Where Did Cain’s Wife Come From?

Where did Cain’s wife come from? What was her origin, is a good question that atheist’s come up with from time to time and deserves a real answer?

I will pose an answer to this question.

Adam lived several hundred years and likely had many children as God ordered them to be fruitful and multiply.

Genesis 1: 22
22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

The Bible, however, does not give a chronology nor ages of these births. Since it is extremely likely that he had many children and hence, many women must have been present. He could have married a niece, sister, etc. and had many more children. Inbreeding would not have been a real issue as the genetic line would have been very pure. God’s law against incest did not come until much later in time:

Lev 18: 6-9
6 ‘None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am theLord. 7 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness. 8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. 9 The nakedness of your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born outside, their nakedness you shall not uncover.

God Bless

Brian Mason

Do “Real” Christians Sin?

Facebook can be a great tool for discussing one’s faith and evangelizing. But every once in a while I come upon a certain brand of Christian that claims that they do not sin anymore. They walk a complete Godly life without back-sliding or a sinful thought. Well I personally do not believe that there is a single human being in or out of the Christian faith that is sinless. Jesus is the only person who comes to mind.

I submitted a comment to a post on facebook that headlines: “I cannot believe that anyone who calls themselves a Christian would still be sinning!” My comment was in the lines of: “You must be careful with such a broad stroked statement”. Then quickly (within seconds) I was asked if I still sin and I said “yes”. Oh man did the gates open up! I was accused of being a heretic to even suggest I still sinned before I could even address what I was stating! I was mocked and literally had to remove them as friends as we as Christians are not to openly mock one another. If you have a disagreement you are to privately bring up your issue I a different form, such as a private message etc.

So is it possible that a “Real” Christian could still be sinning?

Living a Christian life does not mean that in the human condition of abiding in a fallen world we do not sin! Is there still a struggle with sin as regenerate Christian? YES! Even the Apostle Paul struggled with sin Read Roman 7: 14-25

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
If the Apostle Paul struggled, a so-called “real” Christian is in good company.
That being said, it is not alright to sin. We still have no excuse or justification to sin!
When a Christian sins, we have Jesus to cleanse us of that sin. We as Christians are commanded not to abide or live in sin, however we will stumble now and then, it is inevitable. We are not to purposely live in sin.
1 John 1: 6 -10
 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
We ask Jesus for forgiveness.
The commandments that Jesus told us to follow and keep are:

Matthew 22: 36-37
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
LOVE GOD

Matthew 22: 38
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

John 13: 34
 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Matthew 28: 18-20
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

I have heard someone say, “Darkness is not the problem in this world, it is the absence of light!” Go out into the world and love. Preach the gospel, defend it and give all glory to God.

God Bless
Brian Mason

Terminology Tuesday: Thomism, neo-Thomism

Thomism refers to the teachings of Thomas Aquinas and the subsequent philosophical and theological schools that were based on his thought. The twentieth century revival of Thomism, known as neo-Thomism, took two major forms: transcendental Thomism (represented by Karl Rahner and Bernard Lonergan) accommodates the major concerns of Thomism with insights from Immanuel Kant, whereas neoscholastic Thomism (represented by Etienne Gilson and Jacques Maritain) seeks to recover and reaffirm a “pure version” of Aquinas’s original teachings.

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki &, Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 114

God Bless

Brian Mason

Did Jesus Claim To Be More Than A Mere Man?

Yes. He claimed to be the Son of God!

Luke 22: 66-70 (NASB)
66 When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, 67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.”

John 11: 3-4 (NASB)
3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

Jesus used divine titles for Himself “Son of Man” and “I AM.” Incidentally, the Jews knew what he meant by such titles as they had tried to stone Him for blasphemy. It was not only the titles that He used it was the miracles that had shown divine authority.

He commanded demons to leave people, and the demons obeyed! Mark 3: 15 (NASB)
He taught with divine authority! Luke 4: 32 (NASB)
He accepted worship from his disciples! Matthew 14: 33 (NASB)
He had claimed the Father gave Him the authority to forgive sins! Matthew 9: 6 (NASB)
He calmed the winds and sea! Matthew 8: 26-27 (NASB)
He had violated tradition of Jewish customs! Luke 6: 1-11 (NASB)

His divine authority must be accepted by Christians! He otherwise was a liar and a fraud that deceived the World. Jesus is the God-Man, and we must take His authority as the Truth. He was from God and lived a sinless life. He is what He claimed to be, not just His claims but the testimony of others around Him! Peter said who he thought Jesus was when asked!

Read Matthew 16: 13-17 (NASB)
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples,“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

God Bless

Brian Mason

The Heresy Of The Office Of Pope

The origins of the office of the pope were pagan in its inception. What the Roman Catholic Church wants you to believe is that the apostle Peter was the first “pope,” however scripture refutes this claim. In fact, the theology of the Roman Catholic Church reads that if anyone denies that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, they shall be accursed!

Nowhere in the New Testament does it say that Peter took on any role of “pope,” in fact, the Gospels do not even show a whisper of any evidence that any of the apostles held any position of primacy! Jesus treated all His disciples the same and demonstrated this by conferring with all of them.

