Touch Not The Lord's Anointed

Psalms 105:14-15, “He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their
sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

“Touch not the Lord’s anointed” is a badly
abused phrase today. Errant pastors and leaders
of churches and Seminaries and Bible colleges
have hidden behind this biblical adage to
resist discipline and rebuke by fellow Christian
leaders. Are these “men of God” really
untouchable even when they teach wrong doctrines
and commit sins blatantly and publicly?

The word “anointed” in Hebrew is “meshiach”
from which we get the word Messiah. The Greek
equivalent is the word “Christ”.
Before we look at the biblical understanding,
let us begin by looking at the words of David
before he became king. When David told his
men that they must not touch the LORD’s
anointed (referring to King Saul who was hunting
David down like an animal because King
Saul did not want David to be the next king
after him even though he knew that it was God’s
will), it was within the context of “not disobeying
God”. This truth has been blatantly ignored
by leaders today who hide behind God’s
teaching to champion their own man/men or
their own cause regardless of the fact that these
men have sinned and these causes are against
the perfect Word of God.

In the case of David, he was anointed by God
to be the next king of Israel but God did not tell
David to kill Saul in order to be the next king
the way that God told Jehu to wipe out the
family of King Ahab to become the next king.
In other words, David was not told the method
or the time regarding how or when he would be
the next king. David had to wait patiently for
God’s timing and did not rush ahead of God.
Hence David said these words to his men in 1
Samuel 26:9-11a, “And David said to Abishai,
Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his
hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?
David said furthermore, As the LORD
liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day
shall come to die; or he shall descend into
battle, and perish. The LORD forbid that I
should stretch forth mine hand against the
LORD’S anointed: . . . ..” David did not condone
King Saul’s sin at all. He said that the
LORD would smite him in His time.

The context of Psalm 105:14-15 refers to the
patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) in the
Land of Canaan. While they stayed there according
to God’s will, kings like Abimelech of
the Philistines and Pharaoh of the Egyptians
were rebuked by God so that God’s will in the
lives of His servants, the patriarchs, was not
thwarted. God’s plan was that they were the
chosen ones through whom the Messiah would
finally come. The nation of Israel would be
born through them. In other words, God was
fulfilling His prophesies in the lives of these
men and until their duties were done they
would not die. Once their duties were done,
the LORD would call them home. They were
“indestructible” until the work God had for
them was done. But that does not mean that
when they sinned they were not rebuked.

A case in point was the lie of Abraham when he
went into Gerar and lied about his relationship
with Sarah. “Then Abimelech called
Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou
done unto us? and what have I offended thee,
that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom
a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto
me that ought not to be done. . . . And Abimelech
said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell
where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he
said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand
pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a
covering of the eyes, unto all that are with
thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved
(Genesis 20:9, 15-16).” [Emphasis
added]

A heathen king said that Abraham was
to Sarah, and all those around him including
his servant, “a covering of the eyes”, which
means a most shameful person!
God demands a high standard of holiness from
His anointed, not a low one. When His servants
sin they must be rebuked and many times
openly so that all may learn and fear God!
This is true in both the OT and NT. When an
ordained elder (including a pastor) sins, he is
to be rebuked and if he refuses to repent then
he must be disciplined. Even after he has repented,
he must still confess his sins before
the congregation, who had elected him into the
highest office in the church, for having betrayed
their trust in him. The Bible says in 1Timothy
5:19-20, “Against an elder receive not an
accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others
also may fear.”

No one is above the Law of God, even His
perfect and Holy Word. A higher standard of
holiness is expected of all believers because
they have been converted and illuminated by
the Spirit of God who indwells every believer.
An even higher standard is expected of every
leader in God’s church especially pastors and
elders. For them to hide behind the phrase
“touch not the LORD’s anointed” is not only
shameful but a gross abuse of Holy Scriptures.
It is like saying that God will condone the sins
of His “anointed” servant who has done so
much for Him! This would make God a sinner
for He would be charged with partiality in His
judgement. Moses was rebuked immediately
by God and barred from entering the Promised
Land even after he had led the people of
Israel for 39 faithful years in the wilderness.
Although Moses prayed for God to let him
enter, God told him to stop praying because
His decision was final!

