Using "OMG" And The "F" Word On Public Forums ~ Revisited, Again, And Again, And Again, Ad Infinitum!

No matter how much I prefer not to post the same message over and over -  there is one that I cannot fail to post often. In 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2017 I posted a blog titled "Using 'OMG' And The 'F' Word On Public Forums."  Yet the frequency of seeing those words/phrases on public forums continues to increase - even among Christians. 

Maybe that is because it has become so common in commercials and in television shows and movies.  It seems to be almost more common that saying, "Hello."  And, sadly, much to my dismay and heartbreak, I see it very often used by Christians.

Folks, I suppose I will just keep posting this message until someone believes me and I start to see results.  I would much rather you slander me and my name - instead of casually using my God's name to add emphasis and color to your conversation. 

"Okay, Bill, what is your complaint now?"   Glad you asked.  At least I know you have read my first few paragraphs.

In September 2010, I was posting on Facebook Notes, the TimesDaily Religion Forum, the Faith & Family Section of The Conservative Voice eNewspaper, the Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries blog site, and in my Friends Ministry eNewsletter.   At that time, I became especially burdened for two reasons. 

First, I saw a Facebook post from a young lady, whom I knew grew up in a very strong Christian family, casually posting the "F" word as though it was like saying, "Hi, how are you?"  ~ and ~

Second, my frustration reached a boiling point seeing folks, even Christian believers, casually using the abbreviation OMG as an exclamation point or to add emphasis to their writing.  Many times I have responded to them, "Please, go ahead and finish your prayer - for I am sure that when you start with 'Oh, my God' you must be praying!"

Starting in 2010 I posted the blog below on all those venues (and I have posted it several times since) - and I received the expected response on the TimesDaily Religion Forum and on Facebook - where both were populated with many atheists, agnostics, and plain old vanilla-flavored non-believers. 

In response, folks on both venues began to compete, each trying to see how many times they could post OMG to frustrate Bill Gray.  I suppose, in their secular-world-oriented minds they never even considered that they are offending someone infinitely greater and more important than Bill Gray.  They are offending God, the God who created them and all the universe. 

Just think of that, they are offending the God who was powerful enough to speak the entire universe into being - and they think it is a joke.  That is somewhat like playing with a small electrical spark generator - while standing beside a nuclear bomb.  But, praise God, the young lady whose "F" word posts initiated my writing - never repeated that kind of post again.

Let me share my initial 2010 blog:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the past few weeks, my heart has been burdened.  I am seeing a proliferation of people, mostly young, but some not so young, who I know to be Christians and who I know come from good Christian families - flagrantly posting two very offensive words/phrases on Facebook.  What are these words and phrases that I find so offensive?  First is the initials "OMG" and the second is the "F" word.

Why are these so offensive to me?  Well, OMG is texting shorthand for "Oh, my God!" - which is taking God's name in vain.  God takes His name and His glory very serious.  That is why He wrote in the Bible, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, . . ." (Exodus 20:7).  So, just because it is abbreviated; makes it no less offensive - to God and to all Christian believers.

Creating slang versions of His name is the same, i.e., saying "Geez" or "Jeezus" - is just as bad as using, "Oh, Jesus!" or "Jesus Christ!" as exclamations of anger or aggravation, or to add color and emphasis to your conversation.

Most of the people I have seen writing these offenses have relatively good educations - and I am sure that, if those people try just a little, they can find more appropriate words to use in venting their frustration, to highlight their point, or to make an exclamation.

And, what does surprise me the most - is that 95% of the people I have recently seen using these offensive words on public forums - are female.

When we, especially we Christian believers, post on public forums such as Facebook - we are representing all Christian believers.  And we are representing our Lord.  We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

When I read this Scripture verse, I am reminded of a story my good Friend and mentor, the man who led me to the Lord in 1987 and who began my Christian education journey, Pastor Sam Lacanienta, told us many years ago.  When Pastor Sam was a young pastor in the Philippines, one Sunday a relative who was also the Philippine Ambassador to England, came to the worship service.  After the service, Pastor Sam asked him what it meant to be an ambassador for his country.  He told Pastor Sam, "My main job as an ambassador to England - is to not embarrass my nation while doing my job."

As Christian ambassadors for Christ, when we write on public forums and even when we are in private discussions - we should be very aware of not embarrassing our Lord.

For my young Friends, when you post such words on Facebook and other social networking channels - keep in mind that you are representing first your God - then yourself - and, very important, you are representing YOUR FAMILY - your mom, your dad, your siblings - all your family.

So, please, I know that you do not purposely want to be offensive, especially to God.  And I know you do not want to embarrass your family or yourself.  Therefore, when you write on Facebook or other networking channels - write your message as though you are writing it to your mother.  Write messages you would not be ashamed to have your mother, father, and siblings read.  Write messages which will glorify our Lord.

The following dialogue with an atheist Forum Friend is excerpted from my initial 2010 post on the TimesDaily Religion Forum and I have added it here in my initial blog to further explain why these abbreviations are offensive to God and should be to all believers:

She (an atheist Forum Friend) tells me, "Bill, I will not have my speech censored due to your belief.  I am sorry that you took offense to it, but it was in no way directed at you or what you believe in.  I will not use it to be purposely offensive, but if the mood hits me and I feel an 'OMG' is appropriate, then you will see it again.  I am intelligent enough to see the difference in someone being offensive for effect and someone just using a term or phrase for emphasizes.  I would hope you are also."

 
My Friend, I fail to see when the use of a phrase which is considered offensive to so many people - is appropriate.  And, I know that most folks, if they give it a wee bit of thought, can find an alternate phrase or word to use which is just as effective and not offensive to anyone.
 
I am not asking to censor your speech.  I AM asking for mutual respect.  Even though you were not purposely trying to offend me and other Christian believers - taking the name of our God, in whom we do believe, in vain - is offensive to all of us.
 
And, as I said, I KNOW that you are an intelligent person and can find other exclamations to use in lieu of that.
 
You tell me, "I am intelligent enough to see the difference in someone being offensive for effect and someone just using a term or phrase for emphasizes.  I would hope you are also."
 
I realize that you were not purposely trying to be offensive.  And, even among Christian believers, there are many who do not realize that they are offending God when they write OMG in a post, or use it in a conversation.   Many folks, especially young Christians, think they are just using a cute exclamation.
 
To be honest with you, I was not aware of the many ways we had been taking God's name in vain until about 20 years ago when our senior pastor, Pastor Sam Lacanienta, used a Sunday School class to explain it to us.  I had often heard, and probably been guilty of doing it myself, the use of words like "Geez" - which is just a shortened form of Jesus - or "Gosh!" which is just a disguised form of God, i.e., "Oh, my gosh (God)!" - as exclamation points.

But, since that Sunday, I have been very aware of the different forms of taking God's name in vain.  And, it sincerely does bother me to hear others do it so blatantly, even when it is not done purposely to offend another.

Because at one time I was not aware of the offense - now, when another person does it, I realize that they, too, may not be aware that what they are saying is offensive to most Christians.  So, as a Christian Friend, I will point it out to that person and let him/her know that I find it offensive.  If that person then continues to do it, I realize they are intentionally trying to offend me.

And, to my non-believing Friends, while you may or may not find these words offensive; keep in mind when you post on any Forum or social network channel - that those things are offensive to we Christians.  So, as a courtesy to us, please do try to find other words or phrases to use.  For that consideration, we thank you.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Friends, I posted this in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, and now in 2018.   And I will keep posting it as long as the secular world, and some unaware Christian Friends, continue to offend my God by taking His holy name in vain.  Only God or the Rapture can stop me - and I know He will not. 

Please feel free to share this with all your FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors) for they may not be aware of the offensive nature of such posts or comments.

Thank you and God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

Do You Know The Difference Between A Liberal, A Conservative, And A Fundamentalist?

Do you know the difference between a Liberal, a Conservative, and a Fundamentalist?  No, I am not speaking of political views, but of Christian theological views?

