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The Inarticulate Babbler

When I was an inarticulate babbler, I spoke as an inarticulate babbler, I framed the mind as an inarticulate babbler, I reasoned as an inarticulate babbler. When I became a man, I rendered ineffective the things of the inarticulate babbler. 1 Corinthians 13:11

Nepios (νήπιος), is a word that describes a stage in a child’s life when they lack the ability to speak in an understandable and intelligent way. This concept is then taken further to those who have grown up, but still act as though they are a child because they have not learned how to discern right from wrong. This is not restricted to how a household or business is managed, but also to the person’s own lifestyle.  We have many people today that are coming out of schools and colleges of higher learning that lack the basic abilities to discern right from wrong; what is good from what is bad. They have not learned critical thinking skills; therefore, they accept ideas that go against truth and reality, against logics, against what is rational, and always lead to destruction, while ignoring facts and modifying history to justify their childish behavior.

This same lack of discernment plagues the Church, even though those in Christ have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. Yet, so many reject God and follow after the next teaching of men that is always based upon trickery and deceit to manipulate the follower through ignorance. We mature through the exercising of our senses to discern right from wrong, while seeking truth through our relationship with the Holy Spirit as we learn to identify and pursue His desires. As we mature, we put away the childish ways of thinking and develop […]

The Inarticulate Babbler2023-12-14T08:12:07-08:00

Washing (λουτρόν)

Water is related to the refreshing and sustaining of life. In most conditions a person will only survive a few days without water. This same concept is used concerning our spiritual life having its source and refreshment from the Holy Spirit. This does not associate water baptism with salvation or the Holy Spirit, for water immersion is not for the removal of the filth of the flesh, but for a good conscience towards God, 1 Peter 3:21. Even Paul stated he did not come to baptize with water, but to proclaim with authority the gospel of Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:17.

Jesus spoke of living water that will flow from within the heart of a person. Anyone thirsting that comes to Him in belief will have rivers of living water flowing out from his heart, John 7:36-38. Although the Holy Spirit had not yet been given when He stated this, the revitalizing and sustaining of spiritual life by the Spirit is what Jesus was talking about, John 7:39. Just prior to His death and resurrection, Christ reveals to the disciples that a change is coming in the relationship with them and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was with them, and will soon be in them, for He will indwell the saints of the coming Church, John 14:17. It is through this revelation that we understand the relationship with the concept of rivers of living water and the Holy Spirit concerning spiritual life.

Jesus spoke of this renewing related to the Holy Spirit with Nicodemus. He explained that a person must be born of water even Spirit to enter the kingdom of the God.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly I say to you, except someone is born out from water even […]

Washing (λουτρόν)2023-11-25T07:45:14-08:00

Knowing the Desirous Will of God – Overcoming the World System

Because everyone born out from God overcomes the world and this is the victory, the one overcoming the world, our faith – 1 John 5:4

The world system is the method developed by Satan to control the sin nature of humans and get them to do what he wants. The first world system was established out from Cain’s line, for he chose to follow Satan and his ways, which was not to slay his brother, but to persuade the whole family to follow Satan rather than God. This is seen in the offering Cain made that God would not even look at, for it was of the works of his hands and was intended to be an offering of his own righteousness.

Not just as Cain was out from the malignantly evil and slew as a sacrifice his brother. And on account of what did he slay his brother? Because his works were malignantly evil but his brothers were righteous – 1 John 3:12

From the world system comes commerce, Genesis 4:20, culture, Genesis 4:21, industry, Genesis 4:22, and judicial systems, Genesis 4:23-24. And is established through the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes with the pride of biological life, 1 John 2:16, for the intent of placating unsaved humans, 1 John 5:19. Fear and lying are the predominant tools we are seeing today to manipulate everyone to do what Satan wants. He sets up malignantly evil men in positions of power that ignore the law to maintain this control over the world. Satan even tempted Jesus with the world system, offering Him all the kingdoms of the world, Matthew 4:8-9.

The first world system was destroyed in the Noahic flood, for it had resulted […]

Knowing the Desirous Will of God – Overcoming the World System2023-11-25T07:49:15-08:00

Praise

Praise (αἴνεσις) is defined within Scripture as the fruit of our lips confessing the name of God.

Therefore, because of this let us offer up a sacrifice of praise through all to the God, that is, the fruit of our lips confessing His Name – Hebrews 13:15

Confession means, “to say the same thing”, and “name” refers to the character of a person. This means we praise God when we verbally agree with Him concerning the manner in which He expresses His character towards us.

The angels are seen praising God when they speak of His good will towards men resulting in giving the world Christ, Luke 2:13. After heeding the voice of the angels, the shepherds found Christ and told all of what they saw and heard, praising God as they returned, Luke 2:20.

In the seventh Psalm, a Benjamite writes of praising God according to His righteousness. Righteousness is an aspect of God’s nature that is expressed through His character. David encourages the Gentiles to praise God for His mercy to His anointed, Psalm 18:48, and as his strength and shield he trusts in God singing praises to Him, Psalm 28:7.

Praise can be done with music and song (Psalm 33:2) or by word (Psalm 75:1), for in it we are speaking of God’s name and therefore confessing His character.

For a Christian, praise is a spiritual sacrifice. As priests, we have religious services that we perform before God. One of these sacrifices that is a part of our priestly service is praise. Through praise we express our admiration for God’s grace (Ephesians 1:6), which is based upon expressing a proper opinion of Him (Ephesians 1:12,14). This admiration also expresses itself in the way we live, not […]

Praise2023-11-25T07:52:03-08:00

Faith

Scripture defines faith (πίστις) as the substance of that which is hoped for, the conviction of accomplished deeds not seen in Hebrews 11:1. It is therefore not an attitude or belief that is dictated by probability, that is wishful thinking based upon a desire, want, or need; rather, it is a conviction based upon a promise.

Substance is referring to the underlying essence by which something exists. Christ is the exact image of God in the flesh. Through His life the fundamental nature of God was made visible to humans, Hebrews 1:3.

Conviction is the act of presenting evidence to persuade a person’s mind to believe in the truth. This evidence is established upon accomplished deeds that are not seen. We see this demonstrated in the actions of God when He determined to show the heirs of promise the immutability of His determination by giving two immutable facts, it is impossible for God to lie and making an oath based upon His word, Hebrews 6:13-18. The conviction of faith is therefore based upon the facts related to accomplished deeds that God has done.

Therefore, faith is the essence of that which is hoped for, and by the conviction based upon the facts of the promise that hope is based upon, the individual expressing belief will act according to their confidence in the person making the promise.

Many times in Scripture Jesus called out the faith of those around Him, especially of those who would not normally have faith. When a Centurion, a Gentile, asked Jesus to heal his servant, he expressed faith in the fact that Christ is the Messiah promised to the Jews by only asking that Jesus speaks the words, for one who is of authority only […]

Faith2023-12-14T08:12:55-08:00
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