the democracy practiced by Europe and America. In particular, recently 70% of Americans say and think America has gone the wrong way. Democracy in its simplest definition means the majority rule. For a long time, only one percent of American population rules over the 99 percent; and the one percent owns most of the power and wealth of America. For that reason in more than 300 years there could not be a revision of the U.S. Constitution to stipulate the national sovereignty is vested in the hands of American citizens. America does not practice a national referendum to determine the direction of the nation and all important and vital issues and policies. Why no American leaders and politicians want to revise the U.S. Constitution to vest the national sovereignty in the hands of American citizens? Because American leaders and politicians want to keep the power to themselves and at the same time fool the people with the slogan of democracy! You may think it is extreme. Let me ask you a question: If a nation and its people cannot be self-supporting, self-sufficient, self-feeding, self-managing, why and what justifies the existence of that nation? If a boy cannot support himself, his wife, and his children why does he have the privilege to get married and set up his own household?
I want to say it again, the whole world is fooled by phony Western democracy. Democracy means majority rule. No nation on earth has NEW CONSTITUTION WHEREBY it stipulates the national sovereignty lies in the hands of majority citizens. The majority of citizens have the power and right to instantly remove any elected or appointed official without impeachment. The majority (51%) of citizens may change the government or the policy or stop any foreign war, etc. All nations who have general elections are without a New Constitution. That is why even majority of citizens oppose the governments like Japan, South Korea, Germany, America, etc. they are unable to instantly remove the wrong leaders after all.
III. POWER AND RULE
The Word of God says, Psa 62:11, “God has spoken once; twice I have heard this:That power belongs to God.” Jhn 19:10-11, “So Pilate said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
There is a difference between power and authority. People who have power may not have authority. People who have authority may not have power. As an illustration, the United States has done many UNLAWFUL things because it has military power, but it is without authority (or unauthorized). The United Nations has authority, but it cannot do many things because it is without military power.
Gen 16:6, “But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your slave woman is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.” Power in Hebrew isyāḏwhich means hand; strength; means; – which occurs 1,627 times in the Old Testament.
1. Power resides with a person while authority with position
2. Power does not follow any order whereas authority follow the hierarchy
3. Authority can easily be lost while power is not easily lost
4. Power is a personal trait whereas authority is designated
5. Power tends to be informal influence whereas authority is a formal influence
6. Authority is legitimate whereas power is illegitimate
7. Power fosters violence unlike authority which discourages violence
8. The sources of power are knowledge and experience while authority is positions given.
In general I agree, but I don’t agree with item 7. which says power fosters violence. I had personal experience to illustrate the difference between power and authority. Once in a corporation I conducted management seminars for middle managers which earned a reputation that the no. 2 man in the corporation expressed desire to participate. My professor Dr. Harold Koontz also wanted to participate, except he could not get up the early hours to begin at 8 a.m. My management seminars were held in a style of free and open discussion, and non-condemning way. Every participant may express different opinions. I said to the Executive Vice President, the problem was when you participate, the middle managers would not dare to express their opinions, they were afraid to offend you. Consequently, all middle managers learned I really had management knowledge, they often came to my office for consultation. This event provoked jealousy and displeasure of the top management. You see I had power and because I had management knowledge, and management knowledge attracted middle managers; but I did not have position of authority. Power of knowledge influences people and earns respect.
But God is not mankind, God is very different. There is no power and authority difference in God, for God has both authority and power. The authority and power of God are supreme, absolute, and ultimate.
In a democracy, authority is given due to position. If you are the leader of a country, you have both power and authority. The first requirement of a ruler is the power. A ruler who has no power to rule is like a bird which has no wings to fly. It reminds me of a Japanese who had a Ph.D. in computer science but his English was so poor he could not command the respect of his subordinates and so he failed to be a manager. It also reminds me powerfully of the most pathetic last Manchu Qing dynasty of China, it existed to spoil the corrupt Ch’ing’s Dowager Empress who lived in luxuries, Qing dynasty was routed by a coalition armies of foreign aggressors, abused and humiliated China in losing large territory and big revenue. According to Wikipedia, “Empress Dowager Cixi, of the Manchu Yehe Nara clan, wasa Chinese empress dowager and regent who effectively controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty for 47 years, from 1861 until her death in 1908. Selected as a concubine of the Xianfeng Emperor in her adolescence, she gave birth to a son, Zaichun, in 1856. After the Xia…” Cixi, Empress Dowager of Qing China, Last Empress of Qing Dynasty was an indulgent betrayer of China. She was single-handedly responsible for losing China to foreign enemies including Japan and Western powers. It was not defamation, CIXI was in fact the most morally decayed woman in Chinese history who lost China to Japan and the West. She was not the dragon lady, she was the snake crafty wanton woman who had no redeeming features. The greatest civilization ended in disgrace and dismay.
