Learn From All Men, But Do So Through The Lens Of Scripture

Then Paul stood in the midst

Of the Areopagus and said,

“Men of Athens, I perceive

that in all things you are

very religious; for as I was

passing through and considering

the objects of your worship,

I even found an altar with

This is inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.  

Therefore, the One whom you

Worship without knowing,

Him I proclaim to you:”

Acts 17:22–23

            The Greeks believed as a polytheistic people who realized that they may miss out on all the gods, therefore they worship a god that might possibly exist, a god they could not know. Athens was the center of many disputes and wars were fought among the Athenians, the Spartans, the Persians, and in the midst of all this turmoil the philosophers sought to bring understanding and hope. Not all they said was wrong. I don’t want to be put into a barrel and the lid shut down on me because I say things that are opposed to such philosophers. It is their belief, their philosophies that are opposed to Scripture. Much of the philosophers proposals are speculations and have no foundation in fact. The Bible relates to us what God has revealed to us by means of the circumstances that occurred to His chosen people, the Israelites. Those are facts that can be proven, not some story, as is the Illiad by the Greek poet and author, Homer. It is not some God who cannot be known for He reveals to us Himself in His word. Homer anthropomorphized his gods, and taught a plurality of gods which were held to a certain level as a god, but not all he said was bad, for instance: “In youth and beauty, wisdom is but rare!” Homer ( Italics mine). Wisdom is rare, critical thinking that gives wisdom when used properly is rare. Later in time René Descartes (1596 – 1650 A.D.), stated: If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things. ( Italics mine). Descartes would even say: In order to improve the mind, we ought less to learn, than to contemplate.(Italics mine). St. Augustine, (354-430 A.D.), “A thing is not necessarily true because badly uttered, nor false because spoken magnificently.” “Patience is the companion of wisdom.”( Italics mine). This is one goal of these blogs, to aid and convince you to take the time to think upon what is being written and take the patience needed to come to a conclusion, in this case, is what was said by ancient philosophers affecting and influencing people today, and the Church in this present age? How have I been influenced and how, if so, has that influence affected my decisions? I am not afraid to quote from all men, only I pass what is said through the lens of Scripture. Even the Greek poets understood that man is the product of God and we exist due to His pleasure: “…For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’”(Acts 17:28).

            The wars between Greece and Persia are well documented and both nations influenced each other only the Greeks became the ruler of the Asian, Northern Egypt, Macedonia, Italy, and into parts of Western Europe and forced the Grecian culture upon those whom they conquered. In the middle of all these wars and conquering forces lay Israel and they too were to be influenced by the Greeks. Yet, there were those who held firm for the purity of their worship to Jehovah God; i.e., Pharisees. Alexander the Great was the great conqueror and conquered Persia and Northern Egypt and this is of concern for us inasmuch as the Grecian culture was to become the culture for those lands and that culture would affect many, even some of those men who claimed to be Christian. Jesus Christ was to enter the world with all this fury of fighting between the generals that succeeded Alexander the Great after He died, and in the midst of all this turmoil came a new and more powerful nation; the Romans, Julius Caesar who conquered the Greeks and all their lands and expanded their influence even further into Europe. In the middle of all these conquering wars the philosophers would be having a great influence upon those captured and one such group of philosophers that affected the new conquered worlds was the neo-Platonists. These philosophers will be the subjects of my next blogs for many have asserted that they had a great influence on Christianity. Is this true? We must ask questions and critically think upon the evidence. Furthermore, did the philosophies that came by way of the Greek and Roman philosophers have any influence on our government? Now, and in the past? As I stated before, ‘this is deep water’ but we must take our time and contemplate on the evidence and look for more answers whenever we discover one fact it will lead us to look for more. Descartes stated: Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems.(Italics mine). We can though, make certain of the truths that are found and make any needed changes in order to align our worship to be true worship that God will accept and bless.

Therefore, brethren, be even

            More diligent to make

Your call and election sure,

            For if you do these

Things you will never stumble.

                        2Peter 1:10

Pray, with your Bible open

Richard L. Crumb

Providence of God: Many Do Not Understand This Doctrine

 All Your works shall praise

You, O LORD, and Your

saints shall bless You. 

They shall speak of the

Glory of Your kingdom,

and talk of Your power.

Psalm 145:10-11

     I shall take a hiatus today to speak on this subject of Providence. Our God who is Providential is not the god of the ancient philosophers who did not believe in the God of creation, who can be known and was known to be the God of Israel who upheld Him and revered Him and understood His economy by which He controls, protects, and preserves His creation and His people. These are the opening notes for this study I am preparing.   

