Phenomenology, What the Heck?

*”A philosophical movement of the twentieth century associated with Edmund Husserl and his followers. Phenomenology initially focused on epistemology, that is, how we gain knowledge of essences or the essential features of the world (abstract properties) on the basis of our perceptions of concrete realities (particular instances of those properties). Phenomenologists later turned their attention to the essences of human mental acts. Consequently phenomenology came to be associated with the study of the development of human consciousness and self-awareness.”
Another heresy as humans will not take the word of God, but in fact become fools of their own devices. Let us read what God has to say about that;

Proverbs 1: 6-7
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.I
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Once again I cannot stress the fact that the parables were written to NOT save everyone!

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 91

God Bless
Brian Mason

The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Prophecy

The Following Psalm was written 1000 years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Psalm 22: 11-22

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.

It clearly describes the torture and punishment of crucifixion, an act that had not been invented at the time of the writing of the Psalm!

God Bless

Brian Mason

What does “Catholic” mean?

When someone says “Catholic” are you sure what they are talking about?

*A term literally meaning “universal” or “worldwide.” The word is most often associated with Roman Catholicism but originally became standardized in Christian theology through the formula appearing in early Christian creeds that affirms belief in “one holy catholic and apostolic church.” To affirm the church’s catholicity is to suggest that the church is universal in scope. In other words, the church is not restricted to any one ethnic group or geographical location but is open to Jew and Greek, slave and free, male or female (Gal 3: 28), with its gospel message being directed to “all nations.”

God Bless

Brian Mason

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 24

Was Peter the Rock that the Church was Built?

When Jesus first met with Simon Peter he said;
John 1: 42

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The real meaning of this word “stone” has created a large misunderstanding and many arguments. We take from Dr. Scofield’s (August 19, 1843 – July 24, 1921 an American theologian) comments in his footnotes: “There is in the Greek, a play upon the words “Thou art Peter (Petros —– literally, “a little rock” or “pebble”) and upon this Rock (Petra) I will build my church. He does not promise to build His church upon Peter, but upon Himself, and Peter himself is careful to tell us” (1 Peter 2:4-9)

4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Of course it is Jesus who is The Rock! AKA The Foundation!

The apostle Paul said;

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have — Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 3:11)

God Bless

Brian Mason

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Beacon Apologetics wants and must share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Answers in Genesis website is a great library of information. And true to form I have used their article on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This is what it is ALL about!

Answers in Genesis seeks to give glory and honor to God as Creator, and to affirm the truth of the biblical record of the real origin and history of the world and mankind.

Part of this real history is the bad news that the rebellion of the first man, Adam, against God’s command brought death, suffering, and separation from God into this world. We see the results all around us. All of Adam’s descendants are sinful from conception (Psalm 51:5) and have themselves entered into this rebellion (sin). They, therefore, cannot live with a holy God but are condemned to separation from God. The Bible says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” ( Romans 3:23) and that all are therefore subject to “everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
But the good news is that God has done something about it. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Jesus Christ the Creator, though totally sinless, suffered, on behalf of mankind, the penalty of mankind’s sin, which is death and separation from God. He did this to satisfy the righteous demands of the holiness and justice of God, His Father. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice; He died on a cross, but on the third day, He rose again, conquering death, so that all who truly believe in Him, repent of their sin, and trust in Him (rather than their own merit) are able to come back to God and live for eternity with their Creator.
Therefore: “He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

What a wonderful Savior—and what a wonderful salvation in Christ our Creator!

If you want to know more of what the Bible says about how you can receive eternal life, please write or call the Answers in Genesis office nearest you.

Thank You AIG!

God Bless

Brian Mason

Evidence Outside the Bible for a Day of Darkness after the Crucifixion?

Luke 23: 44-46 (NIV)
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Before you want to look to past astronomical events that were recorded such as an eclipse or other meteorological events, one must think of it as a supernatural event. The Jews used a lunar calendar and Passover always fell on the full moon, so that would rule out a solar eclipse.

The following writing is of major interest;

*”Circa AD 52, Thallus wrote a history of the Eastern Mediterranean world from the Trojan War to his own time. This work itself has been lost and only fragments of it exist in the citations of others. One such scholar who knew and spoke of it was Julius Africanus, who wrote about AD 221…In speaking of Jesus’ crucifixion and the darkness that covered the land during this event, Africanus found a reference in the writings of Thallus that dealt with this cosmic report. Africanus asserts: ‘On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.”

There appears to be a “darkness” written that is unexplainable. I will believe the scriptures, and clearly there is another record of this great event! Praise God!

God Bless

Brian Mason

*Julius Africanus, Extant Writings, XVIII in the Ante–Nicene Fathers, ed. by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973, vol. VI, p. 130, as cited in Gary R. Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ, Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 1996.

Terminology Tuesday: Emanation

*A term meaning literally “a flowing down from.” The term arose out of ancient Greek philosophies that understood creation to be an overflow of the fullness of God rather than something created by God out of nothing (ex nihilo). The idea of creation as an emanation of God was used by certain medieval philosophers and theologians to suggest that creation is really a hierarchy of order flowing down from God through the spiritual world of angels, the material world of humans and animals, and finally to the world of physical objects.

God Bless

Brian Mason

**Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 44

Flood!

FLOOD! Everyone is running for cover…etc…etc…

I am currently in Calgary Alberta Canada, and there  are seven sectors including the downtown core in an emergency state! I was in the middle of this and was full of anxiety, justly so as the surrounding areas have had loss of life. Please pray for the families. 100.000 evacuated!

The thing that has hit me was Noah! This is NOTHING compared to the Noah’s flood’.  As crazy as it seems and is, a major North American City can be paralyzed by 15 feet  or less of H2O!

Well the flood that God warned and instructed of COVERED THE EARTH!

I am not saying that the flood in this area is God’s judgment but it is an amazing sign of God’s grace to not flood us all and kill us!!!!!!!

Please pray for forgiveness’ of your sins  and I will pray for my own transgressions.

God Bless,

Brian Mason

Terminology Tuesday: Nicene Creed

*Originally the theological confession resulting from the first Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325), convened by the emperor Constantine to resolve church divisions related to the Arian controversy. The creed reflects the teachings that the Son is of one substance with the Father. The Nicene Creed recited in churches today resembles the original, but having been revamped at the Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381), the current version is longer and excludes certain original phrases.

God Bless

Brian Mason

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p 83-84

Terminology Tuesday: Inclusivism

*A theory of salvation that suggests that although God saves people only on the merits of Christ, not all who are saved have consciously known of Jesus or heard the gospel. God saves those who, although they have not heard of Jesus, nevertheless respond to the best of their knowledge to the revelation of God available to them. This view stands in contrast to both exclusivism, which suggests that God saves only those who consciously respond to the presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to pluralism, which sees saving value in non-Christian religions.
God Bless
Brian Mason

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 65