Fundamental Baptist Christian

It's very easy to confuse worry with concern especially in the midst of the current Coronavirus crisis, right? China even reports that Christians are persecuted in the midst of the crisis. A new virus in China called the Hantavirus is also emerging. However, the Bible says not to worry but it doesn't say we shouldn't be concerned. When Jesus spoke in Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke 12:22-31 about not to worry - He didn't mean that we're to be idle. On the contrary, you could consider that 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 says that if any man works not then that man should not eat. 1 Timothy 5:8 says that you must provide for your family or be considered worse than a heretic. The Book of Proverbs also condemns laziness in 6:6-12, 10:4-5, 12:11, 12:24, 13:4, 14:23, 19:15, 20:4, 24:30-24, and 26:15. If you ask, "If you're not worried then why do you work?" The answer lies in the difference between worry and concern. How do you differentiate both sides? Although the two ...

Is the Coronavirus outbreak within the sovereignty of God? Right now, it's no joke that the Coronavirus outbreak is now pandemic or a disease that spreads across a large region. I was wondering, "Why does God allow so much suffering?" When something happens to be agreeable then it's easy to say "God is good!" However, the problem arises when something bad happens and it's difficult to believe that it's God's will. I remembered getting into an argument with a former enemy of mine who kept telling me that it's God's will. What was shameful to think about that he wasn't saved yet at that time - though he later got saved eventually. I really had a hard time adjusting to God's sovereignty especially when I'm told stuff like it's God's will that I failed or I currently suffer, that I should just shut up, trust God, and do my part. It felt so hard for my immature self to accept that sometimes it's God's will that Chri...

February 29 comes once almost every four years, right? I decided to open the Spurgeon Devotional on my mobile phone (which automatically moves with the time set) for today. What I didn't really put into my mind and heart is that he also wrote a leap-year devotional.  The devotions written by Spurgeon are as follows: Morning Devotion "With lovingkindness have I drawn thee."  Jeremiah 31:3  The thunders of the law and the terrors of judgment are all used to bring us to Christ; but the final victory is effected by lovingkindness. The prodigal set out to his father's house from a sense of need; but his father saw him a great way off, and ran to meet him; so that the last steps he took towards his father's house were with the kiss still warm upon his cheek, and the welcome still musical in his ears.  "Law and terrors do but harden All the while they work alone; But a sense of blood-bought pardon Will dissolve a heart of stone."  The Master ...

How can the Lordship of Christ be unchallenged, unchanging, and unending? It's because of the doctrine of the Trinity. Some deist cults that believe Jesus is just a prophet claim that the Trinity was only added centuries later. The Iglesia ni Manalo cult and Jehovah's Witnesses are among those who state that heresy. One reason why I usually avoid using modern English translations is because of missing verses. Yet even without 1 John 5:7 in those Bibles - the Trinity is still affirmed in some way. How can Genesis 1:26 be about angels? Can angels create? Genesis 1:27 says that God created man in His image. Who could God be talking to? That would be the Father talking to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2 confirms the eternal existence of the Holy Spirit. John 1:1-12 confirms that Jesus is the Word, the Word is with God, and the Word is God. The Trinity is that God exists as three Persons - one in essence yet three in Persons. Some say science disproves God. I beg to disag...

There's the question of are you moving forward or backward? Are you looking forward to the second coming of Christ? Just think about it that the signs of the times are showing. The biggest sign of the times isn't Middle Eastern conflict, isn't the One World Religion coming - it's all about the spreading of the Gospel! The Great Commission is to be fulfilled. Matthew 24:14 says that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be spread throughout the Earth as part of the fulfillment of prophecy. Philippians 3:13-15 has beloved Paul's exhortation of running the race and forgetting what's behind. It's very easy to let past successes, good works, wrongdoings, and failures hold anybody back. It's very easy to get complacent in today's comforts or yesterday's good memories. Ecclesiastes 7:10 says to stop thinking about the former days. True, there are the good old days which gives pleasant memories but they can hold anybody back. You can forget about it because ...

