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Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am! (Sexual sin) Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ... It is my sincere prayer that you are being Blessed even as you read this post. I am writing to the young and adult women from a man's point of view. Years ago, my grandmother told me why should a man buy a cow when he can get the milk free? Wham is when a man or a woman comes into your life uninvited, no credentials or any Godly characteristics and simply states "Here I am, this what I have to offer, take it or leave it. I am offering you profanity, brutality, corruption, lust, greed, bisexual behavior" just to speak of a few things. If you are willing to receive these things then you have completed the cycle Wham! I am here. Bam. Now you have already excepted this man or woman into your life. All the aforementioned characteristics now come into play. You begin to use profanity, once you were sweetheart, now you become a b-word. Where you use to have freedom to travel and make your own decisions, he is now exercising his authority in your life. He has seduced you, now he wants to make you a sex slave. Now he feels that you should be sexually involved him any time of day or night. He begins to introduce you to things that you are not accustomed to: drugs, alcohol, and tries to put you on the street so he can profit off of you financially. Bam! You are caught in a vice. If you were raised in a Christian home, you can redeem your life through the Blood of Jesus. But what if you did not know Jesus who was the Word that became flesh and you had to rely on psychologists or psychiatrists to assist you. Your chances for recovery diminishes greatly. Thank You Ma'am. After you have given your time, your love, your commitment and have brought forth children and you begin to break down emotionally, you will find that this person has been involved with many other women and that you have been given everything that he brought with him. You may find that you have a incurable disease such as AIDS. You may find that you have a problem with your reproductive system. You may find that you are suffering emotionally and depending on the strength that lies in you, you may have scars on your face from the beatings that this man has given you. After you are no good for anyone else and you have a very low self-esteem then he exits out of your life by saying "Thank You Ma'am for allowing me to destroy your life." Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

Who Were The Twelve (12) Disciples / Apostles Of Jesus Christ? The word disciple refers to a learner or follower. The word apostle means one who is sent ...out. While Jesus was on earth, His twelve followers were called disciples. The twelve disciples followed Jesus Christ, learned from Him, and were trained by Him. After His resurrection and ascension, Jesus sent the disciples out to be His witnesses (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). They were then referred to as the twelve apostles. However, even when Jesus was still on earth, the terms disciples and apostles were used somewhat interchangeably. The original twelve disciples/apostles are listed in Matthew 10:24, These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. The Bible also lists the twelve disciples/apostles in Mark 3:1619 and Luke 6:1316. A comparison of the three passages shows a couple of minor differences in the names. It seems that Thaddaeus was also known as Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16) and Lebbaeus (Matthew 10:3). Simon the Zealot was also known as Simon the Canaanite (Mark 3:18). The Gospel of John uses the name Nathanael instead of Bartholomew, but Nathanael and Bartholomew were undoubtedly the same person. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was replaced in the twelve apostles by Matthias (see Acts 1:2026). Some Bible teachers view Matthias as an invalid apostle and believe that Paul was God's choice to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle. The twelve disciples/apostles were ordinary men whom God used in an extraordinary manner. Among the twelve were fishermen, a tax collector, and a revolutionary. The Gospels record the constant failings, struggles, and doubts of these twelve men who followed Jesus Christ. After witnessing Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit transformed the disciples/apostles into powerful men of God who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). What was the change? The twelve apostles/disciples had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). May the same be said of us! Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

