Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Heb 6:1-2 NKJ)

The average Bible is 9”x6”x1 7/8”, not much really when you consider Leo Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ is in three volumes. But, remember Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful. It is more mysterious than Harry Potter, more romantic and loving than ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Brontë, contains more historical accounts of God’s dealing with man and it the greatest story of love and self-sacrifice ever told.  In fact, the Word of God will take you deeper, higher, and farther than you have ever been, but you’ve got to be willing to take the journey.

Too many Christian’s including preachers are happy to regurgitate the basics over and over again.  Even though it is cloaked in spirituality, milk is still milk.  A baby drinking milk is wonderful; it even looks cute.  However, an adult drinking milk from the same bottle they had as a babe is just plain weird. As an adult, we should leave the milk and go on to the meat.  God has so much for us, but for some, they are too lazy to chew for themselves. It’s time to go deeper in God.

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:14-16 NKJ)

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh– who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands–that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation,  (Eph 2:11-14 NKJ)

The book of Hebrews actually tells s that the earthly temple was a reproduction of the heavenly temple. The earthly temple had several different areas for the poor and needy, gentiles, women and Israelites. The closest you could go as a Jew would be the Court of Israel, where you could watch your sacrifice being prepared and offered, it was a half-way partition.

We read later in chapter 9 that Jesus, having risen from the dead and ascended into heaven, entered the heavenly temple “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His  own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Heb 9:12 NKJ) Not only did He obtain redemption, but as Paul reminds us in Ephesians, the wall of partition was removed.  We can now come boldly to the throne of grace.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12 NKJ)

A cutting word is worse than a bowstring, a cut may heal, but the cut of the tongue does not. – African proverb.

“The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words.” -Unknown

“All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

“Don’t mix bad words with your bad mood. You’ll have many opportunities to change a mood, but you’ll never get the opportunity to replace the words you spoke.” -Unknown

Several great quotes and all true—words are powerful.  Not just the spoken word, such as JFK’s speech in Berlin, or MLK’s speech in DC, but written words.  Poems have melted minds; love letters have melted heart and manifestoes have changed the world, for good or bad.

The Word of God, however, carries a health warning.  When it is used correctly, it can be like a surgeons scalpel.  It can cut out that cancer, remove that tumor or mend a break.  Used wrong and it can murder, kill and maim. Why, because there is nothing sharper, it can cut right down to the very essence of life, the marrow.  It can also cut in the realm of the psyche.

A word of warning to the user.  Be careful; it cuts both ways.

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:19-23 NKJ)

The blood of bulls and goats merely atoned for the sin, a type of covering waiting for the day of redemption. We could not redeem ourselves because then it would be based on self-righteousness and good works, and because of our own sinful state, it would never be enough.  As Romans tells us, ‘All have fallen short.’  Perhaps we should wait and hope that God will decide whether we are good enough, a kind of arbitrary decision, but then that would rely on gaining favor, and God would not be just.

The God who came in human flesh becomes the sacrifice that meets the full requirements of the law.  Having that full assurance, let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, don’t waver, God is faithful.

Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, (Heb 2:1-3 NKJ)

Then God spoke all these words:  I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Exo 20:1-2 CEB)

The Torah was spoken by the assistance of angels.  When it is said, Exodus 20:1 , “God spoke,” it is meant He spoke by angels as His mouthpiece, or at least angels repeating in unison with His voice the words of the Law. The message of the Gospel, however, was delivered by God himself in the form of human flesh, by Jesus.

Hebrews asks a very important question, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” We will have no excuse.

For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You “? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son “? But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” (Heb 1:5-9 NKJ)

Don’t let anyone who wants to practice harsh self-denial and worship angels rob you of the prize. They go into detail about what they have seen in visions and have become unjustifiably arrogant by their selfish way of thinking. (Col 2:18 CEB)

Angel worship was common in Greek and Roman culture, and although Judaism strictly forbid the worship of angelic hosts, during the Maccabean period, fighters invoked the unnamed angel that earlier in the days of Hezekiah had destroyed the army of Sennacherib.  In the New Testament, Stephen reminds his hearers of the foolishness of those who died in the wilderness by worshipping the golden calf (Acts 7:24), and Paul strictly forbids the Colossian congregation in case they get drawn into new fades.