Western politicians and scholars had a tendency of being revisionists who do not strictly conform to facts, but often express their ethnocentric opinions and slanted views as historical facts. Their assessment of the infamous Opium Wars was a classic example of distortion and discrepancy. They blamed China for not practicing free trade, and downplayed the brute force of corrupt and evil British opium trade that enslaved the Chinese and marginalized the real issues of humanity and morality and justice. Whatever the West had done was good and right; and whatever China had done was bad and wrong. Only God keeps all the records of cruel and brutal Japanese and Western supremacists had done to China. Any revisionist attempt only highlights and intensifies their iniquity upon iniquities. According to Niccolo Machiavelli, “There are three kinds of intelligence: one kind understands things for itself, the other appreciates what others can understand, the third understands neither for itself nor through others. This first kind is excellent, the second good, and the third kind useless.”
In this world, those who have power possess honors and wealth, it does not matter they deserve them or not. Money talks. Power speaks even louder. Those who have power and wealth do not use persuasion or principle, they use naked force or military force. For that reason they lie, kill, destroy and rob any nation or people that does not bow or submit to them. Confucius said, “The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.”
The problems of world leaders and politicians today: Psa 82:5, “They do not know nor do they understand; they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.”
You wonder why the world is so bad because most world leaders and politicians are like Niccolo Machiavelli who said, “Power is the pivot on which everything hinges. He who has the power is always right; the weaker is always wrong.” The world is never safe to have a man like Machiavelli around. No wonder, Merriam-Webster defines ‘Machiavellian’ as “marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith.” Sad is the state of the world because its leaders and politicians are Machiavellian as marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith. If ideas and views of Machiavelli can help people, then poison would be good for you.
It is cautiously concluded that power belongs to God only, mankind is unfit to rule; those who seek and play with power has the power of the dog intended only to do harm and evil. Those who wield the power of the sword will die by the sword. The GOD of armieswill judgethe wicked with terrifying power. The pride of the Western power will be brought to an end. Daniel was right. Dan 2:20, Daniel said,“May the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.” Not only mankind is unfit to wield power, mankind has no wisdom to use power. Wisdom and power belong to God. As long as mankind has no wisdom and power, whatever form of government and whatever system of ideology would not work in this world. So no human rule can be wise, good, and right. That is why we need the Kingdom of God.
IV. THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Just as man rules in the kingdom of men, so God rules in the Kingdom of God. God has unlimited power and authority and wisdom that differentiate from all men. Men are too blind to find the Way. Men are too weak to discover the Truth by reason alone. Men do not have the light of Life in themselves. The Lord Jesus opens our eyes so that we may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Christ. First is to get rid of self-conceit by admitting you do not know anything about the Kingdom of God. It is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows. To be filled, one has to empty himself first. Second is to accept everything the Word of God says.
“While, then, the sphere of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are at times identical, yet the one term cannot be used indiscriminately for the other. In the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (32 times in Matt.), heaven is in antithesis to earth, and the phrase is limited to the Kingdom in its earthly aspect for the time being, and is used only dispensationally and in connection with Israel. In the ‘Kingdom of God’, in its broader aspect, God is in antithesis to ‘man’ or ‘the world,’ and the term signifies the entire sphere of God’s rule and action in relation to the world. It has a moral and spiritual force and is a general term for the Kingdom at any time. The Kingdom of Heaven is always the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom of God is not limited to the Kingdom of Heaven, until in their final form, they become identical; e.g., Revelation 11:15 , RV; John 3:5; Revelation 12:10 .” (An Extract).
Rev 11:15,“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: “ The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Notice the word the “Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” is singular. Some people are mistaken to say the Kingdom of God is ruled by God, and the Kingdom of Heaven is ruled by Christ. They are mistaken that the Kingdom of God is one which comes first, and the Kingdom of Heaven is the last part. Misled and mistaken by dispensationalism, there are well-meaning people who believe God and Savior have two eschatological and eternal programs: one for the Jewish Christians, the other for Gentile Christians. No, absolutely not. God and Jesus have only one eternal program for all believers in Christ whether Jewish and Gentile.
Although the Kingdom of God is invisible in the hearts of believers, it becomes visible when Jesus returns with great power and glory. John, James and Peter had a preview of the coming of the Kingdom of God:
2Pe 1:16-18, “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such a declaration as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”—and we ourselves heard this declaration made from Heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”
Obviously, the Kingdom of God is visible in the reign of Jesus Christ on earth for 1,000 years.
V. MY KINGDOM IS NOT Of THIS WORLD
For thousands of years, the West (Europe first and then America) has perpetuated the fallacies of Christendom, Christian nation, Christian nationalism, Christian politics, etc.
(A). God is not interested in secular politics and does not have political attributes. The world has only secular politics, there is no such a thing called Christian politics. Politics has to do with administration and distribution of national resources, power and wealth, law and order, and system or form of government. It is blasphemous to suggest that God has political attributes. God has no concern at all with political life and He is not interested in corrupt politics of men. Although it is true that God decided the destiny of the kings and empires. How God dealt with King Nebuchadnezzar is a classical example. (Dan Chapter 2.) The word “politics” does not occur in the Bible. The word “political” occurs twice in the Bible only in the Old Testament. 2Ch 1:2, “Solomon called together all the leaders of Israel—the generals and captains of the army, the judges, and all the political and clan leaders.” Jer 2:36, “Why do you constantly go about changing your political allegiances? You will get no help from Egypt just as you got no help from Assyria.”
