Church And Politics | Ernie's Musings

Church And Politics | Ernie's Musings

Church And Politics

For our [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)

I am at the end of my three-year term as a member of the personnel committee of my church. One of the final tasks of my term is to bring in a new ministerial staff member. This week the personnel committee met with the candidate for an interview by the entire committee. In the process of the interview one of the committee members asked the candidate how he felt about politics in the church. He gave what I thought was an appropriate answer. Basically, he said that the church is not about politics but rather about accomplishing the Great Commission. He said that if we teach the Bible correctly, politics will take care of itself. He pointed out that Jesus is neither Democrat nor Republican (nor was He a Pharisee or a Sadducee). As our lead verse (above) states, we are citizens of heaven, not of this world. This world is passing away, but our eternal home in heaven is without end.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2021/09/26/church-and-politics/

 

I’ve Got A Mansion

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2-3)

An old Gospel song that goes by the same title talks about “a mansion just over the hilltop in that bright land where we’ll never grow old.” The singer dreams of having a “gold one that is silver lined.” Does that not seem somewhat esurient to covet the riches of heaven? I admit that the thought did not occur to me until recently.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2021/09/19/ive-got-a-mansion/

Still Coming

Still Coming

… and said unto them, Occupy till I come.  (Luke 19:13)

As I wrote last week, “For many years now, I come to this time of year with a heightened sense of expectation.” More than ten years ago, I learned about the Feasts of the Lord.[1] By His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled first three spring feasts, and Pentecost fulfilled the fourth feast. The last three fall feasts remain unfulfilled, and the Feast of Trumpets comes first in that series. The Feast of Trumpets is significant because it heralds the new year. It is also a holy convocation announced by the blowing of trumpets that summons the people to the Temple.

Read More ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2021/09/12/still-coming/

 

The Rapture

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1Corinthians 15:51-52)

We hear a lot about the Rapture lately, but a lot of confusion exists about what the Rapture is and when it is supposed to take place. Some critics deny the Rapture claiming, that the word “rapture” is not in the Bible. However, the word “Bible” is not in the Bible, nor is the word “Trinity,” yet no Christian would deny these terms. To be clear, while the English word “Rapture” cannot be found in the Bible, its Greek root is. “To the church in Thessalonica, [Paul] wrote: ‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [i.e., “go before”] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, emphasis mine). The Greek word translated ‘caught up’ is harpazō, which means ‘to seize, carry off by force’ or ‘to snatch out or away.’ That word is further translated into Latin as rapturo [rapiemur] from which we get our word ‘rapture.’”

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2021/09/05/the-rapture/