Who Are The Twenty-Four (24) Elders In Revelation? Revelation 4:4 declares, Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twen...ty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. The book of Revelation nowhere specifically identifies who the twenty-four elders are. However, they are most likely representative of the Church. It is unlikely that they are angelic beings, as some suggest. The fact that they sit on thrones indicates that they reign with Christ. Nowhere in Scripture do angels ever rule or sit on thrones. The Church, however, is repeatedly said to rule and reign with Christ (Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:4; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). In addition, the Greek word translated here as elders is never used to refer to angels, only to men, particularly to men of a certain age who are mature and able to rule the Church. The word elder would be inappropriate to refer to angels, who do not age. Their mode of dress would also indicate these are men. While angels do appear in white, white garments are more commonly found on believers, symbolizing Christ’s righteousness imputed to us at salvation (Revelation 3:5,18; 19:8). The golden crowns worn by the elders also indicate these are men, not angels. Crowns are never promised to angels, nor are angels ever seen wearing them. The word translated crown here refers to the victor’s crown, worn by those who have successfully competed and won the victory, as Christ promised (Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12). Some people believe these twenty-four elders represent Israel, but at the time of this vision, Israel as a whole nation had not yet been redeemed. The elders cannot represent tribulation saints for the same reasonnot all had yet been converted at the time of John’s vision. The most likely option is that the elders represent the raptured Church which sings songs of redemption (Revelation 5:8-10). They wear the crowns of victory and have gone to the place prepared for them by their Redeemer (John 14:1-4). Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

What Are The Different Forms Of Church Polity? Church polity (church government) refers to how a church's leadership is structured. While there are many variat...ions and nuances found within individual churches (and these are too numerous to list), essentially all are variations of one of the following: episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational. (The subject may be complicated by the fact that there are denominations known by each of these names.) Every church is either independent with no higher authority outside of that local church, or it is part of a larger group or denomination with leaders who exert control from outside the church. One type of church polity is episcopal. The word episcopal is from the Greek word episkopos, which is often translated in English as bishop or overseer. This form of church government functions with a single leader, often called a bishop. The Roman Catholic Church may be the most well-known of the episcopal-type churches. The Pope is also the Bishop of Rome. Below him are other bishops who are in turn responsible for other bishops down to the parish priest. The Anglican Church, Episcopal Church, and Greek Orthodox Church all have this form of government. One priest or bishop answers to another, who answers to another, until at the top there is one bishop (often called the archbishop) who has final authority. Many other churches have an episcopalian form of government, even though they may not officially recognize it. Some independent churches have one pastor who has ultimate authority in all decisions of the church (sometimes this is called the strong pastor form of government). Some multi-site churches may have single pastor at each location but one head pastor who is the final authority over all of the sites. Some churches may claim to have presbyterian (elder) or congregational rule but, in reality, have a single bishop or strong pastor who has final authority. Another type of church polity is the presbyterian form. The word presbyterian is from the Greek word presbuteros, which is usually translated elder. In this form of government, authority rests not with a single individual but with the body of elders or presbyters. In denominational churches, the local board of elders answers to a higher board of elders, which is made up of select elders to represent each church. Ultimately, the final board of elders (sometimes called the general assembly) has authority on matters in that denomination. In independent or autonomous churches, final authority rests with the local board of elders. In some churches with elder rule, the elders are elected or ratified by the congregation. However, once the elders are ratified, the congregation does not have power to remove them or overturn their decisions. The third type of church polity is the congregational form. In congregational churches, the final authority rests with the congregation. This polity takes various forms. In some churches, there are almost no designated leaders (or, as some might say, except the Holy Spirit), and the congregation is involved in virtually every decision that has to be made, from the color of the carpet to the support of missionaries. In other churches, the congregation elects the primary office holders (pastor, elder, deacons) who will then make decisions, only consulting the congregation on major issues such as incurring debt to build a new building or calling a new pastor. However, in congregational churches, if a majority of the congregation objects to any of the decisions or believes that a leader should be removed from office, they have the authority to take action. Most churches with congregational rule are also independent, as they believe strongly that final authority resides with the local congregation. (For instance, Baptist churches may be part of a denominationSouthern, American, etc., but the denomination has no authority over the decisions of those local churches. The strongest action that could be taken by the denomination is that the individual church would no longer be received in fellowship; likewise, any individual church can withdraw at any time. In this case, the denomination is