Are YOU a Liberal Christian, a Conservative Christian, a Fundamentalist Christian?  Not sure where you are comfortable?  I pray this discussion will help you know where you stand - and will help you stand firm in your commitment and relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and with fellow believers.

Over the years that I have been doing Christian apologetic writing on forums, blogs, and via Christian eNewsletters, those who disagree with my Conservative Christian writings thought they had found a good way to put me down.  Many in the secular world, and even many in the Liberal side of the Christian world - threw the word "Fundamentalist" at me as though they were painting me with some dark, evil slime.   I cannot tell you how many times I have been told, "Bill Gray is a 'Fundamentalist'!"

And, my response would always be, "Yes, I am a Conservative Christian, which can also be called a Fundamentalist Christian."   To me, Conservative Christian and Fundamentalist Christian are synonymous - meaning that I am a Christian whose faith has descended from the first 120 Holy Spirit indwelled disciples who were gathered in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, 33 AD. 

They were the core of the Christian faith - and from those 120 believers billions have come to faith in Jesus Christ.  The Conservative / Fundamentalist Christian holds the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant, literal Written Word of God - and the final authority on all things pertaining to our Christian faith, our salvation, and our daily walk with God.

Those 120 disciples were not Baptists, nor Methodists, nor Roman Catholics, nor any other denomination.  They were just 120 disciples whom the Holy Spirit indwelled and empowered on that wonderful day.  And they went out and began telling people about Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal life He had purchased for them on the cross of Calvary.

God did not create denominations - man did.   Through the forty men God selected to put His Word into writing - God gave us His full revelation for salvation and for living the Christian life.  Then men started disagreeing with one another, i.e., what does that Scripture passage really teach us?  Are the books of the Bible really the literal Written Word?  Or are they just thoughts put into writing by 40 sheepherders?  And on and on. 

Man taking the perfect revelation God has given us - and trying to put their own spin on it.  And that, folks, is how we have come to have so many different denominations and sub-groups within denominations.  Nothing is so perfect - that fallen man cannot mess it up!

Yes, I am a Conservative, Fundamentalist Christian - because I believe there is one Bible written for all mankind - and I believe that Bible is the Holy Spirit INSPIRED, Holy Spirit INERRANT, Holy Spirit LITERAL Written Word of God.  And the only name I wear is Conservative Christian, or Fundamentalist Christian if you desire.  Yet, because my personal Statement of Faith aligns very well with the Baptist Statement of Faith - I suppose you could call me a Baptist-flavored Christian.  In heaven there will be no denominations!

So how did the name "Fundamentalist" come about?   Glad you asked.

Toward the end of the 19th century (1801-1900) Liberal Christian theology was gaining a strong foothold in American churches and educational institutions.   Conservative Christians, i.e., those who hold to the doctrine that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, literal Written Word of God, were growing more and more concerned about the false representation of the Christian faith found in Liberalism, i.e., the late 19th century "theological modernism" - whose aim was to revise traditional Christian beliefs to accommodate new developments in the natural and social sciences, especially the theory of biological evolution as defined by Charles Darwin.  

In other words, they wanted to take the Word of God - and rather than adapting their worldview and thinking to fit what God has given us - they wanted to adapt God's Word to make it fit their secular worldview and desires.

The process of adapting God's Word to fit a secular worldview, or a predetermined theology, is supported using the Biblical hermeneutics style of interpretation called Eisegesis (the act of reading INTO the Bible what you want it to say, to support a desired, predetermined theology) ~ versus Exegesis (the act of reading FROM the Bible what God has inspired to be written there).

In the early part of the 20th century, two brothers,Lyman and Milton Stewart, successful Christian businessmen, were so concerned over the incursion of liberalism into our Christian faith that they decided to put their money to work in defense of Biblical Christianity.   They financed the writing and publishing of a twelve-volume group of essays titled "The Fundamentals" which, starting in 1910, were distributed free to over 500,000 pastors, teachers, and theologians. 

The Stewart brothers also funded the foundation of a Christian college, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (which later became Biola University).  In 1952 Biola added the Talbot School of Theology, a non-denominational, conservative evangelical Christian theological seminary.  The seminary is named after Dr. Louis Talbot, president of Biola University from 1932 to 1935 and from 1938 to 1952 - and pastor for many years of the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles (later pastored by Dr. J. Vernon McGee). 

In 1917, the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola) published and distributed the twelve-volume group of essays titled The Fundamentals as a four-volume edition which includes all the initial twelve volumes.  I have that four-volume set in my personal library.

The cornerstone of the original Bible Institute of Los Angeles building in Los Angeles was laid on May 31, 1913, and dedicated with these words from Lyman Stewart: "For the teaching of the truths for which the Institute stands, its doors are to be open every day of the year, and all people, without reference to race, color, or class will ever be welcome to its privileges."

Another great fighter against the incursion of Liberalism into our Christian churches was Dr. J. Gresham Machen, late Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.  His book "Christianity And Liberalism," published in 1923, is the seminal book defending Conservative Christian theology (Orthodox theology, i.e., the set of doctrines which were believed by the early Christians). 

I also have his book in my personal library, but since it is already fragile I have gone online and found a PDF download from which I can copy/paste excerpts.   Below are excerpts from Chapter 4,The Bible, of Christianity And Liberalism:

Modern liberalism, it has been observed so far, has lost sight of the two great presuppositions of the Christian message - the living God, and the fact of sin.  The liberal doctrine of God and the liberal doctrine of man are both diametrically opposite to the Christian view.  But the divergence concerns not only the presuppositions of the message, but also the message itself.  The Christian message has come to us through the Bible.  What shall we think about this Book in which the message is contained?   (page 69).

An objection is sometimes offered against this (inspired, inerrant, literal) view of the contents of the Bible.  Must we, it is said, depend upon what happened so long ago?  Does salvation wait upon the examination of musty records?  Is the trained student of Palestinian history the modern priest without whose gracious intervention no one can see God?  Can we not find, instead, a salvation that is independent of history, a salvation that depends only on what is with us here and now?  (page 70).

But at this point a fatal error lies in wait.  It is one of the root errors of modern liberalism.  Christian experience, we have just said, is useful as confirming the gospel message.  But because it is necessary, many men have jumped to the conclusion that it is all that is necessary.  Having a present experience of Christ in the heart, may we not, it is said, hold that experience no matter what history may tell us as to the events of the first Easter morning?  (page 71).

The contents of the Bible, then, are unique.  But another fact about the Bible is also important.  The Bible might contain an account of a true revelation from God, and yet the account be full of error.  Before the full authority of the Bible can be established, therefore, it is necessary to add to the Christian doctrine of revelation the Christian doctrine of inspiration.  The latter doctrine means that the Bible not only is an account of important things, but that the account itself is true, the writers having been so preserved from error, despite a full maintenance of their habits of thought and expression, that the resulting Book is the "infallible rule of faith and practice."  (page 72).

This doctrine of "plenary inspiration" has been made the subject of persistent misrepresentation.  Its opponents speak of it as though it involved a mechanical theory of the activity of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit, it is said, is represented in this doctrine as dictating the Bible to writers who were really little more than stenographers.  But of course all such caricatures are without basis in fact, and it is rather surprising that intelligent men should be so blinded by prejudice about this matter as not even to examine for themselves the perfectly accessible treatises in which the doctrine of plenary inspiration is set forth.   (page 73).

