New Cool Stuff!

A couple of things here. I have added the new Libronix study tools integration tool RefTagger to this blog. This means if you have Libronix installed and you see a link with an “L” next to it, it is linked directly to the reference in the Logos Software, how cool is that?

The drawback is if you are missing either the specif link, or the program it self then only the scripture will open and link to BibleGateWay.com you can search for other references in Google (like this reference below for Strong’s H1285.) The Blue Bible Lexicon is an excellent free online service. Another option is to contact me and I will be happy to provide PDF reference resources of anything I have which you are anxious to read regarding Gods Word and its teaching.

I have the Scholars Gold edition from Libronix which is the best package they offer. I will try to use reference which can be accessed free over the web. I may list deeper items with a small warning.

You can benefit from a free working copy of Libronix, there is an excellent how to get this free version on Truth is Still Truth blog site. I believe anyone actively using this software will benefit greatly from it. If you purchase a base product, you can get the Personal Book Builder viewer key and access hundreds of free resources here on Still Truth and other locations.

Covenant Study

We met two Tuesdays ago now and since then I have celebrated a 21st wedding anniversary and another Lords day. Or initial discussion focused around the first few appearances of Covenant (Strong’s H1285) Genesis 6:18, Genesis 9:9 and Genesis 9:11 along with the usage in 1 Sam 23:18.

we discussed the evidence from these passages of two two major points.

1. God initiates the Covenant process unilaterally.

That is Noah is not give a choice in his selection. God says “I will make my Covenant with you.” This is not a discussion. The subject is a dictate from God to Noah. The word Birith indicates a demonstration of authority, and is used to reflect a specific designation of choice on the part of the initiator or the superior in the Covenant. In the case of Jonathan and David’s covenant, the passages indicates a mutual submission in respect to each of the participants authority. Jonathan is the heir apparent to the throne of Israel, David is the true heir to the throne. However, David reflects his respect for the authority of the “anointed of God’s” son and the passage reflect a mutual strength demonstrated toward one another.
2. The Covenant carries both a promise of blessing and a promise of discipline.

In the passages mentioned, the promise of both blessing and cursings are clear. God is promising to deliver Noah and his family (blessing) and to destroy the rest of the humanity (curse.) Between David and Jonathan, since both could not be heir to the throne, one had to live under the curse of his father the curse leveled against Saul through Samuel in 1 Sam 15:1-35, and was culminated in the death of both Saul and Jonathan in the battle recorded in 1 Sam 31:1-13.

I hope to present more as the study continues. Please share you thoughts and insights.

Many Blessings!

Thanks for stopping by!

1. Establish a working and consistent understanding of God’s Covenant, as revealed in scripture (the revelation.)
2. Study word (idea) relationships in the revelation from and by God:
   1. Covenant
   2. Commandments
   3. Law
   4. Word
   5. Spoke
   6. Said
   7. Promise
   8. Creation
   9. Others
3. Identify clear statements in the revelation which establish a depiction of the “Nature of Covenant” and its related words (ideas)
4. Establish a working description based upon biblical terminology of the “Nature of Covenant.”
5. Establish a relational interchange of the revelation in both words and phrases which relate to the idea of the Covenant, and its Nature.

Everything must be supported directly from the Word of God. Everything must be easily demonstrated from the revelation, and avoid large leaps in relational thinking, supported rather by the clear interaction of the Word of God, as given in its revelational form.

We are working to establish not the work of others, but to enhance our abilities to take scripture, and use it in a manner consistent with itself. To do as Paul commands Timothy, that by and through exercising of the Word which is able to make us wise unto salvation we might become better able to serve our God and our fellow man.

Our outside aids should remain confined to historical and antiquitive language works, grammars, polemic, and other such works which will illuminate our understanding of the meaning of the languages and there interaction with one another and mankind, in the historical grammatical delivery, and subsequent development of culture and language within the Church.

We should take nothing for granted found in the teaching of others, who have traveled this path before us, even regarding their dutiful and earnest expositions concerning the revelation, and its plain meaning, as well founded and sure. Faith and life are established in each of us individually, so is our depth of wisdom and understanding. We may be sharpened by the use of scholarly theological works, but we may just as easily be lulled to sleep, it is Gods Word only upon which we must establish and base our understanding of these things.

The object of this study is to train ourselves to extract a sound and thorough understanding of the revelations plain teaching given in various ways down through the ages, and to live and move and have our beings, better defined by a dutiful surrender to the Word, and not its summarized parts, as found in theology.

It’s easy to reflect upon the popular cultures understanding of God as Love and find it hard to comprehend of a God who hates. Popular Christian culture teaches us that God is Love and adds to this God loves everyone. The most frequented bible passage cited to support this claim is:

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (NASB95)

It seems clear from this passage that God loves everyone. This is sadly not what the passage teaches. In fact there is no passage in the Bible which qualifies as a direct statement of universal love for all people in the world. If we read the entire context of the passage above we also read this:

John 3:14-21
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God. (NASB95)

There is a fine line here. God so loved the COSMOS, that is creation, more commonly called the world. Today we might say the universe, but in a personal message, the universe only applies as far as we can ascertain it. That is, in that we are able to measure and experience it, share it and live in it. In this context the giving of His son bares far more than mere reflection upon the people of the creation, or the COSMOS.

There is also the solemn reflection of not only those spoken of as he who does not believe, as being judged already, that is condemned. The grammar here is in the perfect present tense, reflecting upon and integrating with the idea of the creation as a state of being which has no end. Those who believe, the converted, the elect, these are and always will be free from judgment and the condemnation of God. Those who do not believe, are judged and condemned already from the beginning, they were known and created as such and will remain as such until always. (Romans 9)

(More is coming)