more of a voluntary, cooperative fellowship.) As already noted, there are variations and nuances too numerous to be covered here, and there will always be exceptions to what is stated above. Even denominations that have episcopalian or presbyterian forms of government often have to adjust their positions due to congregational pressure and popular opinion. There are evangelical, Bible-believing churches that utilize each of the forms of church government mentioned above. The form of church government is not a major doctrinal issue. The most important issue is that those who are in leadership positions must submit to the authority of Christ and obediently follow His lead as revealed in Scripture (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). Christ is the Head of the Church, and if any system, board, individual leader, or congregation begins to displace Christ and the Word with their own beliefs and desires, then that leadership is no longer legitimate. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

What Is The Story Of David And Nabal? The story of David and Nabal is found in 1 Samuel 25. Nabal is described in 1 Samuel 25:2 as a property owner who was ve...ry wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. He was a harsh man (surly and mean in verse 3), married to a kind woman named Abigail. During the time that David and his troops were on the run from King Saul, they found themselves near Nabal’s flock during shearing season. As they were low on supplies, David sent men to Nabal to request some food. Nabal sent David’s servants back with insults for David, and David commanded his troops, Each of you strap on your sword! (1 Samuel 25:13). Four hundred men prepared to attack Nabal’s home. The story of David and Nabal continues when one of Nabal’s servants told Abigail about the situation. Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she told her servants, ‘Go on ahead; I’ll follow you’ (1 Samuel 25:1819). Abigail gave the provisions to David’s men, and her prudent action caused David and his men to bless her and return to their camp. Nabal, his family, and servants were saved through her actions, although Nabal was unaware of what his wife had done. Nabal got drunk that night, and Abigail still did not mention her activities to him. Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died (1 Samuel 25:3738). When David heard of these events, he offered Abigail a marriage proposal: David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, ‘David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.’ She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, ‘I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.’ Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife (1 Samuel 25:3942). On a negative note, the chapter concludes with the information that David’s first wife, Michal, had been taken from him and given to someone else. Also, David had a wife named Jezreel, likely making Abigail his third wife. Abigail is later recorded as the mother of David’s second son, Daniel (1 Chronicles 3:1), also called Chileab in 2 Samuel 3:3. Though considered a man after God’s own heart, David’s relationships with women were his weakness. In 1 Samuel 25, it is Abigail who is highlighted as the kind servant, while David is presented as a warrior with an expanding group of wives. This stark contrast in the story of Abigail provides some insight into the life of a woman living in difficult times. Abigail’s kindness and decisive action saved the lives of many and changed her life completely. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

What Is The Connection Between Prayer And Fasting? Although the connection between prayer and fasting is not specifically explained in Scripture, a common threa...d connecting the two seems to run through all the instances of prayer and fasting recorded in the Bible. In the Old Testament, it appears that fasting with prayer had to do with a sense of need and dependence, and/or of abject helplessness in the face of actual or anticipated calamity. Prayer and fasting are combined in the Old Testament in times of mourning, repentance, and/or deep spiritual need. The first chapter of Nehemiah describes Nehemiah praying and fasting, because of his deep distress over the news that Jerusalem had been desolated. His many days of prayer were characterized by tears, fasting, confession on behalf of his people, and pleas to God for mercy. So intense was the outpouring of his concerns that it’s almost inconceivable he could take a break in the middle of such prayer to eat and drink. The devastation that befell Jerusalem also prompted Daniel to adopt a similar posture: So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3). Like Nehemiah, Daniel fasted and prayed that God would have mercy upon the people, saying, We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws (v. 5). In several instances in the Old Testament, fasting is linked with intercessory prayer. David prayed and fasted over his sick child (2 Samuel 12:16), weeping before the Lord in earnest intercession (vv. 21-22). Esther urged Mordecai and the Jews to fast for her as she planned to appear before her husband the king (Esther 4:16). Clearly, fasting and petition are closely linked. There are instances of prayer and fasting in the New Testament, but they are not connected with repentance or confession. The prophetess Anna never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying (Luke 2:37). At age 84, her prayer