(B). Christianity is not considered to have the essential traits and implications of tribal or group-religion. It is blasphemous to impute the attributes to God that relate Him directly to the political life of the people. There is no where in the Bible to indicate that God is interested in politics or the political life of the sons of Israel who rejected theocracy and embraced the rule of a king. The illustration of the vital interaction between religion and politics in ancient Greece is not worth mentioning because it has no relation to Judaism or Christianity. To equate the political interests of Athena and Zeus with the God of the Bible is sheer nonsense and vain speculation. Some American church members are so outrageous and outlandish and even blasphemous that they suppose Jesus Christ would be interested in the corrupt and dirty American politics. The American democracy is ruled by 1 percent of the population at the expense of 99 percent. The system of government which makes 1 percent of the population who owns most of the power and wealth. They often ask inappropriately, How would Jesus vote and whom He will vote for? Iniquity upon iniquity, would Jesus Christ vote for any American leaders who have been liars, killers, and robbers since the beginning of the nation and more brazenly since the end of World War II, who killed millions and millions of innocent peoples around the world in hundreds of wars of aggression and bloody military interventions which created millions and millions of refugees who live in abject poverty? The current American leaders who have military bases all over the world to encircle and target Russia and China under false pretenses of threat and in order to maintain American and European domination and dictatorship in the world. Where in the world there exists truly a nation which has LIBERTY, PROSPERITY, EQUALITY, SECURITY, and CIVILITY? If you find one, please let me know.
(C). Mat 20:25-28, “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.”It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant,and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”The way of the rulers of the Gentiles is not the way of Christians in the Kingdom of God. Here lies the Christian attitude toward politics. Jesus says, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. The governance of the Church is not like the governments of the world. The rulers of the Gentile nations (even Israel today is a secular nation) lord it over them, and their great men (leaders like president, prime minister, etc.) exercise authority over them. This does not mean Jesus Christ endorses the forms of the government in this world (be it authoritarian, dictatorial, democratic, socialistic, or communistic). Jesus Christ is indifferent to the nations and governments of the world.
(D). For Jesus says, Jhn 18:36, “Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world.If My Kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My Kingdom is not of this realm.” The Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world, not of this realm. This truth precludes Christians engaging in world politics. I have contempt for all American politicians who declared God wanted them (male and female) to be president and lost the election. If God wants you to be something, you cannot lose. Jesus had no reason or expectation to envisage His followers in political office at all.The Kingdom of Jesus is unlike the kingdom or empire of any nation. There is no such a thing called the Christian nation. American and European nations are not Christian nations; they are unchristian and secular nations. Mat 4:8-10, “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”Luk 4:5-7, “And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.”
Note: Ironically, you may not know, that all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, all this domain and its glory, has been handed over to the devil, and he can give it to whomever he wished. The devil is the present ruler of the world. The devil offers all the kingdoms of the world and their glory to tempt Jesus to fall down and worship the devil. Jesus rebuked the devil and said, “Go, Satan. For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only!” Perhaps you may not know: Jhn 12:31,“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Jhn 16:11, “and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” 1Jo 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” Some leaders are so proud and arrogant, but they do not realizeactually they are under the influence of the evil one. They are running dogs of Satan.Dan 6:26, “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;For He is the living God and enduring forever, and His Kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever.”
Note: Even Darius the king had to admit the Kingdom of God is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. Rev 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in Heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become theKingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” The days are coming when all the kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
(E). What should be the Christian attitude toward politics then?Eph 2:19, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.”
Note: First and foremost, Christians are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.Phl 1:27, “Above all, you must live as citizens of Heaven, conducting yourselvesin a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the Faith, which is the Good News.”Secondly, Christians must live as citizen of Heaven, not as citizens of evil empire or warmongering nation. Christians conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Christians are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the Faith, which is the Good News or the Gospel.Phl 3:20, “But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.”
Note: Last but not least, Christians are citizen of Heaven and we are eagerly waiting for Jesus Christ to return as our Savior. The preaching of the Gospel and the eagerly waiting for Jesus Christ to return are the two main tasks of every Christian, not the politics of any nation.The Lord does not approve the use of violence even for a good cause. Mat 26:51-52, “And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.” Europe in the last 500 years and later America have from the beginning took up the sword to kill and rob many nations and peoples in the world. What is worst they did it in the name of Christendom (which does not exist) and under the false pretense of democracy, human rights, freedom, independence, justice, etc. Even today America and its allies still take up the sword to maintain the status quo of world domination and dictatorship. But the Word of Jesus stands: All those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Warmongering America and Europe may start a nuclear war that will destroy the whole world.