Peter wrote:

1 Peter 5: 1-5 (NASB)

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet aslording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Does that read as if Peter views himself as pope? No, he speaks as a fellow pastor/elder! Look if Peter shows us absolutely no evidence of him being the “Vicar of Christ” and it is nowhere indicated in the writing’s of Paul, why should we trust the Roman Catholic Church of such proclamations of the papacy of Peter?

As for the Roman Catholic term “Vicar of Christ,”” the word “Vicar” is defined as a “substitute.” This is the thought pattern of the RCC as they have stated that Peter is that “substitute” as he is the Lords representation on earth. This is blasphemous as Jesus Himself said that the Holy Spirit is the “Vicar of Christ,” read John 14: 16 (NASB)

16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Also read John 16: 5-11 (NASB)

5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

I conclude that inlight of evidence of the holy scriptures, the institution of the Papacy has zero credibility.

I pray that the Roman Catholic today, pray for true revelation, and listen to the Word of God in the scriptures. Read: Acts 17: 24-25

24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

God Bless

Brian Mason

More Problems With Buddhism # 2

Why is it that Buddhists seem (in general) to believe that life is just suffering? How can they explain that there is a significant percentage of the world population who see life as joyful, and full of happiness?

It seems that the worldview of Buddhism is built upon the subjective experiences of Buddha’s personal and direct experiences. The idea that Buddha’s outlook was that life is packed with suffering with no actual value on the person.

Now suppose that an individual sees misfortune and oppression as a positive life experience to gain value and knowledge from life’s difficulties? Hmmmm

Christianity looks at death suffering as a direct result of “The Fall.” The fall was a product of Adam’s rebellion against God.

Genesis 3: 17-19 (NASB)

Then to Adam, He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

Yes we have suffering in the world and why God allows it to still happen could be answered this way; God may use suffering as a way to do good. He uses tribulation to bring about perseverance.

Romans 5: 1-5 (NASB)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

As always please pray for the person ensnared in the “New Age” religion of Buddhism. The Buddha is dead, Jesus Christ conquered death and is living and seated at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human! Buddha’s philosophy is a deceptive product of Satan to lull people to Hell!

God Bless

Brian Mason

More Problems With Buddhism: #1

How do we know that reincarnation is real? Is there any evidence of it?

We through the writings of Buddhism do not get any real proof of reincarnation. All the articles and pamphlets etc. explain the “feeling” you get of reincarnation. Can we trust “feelings”? The Mormon church/cult also work that angle by saying they have a “burning in the bosom.” Any evidence outside of the “feelings” of reincarnation shows no consistency and to think of it “whose feelings are correct?” Is there any philosophical reasoning that can bring us to the conclusion of reincarnation’s authenticity?

Something to think about as well is if we are all reincarnates, how can we explain the growing population of the earth? What is the origin of the new humans? Logic must be used.

Once again, Buddhism seeks to undermine Christianity. Followers do so blindly and do so unaware of the hot coals be thrown upon them. We must pray for the Buddhist and ask the Holy Spirit to come over them! And stop following this false religion!

Genesis 6: 12
12 God looked on the earth, and behold; it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

John 14: 6
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

God Bless

Brian Mason

Terminology Tuesday: Penance (Heresy)

Just another work-based heresy by the Roman Catholic Church:

*In the Catholic tradition, the sacrament of reconciliation by which the penitent person is reconciled to God and the church through forgiveness of sin. Often such reconciliation comes after the penitent sinner performs some prescribed act as an indication of repentance.

A holy relationship with God only is made possible through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, not by our works! Read Ephesians 2: 8 (NASB)

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Also Romans 4: 4-6 9NASB)

 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Please pray for the Roman Catholic to see the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

*Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki &, Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 90

God Bless

Brian Mason

I am sorry

This puts things into perspective…. Please follow her blog. Caroline is writing a book, I can’t wait for it to be done!
God Bless

Did Jesus’ Disciples Steal His Body From The Tomb?

It is a common assertion by non-believers that the disciples of Jesus stole His body from the tomb. It sounds possible until you research the lives of the disciples. There are several aspects of the followers of Christ, the believers in Jesus and His Word.

First, you must remember that on the night of the Jesus’ arrest they didn’t fathom that He was going to die! They didn’t know He was going to be raised from the dead.

Read John 13: 36-37 (NASB)
36 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” 37 Peter *said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”

They were at a loss and surprised not knowing what to think when they saw the empty tomb, not knowing that Jesus has risen.

Read John 20: 8-9 (NASB)
8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

Also, these men were incredibly honest individuals that were afraid of the Jewish authorities as attested by them hiding away.

Read John 20: 19
19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews.

It simply does not make sense that these men could have stolen from a tomb that was strongly guarded. To the end of their lives, they did not say it was a hoax, in fact, they went to their deaths martyred and tortured. You would think that they would have confessed to avoid such a fate.

If the body was stolen, where was is taken? How would the “thieves” get around the heavily guarded entrance to the tomb? If the Roman Army located His body, don’t you think that it would be paraded around the city proclaiming a false Messiah?

The answer is that Jesus the Son of Man was raised from the dead after three days. There were eyewitnesses to His risen body.

Read John 20: 19-23 (NASB)
19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

Fall to your knees! Jesus Christ is King!

God Bless

Brian Mason