The phrase “touch not the LORD’s anointed”
is applied to all who are serving the LORD
and not just to a select few leaders! As long as
you are anointed by God to start a ministry
such as the Teens Fellowship or any other
ministry for His glory, you are the LORD’s
anointed for that particular ministry. It does
not mean you do not make mistakes or are
faultless. But you will be protected by God till
your task in that ministry is completed. In the
case of the pastor, his ministry is the flock of
Christ i.e. the entire church! The only difference
is in the size or scope of ministry.

Just because one is anointed for a service, it
does not mean that the person is definitely
saved or a child of God. It simply means that
the God of the Bible is a sovereign God Who
can “anoint” anyone to do His sovereign will.
King Saul was anointed to be king of Israel and
it had nothing to do with his salvation. Another
example is Hazael, the Syrian king whom
God had anointed to punish Israel. Jehu, a
wicked king was anointed by God to punish
Ahab. 1 Kings 19:15-16 says, “And the LORD
said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the
wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest,
anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu
the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king
over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of
Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in
thy room.” Do not confuse service in a ministry
with salvation!

In the case of Jesus of Nazareth, He was
anointed as the Saviour of the world and hence
He alone can bear the Name and title, Jesus
(Saviour) Christ (anointed). He is the Anointed
(Christ or Messiah) Saviour! In our case, it is
for service but anointed nonetheless.
Every servant of God needs to have accountability
and therefore is not above the Law of
God, including those who are anointed by God!

Keep Me From Sin

"Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins."—Psalm 19:13.

Such was the prayer of the "man after God's own heart." Did holy David need to pray thus? How needful, then, must such a prayer be for us babes in grace! It is as if he said, "Keep me back, or I shall rush headlong over the precipice of sin."

Our evil nature, like an ill-tempered horse, is apt to run away. May the grace of God put the bridle upon it, and hold it in, that it rush not into mischief. ...

The psalmist's prayer is directed against the worst form of sin—that which is done with deliberation and wilfulness. Even the holiest need to be "kept back" from the vilest transgressions.

It is a solemn thing to find the apostle Paul warning saints against the most loathsome sins. "Mortify* therefore your members** which are upon the earth; fornication^, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence^^, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

What! do saints want warning against such sins as these? Yes, they do. The whitest robes, unless their purity be preserved by divine grace, will be defiled by the blackest spots.

Experienced Christian, boast not in your experience; you will trip yet if you look away from Him who is able to keep you from falling.

Ye whose love is fervent, whose faith is constant, whose hopes are bright, say not, "We shall never sin," but rather cry, "Lead us not into temptation."

There is enough tinder in the heart of the best of men to light a fire that shall burn to the lowest hell, unless God shall quench the sparks as they fall. Who would have dreamed that righteous Lot could be found drunken, and committing uncleanness?

Hazael said, "Is Thy servant a dog, that he should do this thing?" and we are very apt to use the same self-righteous question. May infinite wisdom cure us of the madness of self-confidence.

Do I Know & Believe?

"We know that all things work together for good to them that love God."—Romans 8:28.

Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. H

e believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything.

He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid."

He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it."

"We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing.

Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes.

The believer can in the spirit of true faith and submission pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."

"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care?
Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.
His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind,
God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"

Addressing the misrepresentations of Arminianism and Calvinism

Dear Dr. Liauw,

I thank you for your article last week which seeks to address the issues of Calvinism.

Your son Dr. Stephen Liauw had beseeched me before, that I should check the Bible for myself, and not to depend on other persons' teachings and accepting them blindly.

Well, I believe that makes sense, and I also do believe that Scripture explains Scripture. Notwithstanding whether or not I believe in Arminian or Calvinistic Theology, the Word of God is still the best measure.


In my life growing up, I have been exposed to quite diverse teachings on Christianity. From Anglican, Charismatic, Bible-Presbyterian and eventually, the Baptist's.

Do I ever regret walking this walk all these years? No. Because I believe God always guide my footsteps as promised in the Scriptures.

Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

All these exposure to these different teachings helped to frame up or develop that of which has become my subconscious belief. I do hope that I would be objective in addressing the issues which you posed on Calvinistic Theology, in the light of the Scriptures. And not be biased toward a particular denomination's teachings just for the sake of it. May God help me.

Q: Can a "spiritually-dead" man ever save himself from his own sins? In other words, can he, by his own efforts, reconcile back his separation from God? For isn't his righteousness is as filthy rags before God?

Ac 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.


