Who hardened Pharaoh's heart?

This is an interesting issue and a tough one I’m sure for many people when they read the account in the book of Exodus. Without careful study, it can be a very confusing narrative, and raise questions about the actions of God in dealing with Pharaoh. I will try to make some sense of it.

God speaking to Moses we read In Exodus 7:3-4, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply signs, and my wonders in the land of Egypt, but Pharaoh will not heed you so that I may bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with great judgments.”

However in Exodus 7:13, 23; 8:15,32; 9:6,34,35 it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart and refused to heed the warnings of the Lord and let Israel go free.

So here’s the apparent dilemma if these passages are not handled properly.

On the surface it appears that God is hardening Pharaoh’s heart and subsequently punishing him for his obstinacy in refusing to let the people go. If that was the only reason for hardening’s Pharaoh’s heart, then God would be unfair. For why would God incite a certain sinful reaction out of Pharaoh, and then punish him for the reaction He provoked? God never tempted Pharaoh to sin (James 1:13).

The reason God hardened Pharaoh’s heart here is so that he could display His mighty power in front of this wicked ruler and the Lord’s name would be declared throughout all the earth (Exodus 9:16); to show 

Pharaoh that He (the Lord) is mightier than all the false gods of Egypt.

Pharaoh also hardened his own heart because he was a wicked man and refused to let the people go, refusing to acknowledge the God of the Hebrews. Pharaoh was a rotten sinner way before he ever encountered God. He was by no means innocent. Pharaoh acted independently, and was totally culpable for his actions. God used the wickedness of Pharaoh against him to display His mighty power in his midst.

The plagues struck against Egypt although very horrific when analyzed carefully exhibited great mercy to the Egyptians. The presence of God was among them, although negatively in judgment. Had they been wise, they would have feared, God, and used those opportunities of judgment against them to repent and be spared the calamities they suffered, but refused which already God knew.

                

Their destruction was just.

So in the final analysis, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart served the following purposes:

      

 1.   God hardened his heart to display his awesome power among Pharaoh. The hardening God did to               Pharaoh was indirect .God abandoned Pharaoh to his own wicked devices by removing any moral restraints so that Pharaoh could sin on a wholesale basis; magnifying his stubbornness, and hastening his destruction (Romans 1:18-32).  It also shows that God has complete sovereignty over men’s hearts – providing mercy or hardening who he wants so that His purposes may stand (Proverbs 21:1; Roman 9:18). God used Pharaoh's sin as an advantage against him to magnify himself. 

2.       Pharaoh hardened his own heart due to his inherent wickedness.This he did autonomously figuring he was gaining an advantage each time. He was totally unaware that God was also hardening his heart for His own glorious purposes. Pharaoh hardened his heart continually when the power of God continually defeated him diminishing each time any hope of repentance.

Two passages describes Pharaoh’s wicked disposition and those like him:

Proverbs 28:14b says, “But he that hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

A parallel verse appears in Proverbs 29:1, “He who often rebuked hardens his neck (i.e. stubbornness) will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Every time a plague hit the land of Egypt, it was a judgment from God and a great and clear sign for Pharaoh to repent, but he refused. The "hardening advantage" Pharaoh thought he had was the same actual advantage the Lord used through Pharaoh's sin to judge and destroy him.

Pharaoh received what he deserved, divine justice.

Hebrews chapter 13 - Commentary

The writer list several things that we are to do:

A. Continue in brotherly love (vs. 1)

B. Be kind to strangers (vs. 2)

C. Be married, don't fornicate (vs. 4)

D. Follow the faithful that have spoken the word to you (vs. 7, 17, 24).

Hebrews chapter 12 - Commentary

The writer declares for us to run this race with patience as a result of the litany of heroes mentioned in the previous chapter. The writer declares that non of us will suffer to the degree that Jesus suffered (vs. 1-4).

Writer also exhorts us not to despise the chastening of the Lord for it's for our good and continued holiness (vs 5-11).

Verses 13-17 commands us  to walk uprightly and holy. The believer's righteous lifestyle aids in bringing the unregenerate to Christ. No one is brought to faith by osmosis. God uses men to deliver his word to convict all of sin.