As a matter of fact, the doctrine of plenary inspiration does not deny the individuality of the Biblical writers; it does not ignore their use of ordinary means for acquiring information; it does not involve any lack of interest in the historical situations which gave rise to the Biblical books.  What it does deny is the presence of error in the Bible.  It supposes that the Holy Spirit so informed the minds of the Biblical writers that they were kept from falling into the errors that mar all other books.  The Bible might contain an account of a genuine revelation of God, and yet not contain a true account.  But according to the doctrine of inspiration, the account is, as a matter of fact, a true account; the Bible is an "infallible rule of faith and practice."   (pages 73, 74)

As a matter of fact, however, the modern liberal does not hold fast even to the authority of Jesus.  Certainly he does not accept the words of Jesus as they are recorded in the Gospels.  For among the recorded words of Jesus are to be found just those things which are most abhorrent to the modern liberal Church, and in His recorded words Jesus also points forward to the fuller revelation which was afterwards to be given through His apostles.  Evidently, therefore, those words of Jesus which are to be regarded as authoritative by modern liberalism must first be selected from the mass of the recorded words by a critical process. 

The critical process is certainly very difficult, and the suspicion often arises that the critic is retaining as genuine words of the historical Jesus only those words which conform to his own preconceived ideas.  But even after the sifting process has been completed, the liberal scholar is still unable to accept as authoritative all the sayings of Jesus; he must finally admit that even the "historical" Jesus as reconstructed by modern historians said some things that are untrue.  (pages 76-77).

Bill Gray Note:  You may download the PDF copy of this book at:  www.extremetheology.com/files/MachenLiberalism.pdf

Another extension of Liberal Theology into our Christian churches and faith today is found under the name: The Jesus Seminar.  Sounds legitimate, right?  That is what I also thought the first time I read about this group of supposed Bible scholars.  And, I could not have been more wrong.  This group is Liberalism taken to the extreme.

According to the Jesus Seminar web site:

Westar Institute - home of the Jesus Seminar - is dedicated to fostering and communicating the results of cutting-edge scholarship on the history and evolution of the Christian tradition, thereby raising the level of public discourse about questions that matter in society and culture.

The Jesus Seminar was organized in 1985 to renew the quest of the historical Jesus and to report the results of its research to the general public, rather than just to a handful of gospel specialists.  Initially, the goal of the Seminar was to review each of the sayings and deeds attributed to Jesus in the gospels and determine which of them could be considered authentic.

Thirty scholars took up the challenge at the initial meeting in Berkeley, California.  Eventually more than 200 professionally trained specialists, called Fellows, joined the group at various phases. .  .   The Seminar met twice a year to debate technical papers that were prepared and circulated in advance.  At the close of debate on each agenda item, Fellows voted using colored beads to indicate the degree of authenticity of the words and deeds attributed to Jesus in the gospels.

The first findings of the Jesus Seminar were published in 1993 as "The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus."

The Fellows used a voting system to evaluate the authenticity of about 500 statements and events.  For certain high-profile passages the votes were embodied in beads, the color of which represented the degree of confidence that a saying or act was, or was not, authentic:

Red beads – indicated the voter believed Jesus did say the passage quoted, or something very much like the passage.

Pink beads – indicated the voter believed Jesus probably said something like the passage.

Grey beads – indicated the voter believed Jesus did not say the passage, but it contains Jesus' ideas.

Black beads – indicated the voter believed Jesus did not say the passage - it comes from later admirers or a different tradition.

The Jesus Seminar participants decided which parts of the New Testament were valid by casting colored beads.  Basically, after discussing and voting on the validity of the miracles and teachings of Jesus Christ in the Bible - the Jesus Seminar concluded that over 80% of the sayings of Jesus in the New Testament were not valid, were not from Him - but were inventions of the writers of the Bible.

Also, according to the Jesus Seminar:

Jesus of Nazareth was born during the reign of Herod the Great.

His mother's name was Mary, and he had a human father whose name may not have been Joseph.

Jesus was born in Nazareth, not in Bethlehem.

Jesus was an itinerant sage who shared meals with social outcasts.

Jesus practiced faith healing without the use of ancient medicine or magic, relieving afflictions we now consider psychosomatic.

He did not walk on water, feed the multitude with loaves and fishes, change water into wine, or raise Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus was arrested in Jerusalem and crucified by the Romans.

He was executed as a public nuisance, not for claiming to be the Son of God.

The empty tomb is a fiction – Jesus was not raised bodily from the dead.

Belief in the resurrection is based on the visionary experiences of Paul, Peter, and Mary Magdalene.

According to Greg Koukl, Christian apologist and founder of the Christian apologetics organization Stand To Reason:

Who Are the (Jesus Seminar) Scholars?:    Journalists frequently refer to the 74 "scholars" of the Jesus Seminar as representing the mainstream of biblical scholarship.  Being a bona fide scholar, though, means more than just having a degree.  Generally, a scholar is one who demonstrates a mastery of his discipline and who makes an academic contribution to his field. 

By this definition, only fourteen members of the Seminar qualify, including scholars like John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg.  Twenty others are recognizable names in the field.  One quarter of the group, though, are complete unknowns (one is a movie producer), and half of them come from a cluster of three ultra-liberal schools: Harvard, Claremont, and Vanderbilt.

What made The Jesus Seminar dangerous is that the Liberal News Media jumped on their bandwagon and began publicizing their meetings and conclusions.  Folks, because this Ultra Liberal group wears the name "Jesus Seminar" and because the Liberal News Media strongly supports and publicizes anyone who tries to discredit God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, and our Christian faith - that created a grave danger for new believers and for those who are just beginning to seek God. 

And, that my Friends is why it is so important that we Conservative Christians, we who hold to the Biblical teachings of our Christian faith and doctrines - MUST really live the Great Commission, "Go, Make disciples, Baptize them, TEACH them.  .  .  . be My witnesses, in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and in all the world"  (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15).  The eternal life of many folks still depend upon us, you and me, sharing the full Word of God with them.

GO into your own personal Jerusalem (your family, friends, community)  ~  GO into your own Judea and Samaria (be willing to stand in the face of opposition, telling your local, state, and federal leaders that we will not evict God from America)  ~  GO into all the world sharing the Gospel. 

Through the use of the internet and social networking - we now can go into all the world sharing His Word.   Polish up your Great Commission and GO share His Word!

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

 

Overview Of End Times Prophecies

In the past two weeks at International Bible Baptist Church of Riverside, Pastor Sergio has begun a teaching of End Times Prophecies.  This past Sunday he spoke on the Rapture and Imminency.   So I would like to take a moment and try to give a brief overview of the End Times events.  I will just touch briefly on the key points which will be discussed in the coming months. 

If you have an interest in studying eschatological prophecies and live in Southern California - come join us at IBBC-Riverside: 5932 Challen Avenue, Riverside, California 92503.    Morning Service at 10:30 AM  ~  Main Worship Service at 2:30 PM, with Sunday School at 1:30 PM.
Let's Talk About The End Times Events!

(1)  Church Age (Acts 2:1-4) - Began on the Day of Pentecost 33 AD, in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, when the Holy Spirit came upon the 120 disciples waiting as Jesus had instructed them, for the promise given by God, the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all believers.  The Church Age began on the Day of Pentecost - and is still going today, the age of Grace.  It will continue until the Rapture of the church.

(2)  The Rapture (John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) - will end the Church Age as all believers, i..e, the New Testament church, are taken into heaven.  During the 7-year Tribulation when the church is in heaven, these two major events will occur:

(a)  Bema Seat Judgment, i.e., Believers' Judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).  A judgment of rewards, not punishment.

(b)  Wedding Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9) - when Christ takes His betrothed, the church, to be His Bride.

(3)  The Tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27) - will begin shortly after the Rapture and will be triggered by the signing of a 7-year Peace Accord between the Antichrist and the nation Israel.

(4)   Ordaining of 144,000 Jewish Evangelist (Revelation 7:4-8) - These are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, set aside by God to share His Gospel during the Tribulation.  This is validation that, even though the church was removed at the Rapture - the Holy Spirit is still working on earth.  During the church age, He worked through believers to spread the Gospel. During the Tribulation, He will work through the 144,000, through the Two Witnesses, and through all who become believers during the Tribulation, i.e., Tribulation saints.