and fasting were part of her service to the Lord in His temple as she awaited the promised Savior of Israel. Also in the New Testament, the church at Antioch was fasting in connection with their worship when the Holy Spirit spoke to them about commissioning Saul and Barnabas to the Lord’s work. That point, they prayed and fasted, placed their hands on the two men and sent them off. So, we see in these examples that prayer and fasting are components of worshiping the Lord and seeking His favor. Nowhere, however, is there any indication that the Lord is more likely to answer prayers if they are accompanied by fasting. Rather, fasting along with prayer seems to indicate the sincerity of the people praying and the critical nature of the situations in which they find themselves. The more critical the situation, the more appropriate the fasting and prayer. In Mark 9, Jesus casts a demon from a boy. The disciples had been unable to perform the exorcism, although they had previously been given authority over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7). Later, the disciples asked Jesus why they failed in their attempts to free the boy from the demon, and Jesus said, This kind can come out only by prayer (Mark 9:29). Matthew’s account adds the phrase and fasting (Matthew 17:21). In this particular case, the demon was exceptionally malicious and obdurate (Mark 9:21-22). Jesus seems to be saying that a determined foe must be met with an equally determined faith. Prayer is a ready weapon in the spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:18), and fasting helps to focus prayer and give it resolve. The theology of fasting is a theology of priorities in which believers are given the opportunity to express themselves in an undivided and intensive devotion to the Lord and to the concerns of spiritual life. This devotion will be expressed by abstaining for a short while from such normal and good things as food and drink, so as to enjoy a time of uninterrupted communion with our Father. Our confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19), whether fasting or not fasting, is one of the most delightful parts of that better thing which is ours in Christ. Prayer and fasting should not be a burden or a duty, but rather a celebration of God’s goodness and mercy to His children. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

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What Does It Mean That The Trinity Is God In Three Persons? When we talk about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as being Persons, we do not mean they ...are human beings or that they are like mankind in any way. In our everyday language, though, that is how the word person is often used, so it is understandable that some confusion surrounds references to the three Persons of the Trinity. When we talk about God, we are using the word Person to show that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have personhood or personality. That is, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have intellect, emotion, and volition. Any being with rationality, emotion, and a will can be considered a person; thus, human beings are persons, but so are angelic beings and the Divine Being. The definition of person cannot include physicality for the simple reason that human beings do not cease to be persons after death. A dead person’s body is left behind to decay, but his true selfhis personhood, lives on in either heaven or hell. When we speak of God existing in three Persons, we mean that God’s existence is comprised of three distinct centers of intellect, emotion, and will. Each Person of the Trinity had a unique role in creation and in the salvation of mankind. The Holy Spirit is unique and is not the Father or the Son (He proceeds from the Father and the Son, John 15:26). The Father and the Son are also unique (when Jesus prayed to the Father, He was not praying to Himself, Luke 23:34). Each is God, but each is a separate Person. Using the word person is one of the only ways our language has to describe this concept. All three Persons of the Trinity comprise the one, perfectly unified God. They share the same nature and essence, and they are all the same God, but each individual Person of the Trinity is distinct and unique. The fact that God exists in three Persons is important for several reasons. For instance, God is love (1 John 4:8). But, in eternity past, before God created any other being, could He have truly been love? That is, can love exist where there is no one to be loved? Because God exists in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons, love exists, too. Eternal love has been expressed eternally among the Persons of the Godhead. The Father, Son, and Spirit have always loved each other, and so love is eternal. Once we lay aside the notion that a person can only be a human person, we can more readily understand how God can correctly be said to exist in three Persons. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