Finally, the writer recounts what happened in Exodus 19 and 20 when the children of Israel were at Mt. Sinai and were forbidden to go near the mountain when God through Moses gave the decalogue (i.e. ten commandments).

Writer contrasts that account with the reality that we have been brought to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, where an innumerable company of angels dwell. This is our final glorious destination  (vs. 18-24).

Hebrews Chapter 11 - Commentary

This chapter deals with the heroes of the Faith. These individuals are regarded as godly examples of those who exhibited great faith in God in all types of circumstances. True faith in God is what declares one righteous in the sight of God.

Key verse - Hebrews 11:6, "but without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of those that diligently seek Him."

Those described in this chapter:

- Abel vs. 4
- Enoch vs. 5
- Abraham vs. 8-9
- Sarah vs. 10
- Isaac  vs. 20
- Jacob vs. 21
- Joseph vs. 22
- Moses vs. 22-29

All these people and more believed God, looking forward to the promise(s) of God having never obtained them fully in their lifetime.

Enduring faith believes God unto death, not just a little while. This type of faith is patient, bold and fearless. This type of faith walks in full persuasion, trust and confidence in the word of God without wavering (2 Cor 4:18). This faith is motivated by love; hope and believes all things, and endures. This type of faith does not fail(Luke 22:31-32).

True faith always has the right object as it's bedrock, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:1).

Hebrews Chapter 10 - Commentary

Once again the writer reminds his readers that the sacrifice of bulls and goats could never remove sins; rather the ongoing sacrifices were a constant reminder of their sins. Their consciences were tainted because of sins (vs. 1-4).

In fact, the Lord never desired burnt sacrifices; they were merely types and shadows of the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ himself on the cross [(God the Father's altar) (vs. 5-10 from Psalm 40:6-8)].

Jesus sacrifice on the cross ratified the new/everlasting covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-32, (vs. 11-18). Vs. 18 is the same as Hebrews 9:22.

Verse 22 fulfills the O.T. ritual of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement when he washed in the basin outside the tabernacle after which he would put on the holy garments to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies to atone for his sins, his family and the entire nation (vs 19-22).

We're to keep believing in what Christ did for us without any doubt. God is faithful vs. 23.

Verses 26-31 gives severe warnings regarding our conduct toward what Jesus did for us; not to treat what he did with contempt for that's the attitude of the non believer. God will avenge himself on people with that type of evil mindedness. We are to fear God.

Verses 32-39 provide encouragement to Hebrew believers.

Verse 39 in particular proves that true believers will remain faithful. Why? Because God always preserves his chosen so that final salvation will be realized.

Born Dead

And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him having forgiven us all our trespasses.
                                                                                                                                      - Colossians 2:13


The phrase "born dead" is an oxymoron. How can one be alive and dead at the same time? Well, that is the way all mankind is born due to Adam and Eve's original sin in the Garden of Eden. Man is physically alive, but spiritually dead. He has no life inside of him - a zombie, a corpse - seriously living on borrowed time.

Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which appear beautiful, but within (italics added) are full of dead people's bones and all uncleaness. So you outwardly appear righteous, but within (italics added) you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (Matt 23:27-28).

            This is a vivid description of the living dead.

The prophet Isaiah 59:1-17 sums up the sinner's predicament perfectly.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear 

2 

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

And your sins have hidden His face from you,

So that He will not hear.

3 

For your hands are defiled with blood,

And your fingers with iniquity;

Your lips have spoken lies,

Your tongue has muttered perversity.

4 

No one calls for justice,

Nor does any plead for truth.

They trust in empty words and speak lies;

They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

5 

They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;

He who eats of their eggs dies,

And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.

6 

Their webs will not become garments,

Nor will they cover themselves with their works;

Their works are works of iniquity,

And the act of violence is in their hands.

7 

Their feet run to evil,

And they make haste to shed innocent blood;

Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;

Wasting and destruction are in their paths.

8 

The way of peace they have not known,

And there is no justice in their ways;

They have made themselves crooked paths;

Whoever takes that way shall not know peace

9 

Therefore justice is far from us,

Nor does righteousness overtake us;

We look for light, but there is darkness!