(5)  The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11) - God will raise up two very powerful witnesses.  Some suggest Moses to represent the Law and Elijah to represent the Prophets (Matthew 11:13, Matthew 22:40, Luke 16:16).  They will prophesy and share God's Word for 1260 days (42 months, 3 1/2 years).  Then they will be killed, their bodies will lay in the streets for 3 1/2 days as the whole world watches - and then they will rise up, resurrect, and ascend into heaven - just as Jesus Christ ascended.

(6)  Mid-Tribulation Desecration of the holy temple (Daniel 9:27) - When the Antichrist will seat himself upon the temple throne and declare himself to be God.  This is also called the Abomination of Desolation.

(7)  Recognition of Martyred Tribulation Saints (Revelation 7:9-14) - A great number, too large to count, from all nations, Jew and Gentile, will become believers during the 7-year Tribulation.  Many will die for their new Christian faith and will go directly into heaven.

(8)  Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:11-16) - He will return in glory at the end of the 7-year Tribulation.  When He returns as King of Kings, His armies will return with him - His Bride, the church - Old Testament saints - Martyred Tribulation saints - and His angels.

(9)  Sheep & Goat Judgment  (Matthew 25:31-46) - One of His first actions will be the judgment of all Tribulations survivors.  Sheep (believers) will go into the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies.  Goats (non-believers) will go into Hades/Torment to await their final judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment.

(10)  Satan locked in the abyss (Revelation 20:1-3) - Satan is removed to the abyss for 1000 years, his temptation removed from mortal Millennium believers and their children.  All Tribulation survivors who go into the Millennial Kingdom are believers.  Although being in their mortal bodies, they will still have the curse of the Adamic Sin Nature - but no temptation.  However, all children born to the Millennial mortals will still have to receive Christ as Lord and Savior - each individual just as we do today.  Many, through apathy, will just never get around to it and will still be non-believers.

(11)  1000 Year Millennial Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 20:4) - Christ rules the world from the throne of David in Jerusalem for 1000 years, the perfect Theocracy.

(12)  Satan is released from the abyss (Revelation 20:7) - After the 1000 year Millennium, Satan is released from the abyss - and will immediately start recruiting all those Millennium born people who through apathy did not follow Christ.  He will build a great army of those apathetic souls - and try one last time to defeat Jesus Christ and destroy holy Jerusalem (Revelation 20:7-9).  And, just as in the pre-Rapture, pre-Tribulation battle described in Ezekiel 38-39 (Gog and Magog) "fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them."   Satan will be cast into the lake of fire to join his Antichrist and False Prophet (Revelation 20:10).

(12)  Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) - All non-believers from all ages will be resurrected into their immortal bodies - to stand before Jesus Christ in judgment for rejecting him in their mortal lives.  This is a judgment of punishment, not a second chance - and all will be ushered into an eternity void of the loving presence of God.  That can only be described as hell.

(13)  Eternity With Jesus Christ (Revelation 21-22) -  Jesus Christ will escort all believers in our immortal bodies into His eternity.  The New Heaven and New Earth will appear and the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven.  And that will be our eternal home.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Let's Talk More About The Rapture!

There are basically five views of the Rapture:

(1)  It Will Never happen!  The Rapture is only a fantasy, a myth propagated by Evangelicals and Fundamentalists.

Problem with that view:  Non-believers and Liberal theology believers need this view.   For the non-believers, to accept the Rapture is to admit a belief in God.  And most are not ready for that yet. 

For the Liberal theology believers, the Rapture refutes their belief in purgatory - or - their belief that Jesus will stay in heaven until it is time for us to enter Eternity - or - their belief that society is getting more righteous every day and when the world is righteous, He will just come and take us into Eternity - without a Rapture, without a Believers Judgment, without the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

(2)  Mid-Tribulation Rapture:  Christ will rapture His church; but, not until the middle of the seven year Tribulation.

Problem with that view:  Key fault with this belief is that it destroys the doctrine of imminence, that Christ's return to Rapture His church could happen at any moment - but, no one knows the time or date.

(3)  Pre-Wrath Rapture:  Christ will rapture His church - but not until 5 1/4 years after the start of the seven year Tribulation.

Problem with that view:  Key fault with this belief is that it destroys the doctrine of imminence, that Christ's return to Rapture His church could happen at any moment - but, no one knows the time or date.

(4)  Post-Tribulation Rapture:  Christ will Rapture His church at the end of the Tribulation.

Problem with that view:  Key fault with this belief is the same problem of imminence.  And since post-tribulation is the time of His Second Coming, why would He rapture us into heaven - at the same time He is leaving heaven to return to earth and establish His Millennial Kingdom in Jerusalem?

(5)  Pre-Tribulation Rapture:  Finally, a Rapture view which makes sense and is Biblical.  Christ will keep His church from the wrath (John 14:1-3, Revelation 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

No Problem with this view:  Jesus Christ will appear in the air and believers will be "caught up" (harpazō in Greek, rapiemur in Latin, rapture in English) to meet Him in the clouds and we shall be with Him always. (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

And, to quote the late well known and beloved anchorman, Walter Cronkite, who for so many years onThe CBS Evening News most often signed off with, "And that's the way it is!"

Yes, my Friends, that IS the way it is - and that is why it is so important for us to faithfully be sharing His Gospel of salvation with our unsaved friends. 

Let me close by emphasizing that a person is not saved by, nor will a believer lose salvation - based upon his/her eschatological beliefs.  We are saved by grace through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).  So why study eschatology?  Glad you asked.  A person can believe any of those different eschatological beliefs above and still be a born-again believer.

But what sense of eternal security can a person have if he is convinced that he and his believing loved ones are going to have to experience the horrors of the seven year Tribulation? 

I find comfort knowing that I am a member of God's family, an integral part of the betrothed bride of Christ - and knowing that He will NOT allow His bride to suffer those horrors.  Would YOU allow your wife or other loved ones to suffer such Tribulations horrors if you have the power to prevent it?  Of course not.  And neither will Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day, 

Bill
Click on the graphic image to enlarge it:

A Man Named Sam

"Come and listen to my story about a man named Sam.  .  .  .  The kinfolk said 'Sam, move away from there.  Californy is the place you ought to be'"  

Okay, so I borrow that from the Beverly Hillbillies theme song, but I do want to tell you the true story of a man named Sam - Pastor Sam Lacanienta - a man who made an eternal change in my life.  I believe he said his Christian father had owned a mortuary in Cebu.  And Sam, raised in a Christian family, became a pastor in the Philippines as a young man.  He attended the Far Eastern Bible Institute and Seminary (FEBIAS), founded in 1948 as an interdenominational Bible school and later changed to FEBIAS College of Bible.  He was ordained and pastored a church in the Philippines

During that time he met and fell in love with a young lady named Ida.   Since it was a unilateral love, he had to chase Ida for seven years before she caught him.  They migrated to America where Sam became an associate pastor at a small Southern Baptist church in Santa Ana, California.

Pastor Sam told a touching story of an older man who lived just down the street from the church.  The elderly man was always angry because the church did not have sufficient parking, and folks parked on the street in front of his home every Sunday.  Rather than ignore the man, Pastor Sam went to talk with him to get to know him better.  Sam often went to the man's home just to talk - and he shared the Gospel with him. 

This went on for quite a while.  Eventually the man prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Not too long after that, Pastor Sam began to notice that the man was not outside working in his yard for several weeks.   When he went to visit, he learned that his friend, this new child of God - had been promoted to his newly claimed heavenly home with the Lord.

Eventually Pastor Sam moved, becoming an associate pastor at Woodbridge Community Church in Irvine, California, which is affiliated with the Baptist General Conference (home organization behind Bethel University, a Baptist seminary founded in 1871).  After he met and started a Fil-Am Bible study in the home of Fred & Nattie Almeda, more Filipinos began attending Woodbridge leading Pastor Sam and Fred Almeda to form the new Fil-Am Church of Irvine (FACI) as a daughter church under Woodbridge.