What Are The Different Types Of Love Mentioned In The Bible? There are at least four different Greek words that are used for love, but not all of them are fou...nd in the New Testament. (Actually there are more than four Greek words for love, but usually it is these four that come up in discussions.) The first Greek word for love is eros, which refers to romantic or sexual love. From it we get the word erotic. This specific word is not used in the New Testament. The second is storge, which refers to familial love like that of a mother for her baby or of a brother and sister for each other. It is not used in the New Testament; however, the negative term astorgoi (unloving) is found in 1 Timothy 3:3, and a similar term, astorgous (no love in the NIV and without natural affection in the KJV), is found in Romans 1:31. The third Greek word for love, philia, refers to friendship and comradery. This word is often translated as friend (one who is loved) in the New Testament. Once, in Romans 12:10, the New Testament uses the compound word philostorgos, which is translated in the NIV as devoted . . . in love. Finally, agape is used to speak of God’s love that He has for the world and that Christians are supposed to emulate. This is the word for love that is most commonly used in the New Testament. For a while it was thought that Christians must have coined the word agape to speak of a godly kind of love that the Greek world knew nothing of. But the word agape was in fact in use in the Roman Empire, and it was not coined by Christians to communicate God’s love. While these four terms do express different nuances of the concept of love, they cannot be pressed in every situation. At one time, many people thought that the Greek language had an almost mathematical precision. However, as more and more ancient Greek manuscripts are discovered (and as more careful research is done), we find that Greek is no more precise than most other languages. Many times people use words in ways that are not technically correct, and strict definitions of words are not always honored The distinctions between the different kinds of love do not completely hold up within the New Testament itself. Jesus says in Luke 6:32, If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. Here, the word translated love is agape throughout the verse. How can sinners show God’s love for each other? Jesus’ point is that the kind of love sinners show for each other is not the selfless, sacrificial love that Christians are called to display. In Luke 7:5, the centurion is described as one who loves the nation of Israelonce again agape is the love mentioned here. Most words can have a range of meaning, but the specific meaning of any word must be determined from the context. English speakers use the word love in a variety of ways from I love ice cream to I love my wife and many other things in between. No one gets confused by this because we understand what kind of love is meant from the context. When agape is used in the New Testament, it is usually in conjunction with some other words to give clarity as to the kind of love intended. Much of the time, agape is modified by the phrase tou theou (of God). The godly quality of agape is found in the modifying phrase, not just in the word itself. The revolutionary nature of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is found in the description of it there, not in the word itself. The type of love in view will always be clarified by the context. Christianity introduced a new kind of love to the world, but Christians used words already in existence to explain the quality of this love. Love was communicated primarily by their self-sacrifice in imitation of Christ, not by the word agape. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

The Error Of The Prophet Balaam The story of Balaam, referred to by Peter (2 Peter 2:15-16), is one of the strange yet true stories of the Bible. It is found i...n Numbers 22,23,24. While the Israelite multitude was camped in Moab listening to Moses, the Moabites and Midianites were receiving oracles from God through Balaam, one of those many prophets whom God had dispersed throughout the world since the dawn of history. Balaam was of Mesopotamian extraction (Deuteronomy 23:4). He was therefore a foreigner among the Ammonites and Moabites (the name Balaam apparently means foreigner). He was considered by them to be a diviner or soothsayer of considerable power. The intrusion of the Israelites alarmed Balak, king of Moab. He called upon the services of of Balaam, who had a reputation for powerful divining. Balak wanted Balaam to put a curse upon the Israelites so as to stop their progress. 1 What Balaam did right: Balaam refused to make any pronouncement other than what God says. Even though the king pressed Balaam for another message, Balaam would give him none but God’s. The king wanted a curse upon the Israelites, but Balaam gave them a blessing. Over and over the leaders of Moab asked Balaam to have another go at divining the message they wanted. Each time the Lord gave Balaam a stronger version of the truth, and told him to pronounce a blessing instead of a curse. Balaam repeated the blessing faithfully, defying the king. His attitude was, "I must be careful to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth." (Numbers 23:12). 