(F). A white secularist remarked that a sense of responsibility for the continuance of a social system is basic to any morality. Oh boy, the morality of Western civilization is the frightening destruction and injustice, havoc and cruelty, oppression and exploitation in the world. In the last 500 years or more what European and later American imperialists and colonialists have done to the social and economic and political system in the world are not only writing on the wall, it is an open book of travesty, iniquity, abnormality, absurdity, immorality, cruelty, brutality, atrocity, criminality, corruptibility, debility, destructibility, and depravity. During the infamous Opium Wars alone, Great Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Japan, Russia, etc. had robbed and looted China’s national treasures worth at least at market value of US$100,000 trillion dollars, not counting interest, and not counting the total loss and destruction of Yuan Ming Garden. Yuan Ming Garden was reportedly more beautiful and luxurious than Palace of Versailles. You can find the robbed and looted priceless national treasures and antiques of China in British Museum, Smithsonian Institution, theLouvre, the royal palaces, public and private museums of many European nations, Japan, Russia, etc. Since the end of World War II the United States and its allies had lied, robbed and killed millions of innocent peoples around the world in hundreds of unjust wars of aggression and oppression and bloody military interventions that created millions of refugees and more millions of displaced peoples living in abject poverty and misery. Western mainstream mass media continue daily and habitually make fake news, fake reports, and fake views and spread lies to smear and tarnish nations and peoples they do not like and act as agents for their aggressive and oppressive governments under the false banners of democracy, human rights, freedom, independence, and justice.
(G). God has the absolute power, there is no other absolute power. Christianity survives the onslaught of the forces of darkness. The Church that Jesus builds is upon the Rock of Himself, and the gates of Hades cannot overpower it. Jesus wants to make a separation between the Church and the government of nations. Mar 12:17, “And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.” Because His Kingdom is not of this world, not of this realm.Rom 13:1-7, “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”
Note: In the last days we face with the phenomenon unusual and abnormal: There is authority not established by God, in fact established by evil. A clear example, the Washington, Wall Street, Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex are evil. There are rulers who are a cause for evil. There are leaders and officials who are not ministers of God for good. There are rulers who are not servants of God, but agents of the devil. Yet, the Lord never advocates revolution to overthrow the evil Roman empire. Jhn 14:30, “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” The ruler of the world is already in the world. Eph 2:2, “in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”
(H). The Bible does not advocate a course of political action to overthrow the prince of the power of the air. 1Jo 5:19-20, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” We know Washington, Wall Street, Hollywood, military-industrial-security complex, Islamic terrorists, etc. lie in the power of the evil one who is the devil. The Bible does not command Christians to organize resistance of the evil. We know the Son of God is true, and we are in Him who is true. This is the true God and eternal life. The Gospel is the greatest concern of all Christians, not political world affairs. This is the Christian attitude toward politics collectively.
Act 5:27-32, “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them,saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross.He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as the Prince and the Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Note: This is the truth in Christ. Individually, Christian are witnesses of the Savior and obey Him. We must obey God rather than men, no matter what authorities and governments say or do. This following Scripture is the promise of Lord to the churches:Rev 3:9-13, “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.Because you have kept the Word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the City of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name.He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Note: The last message of Jesus Christ to all Christians: I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.Christianity does not belong to any country or government, and refuses to be recognized by any nation or government.The City of God and the New Jerusalem are heirlooms of the children of God.
(I). Theocracy versus Democracy.
The idea of the god-king or the semi-divine ruler was not supported by the Law of God.At first the Jewish nation practiced theocracy where God-King was a reality. Theocracy cannot succeed when the people rebelled and disobeyed the law of God. Since the sons of Israel rejected theocracy, they embraced the one-king rule. The king was never god-king or the semi-divine ruler. Even during the reign of the great king David, the king was assisted and advised by the prophet and the priest. The prophet was not afraid of the king when the king sinned as illustrated by 2Sa 12:7-15, “Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!Why have you despised the Word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.”Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.“However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemiesof the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”So Nathan went to his house. Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick.”
Note: Even in the New Testament, the great John the Baptist was not afraid of king Herod when he took the wife of his brother Philip. Consequently, the head of the great prophet John the Baptist was worth half a kingdom. Mat 14:3-12, “For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet.But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests.He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.His disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.”Mar 6:21-24, “A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.”And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.”And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Since the beginning Jesus Christ put a demarcation and separation between the secular and the spiritual, between Caesar and God. Mar 12:15-17, “Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”They brought one. And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.”And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at Him.” As a citizen of Rome, you have to fulfil certain responsibility. As a child of God, you obey the will of God. When the secular violates the spiritual, what shall Christians do? Act 5:27-29, “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them,saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” When any government forces and orders you not to preach Jesus Christ, We must obey God rather than men. Here lies the root cause of persecution and even death or martyrdom.
Christianity from its inception practices the severance and separation between secular politics and the Faith. The Church must not participate or engage in corrupt, dirty, and immoral politics. The so-called recognition of the political character and interests of the divinity in the belief that God inspires the leaders of a kingdom or state with wise counsel is not supported by the Scriptures. God has made known His law and will, it is up to the leaders of kingdoms or nations to obey and follow. Judaism or Christianity is not a humanitarian religion, it is divine. It does not mean Christianity is inhuman like an evil religion. The central person of Christianity is Jesus Christ, not man. Jesus Christ is the only religious leader who says, Love your enemy. The Catholic Church did not escape from the bondage of the Sacred Books, on the contrary the Catholic Church committed apostasy and was corrupted by deviation and disobedience from the Holy Scriptures. The Church of England liturgy hypocritically contains the prayer uttered during the session of Parliament that God will direct their counsels to righteousness and His glory. By the way the Bible does not recognize any liturgy, liturgy is made by men. There is no Christian liturgy. The British Empire was among the most evil, immoral, unrighteous and un-Christian empires which had done so much evil in the world. The British Empire lied, killed, and robbed the resources of its conquered colonies in Asia and Africa so much so to enrich themselves beyond measure. The infamous Opium Wars certainly did not reflect the righteousness and glory of God. In fact, in the last 500 years or more European powers and later America have lied, killed, and robbed and have done more evil and atrocities and iniquities than all other empires and kingdoms in the history of mankind. The brutality of Japanese military only God has all the records, Japan would not escape the judgment of God.