Providence

            In the wake of any tragic event persons who are otherwise sensible, rational, and in control of their emotions lose all this and a sadness overcomes them and even for many a grief that overwhelms. Many will ask, “Why did God allow this?” This question comes more often than not from people who at other times have little or no thought of God and will not allow God to guide and rule their lives. There was not apprehension of God before and now in the wake of a tragedy they cannot apprehend God and even debate that if there is a God and God is Good, as Christians say He is, then He would not have allowed this tragic event to have happened. Even Christians may question the goodness of God, especially when civilians, or children, are killed, even maimed when they have done nothing to cause their demise. It is to be expected that non–Christians would question the reason for a tragic event and even complain against the possibility of a God, for if God did exist, and they do not believe so, He would not allow this event and would even have provided protection. In the worst case scenario they assign that if God did exist He would be evil, or the cause of evil. It is not expected that Christians would have a complaint against God for evil to exist and happen even to innocent individuals. Christians often have heard, or maybe know something about, have a limited understanding, that God is Providential. Christians believe this to be true but often cannot adequately explain this doctrine; the Providence of God. Therefore, it is necessary to provide and explanation of Providence, this will aid understanding giving knowledge of God and how He rules and governs the universe. This is turn will aid growth in grace and sanctification, causing preparation to defend the Christian faith.

            What then is Providence? How does God’s Providence work? Does Scripture clearly teach the Doctrine of Providence? Does God actually preserve and govern all the actions of His creatures, even to non–living entities? These questions demand answers and rightly so for this world has had and does even now many atrocities, those tragic events whereby there is lack of comprehension and no rational apprehension leading to questions and loss of faith, a blaming the unknown, that is the unknown God. It is most interesting that at these tragic times Satan is not often blamed, even Christians speak of the horror and yet do not assign such tragedy to Satan.

God is condemned, ispso facto. It is not enough to say; “God is in control” unless this is truly a person’s belief, not questioned, rather understood, and believe with all their heart that God is in control. If faith does not have a foundation strongly built on the word of God then questions will arise and always will in the aftermath of a tragic event. Scripture states: “…who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,…” (Hebrews 1:3a). Speaking of Jesus Christ Paul writes: “and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17). The Old Testament give further witness to this fact that God preserves His creation: “You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. the host of heaven worships You” (Nehemiah 1:6). For any of these Scripture to have meaning there must be a firm belief that God is holy, wise, and powerfully preserving, as well as governing all that He created. It is not enough just to say that God preserves if there is no understanding that all things owe their existence, continuance, and are able to have their properties and powers, and all this is due to the will of God. If so, that this is firmly believed then it is to be understood that there is not some general assertion as to God’s providence. The Providence of God is not spoken of in general terms as this would not give credence to the power of God and to speak in generality of the Providence of God, this would give cause for Him not to sustain, or be able to sustain all creation. Some do assert in general terms of the Providence of God and when a tragic event occurs they are left scampering for answers, they wonder, “where is the power of God?” Yet, Scripture is clear and it is plainly taught in Scripture the doctrine that God is Providential. Providence of God may be spoken of in general terms that He does sustain all things by His power without making God the cause of evil while the world operates within the powers of nature. It is to be declared as the above Scriptures indicate that the powers of nature do operate under the efficiency of the power of God, by which all things are preserved. Scripture clearly teaches us that this is true of God, that He not only created all things, He preserves all things and have their efficiency in the power of God (Psalm 104; 148). Scripture teaches us that Providence of God relates to irrational animals for they are said to live, move, and have their being in God as God give water to flow for them to drink, grass to grow for them to eat, and trees where birds may make their nests. These passages teach us that the universe, as a whole, does not operate unsupported by God. If it did so operate, that is, unsupported by God, it would cease to exist, in fact it would never have developed into anything. Nothing would exist if not by the will of God. For God to be Providential then He would have to control all that is, and this by His will for if He did not will a thing to be, then it would not be. Many have adopted and embraced the ideology and philosophy of evolution. Even some “Christians” have accepted a form of evolution. God may have begun creation but He does not control creation for those who adhere to evolution. God somehow sits idly by, or tacitly gives approval and support but is not in actuality involved in that which He created. Therefore, they have trouble accepting that God is Providential. Tragic events then have no real meaning accept for the emotions that are wrenched by loved ones, and friends, they just occur or to find meaning they assign the event to the will of God as though He cause this to happen or He just allowed it to happen. This void in thinking is that if God does exist He is not present and does not providentially preserve His creation. Yet, is this true?