2 Bible Blasts Balaam: Although Balaam was right to speak only what God told him to speak, Balaam gets very bad press repeatedly in the Bible... God was angry with Balaam because he went to Balak (Numbers 22:5-7,22). Moses said Balaam gave evil counsel that brought a plague on Israel (Numbers 31:14-16). Balaam had wanted to curse the children of Israel, to be paid the hire (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). Balaam was killed by the Israelites in the days of Joshua (Joshua 13:22). The Lord recalled Balaam's sin in Joshua's farewell speech (Joshua 24:8-10) Recalled again through the prophet Micah (Micah 6:5) Re-visited in Nehemiah's time (Nehemiah 13:1-3). Peter recalls how Balaam "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2Peter 2:15-16). Similarly Jude recalls how "for pay... the error of Balaam" was committed (Jude 1:11) Jesus recalls how Balaam "Kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14) 3 What Balaam did wrong: An unfaithful prophet: Balaam, by the powers granted him by God, had the opportunity to demonstrate the power of the true God against the deception of false gods and idols. When Balaam pronounced a blessing or a curse, it worked. Balak said as much when he summoned Balaam to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22:6). Balaam could have helped the Moabites and their neighbours to "turn to God from idols, to serve the living God" (1Thessalonians 1:9). However Balaam let God down badly. A false prophet: Balaam was too easily led away from God’s truth into error, and he in turn led many others astray (Numbers 31:8,16, Revelation 2:14). Instead of giving the counsel of God, he taught people to practise idolatry and to commit fornication (Revelation 2:14). It was his counsel that caused the children of Israel to sin and to suffer a terrible plague (Numbers 25:1-9, Numbers 31:14-16). Loved money more than truth. For all Balaam's talk about speaking only what God put into his mouth, he was wishing to curse the children of Israel for the generous fee Balak would pay him. Instead of loving righteousness, Balaam "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2Peter 2:15-16). Balaam knew what pleased the Lord, but what pleased the Lord did not please Balaam. Presumed to manipulate God: Sure, Balaam uttered a blessing instead of a curse, but only because God gave him no option. What would be the point in Balaam pronouncing a curse, if God was going to give a blessing? Balaam would look stupid and damage his reputation. However Balaam kept going along with Balak's repeated attempts to get a curse from God upon the Israelites, because like Balak he hoped that maybe somehow God could be pressured into doing a backflip. God, however, refused to listen, and he was angry with Balaam for not rejecting Balak's proposal outright from the very first (Numbers 22:12). 4 How God dealt with Balaam: God told Balaam the truth clearly. "Do not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed" (Numbers 22:12). God gave Balaam an unmistakable sign: The incident with the donkey and the angel left Balaam without any excuse for continuing to compromise with Balak's wishes (Numbers 22:21-35). God judged Balaam worthy of death. The reason was that Balaam still insisted on going to Balak. But for his donkey, Ballam would have been killed by the angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:33). God provided a saviour for Balaam. Balaam’s donkey was Balaam’s suffering saviour (Numbers 22:33 again). As such the donkey may be seen as a type (prophetic symbol) of Christ. God was longsuffering to Balaam. God was showing patience with Balaam's pandering to Balak’s three attempts to change God’s word by changing mountaintops. (Numbers 24:10-13). God punished Balaam’s hearers with death. God killed those who heeded Balaam’s wicked counsel. (Numbers 25:1-8, Numbers 31:14-18). God finally killed Balaam: Balaam died at the hands of the Israelites (Joshua 13:22). Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

Is Christianity A Religion Or A Relationship? Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. In t...hat respect, Christianity can be classified as a religion. However, practically speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from other belief systems that are considered religions. That difference is relationship. Most religion, theistic or otherwise, is man-centered. Any relationship with God is based on man’s works. A theistic religion, such as Judaism or Islam, holds to the belief in a supreme God or gods; while non-theistic religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, focus on metaphysical thought patterns and spiritual energies. But most religions are similar in that they are built upon the concept that man can reach a higher power or state of being through his own efforts. In most religions, man is the aggressor and the deity is the beneficiary of man’s efforts, sacrifices, or good deeds. Paradise, nirvana, or some higher state of being is man’s reward for his strict adherence to whatever tenets that religion prescribes. In that regard, Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship that God has established with His children. In Christianity, God is the aggressor and man is the beneficiary (Romans 8:3). The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). According to Christianity, God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin separates us from His presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23; Matthew 10:28; 23:33). But, because God loves us, He took our punishment upon Himself. All we must do is accept God’s gift of salvation through faith (Ephesians 2:89; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace is God’s blessing on the undeserving. The grace-based relationship between God and man is the foundation of Christianity and the antithesis of religion. Established religion was one of the staunchest opponents of Jesus during His earthly ministry. When God gave His Law to the Israelites, His desire was that they love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). Love speaks of relationship. Obedience to all the other