November is already nearing its end. Who doesn't feel excited about Christmas as December 1 is just a few days away? Some people end up hating Christmas not because they hate Christ. Rather, they hate almost everything associated with Christmas like the stressful lines, inconsiderate people who want justice to be ignored all because it's the season, and not to mention the materialistic associations with Christmas. Christmas ends up occupying the mind of people with, "What gifts will I get?" If they're into gift-giving, they always worry about getting the latest item because the person they're giving it may not want it. A child's view of Christmas is also usually materialistic. Do you ever wonder why there are more decorations of the non-existent Santa Claus over a Nativity scene? Have they forgotten that Jesus is the reason for the season? No wonder the Puritans such as Charles H. Spurgeon had a love-hate relationship with Christmas. A good topic to talk ...

Introduction The Christian faith can be very absurd to the world. There are many times Christians are told to do what's humanly speaking, foolish. The call is to live by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 has Paul expressing to live by faith and not by sight. No, this isn't called to blind faith or to just believe without examining. I remembered that Christians are laughed at for many reasons. The reality of God and His Gospel are hard to believe also because people also tend to live by sight I think about why do many religions in the world have graven images. I remembered how various religions such as Roman Catholicism, Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, the "Orthodox" churches, Taoism, and many more use graven images. I remembered reading in a Roman Catholic catechism and a Buddhist catechism with what they say about graven images. The Buddhist pamphlet said that it's not the image they worship but the one portrayed by it - a defense to why they don't...

It's true that October 31 like December 25 only comes once a year. With Christmas coming near, I remembered the song by Kenny Rogers that's titled "Christmas Every Day". Nope, it's not a call to celebrate it daily, Christmas feasts are something to look forward to but to keep the Christmas spirit in your heart. Okay, I know there are some objections, "But Christmas is pagan!" but the arguments tend to argue like Hislop. Now, back to the Reformation. It's true that the Reformation Day comes once a year like the ungodly Halloween. So, what does it mean to keep the spirit of reformation (and not just the Reformation) in one's hearts? Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and ac...

What does it mean to belong to the holy, catholic church? Roman Catholics have used the term catholic to justify their claims that they're supposedly the one true Church that was founded by Jesus Christ in 33 A.D. However, they need to answer on how close are they to Biblical doctrine when stuff like praying to Mary, the Rosary as a repetitious series of prayers, celibate priesthood (and no 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 doesn't order priestly celibacy, Roman Catholics need to examine 1 Timothy 3:1-7), and worse, salvation of faith plus works is nowhere Biblical. In truth, they're just taking Scriptures out of their context in order to make doctrines not found in the Bible! The more I read the Bible - the more I couldn't agree with my former faith of Roman Catholicism which I thought I could reform only to leave it because it couldn't be reformed! The Roman Catholic institution is catholic (in the sense that they have a central organization) but they are not holy and apo...

I really hate to admit it but forgiveness is a subject that's very difficult to talk about - not especially if anyone is rooted in their pride. How many times do we see people ruin each other because of their selfish pride? How often is the law taken into the hands of people because they think that they'll feel better if they take matters into their own hands? It's again rooted in pride. It's really something when you realize that forgiveness is difficult because of a matter of pride. Then, this pride can go as far as not to ask God for the grace to forgive others. Let's examine the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4). You can see the very phrase, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Why do you think the sample prayer included the phrase to forgive us our sins and as we forgive those who sin against us? This is asking God for the grace to forgive someone. The more I try to forgive based on my own strength - the more I realize tha...

I remembered the time I was offered the easy way out but chose to remain in the hard. Later, I found myself complaining about how difficult circumstances were and I was mockingly told, "We gave you an easy way out but you refused it! Well, it's God's will that you suffer!" I shouted, "No! It's not!" and went to the Bible for answers. I soon found many verses that really reveal that sometimes in life - it's God's will that you suffer! 2 Corinthians 12:6-8  6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  Hebrews ...