The modern politics of Western nations has never been responsible and righteous, but maintains itself in sordidness of their imperial policy of aggression and oppression, the presence of tragic catastrophes, calamities and agonies of many unjust wars of aggression and expansion, coupled with the depressing and deadly milieu of immorality, cruelty, meanness, inhumanity, injustice and intrigue. It is certainly not divine providence that Europe and America have distorted and disgraced Christianity. Democracy as represented by Western (Europe and America) nations are the most atrocious and fallacious and vicious form of government where 1 percent of the population rules over the 99 percent of population. And 1 percent of the ruling population owns most of the power and wealth. Democracy is the worse form of government because it pretends to be what it is not, kidnapped by special interests, power in the hands of the few, and enriches the 1 percent of the population at the expense of the majority. The proof: America the so-called oldest and largest democracy is useless and most corrupt, immoral and totally dysfunctional, on top of it which is warmongering and violent having the largest national debt in the world.
The conception of the divine right of kings does not apply to secular nations of secular kings. David the great king over the house of Judah and over the house of Israel was the exception. David had the divine right of being king because he was appointed and anointed by God. Today no nation and no king can claim the divine right of king.To call democracy a modern freedom force or a moral religious ideal is a repugnant hypocrisy of the highest order.God never and does not rule by democracy. The sovereignty of God is absolute and non-negotiable. Dan 2:44, “And in the days of those kings the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever.”
The Kingdom which God will set up is the Kingdom of Heaven, its sovereignty is eternal. God will break and destroy the nations of the world in pieces, and all the kingdoms and states of this world will come to an end, and only the Kingdom of God shall stand for ever. There is no such a thing called national soul. The idea that as a rule God approves war or takes pleasure in war is mistaken. Exo 13:17, “Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”God does not like people to see war. Historically, Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. Exo 17:13-14, “So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under Heaven.”God hated warmonger Amalek so much so that He would utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under Heaven. America the warmonger is the modern Amalek, who knows God will utterly blot out the memory of America from under Heaven.Num 10:9-10, “When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies.Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God.”
In the event that the adversary attacks Israel, Israel shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that Israel may be remembered before the Lord God, and be saved from the enemies. God clearly prefers peace.Deu 2:9, “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not harass Moab, nor provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot as a possession.” God told Israel not to harass Moab, nor provoke them to war. America and its allies have harassed other nations and provoke them to war since the end of World War II. America under false pretense continuously and consistently harasses and oppresses Russia and China, and provokes them to war. Eventually America and its allies Europe, NATO, Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan, etc. may trigger a nuclear war that will destroy the whole world.Deu 4:34,“Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials, by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors, as the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?”
Historically, the Scripture cited above sums up God through various means including war to save Israel in Egypt. However, throughout the Jewish history God prefers to make peace than to make war.1Ch 5:20-22, “They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him.They took away their cattle: their 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys; and 100,000 men.For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they settled in their place until the exile.” Note: There may be time when the war was of God as cited in the Scripture above. God may use wars to destroy wicked nations and peoples.Psa 144:1, “A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD, my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle.” Note: In the life experience of king David, he had to fight many wars with the Philistines to defend Israel. God is his Rock, who trains his hands for war, and his fingers for battle. Remember, God helped David to kill Goliath the giant of Philistine.Isa 42:13, “The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.”
Note: When it is necessary, the Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies. The nation of Israel is surrounded by its hostile enemies. Have no fear if God is on the side of Israel. Peace be upon Israel. God will prevail against His enemies. God will prevail against the nuclear shield and nuclear weapons of His enemies.Rev 12:7-12, “And there was war in Heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in Heaven.And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the Word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.For this reason, rejoice, O Heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Note: The first war took place in Heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world, was thrown down to the earth. For that reason the devil is the present ruler of the world. The devil has only a short time, for Jesus Christ is coming to judge the world and reign with the saints forever and ever.Rev 17:14, “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”Note: The beast and his followers will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. The called and chosen and faithful are Christians with Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
FOR THIS REASON, THERE IS NO CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM.
VII. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Rev 11:17, “saying, “We give You thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.”
At the end of the Millennium, Lord God, the Almighty, has taken great power and has begun to reign. The Kingdom of Heaven is real and true and visible.
There are those unbelievers who say Heaven is a state of mind, not a real place. I met one old miserable Chinese pastor who preached the false gospel. They want to destroy the Christian Faith. However, our faith in the Word of God does not depend on the opinions of men. The New Heaven and the New Earth, the Holy City the New Jerusalem are not an allegorical or symbolic description, they are more literal and real than Shanghai and Copenhagen. They are one trillion times better than Newport Beach or Carmel.
There is the most profane and provocative claim by Western warmongers who think they are on the side of the King of kings and Lord of lords, but in fact they are on the side of the beast who is the serpent of old, the dragon who is called the devil and Satan.Isa 2:4, “And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.”Mic 4:3, “And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war.”
Note: The Scriptures cited above provide a most beatific and beautiful vision of the Kingdom of Heaven when Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace reigns with the saints. Psa 72:5-9,“Let them fear You while the sun endures,and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.May He come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.In His days may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon is no more.May He also rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.Let the nomads of the desert bow before Him, and His enemies lick the dust.” The days are coming when the enemies of Christ will lick the dust!Isa 9:7, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over His Kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”Isa 55:12, “For You will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before You, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”Isa 66:12-13, “For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;and you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Note: The Scripture cited above provides a glimpse of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, where peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like a overflowing stream. The fallacy that God is the author and source of our thoughts. The idea that God is the source and author of our thoughts and moods is at least fallacious and irresponsible, and at most a dangerous and perilous doctrine. Gen 6:5-7, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” The secularists must be sick and insane to claim that God is the author of every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart is only evil continually. The great wickedness of man on earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually was the reason that God was grieved in His heart and the Lord wanted to blot out man from the face of the land. Deluge (the flood of Noah) became God’s solution. The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth (Gen 8:21). Gen 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Joseph learned the great truth that man may mean evil, but God means it for good by making all things work together for good. Man by nature is prone to evil. Exo 32:22, “Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.” Luk 6:45, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good is like a good tree bears good fruit. The evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth what is evil is like a bad tree bears bad fruit. Mar 7:20-23, “And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”
Jesus Christ provides the etiology of evil things coming out of the evil heart of men.Mencius a Chinese philosopher said, “In the beginning man was good.” God made man originally was good. Since the fall of man, man is by nature evil. Jesus is the final and ultimate authority on the nature of man. Mat 12:34, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Mar 10:18, “And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” Jesus is good because He is God. Even Apostle Paul admitted, Rom 7:18-21, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.” Flesh is by nature sin which dwells in man. For that reason, a man must be born again by the Spirit.Jhn 3:5-6, “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Water refers to the Word of God. Thus, far from it that God is the author of evil. The devil is the origin of evil. The most illustrious example is Judas the traitor. Jhn 13:2, “During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him.” The devil implanted in Judas an evil thought or imagination. Although the devil put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus, it does not mean that Judas is not responsible. For Jesus says, Mar 14:21, “For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” By the same token Hitler cannot claim innocent because the devil put in his heart to kill six million Jews, and the Japanese military killed 35 million Chinese, and American leaders killed millions and millions of innocent peoples around the world since the end of World War II. Everyone is responsible for his sins, and dies in his sins if he does not repent and believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. Jas 1:13-17, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Without doubt or dispute, evil comes from the devil. Every good thing comes down from the Father of lights.
In a sense the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are one and the same. It is a matter of time and continuity. The Kingdom of God is realized when Jesus returns to establish the peaceful reign of 1,000 years on earth. At the end of the Millennium, the release of Satan, the battle of Armageddon, the devil (dragon) and the beast and the false prophet cast into the Lake of Fire; the Great White Throne Judgment; the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God that officiates the commencement of the Kingdom of Heaven when and where God will live with His children and the saints will reign with Christ for eternity. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem is not a symbol of the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ made of all saved believers of all generations. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, is the final place that Jesus Christ has prepared for His followers, and the Paradise of God where God will live with His children for ever and ever. That is the Kingdom of Heaven. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem on the new Earth is not a figment of (one’s)the imagination, or a state of mind. It is a real place where Jesus has prepared for His followers. God began His works with the Garden of Eden (Paradise), and God finished His work with the Paradise of God, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem on the New Earth.
Hbr 11:16, “But now they desire a better, that is, a Heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a City for them.”
The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, is a Heavenly country. It is the City God has prepared for His children as promised.
Note: When I was young I used to think America was the best country in the world. Indeed, during the Nixon presidency, the United States was in the golden era. Later I was disillusioned by corruption, greed, fraud, inequality, injustice, crime, discrimination, uncivilized behavior, violence, profanity, vulgarity, lust, lewdness, aggressive foreign policy, etc. prevalent in America. I went to Europe and Scandinavia looking for a better country where I developed a theory of good society. Please read The Theory of Good Society. I discovered Norway was the best country in the world then. However, recently I am disappointed in Norway, not only the paradise was lost by a terrorist act, also by the way the Norwegian government has conducted itself. Please read A Response to the Norwegian Nobel Committee. I must conclude by saying: My kingdom is not of this world. There is no better country than the Heavenly country which the Lord has prepared for His followers.
Rev 21:10-27, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” The descriptions cited above literally real and true, it is not a figure of speech. Do you want to have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you can.
Rev 3:12, “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the City of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name.”
Rev 21:1-4, “Then I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
Note: The New Heaven and the New Earth are actual and real and true and visible. The state of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is where there will be no death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain – the old things will be gone for good.
Rev 21:21-26 , “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the City has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.”
Note: The street of the City is made of pure gold is not a figment of imagination. In this world people fight and die for gold (wealth or money); but in the world to come the blessed walk on the streets of gold. The gold is so pure that it is like transparent glass. Have you ever seen pure gold like transparent glass? The lamp of the City is the Lamb who shines and illumines the glory of God for eternity.
Rev 21:16, “The City is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length, width, and height are equal.”
The Scriptures cited above are literal descriptions. Stadia in Greek is stadion which means furlong; a space or distance of about 600 feet (185 m); according Strong’s Concordance, 1. a measure of length comprising 600 Greek feet, or 625 Roman feet, or 125 Roman paces (Pliny, h. n. 2, 23 (21), 85), hence, one-eighth of a Roman mile (i. e. 606 3/4 English feet (about 15 miles less than one-fifth of a kilometer)); – which occurs 6 times in the New Testament.
According to NASB95, Rev 21:16, “The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the City with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.”
Many translations convert this measurement for us to help us understand the size of the City. The NET reads 1,400 miles. The amazement is looking at a city which is 1,400 miles long, 1,400 miles wide, and 1,400 miles high. I believe as it is written the Holy City, New Jerusalem isdescriptive of an actual locality on the new Earth. These numbers not only perfect but so astonishing and astounding. Traveling all over the world, you do not find a city of 1,400 miles long. The world does not see a city 1,400 miles wide. It blows one’s mind just to think of a city 1,400 miles high. What is more to look at a city 1,400 miles high, 1,400 miles long, and 1,400 miles wide which is literally true. God has made the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, with perfect dimensions and numbers. No wonder the Scripture says, 1Co 2:9, “but just as it is written: “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HASNOT HEARD,AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HUMAN HEART,ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” The Paradise of God is better than the first paradise, and it is eternally perfect. Heb 11:16, “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a Heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a City for them.” Thanks be to God, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever; for God has prepared a City for His children for eternity. Amen.
The Kingdom of Heaven occurs 154 times in the NASB20.
Mat 3:2, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
John the Baptist preached to the Jews. The most important reason for the Jews to repent is because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, it is near.
Mat 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kindom of Heaven is at hand.”
Jesus began His ministry when John the Baptist was taken into custody. In other words, Jesus began His ministry by preaching and saying, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Mat 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Why the poor in spirit are blessed? For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Arrogant scientists and theologians, world leaders and politicians, the Kingdom of Heaven does not belong to you.
Mat 5:10, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Why those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed? For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven will enter.”
The one who does the will of God will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 8:11, “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is not a banana republic. It has great population that many will come from east and west. The prominent members of the Kingdom of Heaven are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. All children of God, Jewish and Gentile, will be one in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 13:45-46, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is like one pearl of great value, and that nothing can compare with its value.
Mat 18:3, “and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must change and become like children. Like the innocence and simplicity of children.
Mat 18:4, “So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
To be great in the Kingdom of Heaven one must humble himself like children.
Mat 19:14, “But Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them to come to Me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”
We must come to Jesus like children because the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these. The crafty and cunning president, prime minister, politician, pimp and prostitute do not belong to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 19:23, “And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
CONCLUSION
Since the end of World War, America and its allies have engaged in my unholy wars and bloody military interventions all over the world. Consequently they created millions and millions of war refugees and even more millions of displaced persons. It is fair and just to know there are differences between refugees and illegal migrants. Most recently reported on TV (November 2021) are illegal migrants and economic opportunists from the Middle East who want to migrate to Europe and live on welfare hereafter happily. It was known that many illegal migrants were violent people. On November 15, I happened to watch TV, seeing a girl at Belarus-Poland borders with a sign “I want to go to…” The country she wanted to go was not visible. I saw the Middle East illegal migrants on TV are even more violent. This little girl and her parents might not know, the world is not free that you can go to any place you want to. Many nations do not welcome illegal migrants. First you have to obtain a visa, you cannot just walk in to a country, as many Mexicans and Latinos have done to the U.S.
Rom 13:11-12, “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; fornow salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Everything written about the Holy City the New Jerusalem is actual, literal and true. God has prepared the most wonderful City for eternity. You know how much it cost me to visit England, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway for three months? Hotel, rent, food and transportation were not cheap. The good news is the truth that you may enter the Kingdom of Heaven by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is an eternal inheritance absolutely free. Jesus says, the Gospel is preached to the poor.
Luk 7:22, “And He answered and said to them, said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: people who were blind receive sight, people who limped walk, people with leprosy are cleansed and people who were deaf hear, dead people are raised up, and people who are poor have the Gospel preached to them.”
Listen all poor people in the world, you may enter the Holy City in the Kingdom of Heaven without passport, without troops harassing you, and it is absolutely free. But you must be born again, to have the Holy Spirit living in you.
If there is no Paradise of God, no Holy City, no New Jerusalem, then there is no hope of the glory of God. If there is no hope, then Christians live in vain, the wicked and evildoers win. Then we are waiting for the hope of righteousness in vain. Not so. The Word of truth, the Gospel, brings us the hope laid up in Heaven.
Col 1:5, “because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven, of which you previously heard in the Word of truth, the Gospel.”
We Christians know that Christ in us is the hope of glory. The hope of glory is to have spiritual, glorious and immortal body when Christ returns. We will be forever with the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven where Christ and the saints will reign for eternity. God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago for His children to have a Heavenly country. So Christians of all generations are looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Christians are made heirs of the Kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?What Kingdom? It is the Kingdom of Heaven.
You can repent and believe in Jesus Christ, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.
UN, EU, GERMANY, UK, FRANCE, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZELAND, ETC. are strange and unreasonable peoples. Who is stopping Palestinians to build a Palestinian state in an Arab land? It is wrong and illegal to build a Palestinian state in Jewish land (Gaza, West Bank, etc.). That is the cause of conflict.
The fact that National Guards have to patrol Washington, D.C. with weapons speaks loudly and badly of the capital. The mayor of Washington, D.C. should be dismissed and deported. All the more urgent the national capital should move to Lincoln, Nebraska, without delay.
The mayor of Washington, D.C. bowed to the illegal acts of street people who set up tents on public streets. She should be dismissed and deported. The National Guards are empowered to trash the tents, clear the streets and vanish street people. Los Angeles is a disgraced city because the California Governor and Los Angeles mayor failed to solve the problems of street people who not only set up tents on public streets, but also urinate and defecate. All the more urgent for the national capital to move to Lincoln, Nebraska. In the face of national debt exceeding $37 trillion, the people can save money by abolishing the House, retain the unicameral legislation of Senate to move also to Lincoln Nebraska. All this can be accomplished legally by a national refrerendum. America is ruined by dark and evil forces.
Heroes of all races who sacrified their lives for China in the war against Japanese aggression should be celebrated and remembered. The descendants of them are eternal friends of China. Descendants of American Flying Tiers whose forefathers had sacrified their lives in the war against Japanese aggression and atrocities must always be honored and remembered. The Chinse government must treat them as eternal friends, and they are welcome to China anytime. Such blood bonds must be appreciated and maintained forever.
The world wrongly marks the anniversary of dropping atomic bomb on Hiroshima while neglecting the Japanse aggression and atrocities of killing 35 million innocent Chinese without remorse or reparations. UN overappointed unqualified blacks and media have given too much covergage to unworthy black spoke-persons. It is amazing no matter how beautifully white organizations and individuals hail human rights, civil rights, democracy, development, technology, benefits, justice, etc., what they are actually after is MONEY. This can be said equally true about blacks.
Pet economy is wasted economy. Money should better be spent on nutrition and education of children and orphanes. In cities all dogs must have annual license of Y5,000, cats Y4,000, and birds Y3,000. It is exempt for rural areas. If a dog defecates in public place, it shall be fined Y3,000 plus cleanup by owner or walker.
Global media highlight the number of Palestinians who have died, but fail to consider why Palestinian Authority and Palestinians do not want to evacuate from Jewish land and resettle in Arab land. Palestinians, men and women, young and old, are shameless beggars. They remain in Gaza to qualify for refugees so that they can get everything free from international community. The international community is ignorant of the fact that GAZA and related territories all belong to the Jews. Israel has every right to take back and take over Gaza and related territories. Palestinians must evacuate and relocate to Arab lands, make a living and establish its own Palestinian state without further delay.
French nincompoop Macron reognized Palestine as a state but failed to know that Palestine does not have territory and sovereignty. Leaders of UK, GERMANY, AUSTRLALIA would commit the same mistake by supporting terrorists. Hamas, Hezebolla, Houthis are wicked terrorists, they should be destroyed without mercy. Leaders of Palestinian Authority are guilty for the death and malnutrition of children because they lead Palestinians to the path of destruction. They could have led Palestinians to lands of Arabs to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Palestinians (young & old, man & woman) are most shameless beggars for food & water, they don’t want to go to an Arab land to earn a living and build their own Palestinian state. Africa amid famine has the most fat people in the world, they are also shameless beggars. Ukranians are shameless beggars for weapons, they do not have reason for existence. Harvard though the richest university in the world is a shameless beggar for US aid. Japan claims to practice democracy, its ruling party lost election miserably, yet its prime minister shamelessly wants to stay in power. The world must realize years of aid to Africa produced nothing, trillions of dollars went to black holes. Africa is corrupt, unmotivated and useless.Black leaders and politicians take advantage of it; dress well, eat well, and live a luxurious life style. Black problems can be solved only by Blacks. Let Africa alone to survive on its own. Blacks create most of the problems in the world, given too much coverage and platform in world media, overappointed and given too many spokespersons and positions in UN. Any nation who shares destiny with Africa will be doomed. Nothing good comes out of Africa: primitive religion, superstition, spiritism, orgies, black magic, tribalism, voordoism.
If the Texas flooding is an act of God; Ukraine conflict, and conflicts of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis must be acts of the devil.
India must coexist with China, at the same time India and South Africa must be expelled from BRICS besause they do not remain true to BRICS’ founding mission, they do not belong, must be replaced by Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. US and EU must not rearm Ukraine, let Russia destroy it, and never to be rebuilt. The leader of Ukraine must also be executed.
Palestinian Authorities are guilty for leading Palestinians to a path of death, children died and suffer malnutrition. Palestian Authorities do not lead Palestinians (who are Arabs) to a land of Arabs to work for a living and build the Palestinian state.
American forces have successfully wiped out three Iranian nuclear sites through B-2 bombers. The “everlasting consequence” is Iran cannot be a nuclear threat anymore. I stand with the overwhelming majority of Dutch people to demolish NATO — the war machine.