            Evolutionist, or those who hold to some evolutionary theory do not consider the most important aspect of creation: It moves and has power. How does movement happen, and from where does power arrive so as to create and re–create anything? If two balls were hung in a vacuum, they would not move. There would be no time as time can only exist and be measures by movement. If anything existed for all time the question is still present: how did they begin to move? Where did this power arise causing movement and even such movement as to create anything? If you say power always existed you have not answered the question of movement. Much more you have not answered the questions as to a power that would cause movement because power has to have a source, a source that is external. For power to have motion or movement there needs be a resistor from which it receives its resistance causing motion. This resistance must come then from an outside source that itself is the first cause and that of itself, for if we assign only power to this outside source the question is still not answered. This power source is God and He must not be of any substance that exists, for He must reside outside of anything that is for His power, from Him to give cause for motion, or movement. Now, by Him all power exists then to have power emanate from Him it must be done by his will or it would not happen. If by His will then He is directing His power and this direction is not simply thrown out from Himself it has meaning, that is God directs His power to create all that is necessary for this universe and for anything that He may create; i.e., angels. This power having direction from God by His will then He also directs His power to make cause for any form that may be extended and of the substance of all forms, their essence, qualities, properties and powers, all of His creation is under His will therefore God not only determines all things, He preserves them by His Providence. Nothing occurs outside the will of God even when He as First Cause creates all things and give to His creation second causes, He is still controlling all things for all things exist according to Hs purpose(s). the Philosopher Plato in his philosophy spoke of a god who made all things out of chaos, such as a carpenter takes wood from a tree and makes a chair and a table, etc. Once the chair and table are no longer in the hands of the carpenter he has no control over their use. God is not a carpenter and as the First Cause He preserves His creation because He is intimately associated with it and protects it and Providentially brings about His will even in the case of any tragic event. As humans, created by God, and are not God, we cannot comprehend with any completeness the will of God, all we can comprehend is that which He has revealed to us and this by His word, the Scriptures. 

Let them praise the name 

     the LORD, for His name

alone is exalted; His glory 

     is above the earth and heaven.

                                 Psalm 148:13

Pray To God For All Those Undergoing Trials

Richard L. Crumb  

 

Are You Being Influenced By False Teaching?

A wicked and adulterous generation

Seeks after a sign, and no sign

Shall be given to it except

The sign of the prophet Jonah…

Matthew 16:4 (cf. Matthew 12:39)

Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed

And beware of the leaven of the

Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

Matthew 16:4

            Today we have “Christians” running to and fro looking for signs and wonders as if they can find Jesus there; this they do by following all schemes and false theologies. When they find such as those who teach that this is what they need and there they can find God, they find that this search has led them to a piety that may make them feel pious, and even Godly, and only when they read the Scriptures find they have been misled. That is of course, if they actually are truly seeking God and believe in all Scripture being inspired of God. If not then they will continue to follow after these lost shepherds. Jesus warned to beware of such as those pious and seemingly godly men, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, that seemed to have the truth. Jesus will allow this false teaching for only so long then he will act as He did by causing the Great Flood destroying all except Noah and his family. False leaders are abundant, as we can see from the ancient of men who taught about this world and god(s) but did not have the truth. The truth they purposed was by means of their own thinking and not of God and Jesus said: But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into the ditch’” (Matthew 15:13–14). Does this mean we are not to study and come to understand who are the false teachers and how that which they teach is affecting Authentic Biblical Faith? No! Yet, if they desire to continue in their falseness, then let them, we are to teach those who are truly seeking the truth, those led by God and being drawn to Him. The question for us is: “Are we being drawn to know the truth and when we come to know the difference between false and truth, we will stand and change to become Authentic Biblical Christians?” God has His permissive will but don’t be misled by this, for God will allow man to be man, and will in His time, as He did at the Great Flood, take action against man and against sin. This He did at the cross whereby Jesus’ death and resurrection destroyed sin at its base. Now in time when all is fulfilled God will act to completely destroy this world and establish a new world, a place where His new creatures will live and a place where there will be no sin, no way in which man will be led away from the True God, His Son, and be led in completeness by the Holy Spirit. Until that time we need to search ourselves and make sure that we are not being misled and if so, we make the needed change. This is why we are looking at the past and seeing if any false teaching has affected us, our brothers and sisters in Christ. If so, we make the change. If we forget or neglect the past then the present has no foundation and man is left to his own devises. Any perusal of history will admit that when man is left to his own devises there is much atrocity. May God find us to be a good and faithful servant.

            I have written about the philosophers of ancient Greece, men such as Plato and Socrates, and mentioned Aristotle, who I will elaborate on in future blogs, but I would be neglect if I didn’t mention the climate, political, and secular that was occurring simultaneously. War was a major part of the world of the Greeks, as well as in other parts of the world. At times the Greeks fought against the Persians, and the Egyptians, and others beginning possibly, according to Homer in the Illiad,  the Trojan War (1194–1184 B.C.). There are so many that I will only list a few that I believe will give you a sense of the world in which the philosophers may have been influenced in their attempt to find answers. The First Messenian war, between Messenia and Sparta (743 B.C.–724 B.C.) resulting in a Spartan victory whereby Messenia was depopulated by migration of the Achaeans to other states. Depopulation was not unknown in the world for Israel was depopulated by the Assyrians, and Babylonians and Israel was populated by other people. Not all Jews were removed, only the more affluent and leaders, often leaving behind the poor. This was true with this Grecian war for some did not emigrate and became serfs, helots, those who were bound to the land and were owned by the state. Many years later their descendants, held in hereditary subjection, were needed by the Spartan state for defense. Then began the Greek–Punic Wars (600 B.C.-207 B.C.), an era that produced Thales (624 B.C.–546 B.C.) who as a pre–Socratic Greek philosopher form Miletus was considered by Aristotle to be the first philosopher in the Greek tradition and even Bertand Russell considered him thusly: “Western philosophy begins with Thales.”[1] Persian invaded Greece (492 B.C.-490 B.C.), and again (480 B.C.–479 B.C.), with the Greeks counter–attacking (479 B.C.–478 B.C.). In 460 B.C. extending to 445 B.C. the First Peloponnesian War was fought between Sparta and Athens. Sparta defeated the Athenian army at Tangagra, but the Athenians were victorious over the Boeotians and by this consolidated their position, only to be defeated by the Persians in Egypt (454 B.C.), causing them to become aligned with Sparta. Many battles were fought between the Greek cities, and with Persia who were the power at large in the world after defeating the Babylonians (546 B.C.) and releasing the Jews to be able to return to Israel where the rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple. Macedonia became ruled by King Philip II (359 B.C.–336 B.C.) who was the father to Alexander the Great and had become a great military leader. Philip II married Cleopatra who was the mother of Alexander the Great. Philip II began an invasion of Persia but was killed in battle. It was Alexander the Great who defeated the Persians and extended the Greek empire as far as to India. Under Phillip II the city/states of Greece became united, and with Alexander the Great Greek influenced the world.

            This history lesson is not to bore you with these facts but to help you see that these philosophies that are influencing us today began in a world so different from ours inasmuch that there were city/states, and other nations were conquering, or attempting to conquer the world. This world produced not only philosophers but a people seeking answers and the philosophers were attempting to give them answers. At this time the Jews were being affected by the armies that would tramp through Israel and their way to fight a battle. No one was left untouched. The Jews though had God’s word about the coming of Shiloh, the Messiah and this hope held them together in the face of much tribulation. But they had various understandings and several paths that were taken to understand who this Messiah was to be, how he would come, and what he would do for them in such a troubled world. Are you getting the sense of the world, the people, and the conditions? With all these battles, and wars, there is one thing that we can see even from the wars of our “modern” world; at the conclusion of a war the people’s morals decline. The door is swung open for philosophies, and theologies, that are not Scriptural. I will attempt to bring all these events to a conclusion but there is one more people who influenced the ancient world and have influenced us today.

God is Spirit, and those who

            Worship Him must

Worship in spirit and truth.

                        John 3:24

Read God’s Word and Pray!

Richard L. Crumb

---

[1] Russell, Bertrand (1945). The History of Western Philosophy. New York: Simon and Schuster. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales#cite_note-2; 12/17/2012.

Seek The Truth: This Is The Will Of God!

The Preacher sought to find acceptable words;

And what was written was upright––words of truth.

The words of he wise are like goads, and the words

Of scholars are like will–driven nails, given by one Shepherd.

And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making

Many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome

To the flesh.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,

For this is man’s all.

For God will bring every work into judgment,

Including every secret thing,

Whether good or evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:10–14 (cf. Matthew 12:36)

            How correct was the writer of Ecclesiastes as it is wearisome to study so that one can find the truth. It is toilsome, and at times seemingly unnecessary; but is it? Did the writer of Ecclesiastes tell us not to study? No! But we are forewarned that it difficult. The writer of this wonderful book gives this in the beginning: “For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Ecclesiastes 1:18). Yes, this is so true for as knowledge increases there is a sadness due to the content of what is learned; man has devised a god(s) for himself and not of the true and Holy God Jehovah. Or man has devised a god even to use the name Jehovah but only in a sense of religiosity that decries the truth. It is sorrowful when we come to recognize falsity and how that falsity has invaded and perverted the truth leading men and women away from being Authentic Christians. Knowing the truth will set us free, we are to search for the truth as we must do in a world that has made for themselves god(s) and have taught religions, even using the name of our Savior Jesus Christ: “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD” (Lamentations 3:40). God does not approve of such religions as they subvert His cause and purpose leading men and women from him into error: “To turn aside the justice due a man before the face of the Most High, or subvert a man in his cause––the Lord does not approve” (Lamentations 3:35–36). What do we have to fear in our search for the truth? Man has and does in the name of their religion many abhorrent things; i.e., the Chinese “sunning” babies, or those in this day commit abortion, The Muslim’s killing those who oppose them, religious wars that have been perpetrated on men from the beginning of the world after the Great Flood, and even to wars of ideology that have as their foundation some form of religion. God is not blind and He does not sit far away allowing things to just happen, this is His world and He is the controller of all things and we can plead to Him our cause: “I called on Your name O LORD, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice: ‘Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.’ You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, ‘Do not fear!’”(Lamentations 3:55–57). Yes, it is fearful to learn the truth because we are then responsible for the truth and it is how we apply that truth in our lives, whether we are pleasing God or displeasing Him. This is important as I have been making an attempt to show how we have in many cases traveled a far distance from our God and Savior to a world that, while claiming to be “Christian” have swallowed the teaching of those major philosophers from the past and have added much more to those philosophies. We must know the truth if we are to worship God in truth and spirit: “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:22–24). Jesus was speaking to the woman at the well, a Samaritan women who believed that she was worshipping God correctly, but Jesus pointed out to her that she was not worshipping God in a manner that was truthful. Yes, Jesus came to earth by means of God’s people, the Jews for by Him salvation was made possible. Her worship was false, and Jesus makes it plain and clear, we all are to worship Him in truth and spirit and to do so we must, after all these years of men devising all forms of religion find the truth. The question for each of us is: “Will we change if we find that what we have come to believe is the truth and now see the falsity of such belief, change?”

            Next week I will again make an attempt to show how the ancient world affected our present age. Once the problem is defined then the solution is at hand. Or, maybe you don’t think there is a problem: is that so? Are you willing to accept any religion? Are we to be ecumenical in our approach to worship God? Is multi–culturalism accepted as the way to worship God in spirit and truth? What are you willing to accept? Truth or lies? Is this serious? Yes! Our decisions will not be decisions only for us, rather they will affect our children, and their children, as did the ancient philosophies have affected us these many years removed from their original writings and teachings.

            The Sabbath is coming! What are your plans to worship our God? Have you set aside this day for Him? What or who has your priority? I pray that for those who must work, i.e., doctors, nurses, firemen, policemen, and those in the military, that they will set aside time when they are not working for God. As for the rest of us, we call ourselves Christian, therefore we must then worship our God in spirit and truth and follow His command; to keep the Sabbath, the seventh day, and for Christians, it is the first day of the week, holy, and spend time with family, friends, and especially to be gathered together, the ekklesia, to love and to fellowship with other Christians, and event those who may attend seeking the truth. May God bless you.

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance,

            Being predestinated according to the

Purpose of Him who works all things according

            To the counsel of His will, that we who

First trusted in Christ should be to the praise of

            His glory.

                                    Ephesians 1:11–12

Meditate on His Word; There Truth Is To Be Found’

Richard L. Crumb

Is The New Testament Influenced By Greek Philosophy?

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you

the gospel which I preached,

which also you received

and I which you stand,

by which also you are saved,

if you hold fast that word

which I preached to you––unless

you believed in vain.

1Corinthians 15:1–2

            There is many an attempt to synthesize Christianity with Greek philosophy. This attempt is an attempt to syncretize Greek philosophical influence to be the influence that the Biblical writers held in their letters and epistles. The apostle Paul in the opening Scripture refers that salvation of a person is from the gospel and a person’s holding fast to that doctrine, otherwise any belief other than this is a belief in vain. Therefore, to hold to a belief that the New Testament was influenced by Greek philosophy and that the writers attempted to create a syllogism between the two theological beliefs is to say nothing more than the Scriptures, in this case, the New Testament, are not the words of God that are inspired by Him for men to record in accordance with actual circumstances within Christian circle and the rest of the world. If a person holds to this theory then the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has lost it’s meaning, or has a meaning other than what God inspired men to record. It is to believe in vain. There is no distinction between what the Greek philosophers wrote and believed and that which Christian men wrote and believed. Plenary inspiration of the Scriptures is then reduced to man’s thoughts and beliefs; this leads to believing in vain, as it does not include the whole of Scripture, both the Old Testament and the New Testament as having continuity in the revelation of God and of His purpose(s). this debate as to the historical origins of the New Testament ( I will hold this essay to this part of Scripture) continues today as to the formation of Christian Faith. Is the New Testament just another batch of documents, documents that owe their existence due to the influence of Greek philosophy and ideology? Was there an influence from Plato, or from the Stoics, or from the Greek idea of the Logos?

