Theology 101

The director at our Bible school had graduated from the Dallas School of Theology. 

He was teaching us a course on Theology and asked us to cross out certain paragraphs in our book.

He told us that when he attended seminary, many times he would study the material in order to pass the “Test” needed to get his grade. 

Then he would pray and ask the Holy Spirit to wipe his memory clean from all the negative teaching that came very close to an atheist point of view.

He urged us to read the Bible and believe that it is God speaking to us personally.  To also believe that it is true at face value and does not need to be explained away as some will try to do.

Another friend of ours attended a similar Seminary of Theology, located in the SF Bay area in California.  He needed his degree so that he could apply to the military and become a Chaplin.  He chuckled as he told us that he was positive that most of his professors were not "Saved" or “Born Again” and possibly were atheists.

I have been in church and Sunday School for many years, along with daily reading my Bible.  I also know what it is to hear from God when He speaks with that still small voice.

Many years ago, on a Wednesday evening our Pastor had just returned from a “Leadership training.”  As the words flowed from his mouth, it was like fingernails scratching on a chalk board.  The one thing I remember was a statement that if in your heart you felt the Holy Spirit was directing you to do a certain thing, but the Pastor forbid you to do this; then you were to stop and obey the Pastor.  

 

Whoa there - we should listen to our Pastor but NOT if he is telling us to do something we know in our heart is wrong.  (I filed what he said that night, under "Things to forget.")

If you read certain books by well know authors, or attend a church where the leaders graduated from such a school of theology, they are always looking for hidden meanings.  You may discover that instead of Truth they teach some of the theory’s learned at their seminary. I wonder if they fail to read their Bible for simply what it says?

Jesus is a Prophet

 

John 4:29 The woman at the well said about Jesus: "Come, see a man who told me everything I've ever done! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" 

John 1:48-50 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 50Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

Think about this, We understand that Jesus was recognized as a Prophet, teacher, healer and Messiah.  Understand that a Prophet can know the past and the future. 

 

Is it so difficult to believe that Jesus was able to foresee events when He prophesied about His death and resurrection. 

 

Take that a step further – Could Jesus know before it happened, that a Man carrying a jar of water would lead the disciples to the upper room to celebrate the Passover? 

 

Yet Ray Stedman and others who graduated from Dallas Theological School and other seminaries tell us that Jesus manipulated this event and prepared the man with the jar of water to be there and told the man ahead of time to take His disciples to the room in question.   

 

In error they also say Jesus in advance placed the donkey and colt where He knew the disciples would find them. 

 

I believe Jesus saw into the future even if it was an hour away.  He did NOT maneuver and set up the stage.  He knew in advance what would happen !!
 
Matthew 17:27 Jesus said, "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto the tax man for me and thee." 
Probably some would say Jesus put the money in the fishes mouth, threw it back and  somehow made sure Peter caught the right fish.  I would say Jesus KNEW before hand that this would be so.

 

Something that hit me hard was when one of our learned former pastors began to explain the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and said it was the sin of not being “hospitable.”

 

Now think about it.  The Sodom city fathers requested that Lot send the angels out to them so the men could spend the night with the angels in a homosexual way. 

 

I suppose you could call that being in-hospitable. 

 

Then Lot was being just as wicked when he offered to give the depraved men his virgin daughters for the night as a trade off instead of the angels. 

 

There are many scriptures both old and new that tell us homosexuality is a sin. This is only one of the many scriptures; Jude 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

It pays to bring your Bible with you to church and to also give attention to the Holy Spirit.  Realize that you are listening to a man and should weigh all he says against your Holy Bible and your spirit. 

 

Jude 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 Please read the Bible for Yourself and Study comparing Scripture against Scriptures