In 1987 I met Pastor Sam Lacanienta at a Saturday evening social at the home of Lolita Mueller.  That evening when I met Pastor Sam & Ida Lacanienta at the Mueller home changed my life forever.  I was not a believer then - but I could see and feel the love of God in this pastoral couple.  The next day my wife, Dory, and I attended the Fil-Am Church of Irvine (CA) worship service - and I could feel the love of God flowing through Pastor Sam, permeating the whole congregation, and I was caught up in it. 

That Friday we attended their Family Bible Study at the home of Ed & Ligaya Nibut - and found the same Godly love there.  Because of the love we experienced, we continued to attend their worship services and Family Bible Studies.  And after about six months, I gave my life to the Lord.  I cannot give you a definite day and hour when I believed, for my salvation was a six month process. 

The more I learned about Jesus Christ - the more I knew that I needed Him.  Most of that was learned in our Bible studies - even though Pastor Sam's sermons and Sunday School classes were also part of my maturing process.  So you can see why I place such importance on interactive Family Bible Studies.

In the early 1990s, a young man from the Philippines, Leto Carag, was attending our FACI services while preparing to attend Westminster Theological Seminary in Escondido, California.  Through Pastor Sam, our church arranged to give a used car to Leto so that he would have transportation while attending Westminster Seminary.  Today that young man is Dr. Anacleto S. Carag,  M.Div and D. Min., president/director of FEBIAS College of Bible, Pastor Sam's alma mater.

Pastor Sam Lacanienta became Director of Church Planting for Filipino churches of the Southwest District of the Baptist General Conference.  In that role, he began working to plant new Filipino-American churches in California and other western states.   One of the first he planted was the Fil-Am Church of Long Beach. 

One of the young couples in our College/Professional Group at FACI was Charles Patam and May Egenias who would soon marry while Charles was attending Talbot Seminary at Biola University.  Pastor Sam commissioned (cannot be ordained until graduation from seminary) Charles as the pastor of the Fil-Am Church of Long Beach.

A few years later, I was in the hospital with the flu.  A young male nurse came into my room and saw me reading my Bible.  He asked if was a pastor and I told him, "No, I am just a Christian who loves to study the Bible and share it with folks I meet."  As we talked I told him about the Fil-Am churches in Southern California which Pastor Sam had planted - and he was interested in attending our Long Beach church.  

To my embarrassment, I could not give him the address of that church.  Later I was able to talk with Pastor Freddy Cortez who had been a youth pastor at Long Beach before taking over at our San Clemente Fil-Am church - and got the address for Long Beach.  But unfortunately, that young male nurse was assigned to a different department and I never was able to give him the address.

After that fiasco, I was determined to not let it happen again.  When I got home from the hospital, I created a tract for our Fil-Am churches and put this image on the back.  These are the Baptist General Conference affiliated Fil-Am churches which Pastor Sam planted in Southern California.  There were others in Washington, Arizona, etc.

Several funny stories relating to FACI come to memory: 

One Sunday evening our FACI fellowship was having a joint worship service with the Woodbridge Community host morning church.  Ida Lacanienta was sitting with wife of the Woodbridge pastor when he asked for men to pass out flyers.  Several of us volunteered - and the Woodbridge pastor's wife, kind of teasing Ida because all of us who volunteered were Caucasian, told Ida, "Look, my men volunteered."   Ida smiled and told her, "No, the tall blonde one is mine."

After the wedding of Pastor Charles Patam and May Egenias, they went on a cruise for their honeymoon.  On the cruise they met and became friends with a young couple who had planned to be married by the ship's captain when they entered international waters.  But after meeting Charles and May, they wanted the newly wed Pastor Charles to marry them.  Since he had only been commissioned, but not yet ordained for he was still attending seminary - Pastor Charles was not sure if he could legally marry them.

He placed an urgent ship-to-shore call to Pastor Sam - and was told that by California law a commissioned pastor can perform a wedding.  So shortly after his own wedding, Pastor Charles performed his first wedding ceremony onboard a ship in international waters.  How cool is that?

I don't recall ever hearing Pastor Sam raise his voice - in conversation, in Bible studies, or in his sermons.  So even his sermons were more like conversations, much like we see with Pastor Charles Stanley on television.

And that brings me to one other incident which always brings a smile to my face:

Pastor Sam never raised his voice, but I did see him get angry.  One evening he came to Bible study and you could tell he was bothered, irritated.  What caused his irritation?  That afternoon he had been driving on the freeway and saw a car with a "Honk If You Love Jesus" bumper sticker.  So, Pastor Sam, who always has a big smile on his face - honked as he drove past the car and gave the driver a big Pastor Sam smile.  The driver of the other car responded with a "one finger salute" to Pastor Sam's overt friendliness.

Our Bible study that evening centered around car bumper stickers.  Pastor Sam told us, "If you are selling or trading in a car which has a Christian bumper sticker or any other Christian sticker on it - REMOVE IT before surrendering the car."   He was deadly serious. 

And I can relate to that.  One afternoon in Corona I was stopped at a red light and in the car in front of me was a young lady.   I smiled because she had a Christian fish on her car.  A pick-up truck was sitting beside me blaring the most vulgar rap music I had ever heard and my immediate thought was, "Praise God he is not sitting beside that young Christian lady with that filthy music blaring."

When the light changed, the vulgar rap music truck pulled ahead of me and, to my shock, on the truck was a Christian fish.  Only two things could explain that:  (1) either he bought the truck and the previous Christian owner had not removed the sticker - or (2) he had borrowed the truck from a friend who was a Christian and had no idea of the pollution that was blasting from his truck.  Either way, I remembered Pastor Sam's lesson on removing Christian stickers from cars you are selling or trading.

Just one more story about Pastor Sam.  In the mid-1980s I was working for computer company in Irvine and on a sunny day decided to walk to a Food Court a few blocks away for lunch.  Walking back to work I had an encounter with an earth worm.  As I said, it was a sunny day and walking along I saw an earth worm crawling across the hot sidewalk. I could see many other worms who had taken that perilous journey - only to be cooked on the hot sidewalk or squashed by cars on the street.

I decided to save my little earth worm and put him back into the lush green grass.  But when I tried to pick it up, the worm began to wiggle and fight against me.  Eventually I did accomplish my task of saving that one earth worm - and went back to work.  At work I began to think about that worm and how he was much like we humans.  We are headed on a perilous journey to an eternity we will regret.  But God sent His Son to pick us up and put us back into His lush garden, His Christian church fellowship.  But most of us fight against all His efforts - just as that worm fought against me.  However, if we will only listen to Him, He will save us - as I saved that worm.

That evening at Bible study when I shared my earth worm story, Pastor Sam suggested, "Bill, you should write it to share with others."  And, that, my Friends, is how Bill Gray began a Christian writing ministry.   So, if you don't like my writings, blame Pastor Sam, for he got me started.  And I thank God often for his encouragement.

About 2005, Pastor Sam and Ida decided to return to the Philippines to do ministry in their homeland.  I remember Ida telling us that when they told their family, their young granddaughter, Bethany, asked her, "Will you still be my Lola?"  In a way I could have asked a similar question, for this Godly couple was my spiritual parents.

In the Philippines, they began to operate the Word of Life Seaside Bible Camp for young people, accept speaking invitations, lead home Bible studies, counsel and disciple, and pastor a new church, the Talakag Church on the Solid Rock - a sister church of Church on the Solid Rock in Laguna Niguel, California, where Pastor Sam was pastor before making the decision to return home to the Philippines. 

Also, because of Ida's teaching credentials, they were working on accreditation with the Philippine Department of Education for a pre-school they currently were operating for the young children in their area.

Each year, they returned to Southern California to spend the holidays with their family.  The day after Thanksgiving 2012, Ida became ill and went into the hospital.  At about 1:00 AM on the morning of December 10th, she went home to be with her precious Lord. 

Pastor Sam returned to the Philippines to continue pastoring the church which Ida and her friends were instrumental in founding, the Talakag Church on the Solid Rock.  And today, nearing his mid-80s, Pastor Sam Lacanienta is still serving the Lord in these activities he and Ida established.