For brightness, but we walk in blackness!

10 

We grope for the wall like the blind,

And we grope as if we had no eyes;

We stumble at noonday as at twilight;

We are as dead men in desolate places.

11 

We all growl like bears,

And moan sadly like doves;

We look for justice, but there is none;

For salvation, but it is far from us.

12 

For our transgressions are multiplied before You,

And our sins testify against us;

For our transgressions are with us,

And as for our iniquities, we know them:

13 

In transgressing and lying against the Lord,

And departing from our God,

Speaking oppression and revolt,

Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

14 

Justice is turned back,

And righteousness stands afar off;

For truth is fallen in the street,

And equity cannot enter.

15 

So truth fails,

And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him

That there was no justice.

16 

He saw that there was no man,

And wondered that there was no intercessor;

Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;

And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

17 

For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,

And a helmet of salvation on His head;

He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,

And was clad with zeal as a cloak. 

With this clearly speaks of is man's inability and unwillingness to come to the Lord on his own. There isn't a vestige of virtue in man to do that. Why? Because man loves his sin and continually walks in darkness. Unregenerate man never runs to God, he runs away from God, lest he comes to the light of the gospel truth and his sins are exposed (John 3:20). God alone is the one who HAS the power save us or else no one can ever be saved.

In Romans 8:6-8 we read, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death (the state of the unbeliever), but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit to the law of God; indeed it can not. Those who are in the flesh can not please God."

The carnal man that is devoid of the Spirit can do nothing no matter how philanthropic, benevolent, or noble to please his maker because it comes from a wicked heart; it's self righteousness. Man's righteousness the  bible says is a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6)

Proverbs 15:8 says, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight."

Proverbs 21:27 says, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more he when brings it with evil intent."

God despises the wicked's sacrifices and gifts. They do not glorify Him at all.

         The sinners works are just as dead as they are.

Realizing that man is totally impotent due to his deadness in his sins is there a cure? Can man somehow be resurrected from spiritual  dead unto spiritual life? Here's the answer:

"How can a young man (or woman) keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."
(Psalm 119:9).

The first thing the sinner has to do is expose themselves to the power of God's word for it saves all those  who believe [italics added for emphasis (Romans 1:16)].

The preaching of the gospel will convict all of sin so that their evil deeds are exposed so that upon receiving positively the gospel message, one is granted repentance and faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (2 Tim 2:25; Eph 2:8,9). This is all God's doing. Since a dead man can not do anything but be dead, God has to bring him back to life.

Romans 6:5 says, "For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His."

When Jesus died for our sins on the cross, the above passage says we died with Him; obviously not literally, but spiritually by faith. When he rose from the grave, that power raised us from our spiritual graves. We were infused with life on the inside. Our spirits were made alive by his resurrection when we believed. This speaks  of our identity with him in death and life.

Ephesians 2:1-6, says, "And you who were dead in trespasses and sins (italics added) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air (the devil, italics added), the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature (i.e. our Adamic nature) children of wrath even as the others. But God (not us) who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses (italics added) made us alive (italics added) together with Christ - by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Very rich and powerful revelation from the apostle Paul. He clearly explains fallen man's condition before divine intervention. Only God has the power to raise the dead. God is aggressive in the regeneration process. Man is a sole benefactor and adds nothing to this process for he is dead prior to God commanding him to rise from his deadness so that he can have of newness life.

In the final analysis, all those that are forgiven of sin are those who are alive to God and dead to sin. The role has been reversed for us - we're no longer living for sin and dead to God. We must understand this truth.

Those who refuse to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ are just the like religious leaders Jesus rebuked in Matthew 23:27-28 - their appearance is beautiful on the outside, but inside their dead rotteness bones who's sinful stench reaches up to heaven which is an affront to a holy God.

Their damnation is wide awake now unless they repent, otherwise they will die eternally (2 Peter 2:3).

Who's your Daddy?

A very popular phrase we use in today’s contemporary culture. However, I’m asking the question in a biblical context. Everyone who’s been born has or had a natural father. It’s also true that everyone has a spiritual father. And guess what? Everyone that’s ever lived and living now will spend eternity with your spiritual father.