If answer is yes, then there are other ways to God other than Jesus Not biblical

If answer is no, then it means he is "totally-depraved" or totally helpless to save himself from condemnation. Meaning to say he is totally dependent upon God's promise of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, to set him free from his sins. He can never save himself from his own sins for he is separated from God after the fall. Man's attempts to bridge the gap back to God is totally futile. Unless Jesus take the place of our sin and die in our place, we shall in no wise be reconciled back to God. Salvation is of the Lord's.

Jesus is our one and only "life-line".

But, by being totally unable to save himself from his sins, does that mean that he would be likened to a corpse that is unable to ever respond to the Gospel?
Does man's inability to save himself from his sins means that man has lost his free-will?

Joh 8:33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?


Joh 8:34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.


Ro 8:15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.


What does being in bondage means? It means that the person is in bondage to sin. Isn't a spiritually dead man = being in spiritual bondage?

Lu 16:13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.


If one is in spiritual bondage, and being a servant to sin, can God be his master at the same time? How can he serve two masters? Contradiction.

Can a servant choose his master? Meaning to say, he chooses the master whom he will serve. He can, but provided the ransom on his head has been paid in full. Meaning to say, he does not have the privilege or right to choose his master whilst he is still in bondage, unless he is a "free" man first. And who bought the ransom for our bondage? It's none other than our good Lord Jesus Christ. He bought us with a price; it also means that He is our new master. Sin is no longer our master.

So, the question that is of issue is: Do we choose God as our master? Or does God choose us as His servants? If we choose God as our master, is it considered "working" toward our salvation? If God choose us as His servants, does it mean 'unconditional election'? (Or whatever theological term it is called)

Answer: God bought us with a price: His death on the cross. The price is already paid in full. If the price is already paid in full, then the servant is no longer bonded to his old master (although he can still choose to be bonded to him).

The question that follows is: If Christ already paid the full price to free us from our bondage; does He exert/impose his lordship over his "bought" servant?

1Co 7:22For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.


Joh 8:32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.


From this verse we know that God does not exert/impose his lordship over his "bought" servant. The servant is not "forced" by God to serve Him. But if he is still bonded to his old master, this implies that he rejected the new master, Christ; for he cannot serve two masters.

If a servant rejects one master, then this automatically means that he accepts the other master.

Choosing = accept

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Acceptance of God's gift of salvation put a sinful man in a justified position before God.

Acceptance of God's gift of salvation means that sinful man believes in God's redemption plan. It is by no means through any effort of his own, that a man accepts this gift. If any man accepts something through his own effort, that something ceases to be a gift.

How can a person get saved?

Answer: By believing/accepting the good news of Jesus Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

How does a person believe/accept the good news of God's redemptive work?

Answer: By having faith to believe in the Gospel. True? Can a man without faith be saved? No, because believing in our Lord's Salvation work/Gospel requires faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. It is described as a noun. It is something "possess-able". It is something that a person either has, or doesn't.

Ga 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.


De 32:20And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.


It is true that God desire us to love him and choose him.

But what is the main thing that drives our love and choice of God? The main thing that drives our love and choice of God is this substance called "faith" inside of us. This faith grants us the ability to obey His commandments. For without faith, we will not be able to even believe in the Word of God/Bible in the first place.

Joh 14:15 says "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Joh 15:10 says "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

When God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son, the thing about Abraham that pleased God: was it the "choosing" of Abraham of God rather than his son? The choosing of Abraham of God rather than his son is a demonstration of his obedience, which reflects Abraham's faith, and love for God.

The answer lies in Gen 22:8: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

What does this mean?
Answer: Abraham knows that God will be merciful. (he still will carry out the act of sacrificing his son, but he knows that God will stop him). But even if He doesn't, Abraham will still obey Him nonetheless! This pleases the Lord. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. This whole act is "faith" manifested.

Da 3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Da 3:17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Da 3:18But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.


Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, by faith, believe that God, whom they serve, is able to deliver them from the fiery furnace. The prospect of them being burnt to death does not even bother them at all. How do we know?

From their answer, which means something like: O King, we do not even have a second thought in considering your proposal or threat. Yes, we believe that our God is able to deliver us, but whether or not we will be saved from the fire is secondary. The main thing is that, we will not bow down to your god. Even if God do not deliver us from the fiery furnace, we will still be resolute in our stand. We will not worship your god.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego know that God will be merciful. (They will still give their bodies up to be burnt, if that should be God's will for them). But even if He doesn't deliver them from the fiery furnace, the three of them will still obey Him nonetheless! This pleases the Lord. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. This whole act is "faith" manifested.