There are so many stories I could share with you about Pastor Sam and Ida Lacanienta.  But if I keep going this will be a book instead of a blog.

I am just one of many whom this Godly man, in his quiet, sincere way - has led to saving faith in Jesus Christ.  I pray that this ongoing story of "A Man Named Sam" has been edifying and encouraging to you.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill
In this blog, click on the images to enlarge them.

Which Is Correct - The Gap Theory Or The Bible? ~ 2002, 2004, 2018

At a recent Friday Evening Bible Study at International Bible Baptist Church - Riverside, our scheduled leader, Paul Garcia, had to work late and asked me to fill in for him.  The previous week I led a discussion of Revelation and End Times prophecies.  So this week I decided to go to the front of my Bible and lead a study from Genesis, chapter 1, the Creation. 

During that study we discussed the compromise theology of the Gap Theory.  During my 31 years as a believer, I have been saddened to see many pastors, Bible teachers, theologians, and scholars choose the path of least resistance when defending our Christian faith against secular science.  A great example of that is the "switch, don't fight" compromise attitude which supports the Gap Theory.

And there is no better way to explain the Gap Theory than to share a dialogue I had with a dear Christian sister in 2002, and later commented on in 2004:

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WHICH IS CORRECT - THE GAP THEORY OR THE BIBLE? 
Saturday, August 28, 2004

Recently, while listening to Pastor's Perspective, a Christian radio talk show on KWVE Christian Radio, I was somewhat surprised to hear a senior Calvary Chapel pastor I have long admired advocate the Gap Theory as being possibly true.

For those not familiar with the Gap Theory, it is a theory, or postulation, put forth by some theologians who feel that they must make Biblical creation and secular science agree.  So they offer a compromise suggesting that, between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 - there is a gap of possibly billions of years, or at least millions of years.  Using that non-Biblical presupposition or hypothesis, Progressive Creation theologians can claim belief in the Biblical Creation - while still maintaining agreement with secular scientists and evolutionists.

Science suggests that during those millions or billions of years, simple lifeless cells floating in primordial pools had plenty of time to evolve into living cells - life created from non-life without God - possibly even prehistoric Albert Einsteins.  And in theirhypothesis many diverse animals could have evolved from those simple lifeless cells, including the dinosaurs - which gives the theologians, scientists, and evolutionists comfort with their purposed timing of the dinosaurs on earth.

In other words, according to the Gap Theory theologians, after God tells us in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" - and before the time He tells us in Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters" - there was a previously created earth populated with people, animals, and plush beautiful vegetation.  But in their scenario God destroyed that earlier version of earth because of early human corruption.  Then He started all over again by creating a refurbished earth and creating Adam and Eve to populate this new Garden of Eden on His newly restored earth.

To make their theoretical postulation work - the Progressive Creation (Gap Theory) theologians tell us that God grew angry and destroyed that first earth.  And that was the cause of the condition we read about in Genesis 1:2 - "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. . ."

I suppose that theory also proves that God was the originator of the old maxim, "If at first you don't succeed - try, try again!"  I always wondered where that saying originated.

Several really big problems pop into my head when I try to assimilate this theory.

First, did the first earth have a sun, moon, stars, i.e., the heavens?  If so, did God also destroy them when He caused the flood (called Lucifer's Flood) which destroyed that first earth?  To support their theory they tell us that God caused a Pre-Adamic Flood to destroy the earth.  Did He cause the flood on earth - to destroy all the heavens also?  Really?  If not, then why did He have to recreate the heavenly bodies in Genesis 1?

Consider this, in Genesis 1:14-19, the Fourth Day, God created the sun, the moon, and the stars.  If they already existed from the first earth creation; why did He have to create them again?  Unless that first flood reached out into space and destroyed the heavenly bodies also?  Please note that for Noah's Flood the Bible tells us the earth and all life on earth except Noah and his family were destroyed.  But it says nothing of the sun, moon, and stars being destroyed.  So, would there be a need to recreate them on the Fourth Day of our Creation?

Second, in Romans 5:12 we are told, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin - and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."   That one man was Adam whose disobedience brought sin into the world, and with that sin came death for the first time.

Before Adam, if there really was an earth populated by many people and animals - how did they disappear?  It could not have been through death; because death did not come into being until after Adam sinned.  Did God rapture them up?  I don't think so, do you?

Rather than continuing to belabor the point, I will copy/paste below a dialogue on "Floods In The Bible" I had with a dear Christian sister several years ago.  In this dialogue we discuss the subject of the Gap Theory in detail.  However, let me make one final point before we proceed to that dialogue.  We know from Scripture, 1 Samuel 15:29, that God does not lie nor change His mind.  We know from 2 Timothy 3:16 that ALL Scripture is inspired by God. 

Based upon those two Scripture verses, we have to agree that ALL of the Bible is either inerrant, without error - OR - that the Bible is totally false.  It cannot be the Written Word of God if any part of Scripture is in error.  So when it tells us that through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin - we have to believe that.  Either that, or we throw the whole Bible away.  And with that we all would be condemned to an eternity without God, which can only be called hell.  Think about it.

I pray that my article below will prove to you, once and for all, that the Gap Theory and the Pre-Adamic Flood Theory (Lucifer's Flood) are totally false.

This dialogue from 2002 was with my very dear Friend and Christian sister, Marna Howard, a wonderful and very intelligent lady.  Marna was a retired school teacher in Missouri who often was my best proofreader (unfortunately many times it was after I had already published my eNewsletter to the world), and a person who loves the Lord.  She has been with Him in glory for a number of years.  I look forward to joining her there one day; so that we may continue our discussions of God's love and glory.

One last thought on Marna.  Her husband was an elder in their Baptist church.  And often during our many dialogues, when we would disagree, she would tell me, "You are just another Fundamentalist Baptist like my husband!"   And I would smile and reply, "Thank you!"

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Subject:  FLOODS IN THE BIBLE     Date:  Wed, 20 Feb 2002 22:01
From:   Marna Howard   To:   Bill Gray

Bill,  Let me give you a few thoughts to mull over.

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:

I am not a Hebrew scholar, but according to all the teaching I have had, the Hebrew verb WAS in Genesis 1:2 is from the verb, hayah, meaning TO BECOME - not the verb TO BE.  Therefore the earth must have become waste and empty since its original creation and habitation in the beginning. 

It reads, "And the earth BECAME without form," - tohu, meaning waste, without form, or in vain.   In Isaiah 45:18, it says God did not create the earth in tohu or in vain.  In Deuteronomy 32:10, the same word is translated WASTE.  The Hebrew word, hayah, is translated BECAME many, many times elsewhere in the Bible.

BILL'S RESPONSE:

In responding I am using The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible which includes Greek and Hebrew dictionaries and references.  I am using this in conjunction with The Blue Letter Bible web page.  The URL is:  blueletterbible (dot) org/index.html

The Blue Letter Bible is a powerful on-line Bible tool.  Once you select the Scripture you want to examine, it gives you many options such as 14 different English Bible translations plus translations in Spanish, Latin Vulgate, Textus Receptus (TR), and Morphological Greek New Testament (mGNT) - if those are helpful.

You can look at a Scripture verse in a table which shows that verse in each of the those many translations - allowing you to compare them side be side.  It allows you to choose a verse and see the Hebrew or Greek translations with a reference number to that word or phrase in the Strong's Concordance Hebrew or Greek Dictionary. 

It also gives you options such as commentaries, dictionary aids, music or hymns which refer to this particular verse, and a Treasury of Scripture Knowledge References for that verse.  The Blue Letter Bible is co-sponsored by Koinonia House, Chuck Missler's ministry.  The Koinonia House URL is:  khouse (dot) org

That established, let's look at Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth".

When I refer to a Hebrew word I will italicize it and give the Strong's Concordance number.  "In the beginning God created (bara 1254)."  The Hebrew word bara, in its primary usage means "to create from nothing."  And, obviously, the first thing God created from nothing is the heavens and the earth.  He wanted to have a home for the rest of His earthly creations.

Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."

Marna, you reference the word "was" which in Hebrew is hayah.  The Strong's number is 1961 and it defines hayah as meaning "to exist, to be, or to become."     Even though a word has a number of meanings, we must select the one which is contextually correct based upon it's use in that passage and its relationship with other Scripture verses. 

So since we have just read that God created (bara) the heavens and the earth - we must assume that He is in an on-going process of His total creation.  First, He created the heavens and the earth and it was formless (tohuw  8414 - waste, desolate) and void (bohuw  0922 - empty, a vacuity or empty space).  This was step one in His creation.  The Matthew Henry Commentary describes this as the "embryonic stage."

You reference Isaiah 45:18, "For thus saith the LORD who created the heavens. . ."   Created here again uses the Hebrew word, bara, (1254) and is now referring to the past, i.e., the heavens had become.  Continuing with Isaiah 45:18, "He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited, 'I am the LORD, and there is none else.'" 

He did not create it to be a waste place (tohuw  8414 - waste, desolate) but created it to be inhabited by Adam, Eve, their children, their descendants, and all of the animal and plant life He would create.
 
You mentioned that the Hebrew word, hayah (1961), is translated "became" many times in the Bible.  That is true.  And that is why, when we study the Bible, we must use the proper method of interpretation (hermeneutics) in deciding which meaning or tense of the word is contextually correct for that instance and in agreement with other Scripture.  Scripture verifies Scripture.

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:

In verse 1, the word for created is barah, meaning to bring into being from nothing.  Hebrews 11:3 - "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear"   In all other places in this passage the words, MADE and MAKE, are used, so the six days' work was mainly reconstructive.  Just as we might make something of a material which had already been created.  

In v1, the universe is brought into existence, created from something that did not exist before.   Starting in v2, it is reconstructed.  Since the Isaiah passage says He did not create the world tohu, and yet, in Genesis 1:2 the world had BECOME tohu, then something must have happened to the perfect creation God made in the beginning.

BILL'S RESPONSE:

Once again, we must be careful to use the correct contextual interpretation of the word.   Genesis 1:3 tells us, "And God said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.'"  Here "let there be" is hayah (1961) used in a variation of "to be."

Let's not confuse the "light" in Genesis 1:3 with the creation of the sun, moon, and stars which occurs in Genesis 1:16.  This light is to be distinguished from that which radiates from the sun.  What was the source of that light?  I don't know since the Bible doesn't elaborate.  It could have been the light of God's glory illuminating the universe - as it will when, in Revelation 21, we have the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem when we go into eternity after the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

Or it could have been Jesus Christ, since we know from the Gospel of John that He, Jesus, was the instrument of creation from the Godhead.  John 1:9 tells us, "There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man."  So, I am content to take that as the light meant when God spoke, "Let there be light: and their was light."   You will note that it doesn't say, "God created the light," but instead He says, "Let there be light."

Genesis 1:16 reads, "God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also."  The first phrase, "God made the two great lights," uses the Hebrew word `asah (6213 - to do or to make).  In the last phrase, He made the stars also, the Hebrew word kowkab (3556 - a star, i.e., as round or as shining) is used most likely because it is more descriptive of those heavenly bodies.

There is nothing, so far, to support your suggestion that this is a work of reconstruction rather than creation.  So far, everything God has done is steps in His initial creation process.  And, again, Isaiah 45:18 is looking back at the completed work of creation, not at just a part of that process.

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:

In Genesis 1:2, we find the earth not only flooded with water but covered with total darkness - the sun, moon, and stars having withdrawn their light - causing the death of all inhabitants on earth.  So, the earth, the water, and the darkness were already in existence before God started his six days' work of reconstruction. 

In Scripture all instances of obscuring the sun and bringing darkness and universal floods are revealed to be the result of Judgment, not creation, as seen in the flood of Noah's time - as seen in Exodus 10:21-23 when the plague of darkness came over Egypt - in the prophecies of woes and judgments in Isaiah 5:30 - and in Jeremiah 4:23 we find the prophecy of disasters to come. 

Also there is Matthew 8:12 where Jesus speaks of the sons of the kingdom (Satan's kingdom) being thrown into the outer darkness.  Again, in Matthew 24:29, these are signs of the end of the age.  I could give you many more in Amos, Joel, and Revelation.   All referring to judgment for sin.  Surely Genesis 1:2 would not be the only exception in the whole Bible where darkness resulted from anything else.  So, I think sin was being judged here. 

BILL'S RESPONSE:

Looking at Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."

I agree with you that, at this point of time in the creation process, the earth was covered with water and darkness.  In Genesis 1:6-7 (nasb) we read, "Then God said, ‘'Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.'  God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so."  

Genesis 1:6, (kjv and nkjv), "Then God said, 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.'"

What is that "expanse" or "firmament" spoken of in Genesis 1:6-7?   Could it have been a dome of mist which covered the newly created earth?  Keep in mind that God created the atmosphere in day 2 and plant life in day 3.  But, it never rained until Noah's flood (about 1650 years after the Creation) - so the dome of mist would have nurtured the plant life.  "Let there be an expanse (firmament) in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters (seas) from the waters (clouds)."  That describes our earth atmosphere, i.e., the "first heaven."       

In 2 Corinthians 12:2 the apostle Paul speaks of being taken into the "third heaven."   In Genesis 6:7 God speaks of the "birds of heaven." 

In the Bible we find the "three heavens."   First is our atmosphere which is about 10 miles high.  Second heaven is space, also called the stratosphere.  The third heaven is the throne room of God.

Genesis 1:2 tells me that when God created the earth, it was completely covered with water and then, in day 3 of the creation, He rearranges it so that the dry land appears.  Imagine that you are doing your landscaping and need better soil; you order new soil and the truck pulls up in your yard and dumps the new dirt in a big pile.  The truck leaves and you get your shovel and start rearranging the dirt to be where you want it.  Effectively God did the same, rearranging the waters to make room for the dry land.

Given that, in the Bible, some references to a day is actually speaking of a period of time or an era, i.e., in "the Day of the Lord" meaning the Tribulation or End Times period.  I will not argue that the time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 could not have been a longer period of time.  It is very possible and it is irrelevant since God did not consider it worth elaborating.  However, there is absolutely no indication anywhere in the Scriptures that human life, or any kind of life, was on the earth prior to Genesis 1:2.  The theory that the earth contained living beings prior to Genesis 1:2 and that they were destroyed by a flood is just that, a conjecture, which has absolutely no Scriptural support.

Yes, the earth in Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 was covered with water and darkness.  Remember, this was step 1 in the creation process.  In step 2, day 1, God said, "Let there be light; and there was light."  And in Genesis 1:16 the sun, the moon, and the stars were created.  God created the earth covered with water, not flooded for punishment because there was no one yet to punish - and there was no reason to punish anyone because Adam had not fallen into sin yet.

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:

This pre-Adamic flood was even worse than the one in Noah's time, because everything was completely destroyed.  In Noah's flood not everything was completely void.   Psalm 136:6 says God stretched out the dry land above the waters, not the waters to cover the earth.   And if we go back to the Jeremiah 4 passage, not only does it say everything was empty, the mountains were quaking, there were no people nor birds, and the fruitful land had become desert, and all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord in his fierce anger. 

This could not refer to the flood of Noah's time, because then there were lights in the heavens, and there were men, birds, and fruitful places left after the flood.   There were none of these things in Genesis l:2.    So I feel that darkness and global flooding is used of judgment here.

BILL'S RESPONSE:

You refer to Psalm 136:6 which says, "To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His  lovingkindness is everlasting."    We all know that Psalms is part of the poetic portion of the Bible.  Therefore phrases, especially these being Hebrew poetic phrases - will not be written or spoken as we would when writing historical facts.  In Psalm 136 David is giving Praise to God for being the Creator, for being the Deliverer of Israel, and for His loving mercy.  