You need to determine from the Bible who your father is for this will determine your eternal destiny.

Jesus told the religious leaders in John 8:44 that, “you are of your father the devil, and the lusts/desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

So we see here that the Pharisees and scribes did not recognize who Jesus was; that he was the Messiah come from heaven for they asked Him, “who is your Father?” (John 8:19a). Jesus replied to them saying, 

“You know neither me or my Father. If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also (John 8:19b).” Jesus was making a clear distinction between parentage. Their father (the devil) was not His Father.

This exchange is parallel to what Jesus said to Phillip in John 14:9b…”He who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus declared in John 10:30 and John 17:22, “I and my Father are one.”

In John 15:23 said, “He who hates Me hates my Father also.” The religious leaders were blind and couldn’t see this fact. They were arguing with their creator, God manifested in the flesh. They treated him with contempt and ultimately condemned Jesus to death. They said He was of Satan, a drunk, a glutton, and a bastard (Matt 11:19; John 8:41, 48).  They were indeed what Jesus called them, a brood of vipers. He told them they were not of God and they were not his sheep (John 8:47; 10:25-26).

Jesus said they were actually headed for hell (Matt 23:15,33).

Jesus said his sheep hear his voice, He knows them and he provides them with eternal life (John 10:27-30).

Those who love Jesus obey Him, and the Father will  love him (the obedient servant [John 14:23]). This love speaks of relationship.

John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right (italics added for emphasis) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

The preceding verse describes a child of the living God, the God of the Heaven and earth.

Those that practice sin are of their father the devil (I John 3:8). Children of God sin, but do not practice sin as a way of life. They recognize their sin and confess it unto God so he can forgive (I John 1:9). Satan can not forgive sins for he is the chief of sinners. The most ruthless father who loves to hate his children.

In John 3:10 we read this, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest; Whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

How you behave determines who your Father is.

The child of God is an overcomer (I John 5:4). This blessing is indicative of one being in Christ Jesus. The end of the child of the devil is the eternal Lake of Fire where the beast and false prophet are (Rev 19:20;20:10, 15).

On the other hand, those in Christ inherit everlasting life (Matt 1:21; John 3:16, 36; I John 4:12-16; 5:11,13,20).

The scripture is replete with this theme of those that are in Christ belonging to the Father. Jesus is the bridge that closes the gap between us and the Heavenly Father. Jesus provided the access so that when we pray, the Father hears us (I John 5:13).

So again I ask you the question, who’s your Daddy?

What is double predestination?

Double predestination is the idea or belief that God predetermines some people to go heaven and others to hell. Is this true?

As usual, we must go to the source of all truth the Bible.

In Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The word all in this context is exclusive. Mean all human beings have sinned. This is what scholars call a universal negative.

In the Old Testament we read in Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say I have made my heart clean? Who can say I am clean my from sin?”

The obvious answer is no one can or is willing to clean their own heart or cleanse themselves from sin.

Ephesians 2:1 says we were dead in trespasses and sins.

Colossians 2:13 says you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh.

Point being is that God only predestines the elect, the chosen. He does not predetermine the non elect go to hell. They go to hell because of their rejection of the finished work of Jesus Christ through willful unbelief.
No greater expression of love has ever been displayed on earth, and to reject that perfect love offering deserves immediate damnation.

The Lord is passive in condemnation whereas he's active, and aggressive in salvation.

The Bible teaches that all of us were hell bound, and some point in time, that was the fate of all men.

In Ephesians 2:4-5 we read, “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even while we were dead in our trespasses and sins made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:12 says that, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (italics added).

Ezekiel 18:31-32 the prophet speaking to Israel says, “Cast away from you all transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies (i.e. wicked) declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

The Bible teaches only the predestination of the chosen, those whom God desires to save. Understand the chosen do not choose God, he chooses them (John 15:16). We will never seek God on our own so God HAS to save us or else no one would ever be saved (Psalm 14:1-2; Psalm 53:1-2; John 6:44; Romans 3:10-11).

God chooses the elect because it pleased him to do so (Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:5, 11).