            To review some of what has been previously written by me is to understand that the Greek philosopher, Plato, did have and does have, influence on subsequent philosophers. Christopher Stead (1913–2008 A.D.), a professor of divinity at the University of Cambridge who was interested in the application of the Aristotelian concept of the ousia, substance, a Greek word derived from eimi a verb of existence, to be, or I am. And homoousios, a Greek word meaning “same substance” or “same essence”, not to be found in the Bible, but is used in the Nicene Creed noting that Jesus is of one essence with the Father. The First Ecumenical Council that was held was held in Nicea A.D. 325 as the best language to use concerning the Holy Trinity. The Arians favored “homoiousios” meaning “similar essence”, notice that the letter “i” and the closeness of the two words in Greek, and is the position of Jehovah Witnesses. Even in this present age there can be seen the influence of ancient Greek philosophies, therefore we must do justice to our investigation and determine if this Greek influence did influence the writers of the New Testament.

            Plato’s doctrine that is has much influence was his theory of Forms or ‘Ideas’. Plato’s theory was not that this theory of Forms or “Ideas” were “thoughts” as we understand the word, rather he believed that they were eternal objective realities which make up the system or world which we could understand intelligibly.[1] This is dualism of the universe which his mentor Socrates held as well. This is, the universe is both immaterial and consist as well in the experiential world. It is a world whereby there is the unperceived world housing the objective, transcendent, eternal, intelligible, archetypal, and perfect reality that makes objects what they “really” are.[2] These Forms or Ideas are said to be those transcendent realities that give meaning and definition to particular physical objects. If the object itself changes, this in no way alters the Platonic Form. In any case, the two "substances" work in union to bring about the reality of the object (as well as its identification). For example, that a chair can be recognized by a perceiver is evidence of some sort of idea of what a chair would look like. Plato sees this "chairness" as a transcendent archetype for the particular chair being observed. So, behind every object there exists a Form that gives it definition.

            Some then assign a notion of dualism of the universe, that is, for them, abundantly clear, to the New Testament Gospel writers. Is this true? The apostle John wrote about Jesus and made perfectly clear in his writings that Jesus was an incarnation of God (cf. John 1:1,14; 8:58; 10:30–33). Any perusal of the Gospels will provide evidence to the reunion of the essence (the spirit) of Jesus with the material body in the Resurrection (cf. Matt. 28:1–8, Mark 16:1–8, Luke 24:36–46; John 20:1–27). This seems to be an affirmation of dualism in the writings of the Gospel portraits of Jesus. Many then conclude that it was Platonism and its distinct and original view of he universe.

            Is it? In the next blogs I will illuminate open this suggestion that there is Platonic dualism in the New Testament. I will examine other philosophical theories as well in the coming blogs to determine if they had any influence on the New Testament writers. This is slow, hopefully not painful, to examine these philosophies, yet, it is our faith and the truth of the Gospels, the New Testament, the Scriptures in totality that is at stake. We must never forget our goal: Changing from the Inside Out, to hold fast to Authentic Biblical Faith.

Al Scripture is given by

            Inspiration of God,

And is profitable for doctrine,

            For reproof, for correction,

For instruction in righteousness.

                        2Timothy 3:16

Pray for Guidance From The Holy Spirit

Richard L. Crumb

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[1] Stead Christopher, Philosophy in Christian Antiquity (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 18.

[2] Metaphysics, A, 991 b 2-3.

Don't Be Confused! God Is In Control!

To the pure all things are pure,

but to those who are defiled

and unbelieving nothing is pure;

but even their mind and conscience

are defiled. They profess to know God,

but in works they deny Him, being abominable,

disobedient, and disqualified for

every good work.

Titus 1:15–16

As mentioned in the last blog, this is deep water. We don’t, as we must admit, think much of the historical past. We might consider some of the historical events, but we see them as events only and do not delve into the reasons those events have occurred. What led people to do what they did, to believe what they believed. To the average everyday person, this is far too much information, it is too hard to understand, they just want to live without controversy; therefore, they do not attempt to know that which may have influenced them. This I can understand for it is a huge subject and I will attempt to make it interesting enough so that you will read the blog, think about what is being stated and to do something, if needed, to change from the inside out, to hold fast to Authentic Biblical Faith. Allow me to lay this foundation: “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies” (Psalm 58:3). This fact, that men are wicked from birth, does not stop them to make an attempt to know God, but it is like climbing Mt. Everest, difficult, it is against our nature. Unless God intervenes we are liable to throw up our hands in despair, or to devise a God that is more acceptable and easy to understand, a god that satisfies our appetites. Man is willing to accept the common grace of God, but will dismiss salvation Grace in their hunt for God. Why would man attempt to know God, to know that there is a God, to make for themselves a god(s)? Man was made in the image of God and even though man is fallen in their nature, that fact remains, they are made in the image of God and have an understanding that is innate that there is a God. Some refuse to admit to this fact, and become Atheistic, or form a god(s) acceptable to themselves believing that they have come to know God. They have not! This is an allusion for it is not true understanding, it is diabolical, is of the Devil as it is perpetuated by Satan. This diabolical understanding may have some truth, but it is only to veiling of lies. This nature must be changed, and this man cannot do for himself. Only God can change our hearts, not some philanthropic change, rather a change of heart that the Spirit of God gives to some and not to others, a free gift, a righteousness paid for by His Son Jesus Christ on the cross. That fact is historical and man rejects that fact even though the cross is real and is known, they don’t, or will not accept this event; they can’t, they are wicked from the womb. Only God can change a heart to accept Him and this He does by His Providence and as the Creator of the universe: “Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not the Jews only, but also of the gentiles” (Romans 9:21–24)? Thank God for His wisdom, His Love, His Son, and His Holy Spirit, that He would choose any people, that He would choose you and me. Why? I don’t need the why! I need to allow His Spirit which He gave to me by giving me, and you, the free gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8).