Hebrews gives us five reasons why this act of salvation has absolutely nothing to do with angels; God stepped in himself for this one

(1)the angels have never been addressed with the title of Son: Hebrews 1:5.

(2)he is declared to be the object of worship by the angels, while they are employed merely as the messengers of God; Hebrews 1:6-7.

(3)he is addressed as God, and his throne is said to be forever and ever; Hebrews 1:8-9.

(4)he is addressed as immutable. He is declared to have laid the foundations of heaven and earth; and though they would perish, yet he would remain the same; Hebrews 1:10-12.

(5)none of the angels had been addressed in this manner, but they were employed in the subordinate work of ministering to the heirs of salvation; Hebrews 1:13-14.

So, those of you that like to fill your homes with ‘chubby’ cherubim and angels from Hallmark, beware, they are just trying to steal the credit—just joking!

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Heb 1:1-4 NKJ)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. (Joh 1:1-3 NKJ)

Priscilla, a Christian, wife of Aquila, a fellow worker with Paul, teacher, church planter and — and author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. In just the first four verses of chapter one, we have this remarkable Christology. In verse 3 we find the Greek word phero, translates as upholding (keep from falling) Christ, the preserver of the universe by the word of power.

Can we imagine that? Very unlikely! When a word comes forth from the mouth of God, it can have creative, destructive, life-changing and a life-giving power behind it.  This world in which we live needs God.  Without that life-giving force, this world will fade away.

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1Jo 2:18-19 NKJ)

Perhaps the greatest Antichrists are those who take scripture out of context and make up these fantastic interpretations that sounds almost like a fable.

The first syllable of the word Antichrist comes from the Greek word ἀντί anti, nothing new there. But, it’s the meaning of the word that sheds some light. It means to be over against, opposite to, before or for, instead of, or in place of. Now, in John’s gospel, John opens by introducing Jesus as the eternal Word, the logos. So any potential antichrist could be against the Word of God, Jesus or the gospel message. I can think of several people that might qualify as Antichrist both historically and even now.

If you want to know more, join us on Sunday morning, 10 A.M. At the Storehouse at Canton, as we continue to shine the light on the fallacies of so-called biblical prophecy.

In the past, God spoke through the prophets to our ancestors in many times and many ways. In these final days, though, he spoke to us through a Son. God made his Son the heir of everything and created the world through him. The Son is the light of God’s glory and the imprint of God’s being. He maintains everything with his powerful message. After he carried out the cleansing of people from their sins, he sat down at the right side of the highest majesty.  (Heb 1:1-3 CEB)

In scripture, we have human analogies that are used to describe the action of God towards man. Speaking through his Son, cleansing, maintaining and sitting.  It’s no wonder, at times, that people find the whole concept of the trinitarian God somewhat confusing.

The early Church struggled with some of these same concepts until they formulated the Nicean Creed

“And [we believe] in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father … .”

In other words, although Jesus was a fully human person, he also was and is fully God. Literally, God poured the essence of ‘Godness’ into human flesh. I hate using gender terms to describe God since God is neither male nor female. When we speak of the deity of Christ, we are not saying he was supernatural, or a divine being, or most God-like. He was and is God. The term Son then doesn’t mean he was procreated as one might understand the term.  Son is referring to what was seen, or as we read in Colossians, “He is the image of the invisible God.” (Col 1:15 NKJ) Also, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Col 2:9 NIV)

Tomorrow we will dig a little deeper without losing our way.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12 NKJ)

The heavenly places are where we find the origins of all power, ultimately with God.  According to Paul, there are ‘principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.’ We have to believe that the power that controls in the heavens is transposed to the powers, authorities, and forces that are at work in the earth, for good and evil.  As a Christian, I believe we are called to speak truth to power when I see the ‘powers’ going against the Word, will, and power of God.  So I don’t speak to the person, I speak to their office or position, such as President, Prime Minister, Congressman, because that’s where the power lies.

The message is love, and the influence is in a message of unity. Always remember, all authority starts with God and the God has the final word.