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MORE THAN COMMANDMENTS

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Have you ever wondered why the Ten Commandments repeatedly say, "Thou Shalt Not"? Not, "Thou should not," or "Thou must not," but, "Thou shalt not."  "Should", speaks of what is right, and "Must" speaks of what is commanded, but both what is right and what is commanded may be disobeyed. That there is a difference in meaning between these words and "shall" is evident, although we tend to gloss over it as though it were merely a rhetorical flourish.  The Bible never uses words solely for rhetorical flourish, as those words would be vain.  Everything is meaningful.  When the prophet asks, "And the prophets, do they live for ever?" (Zech 1:5b), the rhetorically implied answer is no but the true answer is also yes.  So let us look at the commonly understood rhetorical meaning first. The Commandments were given to the children of Israel to be obeyed. But the Israelites failed to obey, making and bowing down to a ...
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Religion Versus Salvation in the Philippines

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In the Philippines I have seen many examples of religious expression: writings on Jeepneys that say, TO GOD BE THE GLORY, A NATION NOT FORSAKEN, and even JESUS I BELIEVE IN YOU;  people say God bless you, and before deplaning after a domestic flight the attendant said to us, "Have a blessed day." Pictures intended to represent Jesus, Mary, and saints abound. On the one hand I am reminded of the apostle Paul in Athens, when he waited in the city and saw all the shrines and monuments to various gods that the people worshiped, and also one to THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul said to the philosophers of that city, "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you"  (Acts 17:23). On the other hand I am reminded again of Paul but speaking of his fellow Israelites, also religious but not knowing God's righteousness unto salvation because they have not received Jesus Christ (John 16:3).  "I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according t...
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Bigfoot, Aliens, and Time Travellers from the Future

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One might add to the title Reptilians, Ghosts, Vampires, and every kind of "Mystery of the Unknown" such as the Pyramids, the Bermuda Triangle, Reincarnation, and so on. These tales have excited the imaginations of people for hundreds if not thousands of years, and the same power to fascinate continues today. These speculations can lead to a rabbit hole of obsession. But as Christians, should we allow ourselves to become investigators into these things? If we find ourselves interested in the stories of the Loch Ness Monster, for example, should we search out the lore and try to get to the bottom of the mystery? As Christians our first love should be for the truth so one could argue that in pursuing the lore concerning these stories one is only seeking the truth. We want to know what is really "out there". But that begs the question, where is the truth to be found? Out there? The prophets, apostles, the angel Gabriel, and even Jesus Christ Himself said that Go...
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