commands had to stem from a love for God. We are able to love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). However, by Jesus’ time, the Jewish leaders had made a religion out of God’s desire to live in a love relationship with them (1 Timothy 1:8; Romans 7:12). Over the years, they had perverted God’s Law into a works-based religion that alienated people from Him (Matthew 23:1315; Luke 11:42). Then they added many of their own rules to make it even more cumbersome (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:9). They prided themselves on their ability to keep the Law, at least outwardly and lorded their authority over the common people who could never keep such strenuous rules. The Pharisees, as adept as they were at rule-keeping, failed to recognize God Himself when He was standing right in front of them (John 8:19). They had chosen religion over relationship. Just as the Jewish leaders made a religion out of a relationship with God, many people do the same with Christianity. Entire denominations have followed the way of the Pharisees in creating rules not found in Scripture. Some who profess to follow Christ are actually following man-made religion in the name of Jesus. While claiming to believe Scripture, they are often plagued with fear and doubt that they may not be good enough to earn salvation or that God will not accept them if they don’t perform to a certain standard. This is religion masquerading as Christianity, and it is one of Satan’s favorite tricks. Jesus addressed this in Matthew 23:17 when He rebuked the Pharisees. Instead of pointing people to heaven, these religious leaders were keeping people out of the kingdom of God. Holiness and obedience to Scripture are important, but they are evidences of a transformed heart, not a means to attain it. God desires that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He wants us to grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). But we do these things because we are His children and want to be like Him, not in order to earn His love. Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:2122). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him, and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a relationship. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

Except Those Days Be Shortened! In His discourse about the end times, Jesus said, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: b...ut for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:22). "And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days" (Mark 13:20). What does this mean? Three possible interpretations are: 1) the individual days are shortened, 2) the tribulation period is shortened, and 3) Satan's days are cut short. You may know of others, but we'll discuss these three. And finally, we'll discuss the pre-wrath variation on this. Of these three interpretations, one of them has other Scriptures to support it, one has other Scriptures against it, and one has no direct Scriptures that I know of either for it or against it. Let's take the last one first. If this means that Satan's days are cut short, I know of no direct Scriptures on either side. Of course, Scripture contains general principles that may apply here. God's plans will succeed while Satan's plans will fail. God will cut Satan's plans short. Note that the Mark passage puts it in the past tense. The cutting short is a done deal. Antichrist has got his 42 months and that's all. This is one possible interpretation, and it may be right. Another interpretation has Scriptures against it. The tribulation period cannot be shortened, because the midpoint of the tribulation period initiates a precise countdown. The abomination of desolation, spoken of by Jesus (Matthew 24:15) and Daniel (Daniel 9:27), coincides with the revealing of the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:8) and the fleeing of Israel (Matthew 24:16). Israel finds protection in the wilderness for 1260 days (Revelation 12:6) and the man of sin has power for 42 months (42 months times 30 days equals 1260 days) (Revelation 13:5). Revelation 12:14 defines the 1260 days in terms of years (compare Daniel 12:7). Since Revelation, the unsealed book, gives the time in three different ways (days, months, years) so that there would be no doubt about it, and since this three-fold emphasis comes after Jesus spoke of shortening the days, then we know that the precise countdown still stands. I don't know about you, but I don't think I have the right to nullify all these clear Scriptures on the basis of one little obscure statement. A third interpretation has Scriptures to support it. Shorter days. After all the passage does say the days are shortened, doesn't it? Some say the tribulation is shortened, because the previous verse mentions tribulation. If proximity is the criteria, then days occurs in the same verse, in fact, in the same phrase. And other Scriptures confirm shorter days. Amos 8:9 says: And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day. We who believe in Noah's flood should have no trouble believing in such global changes like those described in Isaiah 24:20: The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard. Revelation 8:12 says: And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. Have you noticed the paradox? If the day is shorter, we would expect the night to be longer, right? But the night is shorter likewise. Shorter days and shorter nights. If this is not what this verse means, then what does it mean? Would you like to hear an even stranger paradox? And this one I can't figure out. Why would someone interpret Jesus' "shortened days" statement in a way that leaps right over Revelation 8:12, offering no explanation of it whatsoever, and landing right on top of several clear passages, squishing them out of shape. That mystifies me. A more recent explanation from the pre-wrath folks retains the 1260 days and 42 months, but it shortens the time before the rapture. In other words, the rapture occurs sometime during the 1260 days. For them it solves the problem and harmonizes Scripture. But the more I ponder it, the more the problems appear. First, according to the Jesus' statement, the shortening of the days somehow affects the survival of all flesh, not just believers. So how does shortening the elect's time on earth help out anybody else? The time span must, therefore, be the same for all. Second, of the powers given anti christ for 42 months, one of them is "to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" (Revelation 13:7). No mention of a rapture interrupting that power. Daniel agrees, writing, "When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7). Both passages give anti christ full power for the full time without any abatement. Third, if the 1260 days of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3) fall into this same period, then we would have a rapture of all believers except the two witnesses. Place the "shortened days" Scripture on its edge, like a coin on a table. Don't push it one way or the other, just watch which way it falls. What theological framework necessitates passing over the one that Scripture supports, also passing over the one that Scripture at least allows, and finally picking the one that Scriptures disallow? It comes from a necessity to fit the unknown day into their time frame. "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36). We all face the question, how can the day be unknown in light of the 1260-day countdown starting from the abomination of desolation and ending with the return of Christ? Reducing the number of days attempts to solve this problem. But does it really solve anything? All it claims to do is take away a specific day, but it still leaves the general time. That solution is not strong enough to explain verses like Matthew 24:44 and Mark 13:33. "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time [season] is." With patience the pieces will fit naturally. We don't need to file down the odd-shaped edges. The context in Matthew 24 itself offers another solution. This solution allows the unknown day its fullest and deepest meaning and at the same time preserves the 1260-day countdown so that not one jot nor one tittle of Scripture is destroyed. In Matthew 24 maybe we haven't the right answers because we haven't asked the right questions. Have you asked yourself why Jesus likens the disciples to the flood victims instead of to Noah? Have you asked yourself why He tells the disciples to watch for the opposite reason that the goodman (watchman) watches? Answer these questions, and then every piece of the puzzle falls into place, and every breath of Scripture retains its full strength. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor

What Is The Lamb's Book Of Life? Is It Different From The Book Of Life? A "book of life" is mentioned specifically on seven different occasions in the New Testa...ment. Of these, six appear in the book of Revelation and one in Philippians. In Philippians 4:3 we read, "Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life." This reference specifically mentions people who are believers in Christ as those whose names are written in the book of life. In Revelation 3:5 the church in Sardis is told, "The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life." These conquerors refer to all Christians, meaning every person who has genuine faith in Christ will never be removed from the book of life. Revelation 13:8 speaks of the Beast of the end times, saying, "all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." In this case, those whose names are written in the book of life have had their names there before the world was created. This verse emphasizes God's sovereignty and foreknowledge. He knew and chose before He created the earth the name of every person who would spend eternity with Him. Revelation 17:8 also shares, "And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come." Again, unbelievers will worship the Beast and are contrasted with believers whose names are in the book of life. Revelation 20:12 speaks of the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the millennium and defeat of Satan. We are told, "Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done." Revelation 20:15 adds, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 21:27 then adds that the book of life belongs to the Lamb, Jesus Christ. There we read, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." Every person who enters the new heavens, new earth, and new city of God will be those whose names are written in the book of life that belongs to the Lamb. This is the same book of life mentioned in previous verses. This book of life was written before the foundation of the earth, includes every believer, includes those who refuse to worship the Beast, will have white garments, and will reign with Christ forever in eternity. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bishop William B. Caractor