The unsaved are justly condemned because they reject the only way to salvation when the gospel is preached to them (John 3:36; 8:24; 10:26).

Those that are chosen will always come to saving faith when the effectual call of God is manifested in their hearts (Romans 8:28-39).<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]-->

The difference is that the wicked will be called by God, but will refuse to respond and thus be condemned. Why? Because they love their evil deeds (John 3:19).

There is essentially no difference between the elect of God and non elect. Pound for pound we are the same, born into sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). But spiritually, we are polar opposites because of parentage. Those whom were chosen before the foundation of the world belong to the Heavenly Father (Ephesians 1:4). Those not chosen belong to their father the devil (John 8:44).

Those who are chosen are a gift from the Father to the Son. That is why the Son was sent to earth, to  rescue those whom the Father commanded Him to save (John 6:37-40). Please understand that is why the chosen sinner comes to Christ because they are snatched out of the fire of eternal destruction where they were going and still deserve to go! Hell is just for all people – even God’s chosen.

It’s due to the inexplicable grace of God that we escape hell and enter into heaven. Naturally we do not want biblical salvation; it goes against the dictates of our corrupt minds.

God knowing this had to perform a supernatural work. He lovingly made the unwilling chosen sinner willing  by opening up his heart and mind, filling it with His love and power to bring an awareness of sins so that he would repent, believe and be saved. This only occurs because God is the initiator and culminator of salvation. Man is passive in salvation; he’s the blessed recipient of the love of God.

With the condemned man, he’s left in his depravity, because that is what he wants; he loves his sin, and God grants him that. God reaches His hands to him as well, but he refuses to take it; he rather not be rescued from the fires of hell where he’s headed. He rejects God so God grants him what he wants, that is out of 

God’s presence forever.

The only thing left for the sinner is judgment of their sins from God. He rejects God’s offer of salvation through the preaching of the gospel of repentance. This proves the unsaved are not predestined to go to hell before the foundation of the world. For if they were, God would not love on them the way He does by showing them the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.

They go to hell because of their rejection of Jesus Christ knowingly, the only way to salvation.

                                                                  

                                                                 Conclusion

If God decided to save everyone as some teach then it would (to the writer) depreciate the power of His saving grace. There would be no contrasting just condemnation of sinners to amplify the unmerited power of His saving grace.

God is completely balanced in that he saved some from his just wrath, and others he has reserved for judgment.

God then displays his mercy on those whom he saves and justly condemns those who have rejected him.

END NOTES

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<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]--> Just because God chooses some for salvation, doesn’t negate personal responsibility of the sinner to repent, believe and be saved. What we have going on here is divine sovereignty in election from God and human responsibility in tandem. God chooses who he will save, uses the gospel message as the means to bring the chosen sinner to saving faith. The unsaved are given that same message and refuse to repent justifying their damnation.

Some opponents of this doctrine of election will question the fairness of God and say, “Why does God choose some and pass by others?” Scripture says who are we to question God, Will the thing formed say to him that formed it why have you made me like this (Romans 9:20)?” The question is not why God saves some, but why does he save any? For none of us ever deserved to be saved.

For more info, please read my article here: http://gospelofrepentance.blogspot.com/2012/04/sovereign-election-part-ii.html

Is it ok to believe in Karma?

Karma is a far eastern religious practice in Buddhism (Buddhism was started by Siddhartha Gautama in the sixth century B.C. It’s an offshoot of Hinduism), and Hinduism. Karma’s main ingredients are the laws of cause and effect and reincarnation. By the adherent performing good deeds (good Karma) in this life, it will guarantee a better life when one is reincarnated (brought back to life in a nobler form if one was good in the prior life). An action good or bad, will result in a subsequent reaction. Bad Karma is obviously negative and keeps one in a endless circle of reincarnation and suffering. Reincarnation is the process where the disciple of the religion has to continue to suffer and divest themselves of bad Karma, the world, and it’s evil attachments through multiple life cycles and counter that with good Karma. So in essence the initiate gets countless “do-overs” until they get it right. This would seem to be their equivalent of eradication of sin since Buddhists do not believe in original sin, only good and bad Karma – cause and effect.

