Reformed Blogging

I remembered a few years after I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior - I got into a Christian bookstore. There was some excitement. Before I got saved, I was able to read the "Alberto" series (in which the late Alberto R. Rivera was really a fraud ). I used to believe the "Alberto" series with all its creative artistic licenses (such as certain scenes in "Double Cross". I didn't use my critical thinking cap and thought of Chick Publications as a reliable source. Unfortunately, most people didn't see that Chick Publications is toxic . The late Roy Livesey was right to criticize Chick Publications as a huge obstacle in soulwinning. Too many Roman Catholics are too angry to listen especially if you show them the "Alberto" comics. There's bound to be more defensiveness by a Roman Catholic with the "Alberto" comics than they would if you shared to them "Catholicism: Crisis of Faith" and "Truth Encounter...

One of the doctrinal footnotes that I'm stuck in with the KJV Study Bible is "Failure of Faith". Failure of faith isn't only experienced by unbelievers but also by believers. How are these failures of faith listed by the footnote? Here they are: Failure to accept the work of Christ or God's will in one's life (Mark 16:11-14) Little faith which is faith and unbelief mixed (Mark 7:26) Weak faith or expressing it as mere legalism (Romans 14:1) These are all in contrast to strong faith or to be rooted in the promises of God. I was thinking about how those three areas are where I'm guilty. I tend to lapse to them (more often than not) and I recall how often my faith was failing especially in my teenage years and adult years. It also drives me to have conflicting desires (such as having romantic interests with an unbeliever in a Christian school) or when I want to forgive someone yet I also want to get even with that person at the same time. I was thinking of ho...

Luke 13:1-5 is one message that would tell me about my self-righteousness that tends to surface whenever something bad happens: 13 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish . This was the problem that one bad thing after the other happened. We can see that Pilate was a ruthless guy (yet he was also spineless) when he mingled the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifices. Another incident was the Tower of Siloam when it fell and killed at least 18 people. It was a very common fa...

I remembered years ago when I graduated high school, the graduation service message 20 years ago, the pastor talked about the parable of the ten pounds. This is not to be mistaken as the parable of the talents. Both parables had a worthless servant who didn't invest the money but laid it idle for some foolish reason. In Hebrew, a mina is worth three months of salary. The story can be found in Luke 19:11-17. 11 And as they heard these things, He added and spake a parable, because He was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdo...

Reading through Luke beyond Christmas and Holy Week reminds me that the Gospel truths are to be preached the entire year. Two doctrines I ran across Luke in the KJV Study Bible's doctrinal footnotes are the "Humanity of Christ" and "Holy Spirit in the Life of Christ". Both doctrines teach the fact that while Jesus is 100% God, He was also 100% man during His ministry. It's that unique paradox that would allow Jesus to be able to fulfill the Law to live as a sinless man before He would become the sin sacrifice of the world. Jesus learned obedience, was made perfect and became the Author of eternal salvation unto those who are His (Hebrews 5:8-9). The humanity of Christ is shown through the fact that He was God in the flesh during the earthly ministry. John 1:14 says that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus left His throne from Heaven above and allowed Himself to pass through a normal childhood, learned obedience from His earthly parents (stepfat...

I remembered one of the greatest concerns I had back then as a newly-saved Christian (and still having mixed opinions on my former religion, Roman Catholicism) was the concern that the Church will pass through the Tribulation. I remembered I told the pastor who first shared to me the Gospel that I was worried about the coming of the Antichrist. A classmate of mine said if I'm saved then I don't need to worry about it. Then later, there are the teachings of the post-Tribulation Rapture which won't easily fit into the Millennial Kingdom era, unless you believe in the Amillennial View, which for me is just senseless. As I was reading Matthew, Matthew 24 talks about the signs of the times. One of the doctrinal footnotes in the chapter from the KJV Study Bible is about the "Character of the Great Tribulation". These words are indeed truly frightening to think about: The scriptural representations of the Great Tribulation are wholly negative with no attempt to minimize ...

The Lord's prayer is recorded in Matthew 6:5-13 and Luke 11:1-13. As a former Catholic, I grew up reciting this prayer without understanding what it meant. The prayer was said many times before classes started, said five times in a Rosary, said a number of times after a confessional, and it has become a vain repetition. Jesus said not to make vain repetitions (or translated as "meaningless words" in the GNT) when you pray. The "Our Father" is a pattern of how to pray and not what to pray. The "Our Father" gave us the pattern of confidence to glorify God, to ask for our needs, to forgive us and others, and not to be led into temptation.  I was taught the idea of the universal brotherhood of man. It said that we're all brothers and sisters and God is our Father. Yet, that very idea was shot down when I read John 8:44 which Jesus calls the unsaved Jews as children of the Devil . Wait, aren't we all children of God? that idea really got shot down w...

If there's any truth about Christian righteousness is that this righteousness is not inherent but God-given righteousness. The righteousness of the Christian is done by imputation, which in turn makes the Christian righteous even if it's not instantaneous. One of the biggest mistakes I've made in the Christian life was to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and fail to ask for His grace to do the task of God. Trying to think that God saves then leaves the Christian alone to struggle in one's sanctification is a foolish idea. I also tend to think that I should do my own sanctification outside the Spirit of God which in itself is an insult towards the Savior from sin. Zechariah 3 talks about the account of Satan and Joshua the High Priest. Joshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel are both types of Jesus. Joshua the High Priest was dressed in filthy clothes. Satan was there falsely accusing Joshua the High Priest. The remedy was that Joshua the High Priest's filthy...

The Book of Haggai has a very stinging introduction that the Jews needed to hear. The very condemnation  can be taken in Haggai 1:4-9 which says: 4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of Mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. This is really the problem of the restoration. People were too focused on t...

The COVID-19 crisis really had me thinking about how times have been bad. I even think COVID-19 is a sign of the times. I'm not saying that quarantine passes and the COVID-19 vaccine are linked to the Mark of the Beast. Quarantine passes are required in order to keep social distancing measures and to help control the spread of the virus. However, they could be signs that the Mark of the Beast could just be waiting but that wouldn't be implemented until the Rapture. Though, I don't suggest endorsing the debunked video "Plandemic" or getting into conspiracy theories such as saying that the COVID-19 is a Jesuit-engineered or Illuminati-engineered virus. That's why I decided to stop researching on such and focus on the Word of God instead. Doing some research on COVID-19 and other epidemics made me think of epidemics far worse than it such as the Black Plague and Smallpox. Last year's COVID-19 epidemic has been so bad that it put a test on my faith. I wanted t...

Habakkuk 2:4 is the first time that the phrase "the just shall live by faith" is used. In the KJV, it's termed as just while modern versions use "the righteous" which is just as synonymous. A fuller context will tell us the following about the just living by faith in Habakkuk 2:3-5: 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. 5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: (KJV)   2 And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain ...

It's Good Friday and one can think of the illegal trial of Jesus. In Roman time, Jesus' trial was already a Friday. We always say it's the next day the moment it becomes 12 A.M. or midnight. Peter's denial of Christ happened on Good Friday and not on Maundy Thursday. I had my thoughts as to why did Jesus allow Satan to sift Peter like wheat. Why would the same Jesus who threw off Satan and resisted temptation successfully now allow Peter to be subjected to Satan's temptation? Luke 22:30-34   30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat : 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren . 33 And he said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And He said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow t...