            Moving forward in this study of the history of men that have influenced the world and the Church I continue to give more understanding of the one man, Plato, who influenced many and from whom several branches of thought developed. Plato was dualistic in his philosophy, there was the real that could be seen and the unseen which the real was only a copy of the unseen. Hesiod, lived in the 8th century BCE, probably about the same time or shortly after Homer, whose date of life was either in the 12^th century, or more probably in the 8^th century, who wrote such epics as the Illiad, which pictured the god(s) in a bad light, portraying them as devious, warring, plotting, on this side of the war or the other side, as it fit their dispositions, fighting among themselves, being anthropomorphized. Plato does not agree, for he saw and represented God as good, pious, because God was in His nature good. This is true, God is Good, and has the attribute of good. Yet, Plato is not speaking of God in this manner for God is not all that there is in this universe. Yes, for Plato God did create the universe but out of the chaos that already existed, and out of that chaos, he created the universe according to His likeness. This Christians and Scripture disagree, and this contradictory to what God has revealed. As Christians and according to Scripture, God created ex nihilo, out of nothing. Furthermore, Plato while speaking of first and second causes, as we do in our theology, he states: “God made the world because he was good, and the demons ministered to him.” This is dualism or an oppositions between the ideal and the actual. The soul is prior to the body, a theology of the Mormons, and others of Oriental theology, that there is the intelligible and unseen to the visible and corporeal. Plato held to the doctrine of transmigration, another theology that is Mormon, and Oriental theology, that the soul existed before the body. From these existing souls, bodies were given to them as men, fishes, birds, animals, etc. (This was taken from: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1572/1572-h/1572-h.htm).

As can be seen by any simple perusing of various religions that these thought of Plato do exist in some form and have been enhanced by other branches of philosophy, i.e., neo–Platonists. This will be discussed in the next blog. It will be shown how these Greek philosophies affected the Church, and influenced men who did believe in the God of the Bible. We will then be able to see how we may or may not have been influenced, but we will be able to see how other denominations, and religious thoughts have attached themselves to these pagan philosophies. Join me and see, determine for yourself whether or not you hold to true Scriptural teachings, the God revealed to us in Scripture, to God how has for Himself set apart a people for His name. If so influenced by these philosophies, how to change from the Inside–Out, to hold to and assimilate Authentic Biblical Faith.

We are ashamed because we

            Have heard reproach.

Shame has covered our faces,

            For strangers have come

Into the sanctuaries of the

            LORD’s house.

                        Jeremiah 51:51

Jesus Is Drawing His People

Richard L. Crumb

Practical Atheism: What Is It? How To Avoid It!

The fool has said in his heart,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, they have done

Abominable works, there is none

Who do good.

The LORD looks down from heaven

Upon the children of men, to see

If there are any who understand,

Who seek God. They have all turned

Aside, they have together become corrupt;

There is none who does good,

No, not one.

Psalm 14:1–3 (cf. Romans 3:12)

            This study on the historical aspects that have contributed philosophies that have impacted the world and are impacting this present age and is to be swimming in deep water. Therefore, I have taken more time to study and to do research as this subject has great meaning for us as it has impacted men and women for centuries. The opening Scripture is a foundational truth: Men are not good, they may, as many have done and are doing, seeking God, but their understanding is corrupt. This fact so clearly revealed in Scripture speaks against those who hold to a theology that man can save himself from their sin and folly that is abhorrent to God. They can’t not, for they are corrupt by their fallen nature derived in them by the sin of Adam. If this was not true and man could, by his own will, find God then the meaning of the cross is insufficient. How, you may ask! They should see God in nature, in the things created, and His attributes; they don’t, they cannot, but they try, they form philosophies, theologies from their ideologies and presuppositions, but their hearts are not attuned to what they see, and they are not led to God. The apostle Paul makes this fact Scriptually clear: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:17–19). Man is without excuse! Man has attempted in may ways to find God, and have developed theologies that are polytheistic, or anthropomorphizing God, as have the Mormons, or as the Jehovah Witnesses have done in as much as they have made the Son of God to be nothing more than a created being, and giving to Him the status of “a god.” So, why have they not found the True God? Paul continues: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools….”(Romans 1:20–22).