The core doctrine of the Buddha is called the Dharma – the truth and order of existence which consists of four noble truths:

1.     

              The reality of suffering

2.       The cause of suffering (craving/desire)

3.       The cessation or end of suffering (nirvana)

4.       The “middle way”

These are followed the by an “Eightfold noble path” which are:

1.      

       Right understanding

2.       Right thoughts

3.       Right speech

4.       Right actions

5.       Right livelihood

6.       Right endeavor

7.       Right mindfulness

8.       Right concentration

The main purpose of the Buddhist is to reach Nirvana (salvation), that is the graduation past endless cycles of reincarnated lives and overcome suffering; become one with Brahman if one is Hindu, their chief deity and life force.

I guess only the Buddhist can determine when they have passed the Dharma stage of learning; it’s subjective.

Nirvana is ultimate enlightenment where the person has broken the cycle of reincarnation and suffering through continuous good Karma. Nirvana it appears makes the Buddhist a Buddha themselves (an enlightened one).

This is how Siddharta became enlightened (i.e. the Buddha) when he sat under a Bodhi tree in India and this “revelation” came to him – he was successful of ridding himself of bad Karma; overcoming suffering.

There are several problems with Karma .

First, reincarnation is impossible and unbiblical. The scripture clearly tells us it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). One can not go through multiple life cycles to try to reach nirvana (salvation).

Secondly, Karma is a works righteousness religion. It predicates salvation on man and not God who Buddhists do not acknowledge making them atheistic (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1).

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves (italics added for emphasis). It is the gift of God not of works (italics added for emphasis) lest any man should boast.”

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death (not reincarnation), but the free gift of God is eternal life (i.e. salvation) through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Titus 3:4-5a says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works we have done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy…”

We must all be constantly reminded that salvation is a gift from God. No one can earn a gift last I checked.

Thirdly, Buddhists teach that a person eventually goes into non existence after nirvana; a sort of annihilationism which is called sunya ( great void), the emptying of all things.

This is also untrue. The bible teaches us that the spirit of man will exist for eternity; with or without the Lord.

Daniel 12:2 talking about the end times said, “And many of those who sleep (a euphemism for death) in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Jesus said in John 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

Everyone who has ever lived will be raised from the dead and will be judged for how they have lived their lives good or bad. Building on this truth, we go to Revelation 20:13b, “and they were judged (the wicked/unsaved dead) each one of them according to what they had done. Verse 15 says, Anyone’s name was not written in the book of life was thrown (alive) into the Lake of Fire.”[i]

The Lake of Fire is the final non-resting place for all who died in their sins by rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ while they lived on the earth.  The beast, false prophet, and devil will dwell there for eternity also (Revelation 20).

So, there is no going out of existence as Buddhist/Karma teach. All experience either eternal life or the second death (Revelation 20:14).

Concluding, no doubt many see Karma (cause and effect) the same as the law of sowing and reaping. That’s not true. Karma’s end is anything like sowing and reaping because of it’s ultimate end, mainly nirvana and non existence. Karma is legalistic and religious; sacrilegious to the gospel of truth. The law of sowing and reaping is an inherent force that God has put in the earth (like gravity) to govern men’s actions. In today’s vernacular we regard sowing and reaping as, “What comes around goes around.”

Karma is far more that just sowing and reaping. It exists because of the religion of Buddhism.

Christians must reject the practice of Karma. It deifies man because it ignores God.

It’s a religious lottery crap shoot. One is depending on luck and chance to find ultimate peace.

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[i] It’s very important to note that the saved and the unsaved are judged separately in God’s end time plan. The Christian is judged in I Corinthians 3:13-15 and II Corinthians 5:10. It’s called the “Bema” seat; means pace, step, or foot room. Speaks of a raised platform like one sees in today’s Olympic competitions. We’re being judged for what we did as believers, not to determine if we’re saved. Salvation has already been guaranteed because we believed in Jesus unto salvation. This judgment is for obtaining rewards and honor from God. When this event occurs the writer is unsure; perhaps after the rapture of the church before the great tribulation in heaven. The unbeliever is judged at the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. They’re not judged to see if they are eligible for heaven, they’re resurrected out of hell, judged guilty by the Lord, and cast into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. Their names are not written in the book of life.

How Old is the Earth?

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.”

-Exodus 20:11

I know there are those that will read this article and declare, “who cares how old the earth is. Me knowing this doesn’t determine my eternal salvation does it?”

Not if you’re truly born again, but we have an obligation to seek out the truth if it’s available, and regarding this matter it is available (Proverbs 4:7).

How much more should we seek and fight for the truth when this matter has been under vicious attack for over 200 years?

It’s time to set the record straight.

There are a wide variety of views on the age of the earth. If one is an evolutionist, then the earth is at least hundreds of millions of years old, and the universe is around 4.5 billions of years old or older.[i] Man is a result of some evolutionary “primordial soup”, and not the design of an intelligent creator. Basically the earth and everything in it was created by chance and the Big Bang theory. There are even Christians that believe in the “Gap Theory”. That is, there are those that believe there was a parenthesis between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 in God’s creative plan -  there are those that purport (the writer did also years ago), there were millions of years that occurred between the two verses hence the “gap”. Many believe verse 1 deals with the initial creation of God, and verse 2  is dealing with a re-creation. This is because some believe the phrase was void in verse 2 should read became void which would imply something caused the earth to become void.

One would only ascribe to the latter phrase if they believe in the gap and re-creation theory.

Those who believe the first view, was void ( the correct view) recognize that when God made the heavens and the earth that was only the beginning. He still had to form the earth and fill it. Made and form are two separate things in the creation. God created the universe Ex nihilo that is out of nothing (John 1:3; Heb 11:3; 2 Peter 3:5). He didn’t use pre-existent materials.

            

But why do so many believe the evolutionary, gap, big bang and re-construction theories?

Because of the lies we have been told about ancient times by dishonest and ignorant historians and scientists. It’s assumed by many that there was a civilization many millions of years ago prior to Adam and Eve. That “old world” died in some worldwide cataclysm (i.e. the Lucifer flood some have called it). That old world was inhabited by dinosaurs along with pre-historic man; a primeval Pre-Adamite creature.

There is a belief that Lucifer (now Satan, the devil) was kicked out of heaven during this parenthesis in history because he rebelled against God.[ii] This is what may have caused this “Lucifer flood” of the earth before the birth of Adam they say. This is nothing more than horrible conjecture, a Frankenstein monster, myth, and urban legend.

            

These views have had devastating effects on the church and the integrity of scripture.

First of all, if there was a race of people before Adam and Eve, why didn’t God reveal them to us in scripture? Second, it’s impossible for disease, evil and death to occur before the original sin of Adam. Scripture clearly bears this out.

Original sin occurred when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit: “she (Eve) took of its fruit and ate and she gave to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6b). At that point mankind fell into sin and died spiritually. Man became the living-dead for the first time in history. What do I mean by that? Adam and Eve didn’t instantly die physically, but died spiritually (cut off from God) hence the term living-dead.

The Father forgave their sin. How? He slaughtered an animal, shed its blood and covered them with coats of skin (Genesis 3:20). This was the first Levitical act portrayed in the Bible. This was an ancient foreshadowing of God forgiving sin. Adam’s sin required a blood sacrifice, and something innocent had to die to atone for his sin and appease God’s wrath. Jesus of course is the ultimate fulfillment of this when He took away the sins of the world by the sacrifice of his own blood on the cross (John 1:29).

This is why it’s heretical to say that sin and death existed  prior to the fall of Adam; it attacks the pre determined plan of God the Father to send the Son to die for the sins of his people and save them (Matthew 1:21).

It also undermines the biblical text.

Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore just as sin came into the world (for the first time ever) through one man (Adam), and death (italics added) through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”

I Corinthians 15:21-22 says, “For as by one man came death, by a man has also come the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Sin, disease and death could not have occurred before the sin of Adam,  it’s also clear that life could not have occurred before Genesis 1:1. Genesis 1:2 is not a re-creation, but the only creation. There was never millions or billions of years of life prior to when God said, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” You can’t have a “beginning” before the actual beginning or else the beginning isn’t the beginning, it’s a continuing.

The millions and billions of years old earth lie did not come into being until the early 1800’s. Since then, geologists and clergyman have given this myth sinews, flesh, bone, marrow, eyes, limbs, a spirit, and teeth to rip up the truths of the biblical creation account from the minds and hearts of Christians and the unsaved.

While there is plenty more that can be said regarding the pointless efforts of evolutionists and gappists, I want to answer the question of this article. “How old is the earth?” The earth surprisingly is a little over 6,000 years old. Is this revelation shocking to you?  The reason why I know this is because the Bible tells us.

           

So here is the bible timeline.

In Genesis 5 we read that Adam is 130 years old when his son Seth is born. Adam lives another 800 years and dies at age 930 (Genesis 5:4-5). This means the earth was 930 years old because Adam was the first man ever created. Seth was 105 years old and fathered Enosh. Enosh lived 90 years and fathered Kenan, etc.

Each time we read the age of when a man fathers a son in Genesis 5, we simply add the ages. By the time you get to Noah who’s 500 years old when he fathers Ham, Shem and Japheth, 1556 years of human history has elapsed. Adam at this time has been dead for 626 years. Noah is born 126 years after Adam dies. The year of the earth is 1056 when Noah is born. Noah is 600 years old when the flood came. So, from the birth of Adam to the flood of Noah is a total of 1656 years of human history that are in the books.  Noah lives 350 years after the flood and dies at 950 years old (Genesis 9:29).  The year of the earth is 2006.

Jesus Christ is born around 6 B.C. – right around the 4000^th year of human history. We have an accurate time of Jesus birth because history tells us that King Herod the Great was born in 73 B.C. and dies in 4 B.C. when Jesus is two years old and has to flee to Egypt because Herod wants to kill him (Matthew 2:13).

According to the Gregorian calendar we use, we are now in the year 2013 A.D.

The world we live in is a young yet mature looking earth that was formed cataclysmically.

I know for some this may be hard to believe and accept, but this is the logical age of the earth not millions of years because geologists think the sedimentary rocks and fossils in the Grand Canyons and elsewhere in the world were formed in a very slow time frame. When God created the earth, he created it mature-with the appearance of age. Adam and Eve were full grown when they were created, not infants. Trees, land, sea animals, and birds were created mature in the first two chapters of Genesis. Nothing was in an egg or a seed that hatched a baby chicken and blossomed into a tree or plant respectively.

That command was given by God after he created everything initially to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22, 28). That’s when things were first conceived and then born; babies, plant life, and animals.

We need to submit to the biblical account of creation which God was an obvious eyewitness to and reject the mythological gap, re-creation, big bang, and evolution theories which no one witnessed because these events never took place.[iii]

To disbelieve the biblical creation account is to undermine the scripture and the existence of God which is what some have called “Deicide”, that is the murder of God (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1). This view erases God as the benevolent intelligent designer of the universe which no one should ever do – especially believers. If we do not believe the earth was created in a literal six days (Hebrew word for day is Yom) as the Bible records, what other truths of scripture is one willing to compromise on - mainly the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ? If the creation account is false, then why believe any of God’s word?                                                                          

We must stop listening to wicked men devoid of the Spirit of God to be the interpreters of scripture. These men are fools; they’re the blind leading the blind, and to them God is dead!

Please abandon the traditions and lies of men and let’s get back to trusting the more sure word of prophecy (II Peter 2:19-21).

Let God be true though everyone were a liar (Romans 3:4).

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[i] The reader should be advised that the age of the earth continues to increase. The last report the writer read about is the earth is now 3.8 billion years old and the entire universe is 14 billion years old. This fluctuation in the age of the earth proves the scientists have no clue as to it’s correct age, but God does because he created it and placed his chronology on it. God has never changed his beginning story and age of the earth.

[ii] To discover the origin of Satan and what happened to him, please read Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. These passages describe the origin, splendor and beauty of Lucifer along with his horrific fall from grace.

[iii]  For a comprehensive look at these matters the reader is encouraged to read, The New Answers Books 1-3. Kem Ham, general editor