How does faith come about? What is the origin of faith?

Ga 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Jas 1:17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.


Eph 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:


From here we know that faith is the gift of God, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. God, by His grace, grant us faith to believe.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (I will come to the issue of pre-destination later)

In the Bible, faith and the Word of God are sometimes likened to a seed.

In the parable of the sower, the seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. The word "hear" in this verse is mentioned once only.

Now, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "Hearing" here is repeated twice.

1 Jn 3: 9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God

What does this mean? It means: Faith comes to those that keep the Word of God in their hearts. Those who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts will not be saved.

Now does this mean that it is possible for a saved person to lose his salvation?

The key to this question lies in the Holy Ghost.

Joh 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Ghost will make sure that the seed "remaineth" as he shall teach us all things and bring God's Word to our remembrance. God is an "active" God and not a "passive" God (will address later below)

Acts 5:32
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him

But what about the verse that says:

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

What does "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost" here means? Does this mean that they have been born again before?

Perhaps the best human example here that we can use is that of Judas Iscariot. Has Judas ever been saved? In other words, was faith ever found in him?
Answer: Can a man without faith, be saved? No. Because believing in Jesus/Gospel requires faith. We know that Judas was not saved. Therefore, it means that faith is not found in him. Has faith ever been found in him on his life on earth? Has he ever believed in our Lord Jesus Christ?

Ac 7:51Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.


Those people who are not saved, they have finally and deliberately denied and rejected Jesus Christ. The term here states that "they always resist the Holy Ghost". Meaning to say, if the Holy Ghost is always resisted by them, then it will not be found in them, which implies that any "seed" planted in them might not remain and the crow would take away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

By this we know that Judas 'always resist the Holy Ghost' and he was never saved in the first place.

This implies that, those "made partakers of the Holy Ghost" need not mean that they have been born again, but that they have been witnesses of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of others. That is all.

Does Jesus know that Judas will not be saved?

Mr 14:21The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.


Yes He does.

But does Jesus know that His betrayer is Judas?

Mt 26:25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.


Yes He does.

So, the question is: Did not God elect Judas in the first place? Is God the cause of the Judas' condemnation? Is He blameable for Judas' eternal death as He did not "elect" him since eternity past?

Joh 6:70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?


The thing about Judas is that:

1. he always resist the Holy Ghost i.e. he hardened his heart
2. As a result, any 'seed' planted in him does not remain
3. The crow (devil) take away the word of God (seed) out of their hearts
4. The absence of this word of God in his heart prevented him from believing and consequently, from being saved.
5. Judas' constant choice of resisting the Holy Ghost makes him a 'devil'.

Ro 8:29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 8:30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.


God knows in eternity past who are the people who are going to believe in Him and who are not going to believe in Him. Can He force them to believe in Him and be saved? No. These people stiffen their necks and hardened their hearts and deliberately denied and rejected our Lord Jesus Christ. They choose to serve their old master, sin.

But does this mean that God gives faith to the elect and not to the non-elect?

Over here the main concern is the issue of cause and effect.

God created man and place him in the Garden of Eden with two special trees.

Jas 1:13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:


God does not tempt anyone. So can He be held responsible for Adam's fallen into sin? Answer is no.

His placement of the two trees is to test man.

God created man whom He know, in eternity past, will sin against Him. But He created man for His purpose nonetheless, whatever it is.

He prepared, in His good time, a Lamb to take the place of punishment of the sinners whom He loved. (Sinners here mean the whole of mankind because it is written there is none righteous before God after the Fall).

The only salvation offered to man is that by believing in God's only begotten Son who will take man's place of punishment.

God gives faith in man to believe.

Some men accept this gift, and become sons of God.

Some men reject this gift, stiffing their necks and hardening their hearts and become the adversary who opposes God and join with the devil. God already knew that these men will reject Him because He knew their hearts. How do we know?

In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus is the Word of God reincarnated.

Heb 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.


The Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerned of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If so, then how can anything be hidden from Him? God already knew that these men will reject Him in the end.

But does it mean that He created them unto condemnation?

Joh 3:17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.


In the story of Jonah,

God is going to punish Nineveh.
God ordered Jonah to preach to Nineveh so that they would repent
Jonah refuse. He want Nineveh to die.
Jonah ran away.
God ordered a big fish to swallow Jonah
God, again, ordered Jonah to preach to Nineveh
Jonah obeyed and preached to Nineveh
Nineveh repented
God no punish Nineveh
Jonah sulk

Look at what Jonah said to God:

Jon 4:1¶ But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
Jon 4:2And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
Jon 4:3Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jon 4:4Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?


