HALLOWEEN

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Found a ‘Christian News Net’ post at Apostasy Watch. Many ‘churches’ are fully partaking in Halloween celebrations, and then some!

Short excerpt…

“To say that ‘we need to be like the world in order to evangelize it’ is an awesome mistake,” Morrison also wrote. “It flies in the face of numerous Bible passages (e.g. Rom. 12:2; Jn. 5:19; 17:14; 2 Cor. 6:14-16; 1 Jn. 2:15; Jas. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-2; 4:17-20; Jas. 1:27; 2 Pet. 2:20). … God’s people are to disassociate themselves from evil works. We are a people separated from worldly living to live a life of holiness.”

Full post …

‘Churches’ Celebrate Halloween With Zombies, Dancing Skeletens, ‘Haunted Hayrides’ and ‘Spooktakulars

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The following is from “Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkbook” that I read the other night. It fits.

“October 29 

Maintain the Difference 

“And I will put a division between My people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be” (Exodus 8:23).

Pharaoh has a people, and the LORD has a people. These may dwell together and seem to fare alike, but there is a division between them, and the LORD will make it apparent. Not forever shall one event happen alike to all, but there shall be great difference between the men of the world and the people of Jehovah’s choice. This may happen in the time of judgments, when the LORD becomes the sanctuary of His saints. It is very conspicuous in the conversion of believers when their sin is put away, while unbelievers remain under condemnation. From that moment they become a distinct race, come under a new discipline, and enjoy new blessings. Their homes, henceforth, are free from the grievous swarms of evils which defile and torment the Egyptians. They are kept from the pollution of lust, the bite of care, the corruption of falsehood, and the cruel torment of hatred, which devour many families. Rest assured, tried believer, that though you have your troubles you are saved from swarms of worse ones, which infest the homes and hearts of the servants of the world’s prince. The LORD has put a division; see to it that you keep up the division in Spirit, aim, character, and company.“

THE LORD’S DAY

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Commentary excerpts…

Ellicott:

The mouth which persecution closes God opens, and bids it speak to the world.

Gill:

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,…the first day of the week is designed; and is so called just as the ordinance of the supper is called the Lord’s supper, being instituted by the Lord, and the Lord’s table, 1 Corinthians 10:21, and that because it was the day in which our Lord rose from the dead, Mark 16:9; and in which he appeared at different times to his disciples, John 20:19, and which the primitive churches set apart for his worship and service, and on which they met together to hear the word, and attend on ordinances, Acts 20:7;

JFB:

Though forcibly detained from Church communion with the brethren in the sanctuary on the Lord’s day, the weekly commemoration of the resurrection, John was holding spiritual communion with them. This is the earliest mention of the term, “the Lord’s day.” But the consecration of the day to worship, almsgiving, and the Lord’s Supper, is implied in Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; compare John 20:19-26. The name corresponds to “the Lord’s Supper,” 1 Corinthians 11:20.

Barnes:

Though alone, he was engaged on that day in acts of devotion.

Though far away from the sanctuary, he enjoyed what all Christians hope to enjoy on such a day of rest, and what not a few do in fact enjoy in its observance.

Where we have none of the advantages of public worship, we should worship God alone, if we have none to unite with us;

We may expect, in such circumstances, and with such a devout observance of the day, that God will meet with us and bless us.

It was on a lonely island, far away from the sanctuary and from the society of Christian friends, that the Saviour met “the beloved disciple,” and we may trust it will be so with us.

For on such a desert island, in a lonely forest, on the deep, or amid strangers in a foreign land, He can as easily meet us as in the sanctuary where we have been accustomed to worship, and when surrounded by all the privileges of a Christian land.

…. and, when deprived of the privileges of public worship, the visitations of the Saviour to the soul may be more than a compensation for all our privations.

Who would not be willing to be banished to a lonely island like Patmos, if he might enjoy such a glorious vision of the Redeemer as John was favored with there?

MacLaren:

Solitary souls, far away from the gatherings of Christ’s people, may still draw near to Him; and if they turn thought and love towards Him, they will be lifted above this gross earth, and hear that great voice speaking to them, which rose above the dash of waves, and thrilled the inward ear of the lonely exile. That voice, penetrating and clear like a trumpet, gave him his charge, and woke his expectation of visions to follow.

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Born again believers are the CHURCH.

ANTITHETICAL

I was thinking about my blog and other Christian blogs. How we speak about things like the exclusivity of Christ, that one must be born again if they ever hope to see heaven, the false doctrines of Roman Catholicism (a topic not addressed in many (most?) of our churches), and all the other Biblical topics we blog about.

I was thinking that many in the world are highly offended by Biblical truths, and would label us intolerant, strange, and even call us haters if they came across our blogs.

Truth offends.

Jesus said…

Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

As I was pondering these things the word “antithetical” came to mind. I looked it up and this is what I found…

an·ti·thet·i·cal:

directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible.

synonyms:

directly opposed to

contrasting with

contrary to

contradictory to

conflicting with

incompatible with

irreconcilable with

inconsistent with

at variance with

at odds with

The world view is diametrically opposed to the word of God,… to Jesus.

Jesus said…

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

And we find in 1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.