            There is that which can be called “Practical Atheism.” This form of Atheism is natural to man due to his being in a depraved state that which emanates from his total fallen nature. Notice that the opening Scripture does not say that an Atheistic person speaks that there is no God, nor does this Atheism arise from his thinking, rather it is within his heart. Yes, there are those who will say, “there is no God,” but to do so is to object to the possibility that there could be a God; otherwise why say anything? The Practical Atheist will not openly assert to the fact that there is a God for fear of being put to shame. Worse, not to say so is a moral issue, for they do not want a God for then they must adhere or be condemned due to a moral issue. More often they just wish that there were not a God, even has hoped that there were no God. But, in his heart, he has not the ability to destroy the notion that there could be a God. This man, the Practical Atheist, has done all that he could to blot out from his heart the God who created him, who made him a soul, and are left to the ruin that comes from him being a corrupted person. Their hearts may become then, Atheistic, even while admitting that there is a God in their thinking. They defend, at times, the notion of a Deity, yet their hearts are far from affirming a Deity, or have devised a system of a supreme God, and a system whereby there are many gods. Such as we see in the philosophy of Plato and other philosophers. Is it possible for men to say good things of God yet have cursed Him in their hearts? Yes! Job would pray for his children for they may have cursed God in their hearts: “…For Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus Job did regularly (offer burnt offerings for them; 5a)” (Job 1:5b).

            Man seeks God yet does not find the True God. Men devises gods of all sorts, and makes cause for festivals, and sacrifices, and ways of living and worshipping God, but are not able to come to the knowledge of the True God. In his search, which is  or is not a truthful search, and due to his own presuppositions, or suppositions, deny the essential attributes of God, and give exercise in this world those religious rites that are not commanded by God. The Practical Atheist does not want God to have authority in this world, and this they do by either denying the existence of God, or by denying His essential attributes, which is a denial of God. Man has a will, he has reason, this is essential of man is to be man and not some robot. He can choose but he does not choose God, or devises a religion or religious ideas that are contradictory to the True God. Understanding and will are essential to man and man cannot subsist without them, nor can they conceive of God without them. All men are in some respect Atheist, that is they cannot know God, and they will reject God, or develop a system of belief that is accepted by them as to a god they wish Him to be. The fall of man in the Garden of Eden brought to all men  a sense of a deity, and a desire to demolish this sense of a deity, even while admitting with their mouth that there is a deity, they do not have in their hearts a belief that there is a God. This is the core of unbelief; man is corrupted and without God. There then, is a need for God to right this problem, but many men do not want the God of the Scriptures, they do not want a God who demands reverence, the worship that is due Him. The problem is deep, as deep as the deepest ocean, for those men who deny God, even though they may worship in some sense that there is One God, often, for others, find belief, in the worship of many gods. There has been for many years a move of ecumenism or a belief that God can be found in any and all religions, therefore they should not object to any religion, they are unconcerned that God may not agree with their religiosity. These are those who will often admit to a God or a system of gods, and allow themselves to be under the power of such admittance. They devise a god that meets their notion of what God should be, or to devise such religions as to have the outward appearance of being in a right relationship with God. They have framed what God should be by their own corrupted hearts, their thinking that resides far from the truth. This is Practical Atheism. And as we consider those men who have influenced the world and have devised a philosophy that has influenced many religions, we must keep the foundational problem in the forefront: Men are  corrupted and without God, their hearts condemn them due to their thinking and by the theologies that are contradictory to God. God is misrepresented. Yet, we are influenced by these men, through their schools, their teachings, and by those men who have expanded these false influential philosophies and taught them to their pupils. It is a drip of water, becoming a trickle of water from other drops of water joining each drop, then becoming a stream by the joining of other trickles of water, and then to becoming a river by the joining of other streams and then becoming an ocean. The reverse is not true. For man not to be influenced by such downward trend of thinking that is contradictory to God, we must not drink from such water. We must drink from the living water: “Jesus answered here and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’….. “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10, 13–14).

            Do you want the “living water” that Jesus Christ gives unto everlasting life? Or, do you want the water of this world that will only lead you to be thirsty again? Practical Atheism is cured by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit given to a man by the grace of God. You cannot earn it in any way, by good sounding philosophies, theologies that tickle the ears. No! It is a gift of God: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Next we will look at other philosophers and their philosophies and how the world, and the Church has been influenced.

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,

            The world and those who dwell in it;

Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills

            Be joyful together before the LOR,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

            With righteousness He shall

Judge the world, and the peoples with equity.

                                    Psalm 98: 7–9

Praise God for His Mercy

Richard L. Crumb