Jonah, by faith, knew that God will not punish Nineveh in the end. Jonah wants Nineveh to be punished, that is why he ran away so that Nineveh will not have a chance to repent.

Jonah had this 'faith' to believe that God would be merciful toward Nineveh. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Although unwilling, faith is found in Jonah and Jonah still obeyed God nonetheless, eventually.

In Jonah's case, God knows in eternity past, that Nineveh is going to repent. That is why He spares no effort in ordering Jonah twice to go preach to them. And even ordering the whale to swallow Jonah so that Jonah would do what He biddeth him to do. He makes sure that Jonah does his job of preaching to Nineveh, in order that He need not punish them, knowing even beforehand that Nineveh is going to repent and if there is no one to preach the good news to them, He would have no choice but to destroy them.

From this we know that our good Lord is not passive toward His work of salvation. God preserves His people. Active, not passive.

For Judas' case:
God knows who are going to oppose Him in eternity past. That is why he said: have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

So the question is: If God foreknows all things, does that mean that He wills some men to be saved and wills that some men don't?

Eze 18:32For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.


Answer is no.

So, knowing that God, being all-knowing (past, present, future), can we say that God predestined some to die and created them unto condemnation?
Can we accuse God of predestining some to die and created them unto condemnation, because our God is all-knowing?

Logic1: If God knows all things à He wills some to die and created them unto condemnation. Over here, the premise is already wrong. Garbage in, garbage out.
If we reverse the logic, the meaning, by right, should be preserved. But for this case, it becomes:
Since God does not will that someone to die, nor does He create them unto condemnation, then it means that God does not know all things. But we know from the Scriptures that God knows all things. Therefore it's a contradiction.

Logic2: If God knows all things --> He knows who will accept and who will reject Him in the end. This is a correct premise.
No matter how we turn the logic, the meaning is preserved:
Since God knows who will accept and who will reject Him in the end, then it means that God knows all things.

Ro 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.


For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.


Continuing: if God knows who will accept and who will reject Him in the end --> He did foreknow.

If He did foreknow --> He did predestinate them who love God and are called according to his purpose, to be conformed to the image of his Son.

And also, if He did foreknow --> He knows who will reject Him in the end.

And if He knows who will reject Him in the end, since we know that God does not will that someone to die, nor does He create them unto condemnation, then is it God's fault that these people are not saved eventually?
God has done His work in providing the only means of Salvation for men. If men choose to reject Him, then these men have only themselves to blame for ending up in hell.
How can a good God ever decreed evil? A good tree will bear good fruit, and a bad tree, bad fruit. Can a good tree bear bad fruit? Or a bad tree, good fruit?


In your analogy: Is it God's decree that a daughter is raped by several men? Of course not! But let us reply this question with questions: Is it God's decree that some people die as martyrs? Is it God's decree that Job lost all his loved ones and his possessions? Is it God's decree that some of Jesus' disciples is burnt alive, boiled alive, hanged upside down, skinned alive etc etc?

1Co 10:13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


Conclusion: God, in his perfect knowledge, knows in time past who are going to reject Him. Those men who resist the Gospel, they really reject Him eventually (their choice). Then it is the case of a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Remembering also that "time" is non-existent to God; this means that the logic of the cause and effect, could happen simultaneously at the same time --> self-fulfilling prophesy. Neither God wills it that man should die. Man has himself to thank for rejecting the Gospel. And he would have to face the consequences of his choice.


Ps 94:9He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see?


Ps 94:10He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?


Lu 22:32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.


God bless you and keep you,

W.D

YAyh!

Sekai ga Owaru Made wa

Translation:

Until the end of time.. by Wands (Version W)

Walking alone on this windy night..

Amidst the glittering city blitz..

Thoughts of you clouded my mind..

Can’t shake it off, can’t push it away,

Flashbacks of the past.. moments gone..

The night chill bit my skin..

Millions of emotions came rushing in..

overwhelming me..

let me shout this out

Am a hypocrite, please bear with me, don't hate me..

For Spirit's willing, but flesh is weak..

But am striving to be better.

It has always been..It has always been..

To keep on fighting this evil roots inside of me..

Till the end of time..

Maybe you will continue to resent me

That of which I can’t change..and I don’t blame you either.

All I can do, is to tell you..

that love ever grew in my heart toward you,

That feeling of fondness and wanting to be ever so close to you,

it is real and true.

Is this really good bye? Maybe yes, maybe no..

Until the end of time,

Let me cherish this feeling that ever grew in my heart.

And to guard it forever.

Till the end of time..

Forever loving you..

Loneliness... of someone I know

The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone.

The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

The man [or woman] who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and over-serious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens.

He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else."

Sister

Look at her travel blog at www.caribou-in-mizzou09.blogspot.com

Ducati

Yogya town..

Bakpiah type 25 Factory in Yogyakarta - the making

Yogyakarta town is famous for their Bakpiahs or green bean cakes.

Those green stuffs are the fillings for the bakpiah cake - green bean paste. They also store up the skins of these green beans to be made into the fleshy outer layer.

They come in 3 flavors: Choc, Cheese and greenbean.

There are several brands of the bakpiah over there.. but i guess the best one is Bakpiah type 75.
Those cakes are then baked in the oven until they are golden brown, crispy, hot and gives out wonderful smell..

Tried some of those samples.. fresh from the oven. Taste heavenly!

Attributes of a king - Sultan of Kraton

Relics in Kraton and their representations of the attributes of a King / Sultan

1) Angsa (swan) - Waspada alias Prudent

2) Rusa (Antelope) - Bijaksana alias Wisdom

3) Ayam Jago (Rooster) - Pemberani alias Bravery

4) Merak (Peacock) - Wibawa alias Dignified

5) - Daya tarik alias Charisma

6) Sapu Tangan - Suci alias Holiness

7) - Tanggung Jawab (Responsibility)

8) Lampu - Penerang (Light bearer)

I see and I observe that generally, Yogyakartans (and particularly the servants and guards in the Kraton palace - Most of them of old age, serving in the palace in the past) are fairly refined people in the way they uphold their values and moral system, their way of speech in striving their best to be tactful, polite and not wasting words.. Their natural friendliness and their strong sense of "gotong-royong" and their artistic sense as seen from their unique Batik works, Silver works and paintings.

Never do I see any beggars begging on the streets as we see in Jakarta..

They hold a sense of pride of their culture and kingdom and simple and contented way of life... Most of the commoners on the streets can actually tell you the history of their kingdom, the kings and folktales that the murals and temples represents...

Yogyakarta is truly a heritage to be preserved ..

Kraton Palace

Parang Tritis Beach part II

They call it "undur-undur" because they move backwards...

I actually tried chewing one of those... and vomit it out straightway...

Its actually soft in texture and saltish...but the sight of its "many legs' disgusted me...

Horrible















Seafood dinner by the sunset ... You actually choose your live catch fresh from the market there and request for it to be cooked any way you like it...

Price is terribly cheap as well..

You can ride a horse-wagon along the seaside too...

Parang Tritis Beach

My tourguide - knows particularly everything
I need to know about Yogyakarta.

Candi in Prambanan

This place is 60% destroyed in the last earthquake....

A "shotgun" trip to Yogyakarta

Took a shotgun trip to Yogyakarta 48 hrs ago...

Boarded a last minute train, Tak Saka to that "paradise city" sung about in many Indonesian folk songs..

The journey took 9 hrs (its painless if u took the overnight ride :-) )

Upon reaching the Tugu train station, a whiff of "kampong" sweet air welcomes me... It was 6AM when I reached the neat town.

Candi Borobudur - The view from the top is magnificent...

Though some parts are stolen, others wearied by wear n tear, its still v beautiful.

The ultimate Currency

The love of money is the root of all evil...

Time is money...

I love time...


Time is the ultimate medium of exchange... Say, if (God willing), I would live to 65, that'll be 39 more years...which means it would be 468 months..... which translate to 11232 hours more to go...

Shall I die tomorrow? Hopefully not.. It's hard to die.. Can't die yet.. Till all my work is complete, my destiny's fulfilled... and my goals' accomplished...

Learnt something: It's not the length of years I live.. It's what I do what that little time space am given... why this era? why this country? why these people? what purpose? For What?

All i ask, is to be fully alive and my life spent purposefully and meaningfully .. n that I would find 'her' eventually..

Love like you've never been hurt

Work like you don't need the money,

Dance like nobody's watching..

Sing like no one's listening..

Love like you've never been hurt and ..

Live like it's heaven on earth.