In my Bible's cross references to other Scripture verses which are in agreement with the verse we are studying, I find Genesis 1:9 which refers back to God rearranging the waters on the earth to make room for dry land.   So, once again, as in Isaiah 45:18, we are looking back on God's completed work of creation.

In Jeremiah, chapter 4, the prophet Jeremiah is warning the kingdom of Judah of the coming destruction to be brought upon that people by the invading army of Nebuchadnezzar.  The people of Judah had turned from God and were worshiping idols and living lustful lives.  So God turned from them and left them to destruction.  Jeremiah 4:23 is describing the total destruction of the land of Judah by the invading armies - and drawing a comparison of the ravaged Judah to the total void and darkness of the newly created earth in Genesis 1:1.

Genesis 2:4-6,   "This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created , in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.  Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.  But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground."

This is the first time rain is mentioned in the Bible and these verses are saying that God had not yet sent rain upon the earth, only a mist to water the vegetation.  The first time it rains in the Bible is in Genesis 7:4 when God tells Noah, "For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made."

I can just picture Noah's face when God told him this and Noah's reply, "Okay, Lord, I am your faithful servant and listen to all You say.  Did I not start building this huge ark one hundred years ago, just as you commanded me?  Did I not ignore the laughs and taunts of all the people as I built a large boat in the middle of the desert?  But, Lord, I have one question; what is RAIN?"

Prior to this there was no rain, and in Genesis 1:9 God separates the waters that cover the earth to create the dry lands.  A mist covered the earth causing plants to grow.   But, there was no rain to cause a flood prior to Noah's time.  Therefore there could not have been a pre-Adamic flood.

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:

Add to all this Isaiah 14:12-14, where Lucifer is cast out of heaven to earth.   Satan was already a fallen creature before he came into the Garden of Eden.  He had a kingdom to rule under the clouds, under the stars, and under heaven, and it says that Lucifer was one who once laid low the nations.  Then he decided to invade heaven.  Nothing like that happened after Adam, so it must have been before.  Ezekiel 28:11-17 talks about Lucifer being thrown to the earth, to the Garden of Eden.

He must have been ruling here on earth and decided he would ascend above the clouds and make himself like God (v. 14)  In 2 Peter 3:5-7 it speaks of the earth that then was and the one that now is.  At Noah's flood the earth was not destroyed.  In v6 it says the first world was destroyed, so it must have been at another time other than Noah's flood.  Psalm 104:5-9 speaks of God rebuking the flood and they FLED.  In Noah's time, the  water went down slowly and naturally, so this must be the same flood as the one in Genesis 1:2.

BILL'S RESPONSE:

The Bible does not tell us when God created the angels.  Satan could have fallen before the creation; he could have fallen in the period of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2; or he could have fallen at any time during the creation.  The Bible also does not tell us how long a period of time elapsed between the creation of Adam and Eve and the temptation and fall.  But, one thing we do know, is that the beautiful archangel, Lucifer, had turned from God and was now the adversary, Satan.

Isaiah 14:12-21 is Isaiah's prophecy of Satan's final destruction.  It starts by reminding Lucifer (v13) how he had rebelled against God by declaring that he, Lucifer, would raise his throne above the stars of God.  In verses 13 and 14, Lucifer is being told of his boasts to be higher than God.  Then, in verses 15 through 21 the prophecy is telling Satan of his miserable failure and his eternal destiny in the lake of fire, which was created for him and his fallen angels. 

All of chapter 14 is Isaiah's warning to the king of Babylon that he might momentarily shine "like the star of morning, son of the dawn," but he will quickly be brought down to shame and defeat.  So, in the same way that most Old Testament prophecies could be seen as a near term prophecy and as a future prophecy; here Isaiah is prophesying the near term fall of Babylon and the future demise of Satan.

Satan is not kicked out of heaven yet.  He still has access to the throne room of God and is daily accusing the saints before God.  We see this in Job 1:7 and in Revelation 12:7-9.  Satan will not be denied access to God until during the Tribulation period.   Revelation 12:7-8 tell us, "And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon.  The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven." 

This is when Satan is finally thrown down and barred from access  to heaven.  And this is when his anger and wrath against Israel and all believers will really reach its pinnacle. This is the Great Tribulation, the second 3 ½ years of the Tribulation period, when the final and most terrifying persecution of the saints begin.  For Satan knows that he has little time left.

Therefore, we, the church, will always have Satan accusing us before God until the Rapture takes us home.  But, we have the greatest Advocate who ever was, sitting at the right hand of God interceding for us day and night (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34).

MARNA'S UNDERSTANDING:
 
Only the earth was cursed in Genesis - cursed, flooded, and filled with darkness.  But, NOT the heavens.  In Genesis 1:2, the Spirit began to move upon the flooded earth to restore the dry land again.  Any time in the Bible when the sun is obscured, this is judgment, not creation.  All predictions of future darkness are depicting judgment.
 
Another thing, God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and REplenish the earth.  So it must have been "plenished" before Adam and Eve, or they could not REPLENISH it.  It all fits together perfectly.  Note also that God gave Noah the same command after the flood of his day (Genesis 9:1-2).
 
I could go on and on, and on and on with this, but it is late, and it is hard for me to see the fine print, especially at night.  I love the study of words, and I love to study the Word.  It doesn't really matter whether we all agree on all these things as long as we agree about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
 
In love,   Marna Howard

BILL'S RESPONSE:

You are correct that in Genesis 1:2 there is no light.  God does not call forth light until Day One in Genesis 1:3.  Nor does He make the sun, moon, and stars until Genesis 1:16.  But, as far as this being a judgment, man had not yet been created nor fallen, so there was nothing and no one to judge. 

Once again, this is just a step in God's creation.  God could have created the whole universe, including man and all living creatures, in one instance.  He is omnipotent, nothing is beyond His power.  However, He chose to create everything in a sequence.  Why?  I do not know and, once again, the Bible does not elaborate.  Therefore I just accept that this is the way God wanted to do it.

You mention the distinction between "replenish" and "plenish."   Using the Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary I find that both words can be construed to mean the same thing.

In the dictionary, Replenish is defined as: "To make full or complete again; To supply again; To repeople; and To finish; To complete; To consummate."
In that same dictionary I find the Plenish defined as: "To fill from; To fill up; To furnish; To stock."

Replenish we could take to mean "to finish or to complete" and Plenish we could take to mean "to furnish or stock."   However, the most correct way to really understand God's meaning in Genesis 1:28 is to see what the word Replenish means in the Hebrew language.

In the KJV Bible translation, Genesis 1:28 reads, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible shows the Hebrew word male' or mala' (4390, 4392) for the English word replenish.  Definition 4390 shows male' or mala' to mean: "accomplish, confirm, fill, fulfill, fulness, satisfy, replenish, have wholly."   Definition 4392 shows male' to mean: "full or filling; fully, i.e., she that was with child."

From this we see that there is no conflict in Genesis 1:28 whether God had chosen to use Replenish or Plenish.  In both English and in Hebrew, they can have the same meaning.

Also in Genesis 9:1, God's blessing upon His faithful servant, Noah, and Noah's sons, we read, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" - we find no  conflict.  The Hebrew word male' is once again used, this time to mean "to repeople" or "to fill" again.

Marna, I want to thank you for raising these questions.  Going through this has certainly replenished my understanding of this portion of God's word.  And I pray that this gives you a better understanding of His word, whether you agree with me or not.  I have written my best understanding of this portion of Genesis and this is what I believe to be the correct interpretation. 

But, if you and I disagree on such non-salvation issues, that if fine, for it generates discussions such as this - and from these, we grow in our knowledge of God's word and in our walk with the Lord.  You know, it is sort of like having our own little interactive, non real-time, on-line Bible study. 

Thank you once more and I hope you do not mind that I will share this with others in my Friends Ministry eNewsletter mail list.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill