Question #1:
I want to ask you a Bible question that I am trying to figure out. I understand
and accept that both free will and predestination can co-exist in God's plan
(although how it does is beyond my intelligence.) So when God says He loves
Jacob and hates Esau and also says that some vessels are made for honour and
some for dishonour... Does God choose people because He knows that person will
respond favourably to His calling? Some people have tried to make out that it is
unfair to people like Esau as though he was designed to fail. I know that this
is not true of God. That we are all given a fair chance and free choice and that
God wants all people to be saved.
As another example: would you say that God knew the Pharaoh's heart and He
merely let it take the route of hardening that it already chose?
I guess I am also trying to understand why God chooses favourites? The fleshly
part of me thinks that favouritism is not fair but I know that God is. Does
loving Jacob mean loving Jacob more than Esau and hate mean loving Esau less?
I know there are a few questions in this email but the main one is this – Is it
because God knows before we are created who will chose Him and so then these are
the one He chooses e.g Jacob?
So in knowing a person e.g. Esau or Pharaoh would reject God, God rejected them
already knowing their choice?
When it is written that God creates vessels for dishonour it almost sounds as
though those vessels have no choice in the matter (yet I know they do.)
If we all have free will (which we clearly do), how does God influence what
happens here and maintain His sovereignty?
Someone said that providence is God's hand in our day to day life that doesn't
disturb the order of things whereas a miracle does. So is God's sovereignty and
plan played out through the softening and hardening of hearts as well as using
His angels both elect and fallen to produce situations to react to through the
use of our free will?
So for example, God could take two people and preserve their free will choices
and one of those people had a heart soft to God and the other had a hardened
heart. Those two people are interacting with one another through free will, one
with a hard heart and one with a soft one. At the same time we have angels elect
and fallen creating situations for these two people to respond to God in either
favourably or unfavourable ways? With free will still intact?
In Jesus,
Response #1:
I prefer not to see this issue in terms of traditional theology – which
has made such a mess of it.
To put it in simplest terms, God was smart enough to know ahead of time
what we would choose and decide at each and every moment. He was also
smart enough to construct history so that all interactions of all moral
actors are completely taken into account. He did all this in THE perfect
plan. There is only ONE plan, mind you. There are no hypothetical
alternatives. Change the swerve of one quantum particle at the other end
of the universe eons ago, and it's not the same plan. And there is only
one plan.
Since the plan is perfect, we can deduce that it had to be the way it is
to be perfect. Our God is perfect in every way, so of course the plan
and its implementation had to be so as well. And since all that is the
case, if He had made anyone differently than He did, then the plan would
not be the same, it would not be THE perfect plan, and it never would
have come to be. For God not to make persons XYZ because He knew that
they would not come to salvation regardless would have meant that He
could not have made you and me. So while I am sorry about XYZ – and God
is as well – XYZ are responsible for their own decisions AND had every
opportunity to be saved. Christ died for them! What else was God
supposed to do, besides taking away their free will or not making them
in the first place? But those would be massive alterations of the plan
and then it would not have been THE plan in any way – and would never
have been set in motion by the perfect God who could/would only engineer
and carry out the one perfect plan.
God could have skipped it all. He didn't need to create the universe.
And it certainly cost Him! Just think of Abraham sacrificing Isaac and
how terrible we feel when putting ourselves into his shoes – and of
course Abraham didn't have to go through with it. The Father did have to
go through with it, and not just putting His Son to physical death but
judging the sins of the entire world in Him, judgment for the least one
of which was more than all the suffering of the world put together.
So I for one, while sorry about XYZ, recognize they did, in fact,
choose. The fact that God knew what they would choose does not change
their free will choice, any more than His making you and me and knowing
that we would choose for Jesus affected our free will choice. We chose
to trust. XYZ chose not to trust. God knew it ahead of time – and if He
hadn't, then 1) He would not be the perfect God (which of course He
could not fail to be), and 2) He would not have been able to foreordain
all of history in a way which not only preserves free will . . . but
actually makes it possible: Without the universe, time and space, and
the various and sundry things seen and unseen, known and unknown, which
make our lives here on earth possible, and without the human spirit with
the image of God which gives us the ability to choose, there could be no
possibility of free will.
So theologians have got this backwards. The plan of God as it actually
is, time and space and the history being played out on the field, is the
perfect, ultimate threshing floor wherein the wheat and the chaff are
separated and wherein the quality of the wheat is tested and discerned.
And the mechanism God has used to accomplish this is the image of God,
the free will which all of His moral creatures have been given. This all
had to be paid for by the blood of Christ, a fact which shows that the
love of God is even more amazing than His inestimable abilities in
foreordaining the perfect plan. Because that plan is founded on the Rock
of Jesus Christ.
I fully expect that at the last judgment it will be shown conclusively
that unbelievers 1) were each actually given the life and life
circumstances most conducive to bringing them around to acceptance of
Christ – and still they refused; and that 2) were they given countless
additional opportunities, they would always choose the same, preferring
condemnation to response to the grace of God.
Or as I say elsewhere: "God made us who we choose to be and who we
choose to be is who God made us." That is eminently fair – which of
course is no surprise since God is righteous and just by nature and
could never be unfair in the least regard.
There's much more about all this at the link:
BB 4B: Soteriology.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Greetings Dr. Luginbill,
I pray all is well with you this Sunday afternoon. I just had a quick
question about where I could find your explication of Acts 1:6-7. I have
read your take on this before but I cannot remember which part of your
two part series I found it. I have been sharing your material with
others but today I listened to a sermon where the preacher used these
verses to almost discourage folk from studying eschatology or prophecy
especially in regards to attempting to discern the times or epochs. I
know when I read your take on these verses and it was very sensible but
I forgot to earmark that for future use because I knew I would need it
and so here I am.
Thanks in advance,
Response #2:
Great to hear from you!
I've got info on this scattered all over Ichthys. Here's a link to where
I discuss it in some detail:
"Not for you to know?"
I was just reading this passage the other day, as it happens, and it
struck me that since the statement our Lord makes about the "times or
seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority (ESV)" is
followed directly by the promise of the Spirit who will empower the
disciples to understand the truth, that more people should
have picked up on the fact that our Lord is not commending ignorance
(since also elsewhere the Spirit is explicitly promised to reveal not
hide the truth: Jn.16:13), but disabusing the disciples of the notion
that the Kingdom and the 2nd Advent were imminent. Instead: " you shall
be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the end of the earth."
And here is a footnote I generally include when discussing the passage
(see the second part in particular which is about Acts 1:7):
The "unknown day and hour" of Matt.24:36 and Mark 13:32 merely indicates that we may know an event is imminent without knowing the precise day of the year and hour of the day in which it will occur. After all, this comment occurs immediately following the parable of the fig tree where we are told by our Lord in no uncertain terms precisely to pay attention to scripturally significant events and not to ignore what the Bible has to say on these matters (cf. Matt.24:32-35; Mk.13:28-31). Acts 1:7 is often mistranslated "It is not for you to know", but should be rendered "It is not for you to decide the times and the seasons". The Greek verb gignosko commonly has this meaning of "decide" especially when it is in the aorist as it is here. The context strongly supports this revised translation since our Lord immediately adds "which the Father has ordained by His authority". That is to say, Jesus' point is that it is the Father who has decided these matters; they are not to be decided by your wishes. For our Lord's disciples had just very clearly expressed the wish through their question in the preceding verse six for Him to establish the Kingdom immediately. Therefore our Lord's reproof in verse seven is not a commendation of complete ignorance about the Father's timetable, but rather a reminder to them that it is His will in these matters that counts, not theirs; they would have to remain patient, even though from their perspective the time seemed ripe for the commencement of the Messiah's kingdom. We must also take into consideration the fact that this statement was given to the apostles prior to the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost. The Spirit is the agent of inspiration, chronology included, who, as Jesus had already made clear, would be the One to relate to them "the things to come" (Jn.16:13; cf. 2Pet.1:16-21). Since they will later come to understand the "things to come", verse seven must also be understood in conjunction with verse eight: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you . . .", a statement that clearly includes the previously promised further revelation of the Spirit (not excluding information about the end times). This is why, a few short years later, Paul can tell the Thessalonians the exact opposite of Acts 1:7 (that is, as it is generally misconstrued): "concerning the times and the seasons, you have no need that anyone write you, for you know very well . . ." (1Thes.5:1-2).
Hope you are doing well!
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Thank you so much for the rapid response.
I was approached by one of the pastors from my church while at the gym
and I got a chance to share with him the premise of the six millennial
days of man concept and how it was also taught by the likes of St.
Irenaeus and yourself. I am constantly reading through your two part
series and find it so informative and inspiring because it brings great
confidence to my mind and soul of the integrity of the whole council of
God. Well that pastor/brother in Christ I spoke with in the gym is the
son of the senior pastor and apparently he communicated my conversation
to him and as a result he preaches on Acts 1:6-7 as if to discourage any
future inquiry into this subject, a subject that is so prolific in the
Bible. It just boggles my mind that some folk in the ministry feel
threatened when their lack of knowledge of scripture is challenged.
Yes, thanks again Bob, this is exactly what I read of yours somewhere
before and it is such a great exegesis by you of this verse that totally
corrects the excuse some men use this passage to remain ignorant of,
that is, times and epochs.
God bless you brother and thanks again.
Response #3:
My pleasure!
People do get defensive when confronted with the truth, I've noticed.
Kudos to you for sticking up for the truth even so!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Just wanted to ask you a personal question and you don't have to print
this. Do you ever get scared thinking about the tribulation? When I
first thought of it I seemed pretty confident but the closer it gets to
us, to be honest, if I dwell too much on it... I start to have a sinking
feeling and panic inside.
I'm just trying to make sure I prepare for it as much as I can
spiritually and build on my faith. I know that Jesus will never let us
down, in that I am certain. God will be with us and on our side.
Do you personally though feel fear thinking about what lies ahead?
In Jesus,
Response #4:
"Do you personally though feel fear thinking about what lies ahead?"
On the one hand, the Tribulation will be a time of the fulfillment of so
many prophecies and promises – and the destruction of evil, with evil
"eating itself" and finally being devoured by the fiery sword which
proceeds directly from our Lord's own mouth – that it is legitimate to
adopt the attitude of British paratroopers before Market Garden in being
glad not to be "missing the party". On the other hand, we all know what
happened in that operation, and no one who has read seriously about
those seven dark years to come can really imagine that it will be "fun",
or that it will not involve all manner of suffering and sacrifice.
We do have to prepare ourselves mentally, spiritually to make whatever
sacrifices we're going to be called upon to make, and to endure whatever
suffering we're going to be called upon to endure. But if we are
preparing adequately now, as you say, we can be – and must be –
absolutely confident in the fact that our Lord is not going to let us
down. He is the perfect Shepherd. He will bring us safe through that
valley of death-darkness. The worst that could happen to us is
martyrdom, and that is actually a compliment to our faith and a
guarantee of reward (Rev.2:10).
It is good to ask these questions ahead of time. To the extent that we
are afraid of dying, that is a problem. No one wants to die, but
believers have a hope that transcends this life and this world. No one
wants to be imprisoned or persecuted or tortured, but believers can be
confident that whatever such suffering we might have to navigate in the
Tribulation that the Lord will be with us – just as He is with us now.
All provision has already been made for us in eternity past, and paid
for by the blood of Christ.
To the extent that we are upset at contemplating the loss of the present
day ease of life, the possessions and/or status we presently possess,
our "nice lives" (if that is what we have), to that extent we are not
thinking about things the right way. Whatever we "have", we only have
because God has given it to us (Job 1:21), and nothing lasts forever
(Ps.49:12). We don't last forever, not in these bodies, so the idea of
"good times" continuing is a disconnect from the reality of life. Even
without death, bad things can happen. Some of us know that from personal
experience. But everyone should know it from reading history. There were
a lot of Jews in 1930's Europe who had "nice lives". But that changed
rapidly. And there were a lot of Germans in 1930's Germany who had "nice
lives" which were torn asunder by war (no doubt in large measure as a
result of the holocaust), and that happened to very many people around
the world, of course. The Tribulation will be like that, but on a
grander scale. It will be "interesting times" – the kind you are cursed
to have to experience (according to that apocryphal but popular
quotation).
But we believers do not need to fear the Tribulation – just as we need
not fear anything. Jesus Christ is our life, and we know that His return
lies right on the other side of those seven dark years. So, once it
begins, we believers have a wonderful "short-timer's calendar" to count
on! If the worst that can happen is that we see our Lord sooner than
that, through martyrdom, that is in fact a great blessing.
No doubt we have some kinks in our hearts to work out before that day
arrives. We really do need to be asking ourselves such questions, and
dis-investing from the world and any and all serious attachments to it.
Because for those who are loving the world, a little or a lot, the
Tribulation is indeed something to be feared, and greatly so.
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job 1:20-21 KJV
We who belong to Jesus Christ have a duty – and a right – to disdain this world, putting our entire hope and faith in love of the One who died for us . . . and who is coming to save us.
And they will say on that day, "Behold! This is our God! We waited in hope for Him to deliver us. This is our Lord. We waited in hope for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His deliverance!"
Isaiah 25:9
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
Isaiah 35:3-4 NIV
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Hello Dr.,
In your DropBox you should find the following audio files:
34-A Christian Code of
conduct pt.1
34-A Christian Code of conduct pt.2
34-A Christian Code of conduct pt.3
Things are going well here, staying busy at work and on the home-front
as well. Hoping for some “normal” quiet time before the next wave of
hysteria hits (whatever that may be). Seems there’s no end to the
rumblings of “what’s coming next”. I don’t know which is scarier, a
government that wants to save me from myself and everyone and everything
else in the world or the coming tribulation, both unsettling (and
similar), at least we know how it all ends.
Peter #34 is an excellent teaching, thanks for getting it out there.
I’ve also been following along with
pastor Omo’s “God’s Plan of
the Ages”, good stuff as well. I’ve studied several books of the
Bible with him in the past and I’ve got to say he really show’s his true
“Texan” side in this one, and it’s appreciated here.
How are you Sir? Glad your University hasn't made the v-ion
mandatory for you yet, the City hasn’t made it mandatory either,
although strongly encouraged. With the advent of permanent v-ion
clinics being opened in cities across the country through the Cares Act
we’ll have to see what the future holds. ___ mentioned that he was
getting v-ed so I prayed that he wouldn’t experience any of
negative side effects that some Doctors say may be possible. Got you in
prayer here as well. I’ll be in touch.
All the best,
Rev.22:20
Response #5:
Thanks for the MP3s! Uploaded and tested – and greatly appreciated. I hope to
have Peter #35 for you by the end of the summer.
Glad your enjoying our friend
Curt's teaching!
U of L policy is in flux after the CDC announcement – which is great news but
confusing (and they seem to be doing some back-tracking). Our guv has set June
11th as "return to normal day". I think all the hysteria, as you rightly
characterize it, is finally getting dowsed with reality. When this thing
disappears – as all such plagues are wont to do after a year and a half or so –
it'll be harder and harder to make people believe they're going to die when
almost no one is even getting sick anymore.
So I'm fairly confident that the uni will get back to normal too. Our biggest
problem is that last year was so dissatisfying to our students generally – with
few profs doing what I did, trying to hold the normal line as much as possible –
that they've been holding off on registering for fall. My Greek numbers are
nowhere – and it would be a personal disaster if they cancelled the class. So
prayers are appreciated!
No mandate for getting v-ed, just "strongly encouraged". I think that is
likely to hold the way things are going. So thanks for your prayers on that
front too! Good to hear that your employer and the uni there are not going
overboard just yet either.
Here's something a good friend just sent me:
I’m glad __ is feeling a bit better, but those v-ions can have some very undesirable side effects. My __ belongs to the ___ club, and one of the member’s wives developed symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis after her 2nd shot. She has been treated with steroids, and she is better. But what an outcome. . .
Our friend in Australia has a report of a number of deaths of otherwise healthy
people after being v-ed (I believe those are all AstraZeneca cases).
Keeping you in my prayers daily, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #6:
Dear Prof, how are you doing, what with tumbles and scrapes! Trusting in the
Lord you are getting better. Hope you have some relief all round including
academically this summer.
I'm actually settling in the new apartment with my daughter in the nations
capital regardless of what is going on around us. I'm in relatively good health
as the rest of my family. We are looking at what is happening to the country and
looking up to God.
There is serious increase in anxiety in the population due to the high level of
insecurity almost everywhere in the country. There is so much kidnapping,
killing, raping and destruction going on in many parts of the country right now.
Our president from the north is of the Fulani extraction. The fulanis are
nomadic cow herders who don't really have a home, but they see the opportunity
to have one because of the president who is their kinsman. Almost all the
important govt positions have been filled with their kinsmen. They are doing
little or nothing to stop what is going on. They are the ones funding the boko
haram Islamic terrorists (ISIS equivalent). An American intelligence report has
it that Isis, Al Qaeda have set their sights on Nigeria, the most populous Black
Country in Africa and that our govt is complicit with them. The terrorists have
taken over a village about 50km from the capital where we are and planted their
flag. They have made quite some incursions into the forests in most parts of the
south where I come from and where the rest of my family is right now. A lot of
my doctor colleagues have been kidnapped for ransom. Some killed even when
ransom is paid. We learnt that most ransom money goes into buying arms. Can you
imagine cow herders armed with AK 47 rifles?! The banditry has been bad in the
middle belt for some time too.
A lot of people who can afford it are making plans to relocate outside the
country, before it gets worse. We are trusting in God to keep, guard and guide
us in this situation. Prayers are going on like never before. Covet your prayers
too.
From my understanding of Coming Tribulation series, the Antichrist (little horn)
will wage war against three horns led by a Mahdi in Egypt who by implication
leads probably the whole of Africa in Islamic sovereignty. Whether they will
succeed from now is in the Lords hands (Pro 21:1) so we will keep lifting our
voices and yielding our hearts to Him. Our battle cry (like someone said) is
giving thanks always in all circumstances. 1Cor 10:13 is also good to remember.
Psa 91:7&8 has immediate and future application. We need the word of God like
never before.
I'm actually rereading CT and it's a great help in these trying times. That
classic writing cannot be done away with since it overwhelmingly directs us to
the scriptures in perspective of the times now and times to come.
Still working on getting the podcast. Need some things which I hope to get
pretty soon by His mercy.
Dear Prof, thanks again for what you have been led to write (ichthys) and for
being there too. Many of us are reaping the benefits. May we all meet in the
great rapture if not before. The Lord strengthen you to finish your race
strongly.
Love in Christ through whom from God, we gain the victory.
Response #6:
Of course I'm appalled to hear about the situation in your country!
I have been and will continue to be praying for you and all of our
brothers and sisters there for protection and deliverance from all such
things. I don't think anyone could fault a brother or sister for wishing
to emigrate from such conditions. As to the Tribulation, however, while
I have opined that Babylon may well be a sort of "safe haven" . . .
until the very end when it is completely destroyed, that is merely
informed speculation on my part. The Tribulation will be terrible
everywhere, and there will be no escaping that anywhere entirely. So
other than placing a bet on Babylon for the short term, I don't see
believers being able to anticipate what is going to happen though
changing their geography. The only "sure bet" will be for the Jewish
believers who are taken to the safe haven in the desert at the
mid-point. But that is for them, not for us gentiles.
The flip side of all this trouble is, of course, that the end is coming
quickly. Mara na tha! Our Lord will soon return, and we will be
delivered. And if it is our lot to be taken home to heaven before those
twelve plus years elapse, that is merely a reward for good behavior, so
to speak. In the meantime, for those of us left here, while we of course
do not enjoy pressure and suffering of any kind, and certainly not the
threat of such things increasing exponentially, that is bound to happen
once the Tribulation begins – if not before. So in the face of all such
things, while not easy, we all need to count our lives in this world as
assets for the Lord to dispose of as He wishes (Rom.12:1; cf. Rom.6:13).
After all, we are here for Him and Him alone – and desire more than
anything to be pleasing to Him.
This is the stuff of deep spiritual maturity, no doubt – and so much
easier to say than to commit to fully in one's heart. That is especially
the case in a day and time where most Laodicean believers are
frantically bustling about for wealth and worldly security, for
pleasures and status and promotion – as if this world were going to
continue forever and as if they were never going to have to leave it.
We had hoped that the experience of the pandemic et al. would have
turned more to the truth and more believers to get serious to the truth,
but from my perspective it seems as if the opposite has happened (except
in rare cases; cf. Num.26:63-65).
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
Matthew 24:37-39 NKJV
I am happy to hear that you are feeling some better! I'm keeping your
health and that of your wife in my prayers daily, my friend. Thank you
so much for the update and the good report – and thank you SO much for
your prayer too!
Things are well here! Much to do, but it is getting done. One day at a
time!
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #7:
[email about friends and family making a peaceful walk with Christ difficult]
Response #7:
I think you've diagnosed the problem very well. Some people are impossible to be around for extended periods without giving in to this sort of thing (or other bad behaviors). Really, when it comes to some situations, it's better to have as little to do with bad influences, even when we do love them.
But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
1st Corinthians 5:11 NKJV
Clearly, family are a special case. We can't (and don't want to) completely
disassociate in most cases, but we can keep the type of contact where we know
there will be problems to a minimum – and be careful to watch ourselves with
extra scrutiny whenever we're around those who have a tendency to make us "lose
our cool".
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #8:
[omitted]
Response #8:
I think what you say about ___ is correct. Clearly, if we subjugate ourselves to others in the way they prefer they may be inclined to "sing our praises". That is something FAR different from the "witness of the life". The true Christian witness of life may not be reacted to in the way we would wish, but always it is in the way God wills:
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate . . .
1st Timothy 6:13 NKJV
No one ever gave a better witness than our Lord . . . but they crucified Him. We
certainly all hope for a better response than that, but response is the hands of
the responder, and we all have our own free will.
In terms of tactics, I don't think it's possible to be someone else other than
the person we actually are, nor do I think it's wise to try, nor do I find any
biblical commands for us to alter our personalities. What we ARE supposed to do
is on the one hand refrain from sin (controlling the tongue is certainly key in
that regard in our relationships with problematic people who can easily "get our
goat"); and on the other hand express in a godly way, when opportunity offers,
the reason for the hope that is in us, the hope of eternal life and reward that
puts a smile on our faces even when things are not going well (1Pet.3:15). But
if we are not in control of ourselves, and if we are always "down in the dumps"
whenever things go a little haywire (which is almost a daily occurrence in my
experience), then we aren't going to be projecting the best witness for Jesus
Christ. As with all things in the Christian life, this is impossible to correct
"from the outside in". Yes we do need to watch ourselves, but ultimately only
continued spiritual growth will bring meaningful and lasting change. If we
really are walking joyously with Jesus Christ, that will shine through, even
when we are not at our best. But if we are not, we won't be able to pretend as
much, not for very long anyway.
I think you are on a good course, my friend. Keep on moving forward with your
sights fixed on Zion, and trust the Lord to take care of the day to day.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #9:
[omitted]
Response #9:
We had such good news here in the states today – and I'm guessing it
will be the same over there soon enough. The disease is evaporating
rapidly – as all pandemics eventually do and at about the same time they
usually do (two seasons usually being enough to make the population
immune). So our CDC flipped yesterday and declared victory! I'm
celebrating V-M day! No more masks! No more "reduced capacity and social
distancing"! It will take a minute before this sinks in, especially to
those who allowed themselves to be terrified and also to the curmudgeons
who are happier with this sort of insanity going on. But the fact is
that hardly anyone over here is dying of Covid any more, few
hospitalized, cases and positivity rates all headed way down. And it's
only mid-May! By the time summer arrives in full, I expect that even the
reluctant ones will be forced by reality to accept the facts. And all
"this" will be gone.
So don't worry! The world will have to find a new cause / problem to
obsess about. You're not going to die of Covid and your family is not
going to die from being v-ed. The problems with Covid and the v- were both highly overrated. Covid was a bad disease (but
relatively few healthy young people died of it exclusively); the
v-s seem to be problematic (but the percentage of people who so far
have been seriously harmed by them even after all this time is small,
even if much higher than with v-s of the past).
This has been a good test. Don't get down on yourself because you've had
one bad day. We all have bad days. As I always advise people, "never
quit on a bad day".
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5b NASB
I feel this particular night ending and the dawn coming up. And I am
shouting for joy! God is good! Praise the Lord!
Keeping you and your family in my prayers daily.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #10:
I really do hope and pray that it is over Bob. It really wears a person
down.
Thank you what you said. I will put that in my back pocket to "never
quit on a bad day". Thank you so much for your continual support. I need
to focus more on what I read in the Word than what I see on the news. We
love and serve an incredibly powerful and loving God who will never
leave us or forsake us!
Whatever we come up against, He will always be there and carry us
through. He will comfort us when we are sad or frightened and ease our
pain. I know that with God beside me, I WILL get through this and the
Tribulation besides not because of my strength but HIS!
In Jesus,
Response #10:
"I know that with God beside me, I WILL get through this and the
Tribulation besides not because of my strength but HIS!" Amen and
Amen! That is the spirit . . . and the Spirit! What we can see and hear
is merely a small reflection of what is really going on in the invisible
conflict swirling around us. And our God has made all provision for our
every need. There is no trouble, even with a capital "T", that He has
not foreseen and provided for in eternity past. It's hard sometimes to
be confident of deliverance when our backs are to the sea and the
Egyptian army is bearing down on us. But we who do trust in Him have
every right to say with Moses, "Do not be afraid! Stand firm and watch
the deliverance of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today." If
we don't shake ourselves and proclaim this at first, we can surely do so
when we see the cloud and the fire separate us from our enemies and when
we see the wind start to move the waters. We don't have to wait until we
are safe on the other side and our enemies drowned to appreciate Him and
what He is doing for us. We know Him and what He is doing. And that
should be sufficient for us to rejoice and praise Him for it even before
deliverance is visibly in hand.
Thanks for standing firm in faith!
In Jesus our absolutely faithful Savior,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Dear Teacher
It was not my plan to go silent again, but apparently, there was a squall
waiting just around the corner. I'm happy enough to be able to be replying now
and also sending along a new installment I've been working on for a bit now.
I'm very grateful for all the good news from your own end as well. I'm very
sorry for the injuries you suffered running. I have been praying for your full
recovery. How are the work things coming?
I love the mention of planting (and I also dread it, LOL). The place I'm looking
at renting for the next 12 months provides us a similar opportunity. It was
absolutely miraculous to find a bungalow in a compound by itself. But it does
require a bit of work (not that it is so bad, considering our realities here in
Nigeria, but there are some things about the place that are plenty inconvenient)
and with the space around the house, we will very likely become gardeners and
pet keepers too.
I'm not absolutely certain that we will take the place though. It depends on how
much we will be allowed to change the structure on the inside to make it more
accommodating for us. But the rent for the place makes it a bit of a steal even
by Nigerian standards. Of course, the cost of the adjustments we will have to
make does sort of make up for the apparent cheapness of the rent.
[omitted] Apart from these two things, the tests came out alright. I seem to be
pretty healthy all around. I'm very grateful for that.
I've taken up working out now as a way of keeping healthy. It also helps me feel
considerably more energetic and willing to get to work on all kinds of things.
The downside is that it does consume quite a bit of energy itself and time too.
I have been observing things and working on making adjustments to allow me to
meet my daily objectives, especially including my ministry work.
Once the house is sorted out, my next priority is the marriage proceedings. I'll
keep working on the immigration thing in the meantime, but it will only take
priority after we get married. I am praying that my country does not degenerate
into another Syria or Somalia in the meantime. Thankfully, a lot of the noise to
that effect appears to have died down--or else, I just don't hear them anymore
for some reason. The rise in crime is pretty bad and troublesome, but I have
lived in Nigeria all my life and the crime is pretty commonplace. It's the
possibility of a complete failure of the state that I'm wary of.
How are things __ and her family? Have you heard from them again recently?
Grateful for the privilege of keeping you and yours and your ministry in my
prayers, Sir.
Your student in Jesus Christ
Response #11:
Good to hear from you!
Thanks for the detailed update. Good to hear also that your health is OK
even if not perfect. I'm pretty much recovered from my latest
"adventure". Still have a sore right shoulder and strained right thigh,
but nothing significant enough to keep me from exercise or yard work. I
think it's great that you are building the former into your daily
routine. It does take some getting used to – and getting RE-used to when
you're forced to the sidelines for an extended period of time (as has
happened to me on more than one occasion).
Our French search ended before making a hire because the college cut our
funding. I'm beginning my summer research, but I'm also grateful for
prayer on the enrollment numbers for the fall. Mine are low in Greek and
also upper Latin, and I know of several students who just haven't gotten
around to it yet. There is a lot of "wait and see" here because of the
fiasco of last year. U of L has ended its mask-mandate and claims a
return to normality next fall, but since most of my students had all
remote instruction except for my classes, they are understandably
reluctant to sign up (and pay up) before they know for sure.
Working in the yards before it gets too hot for the next little bit.
Then I do hope to see ___ as things are now finally opening up.
Great file! How did you want me to organize that on your page at
Ichthys?
I'm keeping you and yours in my daily prayers and will be praying for
all the details to work out soon and well.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #12:
Dear Teacher
I thank our God for your recovery.
Yes indeed, exercise takes plenty of getting used to, and the great
miracle for me is that I have been able to carry on with it. I have
tried several times to take up this routine, but I couldn't keep it up
until now. I'm just so grateful that all manner of things, including
this, have been shaping up. Last night in our Zoom meeting, I was musing
aloud how amazing it is that I have tried to get different things right
so many times until I sort of despaired of them, then one day I suddenly
find myself doing them well and comfortably too. I have gone to the gym
even when I have been feeling slightly ill. When I found that I had
misunderstood the offer of the gym owner and needed to essentially
create my own training program, I still did the research and went to the
gym. In the past, it would have been too much of an added burden to keep
going.
I'm not sure what exactly has changed, but I'm happy for it, and I'm
trying to stay vigilant to keep moving forward no matter what is
happening around or to me. I wonder if it is just the miraculous
provisions that I have been experiencing for a year now that has grown
my confidence and made me more courageous and energetic about life. I
certainly think that the way that the Lord stood up for me throughout
the matter of the burial and the miraculous job I got mere days after
the burial changed me in a significant way. The way I put it last night
was that it made me a lot braver about life: I know that I can get out
and engage with life knowing that the Lord has my back if I am walking
with Him as I should. I've always known that, but it's as if I only just
got to learn it through the past several months.
I'm very happy that you no longer have to deal with the encumbrance of
face masks. I'm also praying for the enrollment issues that you are
facing, Sir. I am confident of the Lord's deliverance as we have
witnessed several times over the years now in your behalf.
[omitted]
I'm far more comfortable with my writing now, so I have much greater
confidence that I will have my website up and running by the end of the
coming week. I don't know how soon I will get my next job, but I hope
that it will be in time for me to have an income that will help my plans
for getting married.
About the organization, I thought that you might break Bible Basics up
into multiple parts with the first 9 postings constituting Part I and
these new ones constituting Part II and so on.
I can't tell you just how grateful I am for your prayers, Sir. I can
only imagine just how much I owe to them. I'm very grateful, Sir, and we
will continue to pray for you, Sir.
Your student in Jesus Christ
Response #12:
"I'm not sure what exactly has changed" – I think you have been growing in the truth, my friend, gaining confidence in the Lord and your relationship with Him. That is an important area of growth where we will never "arrive" this side of heaven. We all need to continue with that, but it is a great encouragement when we see that growth and that relationship and that closeness increasing.
But with respect to the progress you have made, keep on advancing in the same way!
Philippians 3:16
Good news about the writing too. I'm very encouraged to see you keeping
at the most important thing even when there is so much going on in your
life.
Happy to hear that you have found a nice place too!
You're certainly welcome for the prayers – and I am equally thankful and
grateful for yours as well, my friend. None of us has any power down
here on earth. We are much more subject to events than we have any idea
– or would be, except that the Lord is with us. So petitions to Him from
other believers are most precious.
Files posted – keep up the good work for Jesus Christ!
In our Lord,
Bob L.
Question #13:
Dear Teacher
I'm very greatly encouraged by your assessment, Sir. Thank you very
much. I consider myself very greatly blessed that I have been allowed to
notice this great work of God in me. More and more, I think that I
understand Paul's statement that it is not he who lives but Christ who
lives in him. Every time I see a positive development in myself, I can
easily see how it has nothing to do with my own effort. I keep failing
at doing the right thing. When I start doing it, I realize that it isn't
because of clever strategizing or great willpower. I can see that it is
the Lord working out His will in me. I'm deeply grateful for that. It is
scary to imagine being left to figure it out all by myself.
Once I have established the rhythms of my career and my home, it seems
to me to just follow that I will be able to step things up in my
ministry. It is on this basis that I expect to launch my ministry
website maybe toward the end of the year or next year. We'll see. But
I'm happy to just keep writing up studies for now.
Your student in Jesus Christ
Response #13:
It's exciting times, my friend!
I'll be praying for everything to go smoothly for you two.
Hope it all went well today.
Keeping you and your families in my daily prayers.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #14:
Thank you Dr. Luginbill.
I completed the previous lesson on Peter also. You and
Curtis Omo are my
teachers and I'm grateful the Lord lead me to you both.
I pray for you regularly,
Take care,
Response #14:
Thank you! And thanks for those prayers!
Question #15:
Hi Bob,
I seem to be at a certain point now in my walk that at the same time as
realising that Jesus is my all, I am having a hard time being around
others.
I can love people and pray for them but I am at that point that I
physically can't do small talk anymore. I feel exhausted by the
superficiality of this world and I feel more and more unable to play a
role that is acceptable to others.
I think of all my non-believing friends and to be honest I have avoided
them. Since this Covid pandemic they all seemed to have "doubled down"
on their previous positions. The worldly ones, more worldly. The
conspiracy ones, the Catholic ones, the New Age ones and sadly even the
ones now into "witchcraft" have all become ever more firmly entrenched
into their respective positions.
I feel like I can't fellowship anymore with them because there is no
"fellowship". I don't wish them ill, I love them and pray for them and
hope for their best. I just feel as though I haven't anything to say
anymore. I can't tell them the truth as they don't want to know and I
have lost most of my interest in things of this world.
The closer I grow towards God, the more alienated I feel from those
around me. Is this a typical thing to go through as a Christian? I just
feel like I prefer to pass my time without talking much these days and
just getting on with the things of my life.
On one hand I yearn for fellowship with people who lives are truly
centred around Jesus but when I am around unbelievers or Laodicean
types, I prefer just to wander off on my own or just staying silent.
Just wondering if you have ever experienced this yourself or heard from
others' experiences of this.
In Jesus,
Response #15:
In my experience and observation it's not uncommon for the Lord to give us a period of respite from "the noise and the churn" when we get to a certain point of finally getting serious for Him and for His truth. After all, the world IS crazy and IS pursuing after all manner of crazy things which are not in any way "of God".
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1st John 2:16-17 NKJV
However, none of us wants to be a hermit. We all want fellowship. But being
unwilling to compromise on that score by pursuing unhealthy "fellowship" is
passing an important test. Ultimately, our fellowship with the Lord is the
fellowship that counts, and drawing closer to Him will inevitably push us away
from things (and people) which are problematic and not nearly as important as
spending time with Him.
I do pray for you on this score daily, my friend. And I'm confident it will come
in the Lord's good timing – as all things do for those who wait on Him.
Perhaps this respite is also positive in giving you the time, space and energy
to see to your ___ plans – and for spiritual growth of course.
Keeping you in my prayers daily.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Freemasonry is Satanism in disguise. It is a religion
hidden within a fraternity and that religion is Satanic to the core.
I watched a testimony from an ex-Mason who has become a Christian. This ex-
Freemason describes it as that the degrees of "light" that masons are exposed to
are actually degrees of darkness but they teach that darkness IS the light. They
refer to it as "darkness visible". (Indeed there is a book on freemasonry with
this title). It's only when an initiate realises this and accepts it as true
that they can "ascend" beyond the 32nd degree. If a person is still holding on
any notion of morality at this point they will not go any higher. The 33rd
degree is honorary and only available to those who accept that darkness is
light. It is the 33rd degree for two reasons 1) because it is the age our dear
Lord was crucified 2) 33 is a third and represents the number of angels who
rebelled under Satan.
Once a person accepts that darkness is light and light is darkness, they then go
through a process of what can only be described as "demonisation". This is for
want of a better expression but it is an inversion of the Christian walk of
Sanctification. If Sanctification is what a Christian pursues to become more
conformed to the image of Christ, the Freemason walk is pursuant in conforming
to the "god" of freemasonry which is Lucifer/Satan. It's hard to get your head
around this but they declare evil as being innocence and destruction as an act
of creation. That is why so much "double speak" is flooding into our society. In
the book "1984" Orwell writes "war is peace". This double speak will probably be
commonplace around the antichrist because this is their religion, everything is
flipped on its head to render words meaningless. (I've noticed this happening
especially with young people that their slang always is a contradiction of
meaning. The words "bad", "wicked" and more recently "sick" have been
popularised to mean "good". Orwell was a Freemason and despised Christianity by
the way. I think his dystopian character "Big Brother" actually is a mockery of
Jesus being our big brother in heaven speaking in our favour to our Father).
Their "salvation" is about being unshackled from Christian morality. They
believe that the more they sin, the "freer" they are from the tyranny they
believe morality puts over them. They go out of their way to break all the
commandments and yes they kill too. They believe that salvation comes when they
are no longer afraid of anything, that being free from fear of judgement (both
human and divine) is liberation.
It's true that Freemasonry is deadly even in the first degree as it is an
initiation into satanism whether the initiate knows it or not. They deliberately
keep people on the lower levels blind to the reality and use the cloak of
philanthropy to dupe outsiders.
I now realise that the Tribulation will be a lot worse than I thought it will
be. I realise that the removal of the Holy Spirit restraint will unleash an
unprecedented worldwide embracing of all that is evil. Indeed the Freemasons
have already had a head-start on that. It doesn't feel good to know that
everyone in positions of power are already initiated into freemasonic satanism
but I guess I shouldn't be amazed at this as I know the whole world will love
the beast.
What this has done is galvanised my position of seeking spiritual growth. That I
want to be as spiritually prepared as possible for the tribulation as much as I
can be. Everything else will be in Jesus' hands and I know already that He will
win this easily but it is whether I finish with my faith or not is what I am now
very concerned about.
God has positioned me where I feel very alienated from all around me and I
realise that I can't go to conspiracy theory or theorists for "fellowship"
either. He wants me to completely rely on Him for this season so that's what
I'll do. I'll keep my head down and quiet while I concentrate on my goals for
work and spiritual growth. Thank you for your continued fellowship, teaching and
friendship.
In Jesus,
Response #16:
I think it's great that you're not feeling to the need to pursue these
different avenues of satanic attack. We know very well what they are. If
we are not personally involved in an apologetic ministry trying to
rescue others from their clutches, there really isn't a need to go into
great detail.
On Masons in particular, I wouldn't be too worried about it. There are,
as you know, a rather large number of "illuminati" type organizations
which might have a claim on a worldwide conspiracy for evil. The thing
is, however, Satan already has one of those, and everything that is not
of the truth is involved in one way or another, even if people who don't
know anything about scripture can't see it. I call it "Satan's World
System", and there is an entire installment of the SR series devoted to
it (at
the link).
Others have written me about the Masons before (here's
one link). For one thing, there are various "rites" and they have
differences. All of the rituals really are appalling, and it beats me
how any normal person would want to or even be willing to engage in such
awful proceedings. But I have known people in my life who were/are
Masons and they do not have horns. I also don't have any evidence of
them receiving or giving any particular undue influence to other Masons
in the way that secret societies are supposed to do. Others have had
different experiences, I understand. But I think one finds about the
same level of such conspiratorial efforts in the Mormon and RC churches
– both of which organizations are far more intrusive into the lives and
belief systems of those foolish enough to have anything to do with them.
And, again, these are only a few examples of "the system" which is all
headquartered in hell, so to speak. When the Tribulation begins, we will
see very soon the amalgamation of all such religions and cults and
secret organizations under the single head of antichrist's "church" –
including most of the "Christian" church-visible. The main job at
present of all such groups is merely preparing their members for that
day.
When I was a boy scout, I got "tapped out" into the Order of the Arrow,
a semi-secret (not very secret) society within the BSA. Recently I read
someone making a convincing case for most of its rituals being masonic
derived. But I can tell you that at 13/14 I certainly didn't see or hear
anything terribly off-putting. When the whole camp was around the
campfire, the leader in an Indian headdress walked around the circle and
stopped in front of me and "tapped me out" (slamming his hand down on my
shoulder very hard three times). I then began my "ordeal" which
consisted of sleeping out under the stars that night with no food, being
required to be absolutely silent the next day until the ordeal ended (I
got tricked into speaking when I "said grace" for the cornflakes and
boiled egg that constituted breakfast and lunch, my only offense that
resulted in cutting and knotting the twine of the pine cone I wore to
signify my status), and doing a day's hard labor (we built some kind of
fence). After that, there was some kind of "banquet" in the evening
which was forgettable – except that the person who whispered the "secret
word" into my ear didn't do it very loud, and I never got it (you can
find it on the internet). There are a bunch of boiler-plate "doctrines"
that have to do with OA (you can find them on the internet too), but I
never heard anything about that. In the next year or so I went to one
other "banquet" which was also forgettable (they did give me a hard time
for not knowing the "secret word"), but then I entered high school and
got interested in other things and had no more time for BSA (ROTC
replaced it and took up all my spare time, being on the drill team and
other things).
The point of all that is just to say that most people in most such
organizations don't pay any particular attention to the rituals or their
purported "deep meanings" even if there are some – any more than most
putative Christians in old line denominations know anything about their
church's doctrines! Some people do, especially, I suppose, those who
"rise in the ranks". But those people are the exception, not the rule.
To be honest, while some of the awful stuff that is in one of those
Masonic rites ought to make any believers quake in his boots – and run
for the hills – my impression of it and other such groups is that they
are more boys clubs than anything else. Getting involved in
Marxist-leaning politics or joining the JWs would be exponentially
worse, in my humble opinion.
There are all manner of lies and systems of lies out there in the
devil's world, and everyone gravitates towards one or the other – when
the truth is rejected. So, as always, the solution is salvation in Jesus
Christ and spiritual growth . . . and lots of it.
Keeping you and yours in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #17:
Hi Bob,
Indeed the lower levels of freemasonry (porch masons as they seem to be called)
are ran like fraternities with charity affiliations.
I think that the comparison with Boy Scouts ends there though. Why any Christian
would endure being led into a room half naked, blindfolded and with a noose
round their neck is beyond me. Even in the first degree of these porch masons'
rituals (what all would-be masons have to go through). All initiates have to say
that they are in darkness and wish to be brought into the light.
It's heartbreaking for me to think of Christians saying this to a room full of
people, that they "are in darkness". At the very least it is a terrible witness
to a roomful of unbelievers, at worse it shows spiritual immaturity if not
extremely weak faith towards Jesus Christ. After all Jesus Christ IS THE light
of the whole world.
Obviously you then have the problem of the whole oath taking thing (which are
all blood curdling). Jesus tells us to swear not at all!
Why anyone would think that they should go into a hidden room, blindfolded in
secrecy to find degrees of "light" is perverse to the extreme. No surprising at
all then that the light they seek is actually pitch darkness.
Jesus said that light has no fellowship with darkness. What fellowship then does
secrecy have with truth? Jesus said that He has kept nothing from us. Freemasons
admit that they keep the degrees below them "in the dark". Isn't omission of the
truth just another way of saying lies?
What place should secrecy have in a Christian's life? We had a saying as
children "whispers, whispers tell lies".
I keep getting told by Masons that it isn't a secret society but a society full
of secrets. What use would a Christian have of secrecy unless escaping
persecution? Indeed is the secrecy of Masons to evade persecution or exposure? I
always thought that when people act secretively it was because they had
something to hide. People only hide things when they fear other's judgement and
persecution. They also hide things when they know what they are doing is wrong
in some way, whether ethically or legally wrong.
Jesus says that lights shouldn't be under bushels. We are told in Thessalonians
that we are the children of light and the day, that we are not of the night or
the darkness. Freemasons ARE of the night and the darkness though. Indeed they
meet at night, in secrecy and in darkness (blindfolded).
So it's easy to purport that no true believer would stay in freemasonry very
long. They would either leave the lodge at the point they realise its
incompatibility with their faith or struggle with keeping both and maybe
apostatise. It would be impossible for any mature believers to stay in the
lodge.
I've looked through your other postings on the Masons and the websites linked.
There seems to be a palpable hatred and mistrust of Christianity within the
brotherhood itself witnessed by believers who have since left.
Most low level Masons are deceived by the very organisation that they seek
"light" and "brotherhood" from! Some brothers! As this is the case, that it is
only by climbing up the Masonic ladder that the degrees of "light" or "truth"
about freemasonry be revealed, I'll leave the last words to the experts on
Freemasonry. It doesn't seem logical to ask a neophyte what freemasonry is all
about as they would obviously be clueless especially within an organisation that
not only keeps things from them but outright lies to them at every step.
Instead, here's a quote from Sovereign Grand Commander Albert Pike, respected
figurehead of freemasonry who actually organised modern day freemasonry and
wrote the initiations and rituals to the Scottish Rite.
Apparently Freemasons in England were outraged to know that French masons said
the only god is humanity. Albert Pike, to smooth over antagonism over atheism
brought forth his Luciferian doctrine.
This quote comes from Occult Theocracy by Edith Miller. In it Albert Pike talks
about how the doctrine of Lucifer worship is to be presented to the higher
degrees but kept from the lower degrees and the public.
"That which we must say to the crowd is - We worship a God, but it is the God
that one adores without superstition."
"To you, Sovereign Grand Inspectors General [of the 33rd degree], we say the
Brethren of the 32nd, 31st, and 30th degrees - The Masonic religion should be by
all of us initiates of the high degrees, maintained in the purity of the
Luciferian doctrine....
Thus, the doctrine of Satanism is a heresy; and the true and pure philosophic
religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adonay; but Lucifer, God of
Light and God of Good, is struggling for humanity against Adonay, the God of
Darkness and Evil."
All Freemasons have to go through the Blue degrees before they can follow Pike's
Scottish Rite. These three degrees ARE Scottish rite. This is the Rite that most
ordinary folk go into. So you have to do three Scottish Rite degrees before you
go on if you wish to do the "Christian flavoured" York Rite. I don't know much
about this Rite or what connection Pike has to the York Rite but not the best of
bed fellows is it!
He also goes on to say this in his book Morals and Dogma
"Lucifer, the Light-Bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of
Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the light, and
with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble, sensual or selfish Souls? Doubt it
not!"
So it doesn't make a scrap of difference that the low levels think they are
playing Boy Scouts if the man who wrote the rituals that they happily spout from
their own mouths say it's Luciferian. You go to the captain of the ship to find
out what direction the ship is going in, not the man in the deck chair along for
the ride. Do we talk to the organ grinder or the monkey who dances to his tune?
Yes indeed low level masons ARE dancing to Pike's tune no matter what semantic
or mental gymnastics they perform to avoid culpability once they are no longer
in ignorance.
It's like you say that knowledge of sin is one thing but then justification of
sin is even worse. Once people know, then they have little to hide behind--not
even a fig leaf! Obstinate membership to such places once the facts are made
certain can only lead to deterioration of faith if not worse.
Here's another respected Freemason talking about freemasonry (He also was a
Rosicrucian.) This is Manly Palmer Hall from his book "The Fellow Craft: The
Lost Keys of Freemasonry"
When the Mason learns that the key to the warrior on the block is the proper
application of the dynamo of living power, he has learned the mystery of his
Craft. The seething energies of Lucifer are in his hands and before he may step
onward and upward, he must prove his ability to properly apply energy (emphasis
added).
For me, there are far too many high ranking and respected Freemasons that say
that the light, power, energy and "god" of freemasonry is lucifer.
I have no reason to doubt them. If it walks like a luciferian, talks like a
luciferian, quacks like a luciferian etc.
In Jesus, The ONLY true light in this world,
Response #17:
I think you may have misunderstood me, my friend. I certainly didn't mean to
seem to be defending Masonry, if that was your impression.
As suggested, I know little enough about it – enough to know that I personally
would not want anything to do with it and certainly would advise any believer
who asked me about it to stay away from it. I was just making the point that
people do things before they are saved, or when they are young, or before they
get serious about the Lord and the truth, that they would never do as an
advancing believer in Jesus Christ. We all make mistakes. So I wouldn't separate
fellowship from a Christian who was a lapsed Mason. I would consider the fact
that he dumped it an indication of spiritual growth. Also, as mentioned, in the
little I have been told about it, it seems that not all of the rites are the
same in different sub-groupings. Again, this is not a defense. For those who
want to be involved in apologetics, knowing more details would probably be
necessary; for the rest of us, it's just another one of those bizarre religions
or secret societies we don't want or need to have anything to do with.
I also certainly agree with you about secrecy. Christians do not cast their
pearls before swine, but neither do we make any secret of the fact that Jesus
Christ is our Lord and Master, our all in all. And we are happy to tell anyone
about all of the "mysteries" of the Truth – if they are genuinely interested.
Hope you are feeling better!
Keeping you and yours in my prayers daily.
In Jesus Christ who is indeed the only Light, the way, the truth and the life.
Bob L.
Question #18:
Hello Bob,
Yes I was rather under the impression that either you were defending it
or downplaying the harms associated with it. Very relived to know you
weren't!
I have had some personal experience with it. ___ were refused promotion
because they wouldn't become Masons. They both were incredibly hard
working and well loved in their respective jobs but they hit the ceiling
of their career as soon as they refused the masons.
___ was also treated differently when realised he wasn't a mason. As he
shook hands in a normal way, they said "Oh! You're not one of us!"
I can't speak of the effects freemasonry has on American life and
society but I can on what it has done over here.
Over here it is used as a sort of nepotism, chums network or cronyism. I
base this opinion on a varied amount of different testimonies from
different people over the years. You can get a leg up your career purely
by being a member. If you're not a member then you can also expect doors
to close in your face.
[personal experience on this score omitted]
It reminds me of what Peter wrote "Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you"
I felt like that at the time. It was surreal. It definitely had a
supernatural leg up so to speak. Satan was certainly at work when I was
going through all that! God used that situation to wake me up out of my
spiritual slumber.
Personally I have only had very bad experiences of Masons and their
fraternity. It seems that their "brotherhood" only extends to its own
members and that they show only contempt to the "Cowans" on the outside.
Their claims of bettering men and society is just a load of B.S. At
least that is the case in the U.K.
I think that "brood of vipers" would be a better description of their
practices over here. We are told that a bad tree produces rotten fruit.
I have only ever seen rotten fruit fall off the Freemasonic tree.
What is even more alarming is how infested the church visible now is
with masonry. Judging by the (hand) signs of recognition they all have
to do, most of the Christendom hierarchy are all marching to the devil's
drum. Of course maturing believers won't be fooled but baby believers
might. You know from my experience as a relatively new Christian, I have
felt at times as though surrounded by ravening wolves and they were all
in sheep's clothing.
Of course people who leave are forgiven by our Lord and I'm sure that
many believers in the future will leave too but they will only do so if
it is made clear that it is NOT in any way, shape or form compatible
with our faith in Jesus. We can't afford for one moment to "go easy" or
play softball with this organisation. It is a real cancer in our midst.
It's main weapon being its secrecy. It's gains are won stealthily and we
know this is satan's preferred way of working.
Thank the Lord I am in a true brotherhood and sisterhood now! One that
doesn't require handshakes or secret passwords, doesn't discriminate or
"black ball" people. One that doesn't promote secretly and privately
benefits the few for selfish means. One that is not based on cronyism
and telling lies. One that doesn't have creepy rituals and blood
curdling oaths.
In the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, the only society I want to be a
part of (and that is no secret!)
Response #18:
Understood. You've had some bad experiences. But as we've established, while
others meant you ill, the Lord worked things out together for good, using your
disaffection with the world to lead you to Him – just like He did the same for
me to bring me back to Him. In any case, we believers who are doing what the
Lord told us, denying ourselves, picking up our crosses, and following Him, are
of the number who look forward and not backward (Phil.3:13).
I didn't realize that Masonism was such a problem in the UK in terms of shutting
out the uninitiated and advantaging those who belong. I've never seen any
evidence of that over here, but a correspondent in Australia likewise reported
similar goings-on. Perhaps this is more of a UK / Commonwealth phenomenon. Here
in the states, it's more a question of being advantaged or frozen out on account
of politics – and there is no secret about it, only the prudent secrecy of wise
individuals who do not wear their political opinions on their sleeves . . . or
T-shirts or car bumpers. Personally, I don't appreciate or have any truck with
nepotism or favoritism or prejudice of any sort, regardless of the basis. Jesus
Christ died for us all and He wants all to be saved. Our job as positive
believers in Him is to take personal responsibility for our spiritual growth so
as to be "salt" for every group of which we are a part, and to help others
through the ministries we've been given. The other stuff is best kept at
arms-length. This is sometimes difficult, true, but important, and will be
crucial in the dark times to come.
Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
Psalm 37:1-9 NIV
Keeping you and your family and friends in my daily prayers.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #19:
"mRNA v- Carries Serious Risk of Prion-Associated Spongiform
Encephalopathy/Dementia"
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2021/05/no_author/warning-pfizers-experimental-emergency-use-authorized-mrna-v--carries-serious-risk-of-prion-associated-spongiform-encephalopathy-dementia/
His conclusion is similar to mine. Link to the article and cites is at the end.
It appears that the kill rate of the new "v-s" according to VAERS is higher
than ALL v-s' combined injuries and kills from 1996 to 2016. Unlike covid,
the mRNA versions seem to mostly affect the young and women of child bearing
age.
In Jesus,
Response #19:
It shouldn't really be unanticipated that putting out a therapy that's
never been tried before (calling it a "v-" doesn't make it one) and
not tested on primates and not given the benefit of toxicology studies
or human trials that have gone the distance with follow-ups on possible
after-effects might just produce some "unintended consequences". I have
heard the "more than all others combined" stat elsewhere – and that is
based upon the incomplete and no doubt selective info that has managed
to get out the door.
I heard the other day that Pfizer is planning to ask FDA to take their
v- out of the "emergency authorization" category and approve it
fully. If that happens, I don't think it will be long before employers,
possibly also U of L, make the thing mandatory for employees.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #20:
Hi Bob,
If I remember right, the Nuremberg Code outlaws experimental medical
treatments without informed consent. I know of no one who got the jab,
who was informed of the risks.
I'm still in Isaiah and thinking much more about the conditions he
warned against. It seems the evil and perversion today are worse than
then, but then I realize scripture only tells us what we need to know. I
can only speculate. I also suspect there is more to understand about
Matthew 6:34 as it applies to today than I've understood so far.
In our Lord,
Response #20:
I'm busy celebrating V-M day! Even our dem guv has had to declare an end
to the nonsense (not until a month out, however). This is the end! But
they did a lot of psychological damage. Even after the CDC announcement
yesterday I saw a number of young people out walking outside on this
beautiful May day with masks on (!?). But reality is catching up as I
knew it would. The disease is frittering itself away as they always do,
v-s or no v-s.
Praise the Lord!
Bob L.
Question #21:
Hi Bob,
Good news! I hear from friends Ohio is doing the same. Don't know about Indiana.
While Texas ended mandates earlier, many stores here still require masks,
probably to avoid lawsuits. A growing number of people ignore that. Mr. Fauci
claims this will be a annual exercise. That will be interesting to watch.
I've learned much watching people's reactions during this whole episode. Thanks
for the update.
In our Lord,
Response #21:
"A growing number of people ignore that" – as I'm hoping /
counting on will be the case here and everywhere else. Once it is made
clear that the emperor is naked, even the most traumatized people
eventually come to see that (eventually). I expect that we will be
hearing less and less about Dr. F as time goes by (unless he is indicted
for his role in sponsoring the Chinese lab that produced the virus in
the first place).
But I agree – it will be "interesting to watch". As has been the case
hitherto (for all of us who managed to maintain at least some sense of
humor and biblical perspective). Anyone who thought it would be
difficult for the beast to convince the world of something untrue and
turn it inside out in no time has now been officially disabused of that
skepticism.
I'm still hoping for respite in the brief time remaining – but also
praying that we don't become complacent, just because the pressure is
coming off now. Rightly processed, all that has happened is really a
clarion call to spend more time and effort on spiritual preparation, not
less.
One neighbor has put netting around two recently planted trees . . . and
the bottom of the netting is plastered with cicada shells in the
hundreds. Guess that will be the next plague in these parts.
Keeping you in my prayers daily, my friend!
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #22:
Hi Bob,
In scanning headlines, it appears that Mr. Fauci has already been kicked
to the curb. Instead of his daily pontification, there's only been
silence. Or at least so the headlines read. It's about time for the
nonsense to stop. It's been changing on what seems to be a daily basis.
I doubt, Mr. Fauci and cabal will be indicted. Too many have made a
great deal of money during this covid hysteria.
I think you're right about preparation. Expect the best but prepare for
the worst as I was always told. To that, should be added. "Expect the
unexpected." I certainly hope there's a respite before it starts. Here
lately, I've had a continuing sense of dread and I've received no clear
direction. It could be circumstances. In the past few weeks, a window
motor on my car died, the oven died, the drier died and the water heater
gave up the ghost. I'm hoping I'm out of shoes to drop.
Like a number of your correspondents, scripture has taken on a new
dimension for me. Comparing scripture with current events has increased
my understanding of both and not always happily so. I'm still in Isaiah;
going more slowly and considering more carefully. Every time I open the
Bible, I learn something new. Comparing NIV with KJV has also proven
helpful. Particularly where the translation choices differ.
Also, as a side note, in the headlines recently, I read that the Marine
Corp has introduced diversity training. I didn't know the Marines were
worried about that. I had a friend, a Marine, who was on the rifle team
and thought he was going to Hickam for a match. Instead, they kept on
going until they dumped them out in Camron Bay. His squad walked into a
VC booby trap; nails and broken glass from a welded pipe. It took him a
little over two years to get out of the hospital. I suppose next,
they'll put women in combat roles to increase "diversity."
Sorry about the plague. The netting sounds like a good but limited idea.
There's always next year for a garden. Those cicada shells can be
composted so some benefit can be derived from this plague.
Thank you for your prayers. They are much appreciated. I keep you and
yours in mine as well.
Yours in our Lord,
Response #22:
In my personal life-experience, it never turns out the way I expect – so
there's not much point in expecting . . . except to expect that the Lord
will bring us through. That always DOES happen – just often not in the
time or way we might have expected.
Yes, we're not out of the woods yet, but things are being dragged in the
right direction by reality. When the thing disappears for all practical
purposes, it'll be pretty hard to get the half of the country that still
has not gone completely insane to keep believing we're all about to die.
And things could be worse! So easy to shut down a third of the country's
fuel supply. The electric grid is even more vulnerable – and everything
mostly runs on electricity now. I don't think the Tribulation is going
to be much fun. But we better get ready, spiritually speaking in the
main, whether we get a respite or not.
We had "Hum-rel" sessions even when I was in. Zumwalt introduced it at
first to "help" navy personnel "understand" Turkish people and societal
differences, then expanded it service wide. Best summed up by a sailor I
saw interviewed when asked about the training: "I don't feel any
differently about [other people] now; but now I know why I don't like
them".
Thanks for your story about that Marine. No free plane tickets for me!
Working in the yard today – and it is swarming with cicadas! So they are
coming – and are here. I understand they should be gone by mid-July . .
. if there's anything left.
Thanks for those prayers too!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #23:
Am I correct in remembering that you explained that the term "Jews" is
used in the gospels to refer to the ruling class, aka government workers
as opposed to all residents of Judah and Benjamin? Paul seems to confirm
that. If so, John 8:44 seems most appropriate today.
I have read in different places that the scienticians are working on a
v- to mute or remove the "God" gene, which apparently they've
located, (or believe they have,) in order to make people less resistant
to "established science." Whether true or not is an open question and I
wonder if John 8:44 also applies here, too. The "news," such as it is,
seems to be completely unreliable.
A very enlightening explanation of the Lord's three days in hell in
"Eschatology Issues LXIX"
#32. I never understood it that way, but it makes perfect sense! Thank
you.
Sorry to hear about your concrete surfing exercise. I'm glad your
injuries are healing well. I've read that hot peppers will provide an
endorphin rush similar to exercise. It could be true since hot peppers
are addictive. For me, it's much safer than jogging though I still walk
quite a bit.
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Response #23:
Yes, it is true that at certain points in the gospel of John the "Judeans" are
the "rulers of Judeah".
Good luck to those researchers! Of course there is no "luck" – but there is also
no way to remove free will and the desire for the hole in our hearts to be
filled, the one that can only be filled by Him, since that is a function of the
human spirit, the real "us" which they deny exists. Good luck indeed!
Hot peppers in lieu of jogging – hah! There have been days . . .
In any case, I'm doing very well now. I'm still not jogging much – more walking
rather. I still have to take care not to push the knee or the psi-joint too far.
And I have gotten well out of shape after the better part of three years only
being able to exercise in spots. But I am working on ramping it up this summer
and plan to continue, Lord willing and the body allowing.
Keeping you in my prayers daily, my friend!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #24:
Hi Bob,
I have wondered if the scienticians were the ones with the god gene
passed down from the fall. But that's another discussion.
My jogging days are over. I do walk the 1/2 mile round trip to the
mailbox and to take the garbage down. Everything here is spread out so I
do a lot of walking.
Thanks for your prayers, They're much appreciated. You and yours are in
mine daily.
Yours in our Lord,
Response #24:
Thanks!
"Scienticians" is good. We could call them "scientologists", but
that's already taken.
I'll bet you put in a LOT of "steps" just in your day to day routine.
Farmers really don't need to exercise the way us city slickers do.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #25:
Dear Professor
Had a quick look at cicadas.info What some people see in them:
Description: The mass emergence started two days ago. Yesterday and
today I have seen hundreds of them crawling everywhere. Tonight at dusk
I spent some quality time with them as they all marched towards the
Willow Oak tree. They were raining down from the tree as the molt. A
beautiful event.
Description: I have cicada's emerging from their shells and dozens of
empty shells all over my trees in the front yards. Gross and cool at the
same time. No bussing noise yet.
I hope they do not come anywhere near your garden.
I did manage to finish reading your email postings after completing the
shed work schedule mid afternoon. Just rereading them and looking up
word meanings on some. Thank you to you and all your correspondents for
their experiences and insights.
This morning I heard on the bus radio that The Baptist Church in Albany
is having speakers who have formerly identified themselves as LGBTQ will
travel from Perth to speak at their church this Thursday of their
experiences in accepting Jesus as their Savior and their decision to
forsake their former lifestyle.
Was a bit of balanced debate on the radio for awhile. After coffee and
while giving Magnet a lift home I found that the radio station was
replaying the interview and the academic “experts” weighed in and
outrightly condemned the church and those that accepted Jesus, saying it
would inflict irrevocable damage on many vulnerable LGBTQ people and
that other states we’re legislating to outlaw conversion therapy and the
sooner it was also banned by law in Western Australia, the better for
everyone.
However, to spoil the expert’s “good” story with the facts, the original
interview did not mention any “conversion therapy”, nor did the pastor
know of any such therapy, he was just willing to listen to their stories
of how they had accepted Jesus.
The “experts” were not the least bit interested in listening to the
“diverse” views of those born again, strange as that may seem, as the
experts otherwise promote diverse life styles and choices - but NOT this
particular one. Do they care for ALL people, or just for their own
prejudices? After all these Christians were LGBTQ just a moment ago and
have now somehow turned “evil” in this “expert’s” eyes. They are the
same people as before but their decision of who to follow now earns them
condemnation and derision.
(In my struggles to get a grip on the English language I learnt such
things as “i” after “e” except after “c” and a few more excepts there
be). However, the new world religion has only one except - the truth.
The academic “experts” have already decided for the rest of us that
converting to Jesus is “evil” because they “know” much better than
everyone else because they say so and no one should have the freedom to
even hint or suggest a different viewpoint from their viewpoint because
even if they are wrong they are right. (But they are never wrong - even
when they are).
There is no allowance for an alternate doctrine nor any allowance for
any “dissension” for anyone. What!
Getting close to making it completely illegal to mention Jesus, no
matter what the setting, as it might “inadvertently adversely affect
someone somewhere somehow sometime.” The ban, they demand, is “best.”
(For ALL). Just a short step (or breath) from outlawing faith in Jesus
altogether! They reason that the mere mention of His name might offend.
Even if you are not listening! Can’t argue with “logic” like that! Mind
you he said this in a most(ly) calm, though not quite as lamb-like as
the kind motherly voice of the covid v- promoter of no compulsion
to have the v-, but mandatory to have the v- instead.
Revelation 13:11 “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It
had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.” ESV
The two voices I heard on radio, especially the kind motherly voice
reminded me of a meek lamb; the picture conjured in my mind was one of
kindness. Only by disregarding her sweet tones, her robes of
pleasantness, and actually listening to her words could you detect the
dragon.
2Cor.11:14 “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel
of light.” ESV
I recall from your writings that the difference between the angels is in
their decision of who to follow - God or Satan. So the devil and his
angels can appear as an angel of light. We need to discern whether what
anyone is saying is in accord with the Word of God. Does it agree to
what Jesus has told us (ALL things so that we will know). Tone, emotions
are great weapons of mass deception - especially when the only agenda
permitted is the worldly one repeated constantly on every theatrical
stage on earth.
We seem so near the time of zero tolerance for true believers.
The kindly mother and the academic expert remind me of the multitude of
prototype performers the devil has parading and pouting on the stage
before he unveils his magical show stopper actor at Rev. 13:11.
Check the word and compare to what is dribbled out (when viewed from the
divine perspective) by Satan’s world system. The world accepts anything,
as long as it is not the truth. Satan wants to imprison his captives
forever.
The truth sets us free.
John 8:31-32 “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you
abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Doesn’t it sound absurd to us that the only way of salvation is the only
way (in this country at least) being opposed by the world.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him,”I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me.” ESV
Thank you for your Ministry in the truth.
Keeping you in my prayers.
In Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Your student
Response #25:
I've about given up even flicking the darned bugs off of my favorite plants –
since they're back in force in about an hour. Somebody said the cycle is only
ten days in warm, dry weather, but we're running up on that already with no end
in sight – and they still seem to be coming out of the ground. So it will be a
while. At least I haven't noticed any serious damage to our plants or trees . .
. yet.
Interesting update about clamping down on free speech. Canada seems to be going
the same way. In spite of all the outrageousness abroad here in the states,
nobody could get away with that yet . . . officially. Instead they're "cancelling"
people with whom they disagree. But that is easy enough to avoid if one avoids
social media – and there is a building backlash against it now in any case.
But what you report is a sign of the times to be reckoned with. Interesting
times ahead indeed – and not too far off now. But the Lord returns on the other
side of the darkness, and that will be WELL worth it.
Glad to hear things are going well "down on the farm"!
Keeping you and yours in my prayers daily as always.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #26:
Dear Professor
Thank goodness for your positive perspective. Indeed our Lord will make the wait
very much more than worthwhile.
Today the Anglican Church pastor got on the radio and said that the Baptist
event should not go ahead. She said the meeting would be damaging to LGBTQI+. (
my take is that there is no need to attend if you do not want to - more of my
thinking has been “R or D” to follow. Expired now and need to recharge for the
cold morning bus run tomorrow). The church visible is hardly united at all -
then again much of the church visible is not even the church at all.
I apologise for this brief email. My next instalment that I had wanted to write
to you was “Rat or Duck?” Rat, I believe to be far more accurate, though I do
note you post to be suitable for viewing at the NYT. Rat, is referring to the
worldly system at large, so is definitely not an indictment of any small
minority group or any group at all -rather it is the putrid doctrine of “the
liar from the beginning”. Exposing the lie to full glare of the light is what
our dear Lord Jesus will do at His Second Advent. I just wanted to share how
totally dishonest the worldly system portrays and parades itself on stage,
artificially lit up by its own pride. What a whack of performers there be
prancing and strutting about, and the clever pullers of strings in the shadows
beyond the curtains. What a load of front liners and such vast range of back
drops! What a performance!
We look forward to the final curtain.
In Jesus our only salvation.
Your student
Response #26:
Thanks for the emails and links!
I'm missing the "rat vs. duck" reference. I do hate rats (and Marxist
ideology and all lies and liars) . . . basically anything to do with the
devil (that might be a bit unfair to rats, not sure at all about ducks).
One really has to tiptoe in Australia. I wouldn't be surprised at
similar push-back over here for sponsoring such an event, especially if
social media gets a hold of it. But at least the pastor in question
wouldn't be in any great danger of being hauled off to jail . . . not
just yet, anyway. Those wars are still being fought out here in the
states. Sounds like they're long lost down under.
Not really surprising to see one "Christian" church jump on another.
That will be a theme of the Tribulation's early days too, I'm guessing,
as anyone who opposes antichrist will be thought deserving of censure in
the extreme, and the church-visible will mostly all rush to his standard
early on.
Hope you and your old bus can negotiate the cold OK, my friend!
Plenty warm here. Having to get up earlier than usual to get out before
it's heat-stroke conditions. I have been settling into a much longer
work-out. Hope this is the summer I finally get this weight under
control. Of course the knee et al. will have to cooperate. So far so
good – thanks for the prayers!
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #27:
Thank you, Bob!
I'll take a look.
I'm currently reading John Calvin's biography. I'll have to restrain myself from
calling this "Luginbill's Geneva" :)
Regards,
Response #27:
Hah!
Thanks!
My people actually came from Bern, the German rather than the French speaking
area of Switzerland. But my dad was a Presbyterian minister and my brother
almost became "John Calvin L." (mom thought that was a bit much, however).
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #28:
Thank you Dr. Bob.
I was just thinking about contacting you. Funny how that works. I've
been reading through and pondering the Revelations series. From this
series I have come to a more profound understanding of God in his aspect
as Judge and of Justice and Holiness. He is certainly King of Kings and
Lord of Lords, not simply a Loving Father, which he also is.
Thank you,
Response #28:
Thanks!
Your encouraging words are much appreciated.
Write any time.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #29:
Dr. Luginbill,
Thanks for the notification. I am working my way through the Peter series right
now - I'm on Lesson #32 at this time. I have to tell you that I love the Ichthys
site and have been through much of it once and several parts twice. I have a
million questions but I know you are busy and don't want to bother you with
questions that I will probably find the answer to as I study the site in greater
depth. I do have to ask this one thing, though - and I hope it's not too
personal and just nosy of me.
You seem to have such a complete understanding of scripture and I frequently
find myself surprised and in awe at how much sense it makes the way you explain
things, and it makes me wonder why I couldn't see it before and why have I never
heard it explained in such a way before. Did you research and prepare this huge
volume of material all on your own or do you have a group of people that you
work and consult with? You have stated "Spiritual growth is, ideally, a
collective effort which is mutually reinforcing." You seem to have such a grasp
of the big picture as well as most all of the details that make up the big
picture and I have to wonder if you still find yourself discovering some new and
thrilling insights? Something that makes you excited again and thankful for God
revealing that new insight? If so, who do you share that with? Do those new
insights ever make you go back and modify the materials you have already
published?
I am about your age, and I and my wife were members of an independent Baptist
church for some years. Long story short - I found our pastor telling a number of
"little white lies" and when I approached him about it he accused me of trying
to take over his job (which had never entered my mind and God had certainly not
called me to be a pastor). One thing led to another and my wife and I were
labeled troublemakers and asked to leave the church. That was in some thirty
years ago and we haven't darkened the doors of an organized church group since.
We were stunned at how quickly some of our "best friends" turned vicious toward
us and though we thought our hearts were right with God, we found ourselves
outside and almost no fellowship. We learned how to lean on God and each other
and had to find a different way to grow spiritually. It wasn't easy just groping
around and we wondered if we were often "out in the weeds".
I found the Ichthys website during my search and have been enthralled ever
since. Again, we even had doubts about Ichthys because we were steeped in OSAS
and a pre-millennial rapture. We thought these teachings couldn't be right. But
the more we studied the more sense it made and now we are sure we are on the
right path. Doc, we can't thank you enough for your hard work and dedication.
You will most certainly be the recipient of many rewards in eternity because of
helping so many people grow spiritually. We will continue to find spiritual
illumination on Ichthys and be better prepared for the coming dark days ahead.
Thank you for helping us find peace as we think on things above. I have many
more questions and much more to say but I know you have much to do so maybe I'll
share more later - a little at a time. Thank you again. We love and pray for
you. Is there anything specific we could pray for on your behalf? from Montana
p.s.: Dr. Luginbill, I woke up in the middle of the night with the realization
that while relating our Baptist experience I inadvertently said "pre-millennial
rapture" instead of "pre-tribulational rapture". I feel so silly, and regret
even relaying that whole experience to you. The past cannot be changed and these
days we now thank God for getting us away from those false teachings. We
unfortunately didn't understand that at the time and as immature Christians we
kept searching our hearts and asking why. It seemed we were treading water for a
long time, not questioning our salvation because we loved the Lord but not
knowing how to move forward. God led us to Ichthys and we finally have some
direction for our lives. Thank you seems so insufficient, but thank you.
Response #29:
No worries – I've made that "pre-what?" mistake myself as well! The
terminology is easily confused.
I think your experience is completely understandable and most revealing.
If it is not typical of believers generally in this Laodicean era, that
is only because not very many are determined to find the truth as you
were and are. But there are a great many believers who have found
Ichthys whose stories are very reminiscent of what you've written here.
A lot of them are posted on the
"previous posting list" at Ichthys (there's a lot to dig through
there, however, going back many years now).
As to your question, it's one I get from time to time in various
formulations. First, I never make any bones about the great debt I owe
to Col. Thieme and his Berachah Church ministry (nor do I ever fail to
affirm that there is much at Ichthys with which he would have fervently
disagreed). I also have gained much from my experience at Talbot
Seminary – and from the friendship and Bible discussions I had over my
two years there with my cohort of "Berachah buddies" whom I still count
as my friends today. And of course my dad, a Presbyterian minister, was
formative for me in many ways.
When it comes to specifics, once the Lord got my attention (a somewhat
long and painful-to-remember process), I adopted the plan of becoming as
academically prepared as I could reasonably be, and when I settled down
to actually teach the Bible, to let the Bible do the teaching. I have
mostly avoided theologizing, that is, creating systems which then
generate teaching from the system itself. Col. Thieme's system taught me
a lot, but I departed from it whenever the Bible and the Spirit led me
elsewhere. It's not pride talking when I say that this is Jesus Christ's
ministry and that the Holy Spirit is the One who has done the
heavy-lifting. When I read back over these studies, I myself don't know
how they ever happened – and despair of the thought of writing them
again. Basically, I sat myself down in the chair and kept at it day by
day and the Spirit did the rest – I contributed a lot of typos, a great
deal of impenetrable and infelicitous language, and some errors (which I
hope have mostly now been corrected – always grateful for editorial
help!).
This is the way I see it, in any case. There are plenty of people who
disagree with the teachings. In fact, it's fair to say that there isn't
anything at all "new" here that isn't opposed by some person or group.
But when I read over these materials (which I try to do in a systematic
way), I grow from them too . . . a fact which lets me know that it
wasn't so much me doing the producing of these materials as it was the
One who wanted them produced.
Thanks again for all your good words, my friend! Please do feel free to
write any time.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #30:
I take this opportunity to ask you for a clarification, on the Second
Letter of Peter 2 Pt 2.10 -11, in the version of the Catholic Bible CEI
2008 which literally indicates:
(in Italian)
10 ......Temerari, arroganti, non temono d’insultare “gli esseri
gloriosi decaduti”, 11mentre gli angeli, a loro superiori per forza e
potenza, non portano davanti al Signore alcun giudizio offensivo contro
di loro.12
(translation into English)
10 ...... Reckless, arrogant, they are not afraid to insult “the
glorious fallen beings”, 11 while the angels, superior to them in
strength and power, do not bring before the Lord no offensive judgment
against them.12
Could you please give me your brief comment on these verses and their
interpretation based on the original Greek version?
More recent version, instead, are oriented towards “the manifestation of
the glory”.
Best Regards,
Thank you.
Response #30:
My pleasure, my friend!
As to your question, the Greek word here is doxa in the plural,
so "glories" is a fairly literal translation; but in terms of
interpretation I believe that your Italian translation is exactly
correct: this is a criticism of Gnostics who thought to cast spells, in
effect, against fallen angels.
Here's a link to where I explain this in some detail.
Incidentally, just a reminder that there
also weekly email questions
and answers posted every Sunday morning at Ichthys.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #31:
Hi Bob,
I just wanted to give you a quick update on our neighbor situation.
Unfortunately, he didn’t move. I really thought he was on the way out.
He has been uncharacteristically quiet save for Mother’s Day evening and
one other evening where he was plastered and loud. I still feel like
this volcano will blow at any time. I’m having a hard time finding a
lawyer who will help me with this. One said the rental agency can kick
him out because he harassed us and it has nothing to do with the COVID
moratorium but can’t take the case because he is overloaded. He referred
me to his assistant who also said they could kick him out but he can’t
take the case because he actually rents from the same rental agency. I
talked with a lady lawyer today who said the rental agency can’t kick
him out because of COVID. She told me to renew my anti harassment order
as soon as I’m able to and then do something to set him off so he can
violate the order! She also talked about counseling because I’m letting
the guy get under my skin. So, I will continue to look and keep my guard
up in the meantime.
Thank you for your continued prayers. Today (Friday) is one year from
the harassment incident. I’m on edge because of the holiday weekend and
not knowing what might happen. Please say an extra prayer if you would
for our safety but also peace.
I hope you and yours are still doing well. I’m sure you’re just about
ready to wrap up another school year. They are going to let our high
school seniors have an in-person graduation this year. I know they’re
all looking forward to it.
In Him,
Response #31:
Thanks for the update.
You never know what sort of "super test" the Lord will bring as a sort
of spiritual maturity "graduation ceremony", but in my experience they
are usually of some length, requiring trusting Him over a longish period
of time.
I'm very pleased to see that you are in the process of passing this
difficult test – and I will say some extra prayers for you this weekend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.